Ask Honest John

Most recently answered owning questions
Newly received A3 Sportback SE Technik 1.6 TDI, ordered in January before the new MY2016 'Ultra' specification had been launched. Car has torsion beam rear suspension as fitted to lower grade Golf and...
Nissan has advised me that the automatic transmission on my Juke needs replacing. The car is 4 years old and has done only 20,000 miles. They have said that it is out of warranty and as a gesture of goodwill...
I have just swapped my BMW 320d for a later (2014) model. When I queried with the dealer the lack of a service record booklet he said that BMW now store the service records on computer to prevent owners...
I'm finding it difficult to do hill starts in my 2015 Ford Ka and am having to rev over 3000rpm and then slip clutch, otherwise the car feels as if it's about to stall. Please bear in mind I have over...
I have a Toyota iQ bought new in November 2009. It has done 28500 miles. The gearbox has recently developed a fault where it grinds changing between 2nd and 3rd. Apparently the synchromesh has gone. I...
My 2012 Focus 1.6 Powershift is beset with problems that Ford is trying to solve (clutch judder, oil leaking on to plates, etc.) Can you recommend some alternative torque-converter (traditional) automatics...
Can you confirm if the well-documented timing chain issues with the PSA/BMW 1.6 petrol engines are confined to the turbo THP type, or include the non-turbo VTI models too? I have read the THP is a 'direct...
After reading recent Q&As I contacted my local Volkswagen garage to make a claim for rust bubbling through on both front wing wheel arches. In the HJ advice column, this was reported to be very likely...
My Ford Focus has started stuttering. I put fresh diesel in a week ago, thinking that maybe it was the diesel that I had put in previous week, it normally does the stutter when I am in either 4 or 5th...
I have owned a 14 year old Toyota Yaris from new, it has covered just 45,000 miles. Until recently it has been regularly serviced by my Toyota dealer and has always given reliable service. A month ago...