Refine by channel:  Forum (1189)    Ask HJ (364)    News (176)    Article (5)    productReview (3)    Good Garages (1)    FAQs (1)  

Sort by: Relevance | Newest first | Oldest first

• Ford Focus Zetec 5 Dr 1.6 Tdci (2011 mark3) - Control panel lights and cAN bus issues 23 Jan 2015 (Forum)
  There has also been one instance of returning to the car in a car park to find all of the side windows fully open (the car has "global opening /closing"), and another occassion where the radiator cooling fan stayed on after the car was locked - cold day after a short run of 15 miles, air con switched off, and temp gauge showing normal reading - the fan when off after car restarted and switched off. Yesterday, for the first time the amber engine warning symbol came on.
• Transporter, Vivaro, Transit - Small Motor Vans: What you need to know! 14 Apr 2013 (Forum)
    I have to tell you dear reader, that Mrs Rambler and I have enjoyed a number of happy fast food experiences in a Transit motor van, with a variety of food and confectionary snacks laid out like a banquet over that wonderful dashboard. Additonally all of the vans have a smallish glove box, which if you opt for air con will be refrigerated in summer. So the Ford is clear winner here!  Unfortunately Ford don't seem to rust proof their vans effectively, so if you wish to grow old with your faithful small motor van, you need to get the Vivaro.
• 
  Should the head gasket have failed on my mother's 2004 Subaru Impreza 2.0 GX? 3 Aug 2010 (Ask HJ)
  My mother's 2004 Subaru Impreza 2.0 GX was serviced on 7 May 2010 this year. On 19 July 2010 we broke down on the motorway, which resulted in a bill for...
• Picked up the Scenic today.... 23 Apr 2007 (Forum)
  At the other end of your journey, simply pressing the little flush mount button on the drivers door handle will lock the car as well as wind the sunroof and any open windows shut. Kit is very generous - 4 electric windows, ABS, EBD, ESP, a full complement of airbags, air-con and double sunroof, CD multichanger, refrigerated glovebox, electric folding mirrors, alloys.....you name it. And yes, it all works. For now! :-) Faults? It's popped its offside headlight bulb at some stage this afternoon, (AAAARRGHH) and there's a bit of wind rustle from the sunroof around 80 mph (didn't get past 60-65 on the test drive).
• 
  Cooling fan operation 6 Apr 2011 (Ask HJ)
  I've been driving my 405 GL since its manufacture. It is a model fitted with air-con. Five years ago I was forced to replace the entire engine. Since...
• Ford Mondeo - Purchase nightmare! 28 May 2015 (Forum)
  I gave the car a once over whilst visiting and soon discovered the oil level was not showing on the dipstick and the temp gauge rose to 90degrees after 5mins of the engine running at idle! Not good. The air-con does not work either and the remote key has to be used manually to unlock the car even with a new battery. Following my inspection of the vehicle I called ‘we sell car finance’ myself to discuss the matter.
• New Car Time - Replacing Nissan Primera P11-144 6 Dec 2013 (Forum)
  No family, or pets, I do carry passengers and other equipment from time to time (note - not a taxi). So I care about my comfort and others comfort. I like gadgets, so air con, electric windows all round, electric mirrors is a must. Not fussed about leather and heated seats though, or climate control. iPod and Bluetooth connectivity is a requirement whether it's part of the car or available through an add on, with full integration - ie, not just a parrot kit of audio in cable, I want to control the device through the radio.
• 
  Why is the part exchange value of our Mini Countryman so low? 23 Feb 2013 (Ask HJ)
  I would be grateful if I could seek your advice with regards to an issue that has arisen with our local BMW/Mini dealership. I currently drive a Mini Cooper...
• My first 6 weeks with a 520d 15 Jul 2012 (Forum)
  The car does have a ‘Sport/Comfort/Eco Pro’ button by the side of the gearbox and it does make a real difference. I don’t bother with Eco Pro. It works up to 75MPH and is supposed to dial down the air con and electrical systems to save fuel. In real life if saves hardly any fuel but the car is as responsive as me when I am asleep. Comfort is where I spend most of my time, car behaves like a lazy auto should changes up between 1700 and 2000 RPM in normal driving and is very smooth.
