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Honest John Ask Honest John » October 2009
Trending topics in October 2009
abs automatics buying claims dealers driving engine insurance legal issues new cars owning recalls scrappage scheme small cars small family cars speed humps technical issues used cars vosa wheels and tyres
Questions from October 2009
We have a big safety issue here. White Van Man and 4 x 4 Gas Guzzlers do not have a problem, but for the smaller compact cars that this government want us all to change to, speed humps are a real danger,...
I know that you consider speed cameras are largely a means to raise extra income, so what is your opinion of bus lane cameras on pointless bus lanes? By pointless I mean short lengths of bus lane just...
We purchased a Mercedes S500 in May 2006, which has now done 20,000 miles. It has been regularly serviced by Mercedes Benz Stockport. In May 2009 I was invited to have the car checked for any potential...
Faced with failure of the ABS unit of my three and a half year old Golf and a £1,500 bill, I followed your advice, reported the matter to VOSA and asked if it was going to issue a vehicle safety recall....
It was recently time to trade in our faithful 11 year old Rover. As a regular reader of your column, we replaced it with a 2008 Honda Jazz 1.4 SE that had done 4,000 miles and was in immaculate condition....
I thought I would try Shell V-Power diesel. At a Shell Garage I saw a logo in red with a V-Power sign on it and filled up from the pump showing the red V sign. This was the only one on the forecourt....
I have a 1997P Peugeot 306 1.9TD (facelift model). My water light on the dash is coming on and off. I checked the coolant pod and it was fine on Thursday but I topped it up anyway. I drove the car all...
I would be grateful for your advice relating to the purchase of a vehicle under the scrappage scheme. I have yet to collect my new vehicle but the garage concerned has stated I need to provide them with...
At the moment my son is running a 2002 Renault Scenic 1.6, which he has had 4 years. It has always been very greedy and underpowered and overall a big disappointment and averages about 34mpg, even on motorways,...
Further to my e-mail of 27 July 09, detailing problems with the gearbox on my Seat Altea Sport. FIRST bill £1,004 after 35% goodwill from SEAT UK. SECOND bill £984 following failure of the oil cooler mixed...
My Meriva developed the Electric Power Steering fault before the warranty ran out but the Vauxhall garage said they could not find the fault. Now two years on it is getting worse. I have complained to...
My wife has a very trusty (and not rusty) RAV-4. She bought it new on a 2001Y plate, and it's now covered 92,000 miles and never missed a beat, it still has the original exhaust. I drive a faithful old...
I have a VW 1.4 Twincharger, 2 years old, which has developed a frequent slight hesitation at about 3,500 rpm when accelerating; this may be as it switches from the supercharger to the turbocharger. The...
Where is the new Honda Jazz built? (2008-)
I have an 2004 VW Passat Turbo with 51,000 miles on the clock that is showing an Airbag Fault sign. My local VW dealer's inspection at a cost of £72 identified that there was a failure of a seal in the...
I contacted you a while back about great customer service I received at Toyota when replacing my engine and cat after developing a fault after 5 years and 90,000 miles. Well, here's one from the other...
Do you know if there are any other websites like Car Site and Auto Quake that sell ex-fleet cars you can reserve on-line, as I really like these sorts of places and wondered if there are more than just...
I have a 2007 Laguna BG4TB6, done 20,000 miles, will soon need new tyres for the winter. What would you recommend, with price being a consideration.
In relation to your reply about home breathalysers, your readers should be aware that such kits are prone to false negatives (and false positives for that matter). Irrespective of what concoctions you...
We have a 2.0 TDi SEAT Altea Sport on a 54 plate. We bought this four years ago at 10 months old, registered by SEAT but with only delivery mileage on it. The car has 60k on the clock and a full service...
Having had a TVR many years ago, I like the sound of the Nissan 350Z/370Z driving experience, but I¹m not keen on the butch styling ­ and I might regret having only 2 seats. I can¹t afford an M3 or an...
We are looking to replace my partner’s CVT Mini-Cooper possibly with a Fiat 500C Auto. The auto-box fitted would be FIAT’s Dualogic gearbox. Could you say, please, how good this is in terms of smoothness...
The ABS on my Sept 05 Volvo S40 1.6D has just failed. My local dealer has contacted Volvo and they offered a 70% discount off the replacement unit but it still came in at £423. I pressured them further...
I would be pleased to receive any thoughts/comments you have to make about the Seat Leon engines available. My choice appears to be between a 1.4TSi SE or a 1.9TDi SE. I drive approx 15,000 miles pa, of...
