Trending topics in February 2017
Questions from February 2017
I have a limited budget of £4000 and am looking for a reliable and economical 4x4 vehicle to tow a single horse trailer (need 1500kg kerb weight).
I just bought a 2005 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Elegance SE automatic 134PS. So far I've done 45 miles and already used £40 of fuel. Is this normal? I drive in the city.
Our two year old Volvo V40 2.0 has been in the garage for nine weeks undergoing tests and repair for an emission problem. We have been told that there is an inherent flaw in the design, is this true?
I'm looking at the Kia seven year warranty, is it any good? I'm looking at the Kia Sportage. Do you have any reviews on the new version? How economical are they in practice?
I have recently purchased a new BMW 3 Series Touring. I have 55 years accident free driving experience, always with manual transmission, and the new car was my first automatic transmission. Two weeks ...
I'm interested in a used, reliable and economic small-ish/medium automatic car. I also need for the seating to be a little bit elevated, like the Honda Jazz. I've heard everywhere, that Japanese/Korean...
I bought a year old Renault Captur at the weekend and it appears to be a nice, well-kept car. However, driving it home I noticed what looked like specks of dirt on the centre of the windscreen. On Monday...
My wife had, until recently, a personal plate on her BMW Z4 but sold the plate and transferred another personal plate (which she had on retention) to the BMW. It was last used on an Audi TT she owned at...
I have found a BMW 3 Series 2.0 SE diesel that's been owned and maintained by a mechanic for the last 6 years. It seems in good quality but is 15 years old with 150,000 on the clock. Does £1995 seem like...
We have a 2014 Land Rover Freelander (15,000 miles) and a 2013 Kia Rio (22,000) on 17-inch rims (big mistake for country roads). We have a budget of about £20,000 and would like to change the Kia Rio for...
I'd like to buy a car on 0% finance. Am I able to close the deal after a month and pay off the balance in whole or would there be any penalties? Both Skoda dealers I have asked have said this is fine.
My first diesel Skoda Octavia Estate managed 200,000 miles until I replaced it with a 6 month old model in 2010 With 100,000 miles on the clock. Should I be looking to replace my current diesel or do I...
My Skoda Octavia 1.4 TSI had EPC fault showing. The Skoda dealer said the turbo had gone and would be about £1500 to replace. As the car was only 3.5 years old with 19,300 miles, Skoda agreed with dealer...
I've just had to pay for a new engine for my 2011 Volkswagen Scirocco. The garage found out that the engine had already been replaced before by Volkswagen and that this is a well documented problem with...
When I try to open the roof of my Peugeot 307 CC it says 'operation impossible, screen not in place'. What does this mean? I have only just bought it
I read your report on the Land Rover Discovery Sport automatic recall due to the wiring loom fouling on a water cooler bracket. When I checked my VIN it matches the number range, and was built in July...
How can you find out if a vehicle has a timing chain or belt?
I have a Ford Mondeo Titanium X 1.8 and don't understand what the orange warning light on the dash means. It's a symbol of a car with a skid mark below it and it only appears when I turn ESP off. Is that...
The motoring press keeps saying how MINI hold their value. I have a 2014 MINI Roadster JCW which is now worth only a third of its new price after just 2 years. I also checked a neighbours 2015 MINI Clubman...
I like the Skoda Yeti 150PS 4WD SEL 'Drive' with £1500 'free' extras. Skoda is offering a PCP plan of 0% finance plus £1000 contribution to the deposit and after three years the vehicle can be bought at...
Just repaid the lease on our Skoda Octavia and it's now stopped working - can we get our money back?
My 2012 Skoda Octavia stopped working after 4 years of ownership from new. The dealer cannot work out the fault, we repaid the lease 5 days before the car stopped working. Any chance of getting money back...
In January 2015 I purchased a used 2013 Volkswagen Caddy van (15,000 miles) from a Volkswagen branch. So far I've needed a new rear axle replaced under warranty after it was found to be bent (Feb 2016)...
In these days of emissions, DPFs, DMFs, ESP, ABS, complicated gearboxes and keyless entry I'm considering a forray into buying something simple to keep as a hobby. What cars were most reliable and well-made...
I have a budget of £1500 for a reliable, economical car. I have a round trip of 36, mostly motorway, miles each day for work. Which cars would you recommend?
