Soli-hell

Here, in Solihull, the local Council members are great fans of speed humps. My observation of local roads, so afflicted, is that drivers no longer slow down for them with the result that residents suffer...

Every little bit yelps

Recently I received a tax disc renewal reminder for my Mercedes 2.5TD from DVLA stating £185 for one year. Because DVLA is encouraging online renewal I opened the web site where I was asked to pay £190...

Last days of discount?

I know now is not a good time to buy a Japanese car (due to the Exchange Rate) and Honda dealers claim they can't discount the Jazz by more than £500, but do you think this is a good deal? New Jazz 1.4...

Sportomatic

After much soul searching and having ogled one for years I am struggling to find a Mazda MX-5 with automatic transmission. I believe you can get an imported one that has higher spec and have looked on...

Hunchback of Bad Soden

I recently bought a 2006 BMW 525d Touring with sport seats. Am I alone in finding these seats fairly uncomfortable? The backrest is totally without shoulder support, and longer journeys become a strain...

Tyre consequences

I purchased a Ford Mondeo Titanium X TDCI 140 5 door hatchback on May 02 2008 and to date am very pleased with it. I took it into my local Ford main agent Polar Ford Wilmslow for a 12-month service with...

Waking up time

I keep seeing information boards on motorways saying: ‘Think Bike!’ or even ‘Think once, think twice, think bike’. Do you know what it means or what we are supposed to do? The last 2 occasions the boards...

Small and tall

I’m looking for a car for my elderly parents who have difficulty getting into low seats. They only want a small car but high seats. Which would you recommend?

Mayor bumped off

I think that the speed bumps mentioned by you correspondent from Congelton must have been on a road with a speed restriction, I guess the expensive bumps were installed because we motorists were not abiding...

Buy and SL

I use your website a lot as a reliable source of background information on new cars. I am thinking of changing from my current Porsche 996 Carrera to something with a little more luxury and refinement...

Phaeton attraction

After your comments early last year I bought a 3-year-old VW Phaeton V10 LWB with 40K miles on it. It has been a good car so far having done 15K miles with me and economy better than expected of 25 to...

Graduated person

Our daughter is a 21-year-old student in Manchester. She passed her test 2 years ago and also carried out and passed the advanced motorway driving test in the UK. She now has a placement in Welwyn Garden...

Maz power

I currently drive a new Mazda 6 estate auto (petrol). Nice car but limited mid-range torque. Mazda has recently introduced a new range of turbodiesel engines and I have been able to drive the 2.2 litre...

Government waste

I think the government car scrappage scheme has got serious failings. I am sure there will be many cases where someone who only does 5,000 miles a year (for example) will trade in their 10 year-old car...

Lounge suits?

I have just found out the FIAT 500 is available under the scrappage scheme, making a basic Pop version £6,300. I understand you have the Lounge spec. I was wondering is it better to splash on the Lounge...

Nothing in particulate

Thank you for your recent answer about DPF problems with my 56 reg Zafira Design CDTi (150). I have decided to sell it. Your website comments regarding DPF are all about this engine and I wonder if the...

Council attacks

You may not remember but last year I wrote to you concerning a PCN from Lambeth Parking concerning an alleged Moving Traffic Offence in Lambeth of Driving in a Bus Lane on January 2nd 2008. The Photograph...

SORN again crushed one

I have owned my car over twenty years. I made it SORN in 2008 when the MoT ran out and after it was 'hot wired' and had the lock and dashboard damaged. I didn't know whether it was worth the expense of...

Long-range fuel thanks

I thought that your readers may find this interesting: I currently run a Peugeot 206 1.4 HDI turbodiesel. My motoring mainly consists of a 36-mile round-trip commuting into Dumfries each day. Until recently...

Plight shift

We are considering formally rejecting my wife's December registration new Corsa Design 1.4 Auto. We have tried to get a resolution to a gearbox problem since January, the Vauxhall engineers are apparently...

Moving story

Our current family car is an Audi A3 Sportback. As we recently moved house this has provided good service for lugging various parcels around and also taking rubbish away but could have been a bit larger....

Warrant offers, sir

On 23-05-08 I purchased a 2005 BMW 320D SE Auto from a BMW main dealer. It was sold to me under the BMW Premium Selection Approved Car scheme. With it came a 12 month Extended Warranty, which expired...

Carden centre

I am currently looking to buy a Civic CR-X due to being a Honda fanatic. After browsing the usual places (Autotrader, eBay, etc.) I came across a reasonable spec car. I contacted the seller and visited...

Swift departure

I'm looking to move on my 05 Volvo V70, 93,000 miles, and have received a couple of valuations from two internet-based firms. One firm, bestcarbuyer.co.uk, has made a 'reasonable' offer of £4,250, subject...

Fraud Classic?

I would like to buy a Hyundai i10 1.2 Classic, which is advertised at £6,795 in red. I have spoken to my local dealer and this is the price if I part exchange my present car with them (or if I sell my...

