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  Ending a PCP 17 Feb 2016 (Ask HJ)
  I'm about to end a three-year PCP with my local MINI dealer. The MINI Cooper S has had no problems but does have some slight damage on the rear bumper....
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  Running in and service regime on a new Skoda Superb? 7 Dec 2015 (Ask HJ)
  I am soon to take delivery of a New Skoda Superb 1.4 TSI (125ps). I hope to keep the car for as long as possible (doing about 16k annual mileage), and...
• Ford Ka - Better the devil you know? Repair/scrap advice 29 Sep 2015 (Forum)
      Many thanks again,     Kate     Costs to date   Prior to MOT 1  (Feb 2014) - New clutch - £95 (+ VAT & Labour)     MOT 1  (Sept 2014) - Passed with 2 advisories     1) Lower arm rear bushes starting to split 2) N/S/F inner drive shaft seeping grease   Repaired Sept 2014 at £180 (+VAT)     Between MOT's  - new battery (£70) and service (£110) - including VAT& Labour     MOT 2  (Sept 2015) - FAILED   1) Body or chassis is damaged, seriously affecting its strength to within 30cm of the body mountings nearside rear inner wheel arch.
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  Should I keep or sell my A4 Avant? 1 Feb 2015 (Ask HJ)
  I've got a 2004 Audi A4 Avant 1.9 TDi with 86,000 miles. It still looks smart, I like driving it and it has generally been reliable. The car got through...
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  Buying a new tyre, but forced to buy a new wheel too - is this right? 13 Jan 2014 (Ask HJ)
  I’ve just got yet another puncture on my 2005 Nissan Micra. The RAC came out and put the space saver wheel on for me so I can still drive around, and wrote...
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  Insurer wants to write off my car! 17 Jul 2013 (Ask HJ)
  I had a minor accident in May this year when a guy hit my car in the rear bumper while I was waiting at traffic light. There was minor scratch, but I reported...
• 
  Strayed into a bus lane during a snow storm - can I contest the PCN? 9 Mar 2013 (Ask HJ)
  On Sunday 20th January, I found it necessary to drive in Kingston upon Thames. It was snowing hard and some signage to my destination was partially obliterated...
• Audi A1 - Reject New Audi 28 Mar 2012 (Forum)
  In the time they have had the vehicle they state they have been unable to replicate the fault and the only difference between my vehicle and the other A1's on their forecourt is the paint protection applied to the vehicle, this was applied by an Authorised Professional Detailer who has also applied the same product to 3 identical vehicles and none of those have suffered these issues.
• Audi A1 - Reject New Audi 21 Mar 2012 (Forum)
  In the time they have had the vehicle they state they have been unable to replicate the fault and the only difference between my vehicle and the other A1's on their forecourt is the paint protection applied to the vehicle, this was applied by an Authorised Professional Detailer who has also applied the same product to 3 identical vehicles and none of those have suffered these issues.
• Audi A4 Cabriolet (Auto) - Warranty Nightmare!!! 19 Feb 2012 (Forum)
  I had to explain and forward my email trail of proof that a warranty plan was already accepted via email and the sales rep at the time had advised my warranty was up and running. However they required me to again send a confirmation email that I accepted their T&S's before they could progress my claim and they would not deal with me until I did regardless of the fact of the email trail proof and monies taken. Once I sent the confirmation this morning I had to chase 3 times during the day and finally 10mins before the repairs team closed, I got a phone call saying they have rejected my claim based on the grounds that since taking out the policy I covered only 380miles and therefore the failure must of been progressing before taking out the warranty cover.
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  Can you recommend a safe, reliable car for touring southern Europe? 12 Jan 2012 (Ask HJ)
  For the first time in 40 years I simply do not know which car I should go for. Two years ago my third Berlingo blew two turbos in quick succession (Iatterly...