I drive about 60 miles on the motorway every day. I don't drive around the city much. I was thinking of getting a 2007/2008 Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI. I heard it can be costly to replace the cam belt and...
I'm looking for a refined medium-sized SUV with comfortable interior, enjoyable drive and good performance. I'd also like DAB and iPhone connectivity. Is the BMW X3 a good choice or are there better alternatives?...
I note that Volkswagen have replaced the 1.4 TSI engine in the latest Golf with a 1.5 TSI engine, but Audi have retained the 1.4 TSI engine. How does the 1.5 TSI engine compare to the 1.4 TSI engine? I...
I like the look of the new model Renault Scenic and am considering changing my lovely BMW E89 Z4 M Sport auto for one. The Dynamique S Nav appears to be a good spec with fold down seats for my RC helicopters....
When warm and idling, I can hear a whining noise from the engine of my 2014 petrol Ford Kuga 1.6 2WD. This happens with or without clutch depressed. It disappears at other revs.
My sister has received a parking fine letter at her address even though I've not lived there for a number of years. She's sent it back unopened, can they take me to court if I never received the letter?
I currently drive a 2006 Volkswagen Golf GTI and drive an average of 14,000 miles a year. Due to an arrival of a dog in the household, I'm looking to change to a midsize estate but I would like it to be...
I took my 2005 BMW to a reputable garage for a MoT and was surprised that the overall time to pass the test (one advisory - split rear tyre) was about 35 minutes. Should I be suspicious of this or should...
What car would you recommend for 25,000 miles a year, mainly motorway driving? I have had Audi and Mercedes-Benz in the past but found that the rate they go through tyres makes them too expensive. I intend...
My Daewoo Matiz feels sluggish in first and second gear. It jerks and I hear the exhaust knocking, what's the issue?
I have a B8 Audi A4 Avant diesel which has done 80,000 miles. My garage is recommending an engine treatment called Terraclean and I'm aware that there can be big bills on a high mileage diesel. Are these...
I'm looking for a new petrol car to tow a 1000kg caravan. Would the Skoda Yeti 1.4 150PS 250Nm make a capable tow car?
I've owned my 2012 SEAT Leon SE Copa 1.6 TDI DSG for just over 1 year now. At the beginning of the month a light came on indicating a fault in the emissions control system, which was immediately followed...
My 2015 Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG was used and advertised by a dealer. The advert stated it had a performance exhaust fitted (an extra) and a full Mercedes-Benz service history (which they would provide me...
I have a 2006 diesel SAAB 9-3 Convertible that showed a 'limited performance' message from engine management and then the brake lights flickered. Although the engine management warning light comes on I...
Should I scrap my 2001 Renault Scenic 1.8 with 65,000 miles? It's still a good runner, but I no longer need it.
I purchased a Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 diesel from new in May 2014. In October 2016 Volkswagen did the emissions update. Immediately, I noticed these issues: loss of mpg, DPF regenerating once per week, acceleration...
Can I expect that a dealer will have done a car check and will know the car history if I purchase a car from them? Can I trust them not to sell me a car that is still on finance or has been written off?...
I'm looking to purchase a 2013 Renault Megane GT 1.5 DCI. It has 67,000 miles on the clock and looks in good condition. What are potential problems, and is it worth £7000?
I'm 81 and about to change from my BMW 3 Series convertible for something easier to enter and exit. It would be helpful to know if any "soft roader" matches the ride comfort of its maker's market niche-equivalent...
What's the best automatic small car with space for a smallish dog cage in the boot?
I'm looking at buying a 2008 Ford S-Max 2.0 TDCi, 133,000 miles on the clock. It's priced at £2650 and I'm looking at it this week. What things should I be looking for which should have been changed already...
Since having the emissions fix on my Volkswagen Passat, I noticed the fan running for twenty or so seconds after I had switched off and locked the car. It sounded so loud and I've never noticed it before.
I currently drive a 2013 Ford Mondeo Estate which we've used as a family car for camping holidays. Squeezing as much as possible into the boot is essential, with the back seats up as I have two children....
I'm looking to buy an old shape 2013 Nissan Qashqai. I currently drive approximately 7000 miles per year. I like the Tekna but want a comfortable ride (travel sick child). Which model would you go for?...
Just wanted to bring to your attention that a further development has occurred regarding the Mercedes-Benz crabbing/tyre skipping issue on GLC, C43, and E43 models. Our action group website was forwarded...
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