Adapating a low profile

I have a 2006/56 Mercedes CLK280. The rear Pirelli P Zero Rosso 255/35 ZR 18 94Y tyres needed replacing at 11,000 miles and the replacement pair have managed 14,000miles but are now also worn out. The...

Fiddle sick?

I was looking to buy a new Mazda6 estate and visited local dealer. On the windscreen was an "on the road price" which was about £1,000 less than list. However the moment I mentioned I wanted to avail myself...

Petrol Shop Boys

Just to say that I agree with you about diesels. Because diesel is a by-product of distillation its supply is likely to be constrained and hence its price is almost bound to remain considerably higher...

Channel vision

I have just been watching the Gadget Show on Channel 5 testing In Car Entertainment systems. All three of the ones tested, mounted in the dash, so that the driver could see it and had touch screens. But...

Vexed demo

Why can one not take delivery of a demo model car until it is 3 months old? I have just agreed a part-exchange for a car registered 31st March 2009 but I cannot take delivery until 30th June. This does...

Multijest

My car is a FIAT Panda Dynamic Multijet 1300cc diesel, 2005. Just today I've received a letter from FIAT where they strongly recommend me to change the timing belt every four years even if I've driven...

Insighting a conflict

I live in Portugal and have a 1997 Mercedes C180 Classic estate, petrol 1,800cc. It's done around 350,000km and the Mercedes dealership had fitted a new engine and suspension at 260,000km. It suits our...

Boots

I have a 2005 VW Passat Trendline TDi PD 130 saloon that has done 81,000 miles and I am thinking of changing it. My problem is to find a suitable replacement. I drive about 20,000 miles a year and, being...

Fishing chips

I have a BMW 123d and am looking at ways to further decrease my fuel consumption as I drive approx 100 miles per day, mainly all motorway sat on cruise control at 70. I see these Bluefin Superchip units...

Aggro culture

I had a prang on the ice back in January this year. The fault was mine, since the other vehicle, an Audi, was stationary at the time of impact and it was I who lost control on a steep, slippery slope....

“Fillhole motorists….”

There is a very quick, and often effective way of reporting potholes, dangerous "traffic calming features" etc. Just enter the details into the website www.fixmystreet.com and they pass it on to whichever...

Reg per minute

In the course of an old fogey's refresher driving lesson, a year ago, the Instructor explained the benefits of driving at the optimum rpm – not something that had occurred to me previously. I was then...

CRVous bodily harm

I am thinking about replacing my CR-V diesel 2006 32,000 mileage. I don't need 4-wheel drive, although it is nice to have. I need a car capable of returning over 40mpg. I currently average 41mpg in the...

Shoulder to die on

A number of your readers have been advised over the last couple of years to switch to 16" wheels in order to improve the ride quality over that achieved on 17” or 18" runflats. A much simpler, and cheaper...

Destructive obstructions

Regarding speed cushions, you recently stated, "if your local authority installed bumps higher than 100mm you have grounds to sue for the damage.” The local council has recently installed bumps near here,...

Last of the summer whine

A friend bought a 2003 Agila with 24k miles. There is a whine in 5th gear unless the car is coasting. The salesman said "it is a town car and 5th gear hasn't yet been run in". My suspicions are that 5th...

Mercedes bent?

I recently purchased a Mercedes 1995 SL500 Cat D due to front bumper cosmetic damage, I have presented my car at an approved body repairer in Kettering Northants for corrective repairs as I like the car...

Disky business

I bought a Toyota Avensis in August last year, which was first registered in September 2006 and now with only 20,000 miles on the clock. Ever since my purchase the brakes squeal, particularly the front...

Tensioner, nervous headache

I have a Vectra 1.9TDCi registered in June 2006 with 71,205 on the clock. Last Monday, whilst driving home, the temperature shot up and the engine started making rattling noises without warning. The car...

Dieselpointed

I currently own a 1996 Golf GTI 16v with 100,000 miles on the clock. The car is great, pretty much bomb proof and a great mix of comfort and speed. The economy isn’t terrible especially as I’m a little...

Oars chestnut

What should I buy? I need enough room for a pair of oars and outboard engine. Good fuel economy. Ability to tow 2 laser dinghies. Lowish road tax. Cruise at 80, i.e., not a slug for its weight. 3 or 5...

Keep off the crass

In my opinion, it is motorists who choose to drive over privately owned grass verges, thereby obliging owners to make good the damage they cause, who are selfish. The placing of obstacles to prevent this...

Car Czech up

You extol the virtues of the i10, i20 and i30 regularly in your column. I bought a new Honda Jazz in 2007 after reading your comments on it but I would now like something a little less staid. Would the...

Counsel taxed

My car was stolen from outside my house. The community police visited and asked me twice if I wanted victim support (no thank you). I spoke to the police several times on the phone, but they were not...

Shifting circumstances

I've driven manual shift cars all of my driving life, more than 30 years so far. I'm 52. I'm thinking about exchanging my mid-sized manual for two cars, a runabout for everyday use, perhaps a Toyota Yaris...