Ask Honest John

Most recently answered owning questions
I have a 2006 Vectra 150SRI. It is garaged each night, but some mornings I open the garage to find the car's front windows are down. My dealer has suggested any fault must be human error, i.e. the electric...
A friend of mine has a Golf Plus, just over 3 years old. Original owner, full VW service history, 42k miles. A braking system warning light came on. He was going to go non-franchise until I told him about...
On 15 August you published a letter from "DW" about registering his car in Ibiza. We too have brought our car over (to Mallorca) and I would very much like to know whether your correspondent resolved the...
I recently purchased an 11,000 mile 2007/57 Mercedes CL63 AMG from a private seller. After taking it to the main dealer for a service and reporting a judder under braking, I was told that due to pitting...
I own a 2002/52 Jaguar XJ8 and for the past 12-18 months have had a recurring problem with juddering when braking at speed in excess of 30mph. I replaced the disk with non-Jag parts and the problem recurred...
You might recall I asked for ideas for a friend with Toyota to dispose of. He bought a Rover 3500 V8 SD1: a life-long ambition realised. He is going over it meticulously inch-by-inch, but has found a gear...
I am considering spending a fair bit more than I usually would on a nearly new car with the intention of keeping it for maybe 7 - 10 years. What concerns me is the possibility that within that time scale...
During March of this year following a fairly sudden halt to the traffic in the outside lane of the M25, my Jaguar XJR, whilst stationary, was shunted from behind by another previously stationary car that...
You have been fairly relaxed about ‘space saver’ emergency wheels. I am very surprised they are legal. I have been idly thinking about my next main car. Given the poor state of the lanes in the West Country...
I parked my BMW in the car park in Shoreham By Sea last night. There were no lights in the car park. On my return I was clamped. I endeavoured to reverse, I got out to see I had been clamped. I went to...