• Volkswagen Golf IV - Bizarre insurance dispute 19 Jul 2011 (Forum)
  I'll try and condense this as much as I can without missing out any important facts, but its the strangest series of events I've ever heard about and am seriously hoping someone can help give me some pointers The insurance problem is actually happening to a friend, but he struggles to stay calm when talking to people about it so he asked if I would try and make some headway for him In brief here is the series of events In 1986 he got a 5 year ban for drink driving In 1995 he re passed his test and was re-issued with a license In 2005 his insurance company said he needed to swap his license for a picture style one as his paper one was out of date He applied for the picture license which the DVLA sent out but then the insurance company refused to insure him anyway claiming that he had outstanding convictions which had expired, but that he had then never retaken his test When he asked about the alleged convictions as he hadnt (to his knowledge) had any convictions since retaking his test, the insurance company said the DVLA themselves had informed them that he should have surrendered his licence in 1997 and re-applied for his test in 2002 The same DVLA that a month earlier had sent him out his new photo driving licence The insurance company wont give anymore details other than what I have written here, nor will they provide a copy of the letter the DVLA is alleged to have sent them As a result he has had to state that he has been refused insurance each year since, which has meant despite being in his 40's he has been paying more insurance than the average 20 year old He has tried to clear it up before but has never got anywhere with it which isnt helped by him having a short fuse, so with the insurance price hike this year he has asked me to see if someone more reasoned can unravel the mess I was planning to start with the DVLA themselves which means going into one of their offices where I am hoping a complete driver history should be able to be obtained in hard copy including all convictions, driving tests and the current licence status The only "odd" thing I have noticed whilst going through all of the paperwork he has acquired over the years is that on his second licence it lists the date he passed his test, then the date the license was issued but then also lists a date 10 months after that it should be returned (that was on there when the license was first printed incase that isnt clear rather than being added later) I've never seen a licence issued with a note to return it 10 months later before and that does seem a bit strange by itself Especially as it was around 10 years after that licence was issued that the DVLA sent him out a new photo ID even though they apparently told his insurance company he hadnt had a valid licence for the previous 8 years Has anyone else come across anything this silly before?
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  How do I replace my Ford Fiesta's wheel bearing? 18 Sep 2010 (Ask HJ)
  I have a Ford Fiesta 1.3 1998 Encore. My rear wheel bearing has gone on the left-hand side, so I've gone to remove it but there is a casing over the nut...
• Frightening incident - tailgated down the M4 22 Feb 2010 (Forum)
  Perhaps in the original incident he was having trouble getting between me and the lorry behind me. But if that?s the case, he should have backed off and merged in behind the lorry.
• Vauxhall Astra F (1991 - 1998) - 96 1.7 Diesel. Wierd fault: fuel stop / cut off so 28 Nov 2009 (Forum)
  My neighbour's 1996/7 Astra 1.7 TD has a strange problem developing (I think!), related to the fuel cut-off solenoid(s?) on the fuel pump. He has had difficult cold starting, (turning over for ages, unevenly, then eventually starting with a cloud of smoke and still uneven for a few seconds), so I checked the glow plug feed / timer, and then replaced the glow plugs.
• New Jaguar XF spotted? 30 Apr 2007 (Forum)
  This was nothing though compared to what came 30 seconds later; with the car leaving the village, I could it for an age as it disappeared in to the distance up the Fosse Way. That V8 woofle had become a hard metallic wail more like an M5's V10, each gearchange banging in without pause; almost certainly a good paddleshift gearbox at work, and infact so quick acting I thought "DSG". After some considerable time, I caught high rev downchange after downchange followed by one last acceleration wail as the sound evaporated in to the afternoon air.
• Motoring in Tenerife 3 Dec 2006 (Forum)
  A Transit Connect Tourneo and a Citroen ?Jumpy?! We ended up with a brand new Jumpy - just 160km on the clock. It?s a Citroen Dispatch van with 9 seats. Raised a few laughs when I brought it to the apartment, but to be honest on very twisty and steep mountain roads the 2.0HDi was just the job. On a few occasions we came across other visitors in hired Fiat Pandas etc really struggling on the 1 in 4 hills - I simply stuck the ?
• Running a BMW.. 29 Nov 2005 (Forum)
  You'll note some of those seem a bit ambitious for under £10k in 6 months time - well, I'm not scared of high mileage so am prepared to own a car with more than 100,000 miles on the clock if it means I can have a newer/higher specified example, and looking at HJ's recent auction reports I don't think those are going to be too far out of reach with the possible exception of facelift E46's in Sport guise. I don't know much about these. If I am honest I prefer the E39 in terms of... everything, but the performance of the 3 is tempting. Evo clocked a 330i @ 5.9 seconds to 60. But a 3 is only acceptable as a facelift Sport.
• Don\'t mess with the DVLA 21 Nov 2003 (Forum)
  Firstly, the duty solicitor refused to assist me as I wasn\'t being charged with a criminal offence. If you declare a SORN and use the car while it\'s in force then you are liable for any backduty up to a maximum of 2 years. This applies regardless of if the car was ever used or parked on a public road. They don\'t care if you used it or not, the law has changed and they WILL get \"their\" money.
• Is this (motoring) email a scam? 9 Jan 2003 (Forum)
  With Best Wishes for the New Year and Kind Regards, Thanking you, Yours sincerely, ROAD SAFETY ALLIANCE Please contact us if you require any further information(s)