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• Skoda Karoq - Stealth Tax for motorists? 3 Aug 2023 (Forum)
  Normal delivery might have been expected in mid February (13 weeks) but due to the global shortage of microchips did not happen until mid May (22 weeks).  On collecting the car, the agreed price and the trade in value of my old car were honoured but I discovered that the manufacturer’s price had increased on the 1st April.  I am therefore deemed to have bought the care at the new price, which I did not, but that was now £40,300 and therefore obliges me to pay the additional VED in future.
• Polo, Mini or Jazz? 1 Mar 2021 (Forum)
  I am looking to buy a used car with a budget of £6000 - £8000 and I'm totally torn between a Mini, Jazz and Polo. My 100% non negotiable is size - I want a small car that is easy to park. Other than that, considerations are speed (current have an old i10 - it would be nice to have something a little more exciting to drive), reliability, style (personally like the look of the Mini), cost to run and space for luggage.
• What is the best car for me? 13 Oct 2020 (Forum)
    Ideally I don't want another project, so something which is reliable and good on the motorway runs. I know any car could be good or bad and depends heavily on its service history and any future maintenance. Just want to know if there are any good contenders off the top of your heads. I like volvo as you get a lot of bang for you buck, but mostly older cars, 06/07 I'm finding, so a 13 year old diesel engine isn't ideal and diesel, which is fine, but I guess petrol is preferable.
• Vauxhall Astra - looking at car 20 Nov 2016 (Forum)
     Vauxhall Astra CD 1.6 petrol with full Irmscher body kit and styling comes with 17 alloys upgraded brake disks and pads four nearly new tyres recent clutch and timing belt, brand new exhaust it has been professionally lowered ( comes with a spare set of coilovers ) Xeon head lights, has just had a full service drives and handles perfectly, interior has been colour coded and fitted with a Garmin sat nav and pioneer CD/DAB/blue tooth/I pod/I pad head unit and Ricaro front seats and electric windows, the car has just over 113,000 miles on it MOT is until end of February next year and if asking price is met we will put a new mot on it also comes with a 6 month warranty this car has been loved and cherished we have a folder of before and after conversion photos all the old Mots and service receipts  Other cars available any part exchange considered with or without MOT please call or text for more information on (07393) 205032 £895
• Ford Focus 2013 - 17" v 18" alloys. 12 Jul 2015 (Forum)
  Our Focus Titanuim is a great all-round car but fuel consumption remains disappointing. Despite having fuel-saving technology as well as an extra gear, our old Mk2 Focus was a better car to drive as well as being far more economical (58mpg -v- 51mpg).
• What 7 seater will suit me? 28 Jun 2015 (Forum)
  I would like an automatic again but am not fussed about the badge. I am looking to spend £12k - £13k so most likely the car will be @3 years old.  I know that a Ford Galaxy powershift and Seat Alhambra DSG would fit the bill but as I don't need 6/7 seats that much I don't really want a car that large to drive all the time.
• 2008 Mazda 2 Sport 1.5 - Should I service my car ? 4k miles last year 8 Jun 2015 (Forum)
  I'm wondering, with the car at nearly 8 years old and only having covered relatively few miles both in total and the past twelve months, (office move meant commuting wasn't needed) is it really worthwhile having the full service carried out ?
• Ford Ka 2010 - Rear suspension mounting 19 Feb 2015 (Forum)
   Having pointed out that the corrosion of this part was unacceptable on a 5 year old car (bearing in mind the car is on it's original exhaust) and that it may be a safety issue as it allows the near side rear brake pipe to hang down unsupported and may cause the brake pipe to fail again they were not interested.
• Fiat Punto Evo - "Check engine" light came on, now gone off 20 Mar 2013 (Forum)
  Car is just over 2 yrs old, done 20000 miles. I was driving out of a car park at the weekend and this light (yellow engine symbol) came on with a beep along with the generic warning light (yellow triangle with exclamation mark).
• Fiat Punto 1.2 2001 - Fiat Punto Just bought and engine is blown 1 Oct 2012 (Forum)
  I'd appreciate Legal and Moral points of view on this, always when buying an old car there is some risk of it breaking down, but something so catastrophic so soon after collecting it seems a bit fishy to me. How should we approach it with the seller ? Cheers    
• Ford Focus 1.8 2009 plate (vision blue) - Probs with peeling on ford focus 3 May 2012 (Forum)
    Also noticed inside the stereo buttons, a couple of those are flaking.  This isnt what I was expecting from a £10,000 car and am starting to get slightly worried.  I have owned other cars for 5 years or more and never noticed flaking buttons and flaking lacquer on outside.  Wished I hadn't got such a shiny car now.