My husband has given me a budget of approximately £13,500 to buy a new or fairly new used car. This budget includes whatever I can get for my present car, which is a June 2003 Ford Focus LX with 48,500...
I have a 1999 Rover 214 which has just conked out with a head gasket problem, not even having done 50,000 miles. I have been quoted about £800, which also seems to be about the present value of this sort...
For the past four years we have been running an Octavia Estate fitted with the 115 bhp diesel and it goes very well. We find it a much more practical vehicle than the Passat we ran for 11 years and covered...
I wonder if you would suggest a nearly new replacement car for me. I am retired, pushing 70 and want an estate that has all the modern extras and is comfortable with 2 sets of golf clubs. Leather seats...
I have some work in Poland next summer. My wife and I are considering driving there so that we might spend a week or two touring after the work is finished. However, I read in the Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness...
I have an intermittent fuel leak from the main fuel pump of my 1997 Mercedes W124 E220 Convertible. It will stay sealed, then suddenly start leaking again, usually on start-up.
I wrote to you in May about the Honda Jazz I-shift, which I'd had for a month. I have now had mine since early April and done over 3,000 miles. A lot of pootling about in north London plus some journeys...
A friend and client is executor of a deceased relative’s estate and obliged to realise assets for fair value. Amongst them is a Mercedes E280 Auto Estate in silver reg April 1995. One owner from new, immaculate...
As an ageing juvenile of 62, it is only in the last 10 years I have enjoyed a Midget and an MGB Roadster. These have been gone a while but my eye has been taken recently by :- 1) Caterham Classic Sprint...
I have owned and run a vehicle for the last four years and am glad to say that I have accrued 4 years' No Claims Bonus on my insurance. I now need to purchase a second vehicle in addition to the first....
I’m thinking of buying a used Nissan X-Trail 2.2 diesel 2006 – 2007 to tow my caravan but I have read a lot about failing turbos and a replacement cost of around £2,000. Are you able to say if this is...
When we took our Skoda Octavia 2005 for its second MoT, today, we were told that the foglight was illegal as it was on the wrong side of the car, on the passenger side. He passed the car with a comment...
I would appreciate your advice on a problem I have with my Toyota Celica. Nearly four years ago I had a small accident with a lorry that left a big dent in my nearside rear bodywork. Instead of going to...
I'm looking at buying a new/nearly new car early next year. My budget is £20k-£25k and I fancy a coupe or a cabriolet. I want Something economical to run and maintain with a good resale value. What would...
I would appreciate any advice re private purchase of a 2001X 5-door VW Golf 1.6 16v SE in metallic reflex silver. It is a one owner from new car registered 01/01/2001 - petrol engine, full VW service history...
I recently bought an immaculate 2000W Passat Estate with the 1.9 115bhp TDI PD engine. It came with a full dealer history and 94,000miles. I can't find fault with it other than when checking the fluid...
In your VW Touran review you mention a possible recall given the number of ABS control unit faults. Mine has just developed this 'feature' and before forking out the £1,500 to repair I wondered whether...
I've recently suffered a break-down with my car, which I can only attribute to speed-bumps. So far it's proven to be a costly exercise, having been left stranded with broken springs with the front suspension...
I am writing to you exasperated and at my wits end. In February my wife's 2004 Ford Focus 2.0 TDCI needed a new battery. It was a Sunday so the only places open were ATS. I took it and then they replaced...
Could you quickly explain the logic behind there being no point in buying diesel unless you do over 15k miles a year? I do about 7k miles a year and estimate yearly savings in fuel costs and road tax to...
We have 2 grandchildren: 14 and 11. They both suffer from sickness in my Astra (no, it's not my driving) but are happy in my husband's Saab and their parents car, a Nissan. Are there any cars that are...
I thought that you might appreciate some positive feedback for a change. My leased 07 Audi A4 Avant 2.0TDI 140 has just completed 100,000 miles at an average fuel consumption of 49.8 to the gallon. Apart...
We have a 2007 Ford Focus Zetec and are about to have our third child. We run the Focus as a second car and hope to be able to use it with all three children and one adult. Would you advise putting the...
Just over a month ago I bought a March 2009 Mazda3 1.6 Sport. Under the technical details of the car the Combined fuel consumption is 40.9mpg (Urban 31.7 and Extra Urban 49.6). Since I bought the car I...
I am 17 years old and I am looking to buy a car. I have found a 1997R Honda Civic that has had 3 previous owners and looks in very good nick. It has done 111,000 miles, with a full service history up to...
I recently had my Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 16v played about with by various mechanics. They seem to have stopped it conking out but have not got rid of a certain rattle it makes. It does this when the accelerator...
 

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