What's causing my Ford Focus' battery to go flat?

I purchased my Ford Focus 1.6 EcoBoost in April 2012. Since then the battery has gone flat on three occasions. The first time was three weeks after purchase. The second, on 16 August 2012. The battery...

Buying a nearly new car - which would you recommend?

I want to buy a one year old (or newer) car. I have up to £15,000 to spend and want a decent specification for my money. I have short listed the Mazda 3 2.2 diesel sport, Ford Focus 1.6 EcoBoost Titanium,...

Downsizing the family car - what should I buy?

I am downsizing my 2007 Ford S-Max and am thinking of replacing it with a Focus or Hyundai i30. My budget is around £9500, which car would be best for comfort and reliability? Or is it worth stretching...

Buying a new car - Focus, 1 Series or A3?

I am in the processing of buying a car for the first time under the Motability Scheme. I am looking for a small hatchback, but it must be an automatic. So far I feel I have narrowed down my list to the...

I'd like to buy a Golf, but should I go for petrol or diesel and are the DSG automatics reliable?

I want to change my 10-year-old BMW for a hatchback with automatic transmission such as the Golf or Focus. The Volkswagen dealer is trying to sell me a 2.0-litre diesel, but I would prefer the 1.4 TSI...

Should my new Ford EcoBoost be returning just 25mpg?

Your ‘real mpg’ figures are hugely different from what Ford says and they never told me about the EcoBoost engine taking thousands of miles before it starts to give good economy. I do lots of motorway...

Bought a car but can't drive it due to missing paperwork - what can I do?

A few weeks ago I paid a deposit for a used Ford Focus ST. The car had a private registration, but the dealer said the paperwork was with the DVLA for the issue of a new plate. After a few days I grew...

Ford Focus or Volvo V40?

We are looking to buy a new family car to replace our aging Ford Focus and have so far narrowed down our choices to the new Focus and the new Volvo V40. The car needs to be big enough to fit our (rather...

How reliable are Ford EcoBoost engines?

My local garage is a Ford specialist, but not an authorised dealer. I am considering buying a new Focus/Fiesta/B-Max through this garage, but the owner is sceptical about the EcoBoost engine. The owner...

What's the best family car for £10,000?

We are looking for a family car. Our main criteria is: (1) Big enough for a young family yet as car like as possible and easy to drive/park locally; (2) Comfortable on long motorway journeys; (3) Lots...