Showing results in  Forum [Show all channels]

Sort by: Relevance | Newest first | Oldest first

• Honest John's Motoring Agony Column 29-07-2017 Part 2 7 Aug 2017 (Forum)
  I'm not convinced by this "always left-foot-brake in automatics" notion. It may be fine and dandy if you never again have to drive a manual car, but if you do, your feet will be confused, your reactions slowed and the risk of an accident increased. And a lot of us drive both manuals and automatics. When I drive an automatic, I brake with my right foot and follow a very simple rule: my right foot is always on the brake unless I'm actively pressing the accelerator.
• any - Driving experience 24 Dec 2016 (Forum)
  A warning to all, be careful about drink driving especially over Christmas and the Police  are out there checking on drivers. Thursday night I was out for a few drinks. One thing lead to another and I had too many beers not to mention the odd wee tot and then onto the wine.
• Vw Golf - Drink Driving - Third Party Property Damage? 27 Jul 2016 (Forum)
  To cut a long story short, I wrote my car off whilst drink driving Dec 2013 and I'd damaged a lamppost in the process. My car insurance at the time said they'd deal with any costs as third party but would chase me up for the money back. Ive now just received a letter from said insurance company roughly 30 months later wanting £1500 for property damage.
• 04 Civic drive shaft problem ? 22 Jun 2016 (Forum)
    Am I right in saying that it is not a serious problem until the cv joint starts clicking when the car is being driving in a straight line ?   Thanks again      
• SEAT Cordoba 2004 1.9 Diesel - Diesel problem 5 Feb 2016 (Forum)
      It is ok on long drives but cuts out in slow traffic (gears 1-3) after a long drive. Once that has happened it will only start once it has been static. In the recent break downs it would then start and run ok a few days later or would need the electrics clearing before starting.
• VW cabriolet 13 plate - Clutch lifetime 25 Jan 2016 (Forum)
    Clutch slipping failure at 29000 - Dealer insist on "user" fault despite driving pattern being dual carriageways   50 mile round trips and NO town driving also obsessive husband so no clutch riding etc etc.  This seemed ridiculously low - been driving for 50 years and never had any clutch failure at any mileage.
• Vauxhall Vectra C - Hesitating and cutting out when driving 10 Oct 2015 (Forum)
  Please help before a garage takes money off me.   My petrol vvti is an 07 with 60k on clock. It hesites whilst driving when cold and has cut out twice at 30mph pulling away from roundabouts. It idles fine. It sounds a bit blowey to me but that could be the exhaust on its way out.    It's just had a big service Inc plugs and fuel filter, it was doing this prior to its service but the mechanic who serviced it thought the car was running OK.
• Winter Driving 1 Dec 2013 (Forum)
  Off course everyone has winter tyres with many of them studded (allowed between October and March - I think) and I was surprised at how effective these are - even on rear wheel drive cars. Saw loads of BMWs and Mercs getting around with no problem. Most Taxis in Norway seem to be Mercs so they clearly work well with winter tyres. Once again confirms the view that 4x4 are nothing but a status symbol to many people - although I do appreciate some people do need them for their jobs such as farmers etc.
• Can I still use Uk licence in Uk with foreign car 24 Aug 2013 (Forum)
  As a UK national now  resident in France  I may be worrying needlessly but I DO know my Uk driving licence is valid to drive in France without having to exchange it (EU Directive) (presumably until it is due to run out when I have to renew in france) and I also know that it is illegal for a UK residen t to drive a foreign car on UK roads(with few exceptions) I am worried by the fact that though I am not resident in Uk now but have a UK licence still that this MAY cause me  aggro with Uk police if stopped during a visit - since it might appear that I am a resident because of my UK licence.
• What should he buy? 23 Nov 2012 (Forum)
  What should he get now? He is: - about 50, partner in large firm of international accountants, drives over the Pennines on the M62 each day but otherwise limited driving locally.  Does not want anyting flash despite having partners who do drive Maseratis etc.  He wants some thing that is comfortable, discreet, capable to tackling some tough winter weather over the top of the M62.
