Questions from March 2013
It’s vital that drivers of other people’s cars know that if you borrow another persons car or test drive that car you owe the owner of the car a duty of care. In a recent case in the high court, Mark Hales,...
Someone drove into the back of my 2010 Hyundai i20 - not my fault. Hyundai Accident Aftercare (HAAC) has arranged a hire car through Gemini Vehicle Solutions, a 2012/62 Ford Focus 6-speed diesel from Enterprise....
I have a 2003 BMW Mini with 40,000 miles on the clock. Towards the back end of last year, it developed a rattle which was subsequently identified as the catalytic convertor substrate failing. BMW quoted...
My wife has a Vauxhall Meriva 1.6 Club which is three years old in August and has done about 15,000 miles. It cost just under £9000 new as it was the last of the old models. I am considering replacing...
You may be interested in something that I did not until now realize, and I suspect most people are not aware of, in connection with the extra insurance that they can take out on their motor policies for...
I wonder if you can help me? I own a Peugeot 308 Sport with 225/45 R17 94WXL tyres. Is it possible to use ‘ordinary tyres’ and not the ones the car was supplied with? I assume I would get a smoother and...
As a keen reader of your columns in the Saturday Telegraph, I am well aware of the pitfalls of operating a modern diesel for short journeys. Our local postmen have been subjected to new "modern" work methods,...
My 3-year-old BMW 635d occasionally produces an unpleasant smell from underneath. This can best be described as being like 'burning rubber' or 'dead mouse'. It is the only problem with an otherwise perfect...
It may be necessary for my 9-year-old grandson to travel in the front passenger seat of my Peugeot 206 from time to time, using a booster seat. I am unsure whether, after pushing the seat back as far as...
My brother-in-law knocked down a pedestrian. He kept his insurance company informed (LV) and had to make a claim to rectify the damage on his car. The police investigated and classified the accident as...
I drive buses for a living. Over the last two or three years I have seen a noticeable increase in the number of vehicles with head/side or tail/brake lights with blown bulbs. Could it be that these particular...
When Honda announced 800 job losses at Swindon the company blamed declining markets in Europe for their problems. Unfortunately this appears to be a severe case of spinning the news. The largest market...
I own a Smart FourTwo auto. However, I now find that I need three passenger seats but also require a small car with high driver seating to assist easy entry and exit. Any suggestions please?
My wife, who has just turned 80, has been driving Citroen 2CVs for more than 30 years. Her present car has done 92,000 miles since it was new in 1989. During this time it has been maintained by a 2CV fanatic,...
In May 2012 I purchased a nearly new C-Class from Mercedes-Benz Retail. Shortly after I received a call inviting me to spread the servicing costs for two years for £22.50 per month. After signing up for...
I have a 2007 Golf 1.4 which I've owned for around four years. Last month the ESP light showed on the dashboard and now I find that the warning brake light has also highlighted. My local mechanic has informed...
A vandal has put a long deep fine scratch along the bonnet of my E-Class Mercedes. Are these mobile car chip and scratch repairers any good? I live in central London.
I am about to order a new BMW F30 320d auto Touring and am seriously thinking on including their new four-wheel drive system. BMW advises me it drives by the rear wheels and kicks in when the front start...
Have the Health and Safety people fallen asleep as I regard the current children’s car safety seats as a fob and next to useless. To comply with the law I have just purchased a child's car safety seat...
I am a Northern Irish male resident who holds a full motor vehicle and motorcycle driving licence and have seen your recommendations for cars for a 21-year-old. I have just turned 22 and have been in a...
Having shortlisted the Hyundai Sante Fe and the Kia Sorento which look very similar and are both from the same group I need a nudge in the right direction - Kia or Hyundai ?? What woul;d yoy do ?
Cannot make up our minds if to buy Volkswagen Golf Hatchabck and put on a roof rack and box for holidays and camping, or go straight for Golf Estate.
Is the estate more expensive to run and what engine...
I bought a Ferrari 612 F1A '04 from a specialist. I love the car. Due to weather I haven't driven it much. I am in week 10 of its 12 week warranty. I have only used the 'd' setting on the gearbox. In the...
Have 3 year old Prius which have had from new and has done 80k - should I change now or keep for another 2 to 3 years ?
I currently have an Astra 1.4 Life, 59 reg with 54500 miles on the clock. At a local garage there is a 59 reg with only 10000 miles on the clock. Would it be a good buy at £5995?
