Buying a used Fiat 500 - is £7995 a fair price?

I am looking to buy a 2009 Fiat 500c with 9000 miles on the clock at a local dealer. The price they are asking is £7995. They're also offering me £1500 for my 2007 Fiat Panda with 20,000 miles on the clock....

Can you explain the SORN rules?

What's the lie of the land now with regards to selling a car that's on SORN I've got someone who interested who wants to drive it more than a once around the private car park its stored in? Who would need...

Getting a non-runner Transit back on the road

I've just bought a 2002 Ford Transit 2.4 diesel as a non-runner. It has got too much oil in it and looks like it has had oil in the header tank too. I haven't tried starting it as I want to know if it's...

Facing £100 fine over uninsured motorbike - can I appeal?

I received a letter from the DVLA dated 4 September when I returned form holiday on the 11 September. It stated that I had failed to insure my motorbike, although it was taxed. I immediately insured...

Skoda Octavia - which wheel size is best?

Having read numerous reports about the Skoda Octavia Estate SE Business 1.6 TDI CR 105PS DPF it seems to tick most of the boxes. However, I would be grateful for your advice on wheel size and tyres. The...

Car depreciation - why is my Lexus worth so little?

Two years ago I bought a 2011 Lexus CT200 SE-L Premier with 12,000 miles on the clock. I paid about £24,000 and when it went in for an annual service this week (33,000 miles) I asked for a valuation against...

How long can a dealer be held liable for a faulty car?

My son in-law bought a 2008 Vauxhall Vectra 2.2 petrol from a dealer four months ago. The car broke down the day he collected it with a failed fuel pressure sensor. The vendor paid for a local garage to...

What are the dangers of buying a low mileage Golf?

I have been offered a low mileage 15 month old Volkswagen Golf 1.6 Tdi SE DSG by a franchised but non-Volkswagen dealer. The car is £15,000 and has 3500 miles on the clock. I have been told the previous...

Need a van like car - what do you suggest?

I've been driving a series of Volkswagen Caravelle window vans for the past few years, but now want to downsize to a Caddy Life or Mercedes-Benz Citan. To confuse the issue, we are also tempted by the...

Can an aftermarket ECU cause DMF failure?

I own a 2010 SEAT Alhambra, which has suffered a dual mass flywheel failure. The car has covered less than 35,000 miles and has a full service history. However, after buying it, I had an aftermarket ECU...

Mondeo 2.0-litre - how much oil does it need?

How much oil should I put into my 2003 Ford Mondeo 2.0-litre engine?

Need a car for rural commute - which should I get?

I am considering moving to an area in the central belt in Scotland (between Edinburgh and Glasgow) that won’t have easy access to motorways. Therefore, I am thinking about getting a 4x4 for the days the...

Passenger footwell filling with water - what's the cause?

I have water in the passenger footwell of my Honda CR-V. Do you know what may have caused it?

How can I cure excessive road noise on my Ford Kuga?

I recently purchased a 2012 Ford Kuga Titanium X with 15,000 miles on the clock from a local dealer. The car has Nexen tyres on the front, Bridgestone on the rear and 19-inch alloys. Within days of buying...

2014 Qashqai towbars - when will Nissan resolve the current towbar fault?

In August I bought a new Nissan Qashqai with a towbar. However, after my money was taken, I was told by the dealer that the Qashqai towbars had a technical fault and I've not been able to get a date for...

My car has had 11 previous owners - is this bad?

I bought a 15 year old Honda Prelude today that is clean, with no rust and a full service history. The mileage is 70,000 miles, but the V5 shows 11 previous owners. Should I worry about this?

Range Rover Evoque - what's the best all season tyre?

I recently bought a new Range Rover Evoque, a car that I am really enjoying. It comes as standard with 19-inch Pirelli All Seasons tyres. Are these any good in the snow and ice? I do have a spare set...

Need a used car that can carry two sets of golf clubs

I'm looking for a two year old car, with a large boot that can carry two sets of golf clubs and one manual trolley. What do you suggest?

Motorway Safety - can this be right?

On a recent trip west-bound on the M62, I joined lane 3 to overtake slower traffic. I observed a vehicle in lane 1 indicating and out of the corner of my eye I spotted the vehicle in lane 2 that I was...

Nissan Qashqai - which wheel size is best?

I have purchased a 2014 Nissan Qashqai 1.6 diesel with 5000 miles on the clock. However, I want to change the wheels and have been unable to find 19-inch winter tyres for this vehicle. What should I do? As...

Chrysler 300C tyre recommendation?

I have a 2012 Chrysler 300C with Firestone P225/60R18 tyres on it. I haven't been much impressed by the grip and think it's time to replace them. What do you think are the best tyres to go with this car?

Why is my car hesitant in first gear?

I have a 2009 Peugeot 308D SW with 65,000 miles on the clock. I drive 30 miles a day on a dual carriage way at motorway speeds. Over the past 12 months the engine has developed a problem described by my...

What are the best tyres for a Mk1 Audi TT?

Which tyres would you recommend for a 2001 Audi TT Roadster on 17-inch wheels? Would you consider all season tyres as an option? My annual mileage is less than 5000.

Can I used home-stored diesel?

What is your opinion on home-stored diesel? Is it fine To use after say 12/18 months storage?

What happens to VED when you modify an engine?

The VED for my 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLK 350 is £485. Other SLK 350s of the same age have lower VED, with some owners paying just £265. Is it possible to re-chip the engine and lower the CO2? Would this...