• FIAT Punto - Punto died whilst driving 28 Dec 2010 (Forum)
  My son has a fiat punto 1.2 8v (Y plate) and on Thursday last week whilst driving the car it stopped. RAC called out and said they suspect timing belt! Could the belt have slipped and if so, is it easy to re-align (with a new belt)? Or is the problem simpler than that as in battery, coils etc.
• Any - Tailgating 28 Nov 2010 (Forum)
  In reality the speed limit is rather on the low side for the road. The problem is that because people could drive faster just as safely there is a lot of tailgating on this stretch of road. The people doing this drive anything from a black cab to a flatbed lorry. Whilst many 100's of people have been fined for speeding I have not heard of anybody being done for tailgating which is potentially much more dangerous along that stretch of road.
• Renault 21 Savanna - Cutting out 28 Oct 2010 (Forum)
    Does anyone have experience of this problem, my mechanic cant work it out. Car starts well, drives 4 miles to the motor way well, goes for about 20 minutes on motorway well, then when I exit motorway and drive in lower revs, say, approaching traffic lights it wants to die. Sometimes it picks the revs up again automatically, other times it dies.
• Driving in France. 5 Oct 2010 (Forum)
  Hello everybody we have been back for a few days now had a long journey by car to the south of France.The Focus diesel performed well i used the cruise control regulary on the auto routes relaxing to drive.Thanks Big John your route we took worked out fine.Our first stop Rouen and a long drive after rouen to Lourdes.We came through Toulouse about six pm very busy traffic i was in the wrong lane for Tarbes ,no problem with the French drivers they gave me all the space i needed for the right lane for Tarbes.On the return journey stopped at Chartres very nice town Ibis chain clean.Back through the tunnel heavy rain very dense traffic at Dartford M25 I think i got a bit spoiled on the auto routes in France .:)
• Winter Driving in Norway 16 Feb 2010 (Forum)
  Yes main roads are cleared but not down to tarmac, but down to a manageable level of snow (two inches?) and thereafter cars are on snow tyres with little metal studs. They drive remarkably quickly for the conditions, but all the cars I saw seem to be in very good condition for their age (some at least 20 years old). No salt is put down, but some form of grit which provides grip but no melting facility.
• are smart cars terrible in the snow ? 7 Jan 2010 (Forum)
  Does anyone else drive a smart car in these conditions and what are they like ?
• Second offence? 22 Dec 2009 (Forum)
  Got pulled up and will be going to court in Jan 2010. Got 66 and 69 on the breathaliser In my first 2 years of driving i picked up too many points (never been a boy racer but got unlucky with the camera guns, flashed in an area i didnt know etc). My license was suspended - Didnt say i was banned but i guess i was as i wasnt allowed to drive but i rememeber suspended being the term they used.
• Suffolk to Reading-best way to drive? 25 Nov 2009 (Forum)
  What makes it worse is I've got to wait up to 5 hours in Reading whilst her interview takes place then endure the driving misery in reverse in the dark.
• Renault Vel Satis (2002 - 2007) - 03 3.5 chain or belt? lazy selecting 'drive', help 19 Nov 2009 (Forum)
  my 3.5 litre petrol v6 auto 'initiale' takes approx 2 secons to engage drive once 'd' is selected, it is fine in reverse. It has done 80k with a full history. Could this be to do with the gearbox oil level? Also are these belt or chain driven? The cambelt cover is made of metal, usually this means chain driven, or so im told.
• Jaguar X-Type (2001 - 2009) - 04 2.0 Car stalls when driving along? 19 Aug 2009 (Forum)
  I was just driving along fairly sedately, 40 mph, suddenly the glow plug light came on, the car stalled and wouldn't start. Pushed the car to the side of the road gave it ten minutes and the car started again. This is the second time its done this.