Questions from August 2010
Could you advise on a used car for my daughter approx £2,000 - £2,500. Model and age info would be helpful and any advice as to professional check on vehicle before purchase,
You have occasionally commented on electric cars, but I guess you are unlikely to be fully aware of the future influence of such vehicles, specifically their impact within the context of global warming...
The rear fog light indicator on the dash of my Golf Mk IV can be seen pulsating faintly although it is not switched on. This occurs only when the right hand turn signal is being made. Could this be a bad...
An elderly friend bought within the last few months from a recognised retailer a Vauxhall Vectra for £1,400. The car has now had to be taken to the workshops for a reconditioned gearbox at a cost of about...
Your readers might be interested in my recent experience of renewing my membership of the AA (of which I am a long-term member). Their renewal letter quoted a premium of £194 (covering Relay and Family)....
It’s decision time. I am about to retire soon on a reasonable pension.
I want to buy a high quality car to last me 15 years or more. My neighbour runs the first Lexus model ever brought out in this country....
Could you please help? I have to decide on the best model of executive type car for very high mileage all year round use, and it must be German. Use includes 4am early morning starts and late return from...
Having been persuaded to fit a Honda reversing sensor kit to my 2005 Accord by local Honda I Guernsey, rather than buying from and having fitted by the dealer from where the car was bought, just over 2...
I am being constantly blinded in the last few weeks by new Skodas, Mercedes and Audis with unfocused, super bright LEDs presumably used as 'always on' daylight running lights. These are much brighter than...
You seem to be stressing the use of left foot braking whilst manoeuvring only, where I can see your point if you have to use
the accelerator. However, all my automatics over thirty years have engaged drive...
Can you advise me from where my garage may be able to order a spare part for my Fiat Bis 126 purchased 31st August l989, one owner, mileage 26,682? At the last MOT my previous garage gave me an Advisory...
We purchased a new Meriva Design in 2004 and have covered only 30,000 miles. As the steering failed, the main Vauxhall agent has stated we need a new steering column at the cost of £620. Vauxhall will...
I have just received a Notice of Intention to Prosecute from Essex Police. This states that I have exceeded a temporary limit of 50 miles an hour on a motorway road works section on the M25, which was...
I purchased my third Mercedes C Class in February, a 220 CDI Sport (I have never had any problems with any of the others). After 4 days practically every warning light on the dashboard lit up and it was...
I want to buy a low cost 4x4 for occasional use and have seen a low mileage Freelander TD4 with BMW diesel engine at what seems like a fair price. I decided to do some research as to what for example a...
I bought a 2007 BMW 335i reg 2007 12 days ago from a dealer as a trade sale from a dealer my company has dealings with. It was sold as seen, and out of its 3-year warranty. I took out a full BMW warranty...
I’m moving to Belgium and want to buy a car in this country before I go. You advised me of LHD dealers such as The Left Hand Drive Place at Daneshill, near Basingstoke, but the cars are still quite expensive...
I met a colleague at Rothwell Services on the A14 recently, as it was equi-distant travelling for both of us. We parked in McDonalds car
Park and had several coffees whilst we discussed a project. We...
You are mention runflat tyres to avoid the danger of changing a wheel on a dangerous road or motorway hard shoulder. But I have not heard you mention the product "Puncturesafe" that instantly repairs all...
Eight years ago I contacted you on behalf of my wife. She wanted a small, new, 5-door hatchback with aircon for under £10k. Your reply consisted of two words, fortunately these were "Toyota Yaris". We...
Today I received my car insurance renewal and was asked for a 25% increase in premium. This in spite of having nine years 'protected' no-claims discount. I have been driving since 1963 and have never had...
I've just had a new steering rack installed, and then had to have the power steering sensor replaced. Now a warning light comes up on the dashboard and the steering is heavy at low speed and light at high...
Does the piston hit the valves if a cam belt snaps on a Lexus IS200 1999? If there is a small 6mm washer in the piston would it just rattle around or would it damage the engine?
My Ford Mondeo is a 2003 TDCi 130bhp Ghia. Since last week, as I apply acceleration to my car gently from 0 up till 85mph, it feels like it is losing power but it never cuts out fully. But, if I accelerate...