I am thinking of buying a new SEAT Leon. The model/trim I would like only has sports suspension. Would this give a hard ride on long journeys eg UK/France/Spain.
At the recent MOT of my 2007, MX5 with 23k miles on clock, (not franchised dealer) I was advised the front brake disks were scoured on the inside faces. The external (visible faces) are perfectly smooth,...
I recently bought a Nissan Juke, I like the car but the engine and road noise is too high on motorways at 70-80mph. Could you please suggest a solution for this.
And could you please suggest any good...
My daughter thinks that to put winter tyres on her Jag XF she has to go to Jaguar and buy four new wheels as well as the tyres and get Jaguar to change them over - at a cost - and store them.
I would...
I need a 4x4 which will fit three child seats across the back. Budget approx £15000. Alternatively something with good ground clearance and large boot space - it needs to go up farm tracks and carry...
I hire cars every week for between 2 and 4 days.
I get to drive quite a different variety of cars, but my favourite of late is the Volkswagen Golf automatic.
Last week I had one from Wednesday to Sunday.
I...
My 1998 MX-5 owned since new and is becoming increasingly difficult to refuel. Any garage, any pump (petrol) no matter how digitally dexterous I am, the pump keeps cutting out. It takes ten minutes plus...
Looking to buy an economical to run family car (we are replacing a Vectra) my husband currently travels an hour each way to work so we are looking for decent boot space and are thinking of buying a diesel...
Last night, my X Trail wouldn't start at all. I turned the key and all I got was a 'click', nothing from the engine at all. The lights on the dahsboard all lit up but the engine was dead. I tried a couple...
I want to buy a second hand LHD car (preferably a 4-5 year old German diesel auto estate) which I will leave at my holiday house in France for use while I am staying there. There seems to be a very limited...
I was involved in a accident the other day. After reading several stories about the problems of claiming from foreign drivers has left me rather worried.
The tanker was crossing the roundabout on the...
I bought a new Mazda 2 in May 2011. It had almost immediate knocking on the steering. Subsqently the rack has been greased, had something done with/ to a bolt, and then finally a new steering rack. This...
I am thinking of buying a Mazda CX5 Sport diesel ex demo but have read that in Australia there have been problems with DPFs & oil levels over the X mark?
Do you know of any problems regarding this? Not...
I now do fewer than 6000 miles per year (local and annual 1000 miles overseas), mostly alone, and do not depend on the car for commuting. It has very little resale value. Is it worth buying a new car for...
I need a car that will be reliable for around 200 miles a week, on a low budget (£3,000 tops). This means I want good mpg, and I am only 20 and male so insurance brackets need to be considered.
I was wondering what your opinion on buying used Peugeot 205s were - a good buy?
Currently looking at a 1993 L reg red turbo diesel model with 99,000 miles and price range £600 - £900.
In January 2012 my car was scrapped but I did not have the log book to inform the DVLA and forgot to tell them - I have now received a letter from a collection agency last week demanding £80 for failing...
We are buying a second hand Golf as a second car due to expanding family. We don't do many miles so need a petrol.
We are deciding between a 122 TSI or 160 GT TSI (both Mk 6). Do you have any opinion?...
My last 3 cars (all manuals) have each achieved 270k over 10 years driving at little cost (Scirocco and two diesels - a 405 estate and Passat estate) before the first two were passed on for another three...
I am looking for a used car and do around 10,000 miles a year. I've been told that it is better to get a petrol, as such short mileage makes diesels uneconomical due to DPFs. Is this true of all diesels...
Can I change the wheels on my A6 2.0l Avant from 205x55x16 to 225x50x17 they both have pcd112 and 51.7 bore?
We have two kids and a dog, so need a big estate. Have thought about the Mondeo, Insignia, Passat or Volvo V70.
We have between £10-12K to spend and are edging towards a mondeo
What is the best model,...
I currently own a 2004 Ford Focus 1.6. Although the car is in my name, the insurance is in my husband's and I am registered as the main driver.
Therefore I have no NCB. My 17 year old son is hopefully...
My Prius will be 5 years old in May (55,000 miles).
I am very keen on low emissions and enjoy an auto gearbox. I am thinking of changing it this year.
I would be grateful if you could advise current...
Please help me choose which would be best - a Hyundai Amica (2006) with 42k miles or a Hyundai Getz (2004) with 74k miles, both around £1800.
The Amica seems basic inside but I only do about 4k miles...
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