Showing results in  Forum [Show all channels]

Sort by: Relevance | Newest first | Oldest first

• E32 BMW 7 series 24 Mar 2006 (Forum)
  Just been offered an old Bmw 735 E32 1988 7 series for about £700. Tempted to buy it as a second car for a bit of fun, however the car by car breakdown doesn't seem too happy about these cars, suggesting I should get it checked out by a specialist before I part with any money. All well a good if the car cost 10 times as much, but not at this price.
• My perfect car 23 Oct 2002 (Forum)
  Anyone know anything about these? Any notable weak spots? HJ's Car by Car Breakdown doesn't mention this model, so presumably a real rarity with nightmare parts availability, but I'm already used to that after the 20V. Richard Hall http://bangernomics.tripod.com
• Are DMFs in petrol cars just as unreliable? 12 Apr 2010 (Forum)
  Once again I'm thinking about changing my car. I've spotted a manual C-Max 2.0 petrol with just under 50k on the clock which I rather like, but from what I've read on HJ's car-by-car breakdown, these engines are fitted with a DMF. Does anybody know if these petrol engines more or less reliable than the diesels with a DMF fitted (not just the Ford diesels)?
• Four year old Octavia 4X4: OK? 24 Aug 2006 (Forum)
  A friend is considering buying from a small, Kent-based dealer, a 2002 Skoda Octavia Superb 4X4 1.8T hatchback with 36,000 miles on it. He isn't a car person but I haven't really got time at the moment to go and drive it with him. Apart from what is said in the car-by-car breakdown, does anyone have any experience of this model? Is the 4X4 system liable to cause trouble or noise?
• ATF change on auto A6? 5 Jul 2006 (Forum)
  Hello everyone, As a complete novice, just hoping for a quick bit of help. I have been researching the car-by-car breakdown on this website, and have read through many of Sir Honest John's articles in the telegraph, where he recommends changing the ATF on the multitronic gearboxes at 40,000 miles, and every 2 years (I may have misunderstood this, but this is what I understand).
• 1999 VW Golf..rear washer failure 20 Oct 2003 (Forum)
  This is a known but infuriating nuisance problem with Mk IV VW Golfs. HJ has this listed in his car by car breakdown and my wife's car is suffering from exactly the same problem. The rear screen washer pipe has disconnected somehwere around the passenger-side C-pillar (area between rear hatch and rear door).
• Volkswagen Golf - Golf Engine - I am Scared 20 Mar 2013 (Forum)
  Hi, I dont know anything about cars. I just want to drive them, not breakdown, and not have lots of expensive repair bills. I am tempted to buy a Golf MK 7 (because it has won ECOTY), with the intention of keeping it for apporox 10 years - if I live that long.
• Toyota Prius III (2009 - ) - Reliability ? 29 Dec 2009 (Forum)
  I am considering buying a second hand Prius as my next car, possibly in the next year or so. Not because I'm some sort of Eco Warrior, but mainly because they seem so cheap to run. I have not heard of any failure issues on any Prius and was wondering if anybody has heard of, or experienced, any breakdowns in a Prius or are they totally 100% reliable.
• Mondeo TDCI overheating 4 Mar 2007 (Forum)
  pootling back form a shopping trip today the temperature gauge hit maximum and the engine lost power. I pulled over and called Green Flag who took me home. I did have a look whilst waiting for the breakdown truck and the belt that drives the water pump is intact and the level in the header tank is where it was last week. The car is an 02 reg with 114k mileage. I'm guessing that its the water pump impellor.
• VAG 1.8 20v timing belt prob query 29 Aug 2003 (Forum)
  I ask this because my sister has just bought an A3 1.8T (which looks great btw) and I had shortlisted one for my next car, but if the problem is widespread enough then I will be crossing it off the list! Thanks in advance CavV6 and cavWeb fan. www.cavweb.co.uk
• Ford Fiesta 1.4L Titanium Automatic 2011 - 2011 Ford Fiesta 1.4L Automatic Undercharging 23 Feb 2021 (Forum)
    Breakdown swapped my battery for one of theirs temporarily and followed me to the local garage - trustworthy - where i normally take my car for service, MOT etc.  The power steering was also not working and the breakdown guy suggested that was because the car was not getting enough power - ie all related.
• Nissan Almera (1995 - 2000) - How long do Main dealers have to guarantee cars ? 7 Feb 2009 (Forum)
  It seemed fine but yesterday It has broken down. I seem to remember that main dealers have to guarantee their cars for a period of time, under the sale of goods act. I have yet to ascertain the exact nature of this breakdown, as the owner is a woman, all she can tell me is that it is something to do with a shaft.
• Volvo S60 running costs and issues 5 Jul 2006 (Forum)
  There's an option for me to buy a Volvo S60 2.0T auto or 2.4T SE auto, both 53-pate with 100k on the clock. I have read through the car-by-car breakdown and the previous posts of potential issues. I'm interested to hear from those who owns a higher-mileage S60 or knows about repairing high-mileage S60 on following subjects. 1) What have been repaired on your car?
• Volvo S60 running costs and issues 4 Jul 2006 (Forum)
  There's an option for me to buy a Volvo S60 2.0T auto or 2.4T SE auto, both 53-pate with 100k on the clock. I have read through the car-by-car breakdown and the previous posts of potential issues. I'm interested to hear from those who owns a higher-mileage S60 or knows about repairing high-mileage S60 on following subjects. 1) What have been repaired on your car?
• America Unchained 8 Oct 2008 (Forum)
  As this breakdown also meant staying in the town, the motel owner invited them to his family thanksgiving meal. On a later breakdown they were even towed 10 miles by a passing pick up driver who took pity on them, and continued to do so even after it appeared the Torino accidentally hit the back of his pick up as the Ford brakes were not that efficient.
• Honda Civic - Worth £2800 replacing TCM on '08 Honda Civic? 23 Sep 2021 (Forum)
  Main dealer has diagnosed the transmission control module to be the reason I get these breakdowns with car stuck in neutral and 'check system' warning light.  An independent garages I know and trust did have a look at the error codes and said it was something only the main dealer could do.
• MGF head gasket failure 9 Apr 2007 (Forum)
  However, the garage it is at have said this is nonsense as the head failure was secondary to what caused the failure-which I gather was some pipe problem becoming disconnected when being driven-and so it became a sudden mechanical breakdown. I always check my car for overheating as this is a common problem with this car and just 5 months and 2k miles earlier I had a 60k main service at an MG dealer with other work costing £500. Are the warranty company being unreasonable?
• VW Golf - water in the oil tank 6 Mar 2007 (Forum)
  Fortunately she realised her error before starting up the engine (well, a passing bloke pointed it out to her....). The car is currently being towed home by the breakdown service. Seeing as the engine hasn't been turned, would I be right in thinking/hoping that it is a simple matter of completely draining and replacing the oil ?
• Is this wheely posible? 20 Jun 2005 (Forum)
  The space saver spare will *Not* fit onto the wheel - it fouls on the brake calliper - confirmed by breakdown recovery chap !!!! Has anyone else come across this or know how may variants of space saver spare wheel BM has? Also curious as to what I should expect. The car was sold via the approved used programme, it is only 6 months old and 1600 on the clock (i am in my 3rd wk of ownership).
• BMW Bore 8 Feb 2002 (Forum)
  I quote from car-by-car breakdown.... M52-engined 320i, 323i and 328i from December 1994/April 1995 may suffer premature bore wear due to high amounts of sulphur in some UK petrol. Solved by replacement block with steel-lined bores. 328is from April 1998 and 323is from September 1998 fitted with 'EU3' steel lined bores.