I am tempted to buy a '98 BMW 318i E46 manual from a dealer here in Singapore. I drove a E30 316i manual for few years about 15 years ago and like the 'BMW manual feel". How do you rate this car?
I have a Vauxhall Meriva 1.7CDTi. When I depress the clutch slightly I hear a small noise. Is that normal?
The engine auto light is on in my Peugeot 307. The display shows 'Anti-Pollution Fault'. Can you help?
I have an almost new Alfa Romeo 159 TI. I have no complaints with the car other than a battery problem. There are occasions when I have to attend conferences abroad, leaving the car in the open air car...
Help! can you please tell me where I can get a user manual for my 51-plate Citroen Xsara Picasso?
Can you tell me all about the 2001 Citroen Xsara Picasso 8v petrol?
My UK car insurer will insure me, while in Europe, for 90 days as standard plus another 90 for an extra premium. I wish to be in Europe (Spain, France & Portugal only) for 270 days. Can you suggest an...
My granddaughter has a 2007 Polo 1.4. Two days ago she started the car as usual and endeavoured to drive off. She released the handbrake and found that the car would not move (it seemed to be straining...
I have an eight-month-old Octavia hatchback 1.9TDI. At 68-70mph there is a noise that can only be described as like blowing across the top of a bottle, but quite loud. The dealer has said that it is 'wind...
I have recently taken delivery of a nearly-new, 4900-mile Fiesta 1.6TDCi Titanium. After only a few days, I noticed that two warning lights, the engine management and power steering lights, did not go...
Ford has given me an incredibly complicated template for dipped lights in Europe, but the accessory shop sells small (AA-approved, I think) plastic tear-shaped panels - nothing like the Ford offering....
I'm having a problem with my Nissan Primera 2-litre diesel estate. The engine management light came on, the car cut out and now won't start.
My Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDI is juddering. The ESP light is on, along with the emissions workshop light. What could be causing this?
After travelling about 300 miles, I parked my Renault Master 2.2 DCi for two days, went to start it and it won't start. I checked the fuel and it's coming through, but I have seen on the control panel...
I currently run a five-year-old Peugeot 206 SW which has been fine, but I would like to consider changing to something of a similar size that would provide a better (softer) ride, as my wife and I are...
A high pitched whine from the lower front of the engine compartment of my 2005 Passat Highline 2.0 TDi (77,000 miles) was diagnosed by my Volkswagen dealer as a faulty air conditioning compressor, in which...
I've seen a P-reg BMW 320i Cabriolet E36 with 237,000 miles, which looks alright and has a full BMW service history and MoT. The seller says it drives fine. Can these easily do more miles, or is this a...
We have twin boys who will be 17 in September. Obviously they would like to learn to drive. However, insurance is likely to be a big issue. Would it be better to name them both as learner drivers on our...
We bought a 2006 SEAT Leon 2.0 TDi Stylance in January 2010. It's an excellent car, but there's a horrendous loud rumbling from the rear tyres. It's at it's worst at 50mph, so if you're say on the M4 in...
I would like to get a used Jaguar X-Type estate. I have £8000 and wondered which would be the best for my money. It would be used as a family car and would do less than 10,000 miles a year, mostly urban....
We have just purchased an S-reg Mitsubishi Shogun Challenger 3.0 6V and find that the fan is running constantly. We contacted the dealer we purchased it from who informs us that this is normal for this...
My partner has a Volkswagen Eos 2.0 TDI 140 PS DSG and I have a Volkswagen Passat Estate 2.0 TDI 140 PS Manual. She pays £200 a year car tax and I pay £155. We did wonder why the car tax should be different....
My local dealer is giving a good discount on the Volkswagen Jetta 1.4.TSI 160ps. This seems to be a lot of power from a small engine. Are there any reliability or longevity problems with this engine?
I have had a Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCI Titanium purchased new in February of this year. After four or five weeks, I could hear a quiet-ish ticking noise when the engine speed reached 1500 rpm (in any gear)....
With a comprehensive car insurance policy do I need legal assistance as an extra? If I take out legal assistance, is it related to the car and that policy, or to the named individuals on that policy? If...
My car went into a local garage for a replacement radiator. When I collected the car the air conditioning wasn't working and the next day a coolant warning light came on. I took the car back to the garage...
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