Refine by channel:  Forum (3882)    Ask HJ (3015)    News (1200)    Article (122)    productReview (74)    FAQs (20)  

Sort by: Relevance | Newest first | Oldest first

• Volkswagen Golf 1.4tsi DSG - Economy Mode on Golf 9 Jun 2014 (Forum)
  My query is has anyone carried out any tests? - or are aware of published data. Incidentally the car is as nice as every road test/review I have read. However the instruction manuals are a nightmare to wade through. Over 500 pages covering every model and every gizmo available. The hundreds of 'Warnings' are often amusing.
• Mazda MX5 Roadster Coupe (2006 - ) - Valuing an MX5.. 16 Sep 2012 (Forum)
  I have been considering an MX5 for a few years now, waiting for prices to drop, and now have the opportunity to buy a 2 year old folding hardtop, which is for sale locally from a private seller, as an early wedding present for ourselves. I shall run it as my sole car, covering less than 10k miles pa, whilst the future SWMBO has a company Passat which we normally use at weekends. Being of short arms and deep pockets, spending this kind of money brings me out in a cold sweat.
• Vauxhall Vectra 4dr Saloon - Central Locking Problem 26 Jan 2012 (Forum)
  I have a 53 plate Vectra C which has been owned since new and has now covered 50500 miles, last weel the central locking system packed - up. When the remote unit is operated all doors try to lock but then imediately unlock and on the dash it shows drivers door open, this also happens if the key is use in any lock.
• Citroen C3 1.4 Diesel - Citroen C3 - Engine Cutting out 16 Nov 2010 (Forum)
  It only seems to happen at the approach to junctions almost when the clutch is pressed the idle can't cover for the electrics that are on (usually fan / radio etc). A mechanic informed us, that it was the other halfs driving, but its now happened to me, so know its more the car. I've heard of the idle control valve and other items... but we're lost.
• Aping their betters 17 Jan 2010 (Forum)
  It isn't really the thirty quid I mind, or the fact that the bus lane, in which of course none of the Cathedral City's thirty or so town buses is to be seen, must have been the obvious place to be (or I wouldn't have been there). What I mind is the singularly unflattering portrait of my car, stretched and flattened to resemble a huge grinning silver cowpat. This is fashion airbrushing in reverse. I will email Charlize Theron and Jordan to ask if they can recommend a decent Hollywood (or better still Philadelphia) vanity lawyer.
• Ford Focus II (2004 - 2007) - 06 1.8 What is the correct battery spec? 17 Dec 2009 (Forum)
  Well thought I switched them all on, but front one seemed to have turned off, so turned it on after 5 mins. Then switched car off for 5 mins. Got kids in and then tried to start it. Turned over but would not go. Managed to jump start it later and checked battery voltage which was 14.4V whilst running, so believe alternator is OK.
• Ford Mondeo II (1996 - 2000) - 1998 2.0 Loss of braking while driving? 5 Nov 2008 (Forum)
  Thanks to all for reading and sorry fo long post just wanted to try and cover everything. Chris.
• Vauxhall Corsa C (2000 - 2006) - 02 1.0 Oil and performance problems - HELP! 14 Apr 2008 (Forum)
  There is no power when driving and it takes a long time to accelarate up to 55-60. I took the rocker cover off for a look and the entire inside was a mess, there was a serious build-up of black clay gunge everywhere including in between the camshafts and it sounds as though the top end of the engine is being starved of oil.
• Renault Espace (1997 - 2002) - 2.2dT head gasket 24 Aug 2007 (Forum)
  After several attempts and 'hoping' it was 'air in the system' I have realised that it is a head gasket job, at least. No Haynes manual out for this model yet, but I do have the French 'Revue Techinque' which cover the series III Espace. After several hours translation it states that the enginee has to be removed, or I should say the car body has to be lifted off of the engine. Now I would like to think that some bright guy out there has found a way to remove the head without all this hassle.
