Does anyone know (or hazard a guess) at how well a Chrysler 300C saloon would fare in a crash, compared to my NCAP 5-star Toyota Avensis? Is the 300C going to be put through the NCAP test?

I'm sure Murphy The Cat will have something to say ;-) Read more

We're driving down to the Vendee region in a couple of weeks close to La Rochelle and I've been trying to find the Quickest most direct route irrespective of whether we use toll roads or not.We're leaving from the Tunnel Terminal at Calais.Anybody any suggestions as to the best route planners-we've used tha AA one before but we weren't that confident with it.I think therte's a new M-way opened the A28 to Alencon but the AA guide doesn't put you on to it.Any help hugely appreciated Read more

Hello,

I have an old 1981 VW Transporter camper, with a 1.6 Diesel engine. For a couple of weeks, the battery warning light started to come on at highish engine speeds, I thought the fan belts must be slipping so I've tightened these up, and checked that the alternator is turning ok, it is.

What could be causing this light to come on ? it goes out eventually when the engine goes back to Idle speed, but can sometimes be seen flickering a little bit all the time. There is never any shortage of power from the battery, it always starts up fine, all accessories work well, suggesting that there is decent power output from the alternator whilst driving.

Any ideas ? I'd be grateful for any suggestions and tests I could do to check everything is ok, before I head off on holiday. Read more

The thread on the Legacy/Forester fuel consumption got me thinking the other day (dangerous, says my wife .....)

Some of us own two two cars, or have two cars in the family. What if we had the ability to swop engines from car to car for different journeys, y'know a plug and play type of thing ?!

I have :

Subaru 2.5 SE Outback, 165bhp, new model
Fabia VrS 1.9 Tdi, 130bhp

I sometimes wonder what the Fabia would be like with the creamy 2.5 boxer engine from the Subaru - quiet, refined, more economical in the smaller car - even more of a Q car.

Then I think about the 130bhp Tdi engine from the Fabia in the Outback - noisy, relatively rough, lovely glob of torque, high economy, long touring range, probably just as quick as the 2.5 petrol

Which of these do you think would be a better match ? For me it would the Tdi in the Subaru.

Anyone else go a combination of cars where an engine switch would be .... interesting ?!

jdc Read more

A few months ago, the DVLA personal registrations site contained severe warnings about penalties for mis-spacing letters and a statement that the plate could be withdrawn for such offences etc.

Curious as to how a "56" plate could be used, I clicked on the link in their email this week and see the statement has now been softened to;

"Warning: If you intend purchasing a DVLA registration to misrepresent it on your number plate, we would rather you did not buy." How lame is that statement?

No doubt some HA5 6EEN might buy a plate or a group called the BU5 6OYS who are about to DI56AND?

Read more