The wheel thing

I drive a SEAT Leon Cupra R with factory 225/40/18Y wheels and tyres. These would be great on a pool table smooth road, however they don't exist in this country and the wheels don't like potholes much,...

Wealth and efficiency

I bought my Ford Focus Ghia in January 2001, a size of car that would enable me to take my sick husband out and about. Fords had always been popular with us and this certainly proved its worth and, serviced...

Closing the unstable door?

I own a VW Golf Mk5 SE 1.6 FSI 115PS registered 16/05/2006. The ESP OFF light came on along with the skidding car motif on the console and would not respond to the switch. Peter Cooper (Southampton) Ltd...

Maz’d hysteria

I have been watching an increasing number of entries on your Mazda 3 technical forum with problems associated with the Dynamic Stability Control unit. As the repair of this problem, a replacement unit,...

Lumbered

I am looking to change from having a main vehicle as a 4WD. We live 700ft up in North Wales. Currently we have an Outlander 2.0 diesel. I am considering buying an Ibiza Cupra as an everyday vehicle (if...

Unstable ABS

Had a warning light come up on my 2005 BWW 1 Series. The manual suggests Suspension Stability Control. BMW diagnostics states "brake hydraulic malfunction " DTC at a cost of £1,200 part + £500 labour....

In stabiliity

I write of my Mazda 3 that shows a DSC fault warning light. I had the fault analysed by a Mazda garage and found it to be Code C1288 Pressure transducer Main Primary Input failure. The garage contacted...

To the Altea borne

I am considering buying, from new, one of either a VW Golf plus 2.0 SE TDI 6 speed auto DSG, or a Seat Altea 2.0 SE TDI DSG auto, and would appreciate your advice as to which you would recommend, bearing...

Old VAG

I am looking to scrap my 11-year-old Golf V5 2.3 automatic under the government scrappage scheme. I would like to replace it with a new automatic car of similar size and power. Budget £17k-£22k including...

Dura talk

I’m replacing a 2001/51 Mondeo Estate, 115bhp diesel engine, with a new Ford Focus ECOnetic with a 1.8 or 2.0 litre TDCi Duratorq diesel engine as shown below. The 1.8 is 139 g/km (5-door)/142 g/km (estate),...