• Citroen Berlingo Multispace (1998 - 2010) - Quite fancy one - any tips ? 3 Dec 2011 (Forum)
  I've had a Berlingo Multispace as a hire car a few times, and quite fancy one as my next car. Want an old, cheap one, with a pre-ruined interior and some scratches and dents, as that would suit my style of vehicle ownership. I've read the car-by-car breakdown entry for it - and I know the head gaskets always go on the XUD diesels and with French cars you always want a base model with as little electrical stuff as possible - but I'd be grateful for any other tips or advice peope had.
• Skoda Octavia - Young driver insurance:car choice:classic car? 18 Jun 2011 (Forum)
  The fleet is an Octavia VRS on 59 plate and an Octavia 1.6 on 07 plate. I understand that learner insurance is available for about £3 per day on cars up to old Group 15. That would even include the VRS but I'm not about to tell him that! The problem as has been stated so often is when the test is passed. Would we be better advised to buy him his own car and stand the extortion or should we look to change the 07 Octavia for something smaller such as a Polo, Clio or Fiesta and put him on his mums policy?
• Jaguar XJS 3.6 AND 4.0 - write off classiification 1 Mar 2011 (Forum)
  My wifes beloved  XJS was insured with a so called classic insurance specialist broker she had a "bump" well a bit more than a bump  but the upshot of the case the insurance co sent out an engineer to inspect the car he was here less than 10 mins his 1st remark was its over 20 years old and prob cant get parts will cost over 20k to fix will be a cat b write off i got 3 estamates £3.5k/£5k/£6.5k all said it was repairable  the ins co said i need an indipendent engineers report i got 1 cost £175+vat  he was here over an hour  said was worth £8.6k and £9.5k to fix cat c sent it to ins co they were having none of it  said it was worth £5.5k and still a cat b the car was car of the show xjs stand 2010 International classic car show NEC was offered £9k by a local jaguar specialist who would prob sell it for £12/13k i am trying to get the car reclassified cat c what are my chances mick   
• Any - Electronic parking brake - Why? 5 Dec 2010 (Forum)
  That makes it not far off £1,000 to repair a parking brake (handbrake) and it is mandatory as it is an MOT fail item. This will probably lead to perfectly serviceable cars of about 7+ years old being written off due to parking brake failure in the future because of the cost to repair. I know they don't fail every day but the law of averages states that the more of these systems that are in use, the more failures there will be.
• Ford Fiesta (1995 - 1999) - 97 1.3 Car won't turn over - battery? 7 Feb 2010 (Forum)
  I then broke my eblow a week later and was unable to drive for four and a half weeks. This meant both cars were not used during the cold snap. My car worked fine and am now using it daily, I have used my dads car a little but the last journey was a week ago and was 1.5 mile trip to the local Arndale centre.
• Your thoughts on contemporary car magazines? 19 Aug 2009 (Forum)
  (and so avoid that HA van with its 6" clutch while competitors had 7".. (maybe. memory) That said, I found the latest Car Mechanics a breath of fresh air under it`s new Editor - introducing engine management systems - in the last issue. In a way that is actually about DIY that is and not seemingly endlessly about `old Rovers` But most other mag`s are just what I call `lightweight reviews` - might as well not bother.
• Vauxhall Corsa D (2006 - ) - 2007 1.7 CDTI No power until warmed up 5 Jan 2009 (Forum)
  Hi all, Just got a year old Corsa with 14500 on the clock. Problem we're having is that when we first use the car for the first time that day, it seems to have no power to get properly moving. We live in sheffield, which is quite hilly, and as soon as we turn left at the end of our street up a small and not very steep hill, the car just hardly moves and takes about 3 seconds until the revs finally start moving and you rely on the turbo to kick in.
• Buying a UK car exporting it then importing it! 28 Jun 2008 (Forum)
  We are aware that they have to get the headlights changed over etc. but they're used to french registered right hand drive cars so having a UK car in France is not as issue. How would I buy this though? Would I keep the V5 in my name? Would I 'sell' it to them therefore adding additional owners to the V5? What about tax and insurance?
• Recommendations for a family car? 27 Mar 2008 (Forum)
  I'd like to own the car, so I guess that means not a lease. - Prefer new, but haven't excluded a 1-2 year old used car, if it's in good nick. Probably left out some vital detail, but would be interested to hear your ideas.