What's the difference between the Vauxhall Movano and Renault Master?

I am trying to find out exactly what is the difference between the Renault Master and the Vauxhall Movano? Most reviews say they are almost the same but that isn't detailed enough for me? Can you help?

Is the Toyota Yaris 1.0 prone to timing chain failure?

I'm looking to buy a 2004 Toyota Yaris with 47,000 miles on the clock. The engine is a 1.0-litre and the car has a full service history; however, your reviews say that timing chain failure is an issue...

Tyre size confusion

My Ford Fiesta has 16-inch wheels yet the tyres are 195.50.15. I thought the tyre diameter should match the wheel diameter? On my Ford Focus I have 17-inch wheels and the tyre size is 215.55.17 which...

Skoda Octavia won't engage gears

I have a 2002 Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDi. I started it today and reversed it off the drive. I was then able to get it out of reverse with some difficulty but it will now not engage any gear when the engine...

Does a petrol Hyundai i30 have a cam belt or a chain timing fitted?

Hyundai service information does not mention a cam belt, does this mean that this model has a chain?

Which new car gives the best driving experience the new Golf Mk7 or the new Mazda3?

I am buying a new car - driving experience and fun are important (along with practicality). Which new car gives the best driving experience the new Golf Mk7 or the new Mazda3?

Car hire at Malaga Airport - what do you think of this?

Seeing in your column the many horror stories about car hire abroad felt it only fair to recount our recent experience at Malaga Airport. We had booked a car via multi choice web site which came up with...

Where can I sell my tyres?

I see some tyre dealers selling part worn tyres. Where do they get them from? Would they buy off a private seller? I have a set of 3 year old Vredstein Snowtrac 3, 195/60 R15 that I no longer need. All...

Ford C-Max - "Limited EPB" warning light

I own a Ford C-Max 1.6 diesel. For the past two week, the car has started displaying a message on start up. The message says “Limited EPB” but goes away after a few seconds and drives fine. Should I ignore...

Will a Focus engine fit into a Transit Connect?

Is it possible to fit a Ford Focus 2.0 TDCI engine into a 1.8 TDCI Transit Connect without wiring problems?

Mazda 3 which engine would you recomend

Helllo John, I'm interested in Mazda 3 2012 1.6 d (115) bhp 5 door manual 37k £9995 from Mazda main dealer,is this good price?We do short journeys but twice a week do 150 miles.Is this diesel ok for...

Why is my Vauxhall Vectra losing power?

My Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 diesel is losing power. It is coming up on the diagnostic as the throttle actuator. If I was to replace this part would it solve the problem? or could it be the EGR valve?

BMW F30 (316d) timing chain failure

I bought a BMW 316d one year ago, and so far I have been very satisfied. However, six months ago a metallic "ticking" sound began coming from the engine compartment. The sound has gotten worse since that...

Website

Can you please speed up your website? Its extreme usefulness is let down partially by the refresh speed. I do not think it is my computer because I can elsewhere(no Google or the like) and get a decent...

BMW X1 veering to the left

In late June 2012 I purchased a new BMW X1 from a local BMW dealer. Right from day one I noticed a slight pulling to the left and just thought it must be the road surface. As the weeks went by the problem...

Windscreen condensation problem

My Ford Galaxy (2010) has a small area (five-inch circle) of condensation on the bottom corner of the windscreen. It appears every day and l am assuming a break in the windscreen seal in this area. What...

Buying a used car - what are my consumer rights?

A friend of mine bought a Volkswagen Tiguan about seven weeks ago. However, yesterday, the infotainment system started experiencing problems. Upon start-up, it would display the 'Welcome to Volkswagen'...

BMW 1 Series engine seizure - what are my options?

I own a 2009 BMW 1 Series 118i petrol (chassis E87, engine N43). I have covered just over 40,000 miles and the engine has seized. The crux of the matter is now with BMW UK Customer Services, who say they...

MINI Convertible - which model is best?

My wife wants a MINI Convertible and has decided the plain Cooper and Chilli pack will be the best choice. Also, since I will sometimes drive it too and given that I normally cannot find my way out of...

My new car is leaking fuel - can I reject it?

I collected my new Volkswagen Golf GTI a few days ago. However, on the way home, I noticed a smell of petrol and the fuel gauge was dropping at a rapid rate. Today, while driving down the motorway, I pulled...

Honda CR-V - should we sell or keep it?

Our Honda CR-V (petrol, automatic) needs new tyres before the winter, which I guess will cost £600+. We’ve done 74,000 miles in the Honda and are quite happy with it, although it’s expensive to run with...

How do you bleed the clutch on Toyota Yaris auto?

I own a Toyota Yaris and the dash warning light is on. When it first came on I was unable to change gear and Toyota diagnostic said it was a faulty gear box oil pressure switch. I’ve replaced the switch...

Should I buy a high mileage C-Class?

I am thinking of buying a 2010 Mercedes-Benz C220 with 112,000 miles on the clock. The dealer is asking £10,500 for the car. Do you think this is a good car to buy? I only do about 7500 miles a year and...

Need a cheap and reliable hatchback for £2k

I've got a maximum of £2250 to spend and am looking at buying a used Volkswagen Golf, Audi A3 or Ford Focus. I want a car that will be reasonably cheap to run as my daily commute is only about five miles....

BMW X3 suffering from exsessive tyre noise

I drive a BMW X3 (registered 2011) with Pirelli Cinturato P7 run flat tyres, which I find very noisy, can you suggest a quieter tyre for this vehicle?