Under achiever

We exchanged our SEAT Ibiza 1.9 diesel, which had given us trouble free service achieving and sometimes exceeding the mileage figures quoted by the manufacturer, we decided to buy the new Seat Altea 1.6...

Which £7500 car is capable of covering large mileages in comfort?

I am currently driving about 650-700 miles per week (rarely on motorways) in my Laguna 2.0 auto petrol, and really need to change to a more economical vehicle because of my mileage. The Renault does about...

Without hesitation

I noted your recent comment on the time lag with VW DSG gearboxes when starting at junctions. My three-year-old Passat 2.0TDi DSG suffers from this to such an extent I am considering changing it for a...

Which car models are available with DSG transmission?

I am fairly sure you listed a number of makes/models with DSG transmission options in a relatively recent reply in the Daily Telegraph. I failed to make a note of these and now, of course, I'm thinking...

Can you recommend a small economical car to replace my Ford Focus?

My husband drives a Ford Mondeo and I drive a Ford Focus. We are thinking of exchanging the Focus for one of the small low insurance, low road tax, high economy cars. We have looked at the Kia Picanto...

Are short journeys damaging the DPF in my SEAT Leon?

I have a 57-plate SEAT Leon with a DPF filter fitted. I recently went to my local dealer as a warning light came on my dash. I left the car with them all day, and on my return they told me that as I had...

Would a SEAT Ibiza for £2000 make a reliable, cheap runaround?

I'm looking for a reliable, cheap runaround that's able to take me the long distance to uni as a second car. I'm a 22-year-old student and hence looking for a low insurance and tax group which is cheap...

Will I incur costs for a credit hire car if I dispute the valuation of my damaged car following an accident?

My 2004 SEAT Altea 1.6 Stylance was written off in a rear end shunt. My insurance company agreed I am not to blame. They have valued the car at £5100, which is less than What Car? says I can buy one from...

My 25-year-old son wants a Golf TD GTi - what else could he consider?

My son, aged 25, is interested in buying a secondhand Golf TD GTi. His budget is about £14,000. Can you suggest any alternatives that would give him the same level of reliability and street cred?

Elasting band

I'd appreciate your advice on the markedly different lengths of life of cam-belts quoted by various manufacturers. Ford seem to suggest that those fitted to the petrol Fiesta and Focus models should last...