Ask Honest John

Most recently answered reliability questions
I'm looking for a nice looking car for around the £2000 mark? Any ideas of what's a good buy and what to look out for in terms of mileage, etc?
I am looking to buy a BMW 535d M Sport Touring and wanted your general comments and thoughts on the car, as well as key areas to check on the car and its history. I am buying it from a BMW main dealer...
Always with an eye for a bargain, I noticed a 2007, 56 reg Daihatsu Sirion 1.3SX with 18,000 miles on the clock, advertised for £4,295. Is this too good to be true? Are there any major potential problems...
I'm thinking of buying a new 1.6 diesel hatchback which I will keep for five or more years. Firstly, with annual mileage at 12,000 miles, is this the right choice? Secondly, is the Octavia likely to be...
I'm looking at buying a used car that will ideally be economical, fun to drive and (hopfully) last 5-6 years. In your opinion, what is the best diesel car to buy for under £8000 with less than 30,000 on...
I have a 5-year-old Jaguar X-Type 2.0-litre diesel that has done 80,000 miles. I like its economy, comfort and load capacity. My main mileage is on country roads and there are regular scrapes with hedges...
My 1999 Toyota Avensis estate (2.0-litre petrol) has, after 170,000 trouble-free miles, expired due to a burst radiator and subsequent cracked cylinder head. I would like to replace it with a similar large...
I’ve recently purchased a 2001 Jaguar XK8 Coupe with about 46,000m on the clock. It has immaculate bodywork and the interior is also pretty good. It also came with four new tyres. I paid £10,350 – is that...
I've owned a 2003 Celica (140bhp) for two years now and fancy a bit of a change. Talking down the pub with friends, we got on to slightly older but very powerful saloons. I've since taken a fancy to a...
I am thinking of buying a BMW 320Ci SE Auto Coupe, 2.2-litre, 2004, one owner, full history, 34,500 miles, auto. It has extras including leather seats, parking sensors and approx £3000 of extras from the...