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• Weird A4 problems today... any ideas? 27 Jul 2005 (Forum)
  Coolant alarm suddenly went off on my 98 Audi A4 tdi (180k) today, so topped it up immediately - no obvious leaks etc, so I just put it down to not checking it often enough. 60 or so miles later, it went off again, so I checked under the car to find water dripping out pretty fast - although it was impossible to see where from due to the guard that covers most of the underside. Topped it up again, and a few miles later notice that the speedo has stopped working, as has the mileometer, and then the fuel gauge starts floating up and down.
• Not such a big deal? 18 Mar 2005 (Forum)
  Merseyside, where I live, has had free bus, train and ferry travel for many, many years for women of 60 and over and men of 65 onwards - three years ago the scheme was rightfully extended to men of 60 and over following extensive protests on equality grounds. The area covered ranges from the boundary with Lancashire (which has half-price fares IIRC) in the north down through Merseyside and across the Wirral, with train journeys being possible right into Chester. It's most valuable for short trips, especially into the town centre, as I can leave the car at home as well as save on parking fees.
• Leon TDI - NSF Tyre Wear 2 Jan 2005 (Forum)
  I have owned my leon 1.9 STDi (90BHP) from new. I cover about 30,000 miles a year on a 50-50 mix of motorway miles and "B" roads. I do tend to stretch this cars legs a bit and it handles very well. However, the outside edge of my front passenger side tyre always wears below the TWI a long time before the other tyres on the car.
• Metro GTi Yes or no 1 Nov 2004 (Forum)
  Looking for a bit of advice before I buy back my 1990 GTi that I sold 4 years ago. The car was sold when I went to university and regretted getting rid ever since. It had been in the family since new and only covered 49,000 miles. The lady that bought it is now selling it and I think I may buy it to restore to original condition.
• Coupe Passenger Law? 9 May 2004 (Forum)
  Why I really dont know as the identical hatchback cockpit does? I am also informed by an unreliable source that the coupes are sold as a 2+2 seater car. So I contacted my insurance company, "adrian flux" who advised me that I was covered to carry four not just three pasengers? Im not sure this is acurate though and still have some concerns regarding the eyes of the law.
• subaru legacy exhaust 8 Sep 2003 (Forum)
  Suggestions v.gratefully received. Incidentally, we have owned the Legacy for 4 1/2 years, it has covered nearly 90,000 miles, taken us on holiday all over France 4 times without a moments trouble. The only downside to an otherwise brilliant, comfortable load-lugger family estate is that it is rather thirsty (28-32mpg)It is without a doubt, the best car we have ever owned.
• Peugeot spare key 25 Jun 2003 (Forum)
  I have not had a car with remote locking / alarm facilities etc before so this is all a grey area to me. Your expert help is desperately needed. Cheers Allan
• and the winner is ... 8 Mar 2003 (Forum)
  I still had my niggling suspicions about the Passat as a purchase given some of the feedback on this site, so I'll be watching like a hawk. That said, the car drives very nicely, not a squeak or rattle to be heard, and everything is in perfect working order. The engine is harsher at idle than in my 525 TD, but moves the car both more quickly and economically, and I think it's actually a little quieter overall at cruising speed.
• Trip to the skidpan 11 Feb 2003 (Forum)
  The pan itself is quite small, but I never found this to be a problem and they made a fuss of it being purpose-built. The course covered various techniques, including: - thinking about ?exit routes? (e.g. mounting a clear pavement) rather than just braking; - learning to feel when the back is going to let go; - correcting rear-wheel skids in both FWD and RWD cars; - taking effective lines into and out of corners to minimise chances of skid; - using ABS effectively to steer around an obstacle; - cadence breaking; - steering out of a locked-wheels skid by releasing break pedal.
• Mint Volvo 460 in need of a radiator 24 Aug 2002 (Forum)
  Hi, Sadly my Grandfather passed away last week, and we are selling his car privately on behalf of my Grandmother. There are two things I would appreciate some advice on from this excellent forum: 1) What is it worth? It is a metallic green 1992 (K) Volvo 460 1.8 Xi. It has covered a mere 31000 miles (none of which have been very short runs), has a full Volvo service history, has had a very recent new Volvo silencer and 2 new tyres and is in immaculate condition inside and out.
• BMW 318d with 118K miles on it worth considering ? 21 Jul 2016 (Forum)
  The car comes with 3 months warranty and I have the option of purchasing a 2 year warranty for £445. So technically even if I were to run into this issue within 2 year time, I should be covered by the dealership warranty ?
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  Buying a car for France 23 Sep 2012 (Ask HJ)
  Hello, I have found a query and answer already (http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/holiday-home-cars/ ) but my question concerns the legality of buying a...
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  Should I buy a used car if it hasn't been serviced every 12 months? 25 Jun 2025 (Ask HJ)
  If a 2021-reg Mazda MX-5 with 29,000 miles on the clock has been serviced at Mazda but not every 12 months on the dot, should I avoid it please? Its owner...
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  I have just bought a 31-year-old Citroen 2CV - how much is it to tax and insure? 13 Aug 2019 (Ask HJ)
  I have just bought a 2CV in good condition. It is 31 years old. How much is it to tax and insure? The MoT advises constant velocity boot deteriorated both...
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  Is it normal to be charged extortionate amounts for 'defects' when handing back a leased car? 20 Mar 2018 (Ask HJ)
  I was charged £600 for body repairs to a vehicle I returned at the end of a 42 month lease (22,000 miles) recently. I have now received a final demand...
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  Should I spend the extra cost of a ceramic coat when buying my new MINI Cooper? 29 Jan 2018 (Ask HJ)
  I've just done a deal on a pre-reg MINI Cooper and I'm happy with the price, but I've been offered half price (£250) for Williams Racing ceramic coat....
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  Can I cancel my order for a used car if I wasn't told it had an engine replacement? 27 Jul 2017 (Ask HJ)
  I'm purchasing a Nissan Qashqai from a dealership. I noticed in the service book that its service had been delayed due to a warranty repair. I asked the...
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  Neighbour scuffed my car and wants insurance involved - what's the best way to get the damage repaired? 13 Jul 2017 (Ask HJ)
  The boyfriend of my neighbour's daughter damaged my car lightly. As all parties agreed it was minor damage, I said I'd get a quote and we'd get him to...
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  Is there a known problem with the Toyota Yaris' steering? 22 Dec 2016 (Ask HJ)
  Not so much a question, more a case of strange advice. I have been a vehicle technician for over forty years. Two months ago my daughter bought a brand...
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  How much should a replacement engine cost? 27 Apr 2016 (Ask HJ)
  I own a five year old Renault Scenic with 36,000 miles on the clock. I've owned it from new and had it fully serviced by the same dealer. It has covered...