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• Volvo V70 (2007 - ) - Which £18,000 family estate car? 22 Jul 2009 (Forum)
  I like the Volvo because it's practical, comfortable and stylish (in a Scandinavian way), it's reasonable quick and well equipped, and we can happily fill the boot and drive across Europe every summer. I'm put off however by the huge servicing costs my sister faces with her S60, and the dull driving experience. Has anyone been through the same buying process recently and have any views on the Volvo or the alternatives?
• Toyota Avensis (2003 - 2008) - 05 2.2 diesel - Dual Mass Flywheel 31 May 2009 (Forum)
  Toyota s foreman test drove it with me and said it drives like a typical Avensis!!.He must have had ear muffs on you think!! Taking it back to dealer and told him its just not right...Had cars all my life most makes.Any advice appreciated
• Skoda Octavia II (2004 - ) - 06 2.0 TDI Dual Mass Flywheel failure ? 1 May 2009 (Forum)
  Apart from the vibration, mainly felt at 70mph + under throttle (mainly cruise at an indicated 80) the car drives normally. There is no vibration at lower speeds.
• Citroen Berlingo Multispace (1998 - 2010) - 05 1.4 Noisy gearbox/final drive 17 Apr 2009 (Forum)
  My trusty petrol Berlingo has developed a road speed related noise which sounds like a noisy diff. It isn't engine speed or gear related. All works fine...
• Mazda Mazda 6 (2002 - 2007) - Cruise control - should it work downhill? 10 Apr 2009 (Forum)
  If I remember correctly, the cruise I had on a Seat Toledo held the selected speed whatever the gradient. And I shall have to try it out now on my wife's Touran next time I'm driving it.
• A night in the cells. 9 Apr 2009 (Forum)
  Bailed on Sunday 11am, court on Wednesday, come back in January. Lessons learned: never ever ever EVER consider that you'll be safe to drive, as "I stopped drinking hours ago". The legal bods say I can expect a rather large fine, but will keep my license.
• Renault Scenic (2003 - 2009) - Au revoir Scenic! 14 Mar 2009 (Forum)
  Smooth, quiet, refined, and despite press on driving, returned 46 mpg on the trip. Will also miss the toys and gadgets, the comfort, and the airy, light interior. Won't miss the rattles and squeaks, the cost of servicing and repair, and that slight, niggling doubt you always have after a car completely lets you down for the first time.
• Ford Focus (1998 - 2004) - 1999 1.8 Cause of higher petrol consumption? 2 Mar 2009 (Forum)
  I drive a Ford Focus 1.8 petrol which is a 99T with about 78k miles. I had a service last month and when I got home afterwards and looked at the invoice, it said that the oil used was 10w/40. The next day I told the garage the oil should really be 5w/30 and they agreed to change it.
• Scottish trip - Accomodation tips ? 24 Feb 2009 (Forum)
  I do use Expedia and Late Rooms.com sometimes but I am more interested in personal recommendations. So...here's my trip Monday - drive up to central Scotland, finish day in Auchterarder. Tuesday - Start day in Helensburgh, finish in Linlithgow. Wednesday - Start day in Aberdeen, finish in Glasgow. Thursday - Start day in Hawick and then drive home to Cheshire.
• Path mishap 10 Feb 2009 (Forum)
  I saw my old neighbours a couple of days ago and remembered the time when we moved into our new houses and started to lay concrete drives etc. His house was opposite mine, and the house was not far from the road and several feet lower. I was very impressed at the care he took to get the profile of the incline from footpath to drive.
• Vauxhall Vectra C (2002 - 2008) - Vectra estate at £5995 - any good? 27 Jan 2009 (Forum)
  I need a big family estate - to replace our fantastic Avensis est which at 10 years old and 150,000 is starting to feel its age. The Toyota has been great and I would buy another except that Drive the Deal is doing 08 Vectra 1.8 Life est with 18K for the above price. This seems like an extraordinary bargain. However, are they any good? I am very keen on reliable cars, that are quiet to drive on motorway, cheap to run, and safe.
• Please check those rear lights!!! 30 Dec 2008 (Forum)
  Luckily, I was driving at sensible speeds for the conditions and saw them in time and avoided them without problems. But made me wonder a. What can one do to alert them of the problem?? b. What could happen if they were come upon by the white van man who went past me earlier in a snowstorm near Lockerbie at 80/90 mph when all lane were covered in snow/slush and everyone else was doing 40/50 in inside lanes.
• Jaguar X-Type (2001 - 2009) - Getting the best insurance deal -ex company driver 27 Dec 2008 (Forum)
  I have been driving since 2002. For the past 4 years I have had a company car, and obviously incurred no 'no claims' bonus. I?m about to purchase my own car and have been looking on the Insurance comparison sites.
• BMW - Buying a 2001 BMW, what are the catches?? 24 Dec 2008 (Forum)
  Alternatively should i just lease a new car, although this looks complicated!? The other issue is I have little time to test drive anything. Any comments would be a help! thanks
• Ford Focus (1998 - 2004) - 2002 1.8 Oil change on diesel 10 Dec 2008 (Forum)
  I thought normally oil in diesel cars would turn black immediately. Is this down to the good condition of the engine, the quality of the oil or driving characteristics? Some points: Car has covered 105K (up to 67k it was a lease car probably used to pound motorways) I rarely go over 3000K revs I change the oil between 7000-12000 miles depending on the type of driving done The oil cost £15 for 5L, semi synthetic (carlube from sutton auto factors, is £15 a bit cheap for semi syn?)
• Crashed the Outback this morning 4 Dec 2008 (Forum)
  It snowed overnight in Manchester and my house is high up above the road with a steep drive. I gingerly edged the car down the slope, but gravity took over and it slid into the road where the nose hit a passing car. ABS doesn't work on snow - as we all know! No-one was hurt and driver of hit car was very calm and philosophical about it.
• Skoda's renaissance 10 Nov 2008 (Forum)
  Having had the priveldge to drive two different newish (08 fabia and 03 octavia) skodas recently, I thought Id post my expericences on the here to gauge peoples thoughts/criticisms Now you would image that nobody would touch a skoda with a bargepole but I have to admit to be impressed.
• Can you park a damaged car on the roadside? 6 Oct 2008 (Forum)
  Can you leave a taxed, insured, MOT'd vehicle on the roadside even though the damage would preclude driving it (sharp bits, pedestrians, etc) until the insurance assessor comes or must it be moved to somewhere off the road (This is a rhetorical question BTW, I have no wish to have a moan at the respective owners, they have my sympathies, especially as it is the second time the one who lives on the main road has had his car written off by someone driving into it in the early hours)
• Speeding cameras 4 Oct 2008 (Forum)
  and you are a few over, so you adjust speed and so on. Okay, so yeah if i dont speed i wont get stung. But when im driving im seeing this and that and the other car bomb it past me....and IM the one worried?! If i was snapped driving at night by a speed camera, how bright is the flash? Im assuming it'd be pretty difficult not to notice right?
• Old car fun and games - accident waiting to happen 10 Sep 2008 (Forum)
  My dad had a moment today in his '93 Astra. The track rod broke off while he was driving and his NSF wheel steadily turned kerbside. Turns out that the two nuts holding it had both rusted through their thread - one has been loose for a while ( I told him the steering was very vague but its hardly used so hardly noted ) and today the second one broke off and within 5 miles he could no longer drive the car and limped into a garage.