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• Audi RS4 v BMW M5 service costs?? 23 Sep 2004 (Forum)
  My concern is service costs, I have done 18,000 miles in the Mondeo since new (6 months old), and so would prefere to stick with a car without a cambelt (my old SEAT Leon TDi had huge cambelt service costs). Can anyone tell me what experience they have had with service costs on these cars, and any problems that may arrise once upto and past 80k miles?
• air-con on 1yr old Corolla 22 Jul 2004 (Forum)
  I bought a one year old Corolla, 1.6 auto, which I am very happy with. Its my first car with air con, and I must admit i cant seem to get it very cold in the car at all (if you have an air jet directly on you its cold, if not it doesnt feel that cold at all)!
• Insuring 89-year old fathers car for self and son 12 Jan 2011 (Forum)
  I then contacted another company who informed me that I could not insure my father's car for myself as he is the registered owner and keeper. Please could someone advise what is the best /cheapest course of action to keep the car at my father's address but with my son and myself as the sole drivers. and without this impacting on my own insurance costs.
• Temporary Car - 18 year old 4 May 2004 (Forum)
  I tried ringing my dad's insurance company to see if they could provide me with a week's cover on his 1.8 Daewoo Leganza, but they said forget it. Has anyone got any ideas over what I could do? I've no aversion to hiring a car for a week, but I can't imagine anyone agreeing to lend one to an 18 year old, thanks to the appalling driving of others my age. Is it illegal to contact my own insurance company and asking them to cover me in my dad's car for a week?
• You can't turn a pig's ear into a silk purse. 16 Jan 2010 (Forum)
  These things make the cars inherently unreliable as a long-term prospect unless you keep them dealer serviced - practically forever and when things do go wrong expect big repair bills. What looks good on paper in the motoring rags for a new car isn't particularly what will be good for Mr punter with an 8 year old car on his hands.
• For a 25 year Old - Fun throwaway (hopefully not) 19 Dec 2017 (Forum)
  Ideas? Car will be registered in my name, kept here and he will not be "fronted" but will usually be with us (me) when he drives it.
• N/a - MOT: Number plate stuck on old plate is failure? 4 May 2012 (Forum)
  Before I stuck the legal plates on the tester told me he'd fail the car for having one plate stuck on another. I couldn't get the the old plate offs because I didn't have the key for the locking bolts holding them on. He did the test and failed the plates. I'm changing over the plates and going back for a retest, but I'm plssed off over the hassle.
• Do the VED bands mean the end of the petrol V6? 11 Nov 2009 (Forum)
  Both the cars in my household have V6 petrol engines with automatic transmission. One is a 2000 Jag S type with 3 litre engine and the other is a 1999 MB W202 with 2.4 litre engine. At the moment I'm still paying the old-style VED because both cars are pre-2001.
• Battery life 17 Aug 2024 (Forum)
  My Volvo 940 TDic is 13 years old it has its original battery. Twice in the past couple of weeks I have been asked to give jump starts to much younger cars. Are modern batteries made to a lower standard? Having looked at the one in my new Outback it does look a bit insubstantial but then it's a petrol engine.
• Citroen Berlingo - Old ad-blue fluid 29 May 2023 (Forum)
  I understand ad blue has a ‘use by’ date on the containers. But what about ad blue that’s been in the car for a while? I ask because I don’t do many miles,...
• Wiper blade life 8 Nov 2019 (Forum)
  There are plenty of threads about blade problems, but I've not tripped over any about the working life of a blade.  I recently fitted new Bosch blades to an old 306, which eliminated juddering caused by stiff old ones.  Looking through the car's history I noticed that blades had often been replaced at the annual service, which made me wonder whether that was just to add a bit to the bill, or if they actually needed replacing.
• Kia Carens diesel, any major niggles? 18 Sep 2013 (Forum)
  The better half has decided that we need a new tow car for our caravan (950kg max). I'm quite happy with my old Peugeot 405 GRD, but it's an image thing and she who must be obeyed has spoken. After some research I believe the Carens, the old model, may meet all our requirements.
• vauxhall, meriva - rubber seal on oil filter 6 Oct 2012 (Forum)
  i recently done an oil change on car i recently bought, so fitted new oil filter as well  which was a corrugated cardboard type that clips into the cap which came with a round rubber seal which is a little larger than the filter, when i took the old one out it didn't have a seal so am not sure where seal is supposed to go as slips over the filter or if it need's the seal as not one on the old one ?.
• Nicest sub-5k, 50mpg diesel auto to drive? 3 Apr 2011 (Forum)
  I love piloting my 20-odd-year-old Saab 900S automatic; but it loves filling-stations. So I'm looking for a used diesel auto that's not thirsty but is still a driver's car: you know what I mean. Top-speed not important but mid-range overtaking-urge is.
• vauxhall Astra 1.6 - engine management control unit 2 May 2010 (Forum)
  hi,I have been told I need a new ECU at a cost of £850,no fault codes found but warning light came on and car was sluggish (losing power but still driveable-ish) cleared all old codes memory to see if that would work but fault light came back on and old codes are all reloaded...........................................................is this the likely cause or could there be some other reason .......................any help appreciated as need to decide whether to fix or sc***
• Nissan Primera II (1996 - 1999) - Double de-clutching? 15 Apr 2009 (Forum)
  I have a 12 year-old Nissan Primera, which is quite temperamental about getting into 1st. Clearning out my attic over the weekend, found an old AA Book of the Car dating back to early 80s. Learnt the art of double de-clutching, tried it, and 1st gear reluctance now cured!
• Flash motors outside crap properties 4 Nov 2008 (Forum)
  Went past a house fronting the A1. Outside on a driveway are a 3 year old BMW M3 convertible and a 4 year old 3 series coupe , I think also an M3 The house is peeling, windows are rotten and there are pieces of cardboard and newspaper on the windows instead of curtains ..
• Golf mk 3 brake conversion 7 Jun 2007 (Forum)
  hello all , i have two mk2 16valve golfs one is a 1990 with the big brakes the other is a 1987 with the small brakes , can i swap the brakes i want the big ones on the old car as i am scrapping the newer one. the old brakes are differant to the new ones, i would have to change the whole hub. is this all i need to do ,will they fit? has any of u done this and give me some pointers. thanks (front brakes)
• Small 4 seat cabrio? 7 Jun 2006 (Forum)
  A mate has offered to lend me his MINI cabio for a few days, as his back hurts, so he is driving his Mondeo. I was thinking...I fancy a small, cheap four seat convertible. Apart from a 2CV and an old Beetle or even an old Golf cabrio, what else (please no Escorts or Astras, I would prefer some style and less car)? -- Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
• Brake fluid change at 2 years? 17 Mar 2005 (Forum)
  Just booked my Seat Toledo TDi in for its 20,000 service with the dealer. Was informed when booking in that it "requires" a brake fluid change at 2 years old, and did sir want this doing at the same time as the service (the car will be 2 years old in June). Price quoted is £41 (for the fluid change, that is!). Just wondering what your opinions were on this - is it regarded as essential in terms of maintaining warranty or is it optional?