• Windscreen obscured - not just tax disc 19 Jul 2007 (Forum)
  It must be the UK's way of getting the wrong end of manufacturer's cost cutting. We don't get RHD screens. On LHD cars the symbols would be a long way away from the driver's usual line of sight and one of them at least covered by a tax disc or similar. Another reason to buy Japanese?
• Buying Zafira and pushing for best deal 18 Jun 2007 (Forum)
  They want 0% finance, however I am thinking it might be better to get a cheap loan over say 3 years. The cost of this might be covered by getting pre reg, any comments? When I buy cars, I normally do the test drive, ask about stock/delivery time, then do the deal over the phone . I figure asking for best price, then ask for the usual mud flaps etc.. then to "seal the deal" go for a tank of gas.
• Alfa Romeo 156 Cam Belt Failure 23 Mar 2007 (Forum)
  s and 156?s, well before their scheduled replacement (72K). I have an Alfa 156 (3 ½ years old) that has covered 63K and bang went the cam belt a couple of weeks ago. Now facing a large bill to rebuild the engine. Car has been looked after and serviced on a regular basis. A dealership near me kindly told me to contact Alfa UK based on a technical service bulletin they issued in September 2002.
• daewoo matiz EZ+ 15 Dec 2006 (Forum)
  Electronic diagnosis gizmos seem to come up with a different code each time they are plugged in. I'm at my wit's end. The car has covered just 29,000 miles and in all other respects is in excellent condition. I want to sell it but unless a solution is found I'm faced with having to scrap it. Any suggestions gratefully received.
• Disabled Parking - Again 28 Nov 2006 (Forum)
  Disabled drivers cause just as much of an obstruction as an abled bodied driver. Create disabled parking bays by all means, but to cover the streets in yellow paint and then let a special class of driver use them as parking areas is just illogical. What do others think? Les
• Uninformative Owner's Manuals 22 Dec 2005 (Forum)
  I guess they are covering the user operation (fair enough) and product liability angles, but I really would like some more info - on VSA for example, which wheels are braked and under what circumstances (it says not all of the braking system is under VSA control, whatever that means), and when might I want to turn it off?
• OT: House Insurance Q for MRLBS 15 Oct 2002 (Forum)
  I don't want to bother these poeople all day. I've got names and times of phone calls. If a speeding motorist [1] hit's my house, am I covered? [1] ;-) -- These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of all Toads.
• VED Refund 17 Jul 2001 (Forum)
  I've just been digging around to find out when the DVLA are refunding the VED for cars under 1549cc. I found the following: http://www.dvla.gov.uk/gved/gved_1549cc_rebate.htm The relevant paragraph of which is: "How do you get your rebate? For the moment, do nothing. For those keepers of vehicles with engines of 1201 to 1375cc, the rebate invitations will be sent from DVLA in July.
• Not worth the cost. 5 Sep 2023 (Forum)
  Had a call from my darling mother yesterday to say that her 42,000 mile 2009 59 plate Honda Jazz which she’s had from new has failed its Mot due to structural rust underneath. This is a car that’s never seen a motorway, it doesn’t go out at night and almost never leaves the town, especially in icy salt covered roads, yet it is now rotten underneath despite a lifetime of sleeping in a dry garage.
• 
  Why is the petrol engine on my Astra so noisy? 20 Sep 2016 (Ask HJ)
  I have a 2007 Vauxhall Astra 1.6 petrol. Once the car has been running for around 5-10 minutes, on idle, it seems to be making a ticking noise. The car...
• Any - Hard Shoulders 30 Jun 2016 (Forum)
  Traffic moving at 60 mph covers 88 feet (5 or 6 car lengths) a second. Given the degree of isolation in a modern vehicle - soundproofing, aircon, music, etc. - I would suggest that reaction times (i.e. between noticing a problem and reacting to it) are at least as great as they ever were or greater.