Which small car offers better fuel economy than the 1.6-litre Golf?

My mother recently had her reliable old Ford Fiesta written off after a car hit her. She has replaced it with an S-reg 1.6 Volkswagen Golf, but is only getting 26mpg. She bought it from a recommended local...

Should I replace my Honda Civic with a Jazz?

I have a 2004 1.6 Honda Civic manual which I've owned from new. It has only just passed 31,000 miles. My local Honda dealer has always serviced the car. To date, it's performed without any problems and...

Why are timing belts used instead of chains?

Timing belts are expensive to replace, and my Golf needs one every four years. Do the manufacturers just fit them to create work for themselves or are there sound engineering reasons as to why some engines...

Can I expect my diesel Renault Laguna to develop expensive problems soon?

In 2009 I bought a new Renault Laguna 2.0dCi 150 Initiale 50 diesel automatic. Can you tell me whether it has a diesel particulate filter, dual mass flywheel or an exhaust gas recirculation valve fitted...

What are swirl flaps and can they cause problems on my BMW?

A friend has sent me an article suggesting that ‘swirl flaps’ can fail on post-2003 BMW 530d models and cause serious damage. What are swirl flaps? Does this apply to my 2010 F10 model and, if so, should...

Is the Jaguar X-Type a good replacement for my Ford Mondeo?

I'm swapping my ten-year-old Ford Mondeo TDCI estate with 140,000 miles, which I've owned from new. It has been virtually faultless with no clutch or DMF problems. I have been offered, from a Jaguar main...

CR-V or Freelander?

Just read your review of the honda. I'm going to buy either the Honda or a Freelander, but I worry about the reliability and maintenance costs on the Freelander. Which would you recommend of the two?...

I need a new company car for high mileage driving - what do you suggest?

I do about 25,000 miles a year and I need to replace my 250,000 miles V70, which will be very, very sad. I could go for a company car (a manual Insignia) but I don't really want to be in a car scheme....

Is a Jaguar XF suitable for high mileage use?

I have been thinking of changing my Octavia vRS (petrol) due to my high mileage of 25,000 per year, and I am very wary of buying a manual due to DMF failure. I am lucky enough to have some money available...

Is the new Citroen C3 reliable?

I would like to part exchange my eight-year-old Citroen C3 Sensodrive for a six-month-old, 3500 mile Citroen C3 16v Exclusive diesel hatchback from my local Citroen dealer. He allowed £1700 on my C3. Is...