Questions from October 2017
The battery in my Peugeot 308CC was draining frequently, especially in cold weather. I replaced the battery seven months ago but it still goes flat after a week if the car isn't used. Peugeot dealer says...
I purchased my MINI Cooper Convertible in 2012 and was delighted with it – it's my dream car. Last week, I heard a rattle when starting the engine and upon taking it to a garage, have discovered that the...
I was involved in a car accident back in April 2017. It happened on a small stretch of single track road with some passing places, 30mph, three tonne weight limits. I had stopped safely and quickly, the...
I ordered a "new" demo Volkswagen T6 Transporter, which was converted into a campervan. I collected it from the converter in April 2017, the price quoted included 12 months road tax. Some weeks later I...
What can I do if I don't agree with my insurer's write-off valuation?
I've recently purchased a Volvo S40 2.4-litre petrol. What mpg should it get? I'm currently getting 26mpg and 30mpg on a run out.
I need a cheap, reliable second-hand van with a load area to fit 2.5 x 1.22 meter sheet timber.
I recently hit a bird, which necessitated a new windscreen for my Audi SQ5 as a mater of urgency. I ordered a replacement to be fitted by Auto Windscreens online. However, I got a call the next day saying...
We are heading to the UK, from Australia, for four months to do a few house swaps with some lovely English folk from various parts of the UK. During our time there we are wanting to have the freedom of...
Is a Ford Transit van class four or class seven for MoT?
Two weeks ago, my grandson bought a 2015 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 for just over £6000 from a main Vauxhall dealer. It came with a one year warranty and the car is on credit taken out with them. Last week, he...
Which cars are cheapest to insure for a reformed drink driver?
I have a 2009 Honda CR-V CDT-i with 60,000 miles on the clock. Under heavy acceleration there is black smoke out the exhaust - a fair amount. We have done 5000 miles in the five months since buying it...
My niece, who already has a seven year old, is expecting triplets. What would be your recommendation for a vehicle suitable to transport two adults, a seven year old and three babies (including all the...
My parked car was crashed into by a drink driver at night, I was at home sleeping. The police arrested him for drink driving and criminal damage and arranged the recovery. My insurance (Tesco) is third...
I have an Hyundai ix35 on three year PCP. It was one year old when I got it. It has some kerb scratches on the alloy wheels and minor scratches on the body, will the garage try to charge me to rectify...
I'm thinking of replacing my Vauxhall Corsa with a used Toyota Prius. I have read all I can find on your excellent website about such imports and the Shaken Test in Japan, but some UK car sales websites...
I want to buy a cheap car with low insurance. It needs to be reliable and I'm not bothered about the badge. What do you recommend?
Why is my new Honda Jazz EX CVT not remotely like the car you reviewed on your website? The ride in the back is atrocious.
My van was stolen from my drive a few weeks ago. I now have a replacement Ford Transit and I'm thinking of fitting deadlocks. Is this a good idea or is there something better?
My dad is moving and has dug out my old hubcaps from the MG Magnette I had in the 1980s. Do you have any idea how much we could sell them for and where? I think he has approached MG Owners Club but no...
Last November, my wife was involved in an accident when a third party drove into the nearside of her MINI. My wife was driving and I was in the front passenger seat. There was significant damage to the...
I need a six-seater, economical van for my cleaning business. It also needs to be able to manoeuvre narrow Cornish lanes. What would you suggest?
I'm looking to convert a Renault Master High Top LWB into a horsebox. Should I buy four to five year old van with 200,000 miles or an eight to nine year old van with 120,000 miles? Also, at what point...
I recently bought my son a BMW 1 Series for his 18th birthday. Soon after the filter light came on. We took it to a garage to be looked at and the turbo was burnt out, so had to be replaced. We also had...
I bought a Toyota Auris from a main Toyota dealer a week ago. The car is a 16 plate, with only seven miles on the clock when I bought it. The car was a Toyota fleet car, so was unused for over a year....
I've just been given a new Gamin dash cam. Can I run this and my Garmin satnav from the 12V cigarette lighter socket?
The Navigation module in my Vauxhall Insignia is faulty. The dealer is asking for £2000 to put new box and program in, so I bought the same module from eBay instead. However, it's showing that it's locked...
In September my wife parked in a Minster Baywatch controlled car park in Sheffield. The parking fee was payed, by telephone via an automated system, by our future daughter-in-law. A few days later my wife...
I'm looking at a car with a private registration number. I tried to check the MoT history, but it only goes back to when the private plate was added (two years ago). How can I find out what the original...
Is there a greater percentage increase on insurance claims from BMW owners? They seem to travel at full throttle all the time.
I own a Focus ST which has factory silver grey 19-inch alloys. The trouble is once cleaned they are filthy in a few days and virtually black in about a week. I've tried car polish on them but the result...
Are there any alternatives to the Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Partner. I need the spacious boot with low back entry and windows but I think these two are too tall for my garage.
Someone ran into the back of my wife's car at a roundabout. The driver didn't want to get out of the car to speak to her at first, but eventually opened his window to give his name and insurance details....
What should I look when selecting a new car taking into consideration that I commute 60 miles per day (good quality road) and I have some issues with back pain? I am between the new Honda Civic (where...
I ordered my Ford Mustang GT last year and was told that it would take 12 months to be delivered. As you know, the tax band rates have gone up and I believe that the dealer is passing the additional cost...
Is it okay to clean the DPF filter with Mr Muscle oven cleaner and then put it back? It’s a lot cheaper than replacing it but does it do the job? I have a Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 DTi that’s done 120,000 miles...
Our motorhome knocked wing mirrors with a much larger motorhome in France. We filled in the Constat Amiable D'Accident Automobile (which we had a copy of in English) and agreed as well as we could with...
I returned a hire car last month with a small scratch on the painted plastic bumper. Having rejected the rip-off insurance I fully expected to pay for the repair however not the £300 they charged me. We...
My partner had an accident with a German registered HGV in October 2015. My insurers, AXA, were given written statements and photographs at the time denying liability and empathised that the collision...
Last December, my son's neighbour reversed into my car, which was parked across the road from him. My car was repaired by the neighbour's insurer after he admitted full responsibility, and I approached...
If I make a claim on car rental insurance cover, does it affect my premiums for my personal car insurance?
I've had my Mazda MX5 for 15 years and have no intention of parting with it, but the load/tow car to which I've had access when necessary will soon become unavailable. I have a mind to buy something cheap...
Are classic cars legally covered by the same warranty as modern cars?
I recently purchased a 2008 Lexus IS 250 from a dealer. It has a fault that has been diagnosed as faulty VVTI controllers (cam gears). The dealer is rejecting my claim that the car was faulty when he sold...
I'm buying a Suzuki Wagon R+, which belonged to the deceased dad of the seller. It's been left on his drive. Tax and MoT ran out in June and it isn't SORN'd. He's getting it MoT'd tomorrow. Will the MoT...
I bought a used car last November from a MINI main dealer. The car was only five months old and had covered 5000 miles. A few months ago, I noticed the paint on the rear didn't look quite right and asked...
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