@CW Garstang, I lost the will to finish reading your post after about 10 lines. You should learn to insert a few paragraphs to make your comments easier on the eye. Read more

I'm probably asking a question that maybe only I could answer but maybe some opinions may help me come to a decision

I only do about 4k miles a year.... Read more

Got this problem on daughter car,it makes a strange noise from the throttle housing on the front of the engine, trying to remove the engine oil filler cap is difficult vacuum sucks the cap to the cover, when i do get the cap off the noise goes away, putting cap on it comes back. I have looked round the engine for a breather but can't see one anywhere. Any ideas please

kev... Read more

Recent visitations to dealers to hunt for a replacement car for brother in law and swmbo have drawn me to conclude that the current trend for leasing or running cars on never ending PCP’s has resulted in people no longer looking after them properly. They will never own them so why bother seems to be the logic.

I’ve looked at dozens of 3-4yr old superminis to replace the gaffers Polo which is getting a bit tired and every single one of them has missing or incomplete service records and/or cheap nasty paint repairs which most likely have been hurriedly carried out before the car is returned in order to avoid penalty. Dealers and leasing firms must be casting a blind eye to this in order to place another car with them on another eternal lease or loan.

Gone are the days when people bought a car and looked after it as their pride and joy. Body damage was repaired properly and service histories maintained in order to preserve residual values and reliability. Now it’s just white goods, bought and run without a care to selling on again.

I’ve a good friend with a Ford C-Max on PCP. The car has never seen the inside of a Ford workshop since and has solely and very infrequently been maintained by a local fast fit chain. Several pieces of body damage have been very cheaply repaired too, the latest being a repaint of the N/S rear quarter and bumper which cost £90!!! You can imagine the standard, it looks like someone’s hit it with a rattle can and he’s not alone in this.

I’ve recently viewed countless Fiesta’s, Mazda 2’s, Suzuki Swift’s and VW Polo’s with almost all having some very poor paint repairs that’ll soon become very tatty. The trade has changed markedly since I was selling new and nearly new stock. Most cars came back in good order and repairs were almost always up to insurance approved standards. It’s time dealers were harder on people returning cars in shocking condition like this and this starts with buyers of used cars being more careful and refusing to buy them.

The only car I’ve found to date that I would’ve bought myself was the 63 plate Civic 1.4 SE i found for brother in law. His sister wanted me to buy it instead of passing it on to him but it suited his needs and was very nice. Required no paint and had been properly maintained at the Honda dealer who’d supplied it originally then traded in by its elderly owner for a Jazz. This was the norm when I was selling new Mitsubishi’s and Protons but today it’s hard work finding a good used car at a dealer.

On further note I’ve discovered that Scotland’s (and I believe the UK’s) largest dealer chain are now far from the cheapest as they once were especially on new or nearly new stock. Their cars are very poorly prepared, are often dearer than local competition and you have to pay extra for the warranty others throw in as part of the deal. Their part exchange prices are miserly too. It pays to shop around but at this rate I’ll be stung for a brand new supermini or Polo will get a refresh and extended stay. Read more

Anyone tried the Duster with the 1.0 petrol engine?

i assume this is the Renault 1.0 unit with more grunt and not the Dacia unit that is found in the Sandero/Logan MCV?... Read more