• Grand Scenic - full review. 3 May 2007 (Forum)
  As for the kit list, the only things I can think it doesn't have are cruise control, leather, electric seats and full climate (it has "basic" air-con). Everything else you could reasonably think of, and a lot you couldn't, are present. It all works too. We have already fallen in love with the keyless operation, but I still don't like the electric parking brake, even if it does, in fairness, work very well.
• 150 k Miles in a Berlingo 31 May 2021 (Forum)
    Front seats adjust only fore/aft and for rake but combined with height adjust for steering wheel all four of us can drive it comfortably.  Air con was an extra we turned down on basis of original planned use. In fact it’s not been missed greatly due to combination of excellent ventilation and low solar gain from silver paint.   In Use – This is where it wins.
• Pandemic bargains 6 May 2021 (Forum)
  It’s a good example of a long term owned car that was for sale not because it was worn out but because the seller had came into money and just wanted something newer. Even the air con is ice cold. £925 given. Had I been trading still I’d put tyres on it and stick it on at £1695 but it’s going to a friend for the fee of a bottle of Morgan’s and I’ve every faith it’ll run for years. 2008 58 plate Mitsubishi Colt 1.3 5dr in blue metallic with 34,000 miles and one elderly owner from new who has sadly recently passed away.
• Cuba Fly Drive 29 May 2008 (Forum)
  a motorbike engine 3 wheeler with the driver out front wearing a crash helmet and the unbelted passengers in a pod at the back. The car we picked up on Day 4 was a Seat Altea XL 1.6 litre poverty spec but with heavenly air con. I noticed plastic blanking plates in place of the side indicator repeaters and then found that no cars in Cuba had repeaters. This was clearly no problem as I soon found out that nobody bothers to indicate anyway.
• Volkswagen Golf IV (1998 - 2004) - Golf GTI 1.8T - first impressions 25 Mar 2010 (Forum)
  It has the original manufacturers labels still stuck in the spare wheel well, the full tool kit, warning triangle and first aid kit in the boot, and apart from the service history, has real evidence of having had money spent on it (four matching Michelin Pilots, new looking front pads and discs, invoice for a new £500 air con compressor in the last 12 months etc etc). Overall, it gave a good impression. It even had the full original handbook folder with all contents present and correct, all old MOTs, emergency key wallet and all the other bits.
• Volvo S60 (2000 - 2009) - Two weeks (almost) review and update 18 Jan 2009 (Forum)
  Great spec for an entry level car as well - four electric windows, electric sunroof, electric mirrors, the best standard fit stereo I've ever heard, ABS, stability control, dual zone air-con, cruise, half leather etc etc. And every single thing works as it should. Durability and finish: Deeply impressive. 126,000 miles up and the doors still shut with a solid clunk, the interior only creaks over really awful roads, and then it's isolated items rather than the whole thing, and it glides along with very little wind or road noise.
• Letter Fom The Colonies Vol 11 14 Mar 2005 (Forum)
  'Tis our summer here and getting very hot indeed, so we shall shortly be retreating in a month or so to the comfort of air-con at home, telephone Chinese take-aways delivered in 30 mins by pizza pilots or you get it free and a great many pirate DVD's we got from Indonesia plus a substantial stock of my favourite Wynne's Bin 444 to while away the hours.
• VW - Can you trust Volkswagen dealers - a warning 30 Nov 2012 (Forum)
   The dealership even tried to "rip" me off by offering to take my vehicle in at a part-exchange value, which would have meant losing nearly £2500 is a space of 2 weeks.  Obviously a great con tactic! I asked why the loss was so great the sales manager replied this was due to a further owner showing on the DVLA logbook.   I now find this ironic considering it latter emerged that the dealership was selling me ex-rental stock, that before me the vehicle would have had many different users driving it at different conditions, yet this did not affect its value.
• 
  Please help me with a major warranty problem following repairs to my Skoda Fabia. 4 Sep 2010 (Ask HJ)
  I bought a 2006-registered Skoda Fabia in December 2008. The car had 47,000 miles and was in good condition. At the time of purchase, I was given 12 months'...
• letter from the colonies vol 14 18 Aug 2006 (Forum)
  On the outside are enterprising gents selling copies of the eye chart which the less well-sighted can buy and memorise. However this is a con, since the LTO is well aware of this and changes the charts every few days. Apart from getting his "O''s" and his "D's" muddled, William sails through that one. We are directed to the photo booth.