Belt renewal - what do you advise?

I've just bought an Alfa Romeo 147 Alfa JTD 120 8-valve. It's an 07-plate with 52,000 on the clock, and full service history. I've read that belts and water pump have a habit of failing well before the...

Ford Focus - warranty vs wear and tear

My car is due out of warranty next month. I have just been advised by Green Flag (starting problem) that the fan belt and tensioners are worn, and should be changed. The car has done 35,000 miles. Is...

When to replace chain belt

Just bought a nine yr old 1.3 Toyota Spirit with a seemingly genuine 62,000 miles on clock. Is it time now that the chain belt be replaced? Are there any warning signs which might indicate when a...

Should the dealer continue to service a 75k car if I want to sell in 1-2 years?

My Honda Accord Tourer CDTi HFT has been serviced by the Honda dealer that I bought it from with the exception of a recent clutch change (£560 vs £850). I will probably sell it when I need to drive to...

Why aren't consumable fluids included in Peugeot's service plans?

A word of warning for other readers. We took out a tailor made service plan for our then 3-year-old Peugeot 207 provided by our local dealer. The brochure boasts to take the stress out of vehicle servicing...

What dictates my service intervals - mileage or time?

My Subaru Forester's service schedule is every 12,000 miles or once a year. My last service after three years should have been the 36,000 mile service but, since I had only covered 19,356 miles, I chose...

Should front springs be replaced in pairs?

Earlier this year my Vauxhall Vectra Estate was found to have a broken front road spring. My local main agent advised me that it was customary for both engineering and safety reasons to replace the springs...

Does flushing oil help to decontaminate an engine when the oil is changed?

Yesterday my 2002 Volkswagen Polo petrol model, which has covered 75,000 miles, had its annual service, including a full oil change. Today, the oil looks much the same as it did yesterday - dirty and dark....

My Peugeot's service bill is huge - is this reasonable?

I took my 2005 Peugeot 307 HDI XI to the Peugeot main garage this morning for a service and MoT. It has covered just 39,000 miles and was serviced by a local garage for the last two years. I have just...

Is there still a market for small, basic, economical cars?

We bought our 1998 Fiat Panda 0.9-litre for 1400 Euros six years ago. It has now covered over 150,000km, and we have done 54,000km of those. It will comfortably cruise at 70 mph on a motorway. It is running...