driving | Ask Honest John

Ask Honest John

Most recently answered driving questions

I bought a used Jaguar XF (V6 3-litre diesel) a year ago to replace my ageing Saab 9-5 Aero (which I still have and can't part with). The XF has outstanding ride quality but on a recent longish cross country...

Brake issue on a Chevrolet Matiz - can you help?

My mother recently had an accident in her Chevrolet Matiz when she got her foot caught between the accelerator and the brake. Are the pedals on this car too close together? Is this a hazard? Have there...

Towing Regulations, and Driving Licence Entitlements

I passed my driving test way back in 1964 and therefore can tow a Maximum Gross Train Weight (MGTW) of up to 8250kg. However, drivers who passed their tests on or after 1 January 1997, (allowing a few...

What is the best way to drive up a hill?

On my way home, I drive up a hill with a steady gradient. Is it better for fuel consumption to drive up on a heavy throttle in fourth or on a light throttle in third?

Celnet Traffic Line Traffic Master - has it been withdrawn?

For a dozen or so years I have had a "Trafficmaster" device on my dashboard which indicated when motorways and other major roads ahead were congested. It operated via sensors and transmitters on bridges...

Volkswagen Caravelle - defrosting it on cold mornings

How can I defrost my car windscreen (VW Caravelle) on cold mornings without running the engine for 20 minutes and waking the family? Or how do I stop it freezing in the first place?

Winter tyres - why can't I get them for my Lexus?

I run a 54 reg RX300 and have been having problems trying to get winter tyres. My current tyres are 225/60 R17 and I have asked local garages and specialists for steel wheels and winter tyres but they...

Italian speeding ticket for UK residents

Lucy answered in one of your questions that Italian speeding fines on Uk residents in a hire car are payable on a "goodwill" basis or after a case is brought in a UK civil court. In addition they are...

Driving a hire car in France - do I need a new licence?

I have an old paper British driving licence, do I need a new one with the photo ID card to drive a hire car in France?

Where can I buy an outside temerature gauge?

Where can I buy an outside temperature gauge ? I am looking for one that is connectable to the car battery system not one with its own battery. I bought one made in China and it was meant to run of...