Which luxury sedan should I pick?

I am planning to buy my sixth car, which must be a premium sedan. I have shortlisted the F10 BMW 530d, W212 Mercedes-Benz E350CDI, new Jaguar XF diesel S and Audi A6 3.0 TDI Quattro. My priorities are...

Are quoted mpg figures really accurate?

You often say manufacturers mpg figures are unreliable. When I bought my 2.0L petrol Ford Mondeo in 2003 the brochure gave the combined mpg as 35.3. The ongoing average mpg I get is 35.6. This seems about...

My Renault Scenic automatic won't change up when cold - why is this?

I purchased a Renault Scenic 1.5DCI EDC from a Renault dealer at six months old and was informed that the previous owner could not get on with the auto gearbox. I have found the vehicle has performed superbly...

Why does our Mini Clubman Cooper SD's fan continue after the engine is switched off?

Earlier this year, I replaced my wife's Mini Clubman Cooper S with the new Clubman Cooper SD. I am delighted with car, although it has a rather noisy engine, it goes well and the torque excellent. I do...

What car do you recommend for use in hilly terrain?

I am a 57-year old female and I need to change the family car in the very near future. At present I drive a 56-reg Nissan Micra C+C, which I like driving and I have enjoyed having a convertible. The new...

Why are some over-50s insurance policies more expensive than normal policies?

People over 50 should be very careful when dealing with insurance companies who purport to offer a special service to them. My wife, with an impeccable driving record, recently went to renew her insurance...

Which tyres for our Mercedes-Benz SUV?

We have a 2003 Mercedes-Benz ML 270 CDI 4x4 auto showing 52,000 miles, mainly on motorways but a little off-road, and also a 2007 Mercedes-Benz B200 CDI Auto showing 17,000 miles, mainly around town and...

Do 'snow socks' work?

I would like to ask if you have any experience of 'Snow Socks' for winter driving, that fit over the two driving wheels of front or rear drive vehicles as an alternative to snow chains? My vehicle was...

Do automatic cars lurch forwards without warning?

We are buying a Honda Jazz shortly, but we have been advised by friends that we should go for an automatic as they say "once you have driven an automatic you will never go back to a manual". We have heard...

Why does my daughter's TwinAir Fiat 500 return the same mpg as my Volvo XC60?

Just to add to the debate about the 500 TwinAir, my daughter has been running one in London for a year now, and has done 5000 miles. Average fuel consumption is 33.3mpg according to the computer - and...

Skoda Superb, Peugeot 508 or Toyota Avensis?

I want to ask for comparison about three gasoline-engined cars. Skoda Superb 1.4 122hp, Peugeot 508 1.6 120hp or Toyota Avensis 1.6 132hp. Which car is the best for comfort, reliability, price/performance...

How would you recommend I go about polishing my Mazda MX-5?

Many thanks for your recent advice on the best paintwork clay cleaner and wax products for my MX-5. Could you now advise on the best polishing method and products?

Workshop damaged my car's jacking point - should they repair the damage?

Am I being over fussy by complaining to my local Kwik-Fit depot for the damage to a jacking point on my Peugeot 407? Before I realised what he was doing, the fitter used a large trolley jack under the...

Should I have the timing belt changed on my Volvo S80?

My Volvo S80 D5 was delivered in Dec 2003 and has done 80,000 miles without a problem. The Volvo service book says after 96,000 miles or eight years I should change the timing belt. Should I have the belt...

Is my Ford Mondeo wearing tyres faster than normal?

My Mondeo Titanium five-door hatch is coming up for three years old and 20,000 miles. At a recent check-up I was dismayed to be told that the front tyres had only 1000 miles at most left on them. I was...

Why won't our KIA Venga return its manufacturer-quoted mpg figures?

We have recently bought a new KIA Venga 3 automatic for which the consumption figures were quoted as 48mpg for a long run. We've never had trouble achieving the claimed for mpg in any car in the past....

My Audi A4 is suffering a DPF fault - what is causing it?

I drive a three-year-old Audi A4 TDI and cover 85 miles each day to and from my place of work. My total annual mileage is roughly 28,000. On 5 November I drove my car from cold about a mile and went shopping....

Thanks for recommending Worcester Classic Cars to restore my Triumph Stag.

You kindly printed my letter where I asked if you could recommend someone to restore my Triumph Stag and I thought I’d let you know the outcome. You forwarded an e-mail from another correspondent who recommended...

Are all-weather tyres adequate for use in snow, or should I fit dedicated winter tyres?

I have a set of Pirelli Scorpion STR tyres on a Volvo XC70. I discussed winter tyres with my local tyre dealer last year and he pointed out that Scorpions are designated M+S and, although not true winter...

Did you know that traffic lights in France are linked to radar to stop you speeding?

I recently saw something I have never seen before: an honest approach to dealing with speeding that is motivated by road safety rather than revenue collection. Driving in France along a straight stretch...

Does Scotland have an equivalent to the English Small Claims Court?

My query relates to being in Scotland. For disputes of less than £5000, you often refer dissatisfied customers to the Small Claims Track of the County Court to sue for damages. And, on a separate tack,...

Is this Mercedes-Benz E-Class likely to be a money pit?

I have been offered a 1999 Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI Avantgarde with 63,000 on the clock. One previous owner with full main dealer service history for £2400. The interior is leather and in excellent condition,...

Which cars and vans are manufactured in the UK?

To help provide jobs in the UK and reduce the UK’s negative balance of payment problem we always, as far as possible, buy UK made products. Both our present vehicles are UK-made and our next car (Honda...

Which small automatic car should we buy?

We have a nine-year-old Corolla manual car at present, which has been wonderful. Owing to age and some infirmity we need to change to an automatic car. We also need a four (or five) door car now. I believe...

I think my Peugeot 406 Coupe, converted to LPG, meets the requirements of your correspondent BL.

BL had £5000 for a car needed for a 400-mile weekly commute. I had to make this choice about four years ago. My choice was a 2.0-litre 2001 Peugeot 406 Coupe, purchased for £3500 with 70,000 miles on the...

We believe our car has been cloned - what should we do?

I had a shock yesterday when I opened the post and received a Notice of Intended Prosecution from the Metropolitan Police. It is alleged that I had been travelling at 38mph on a 30mph restricted road at...

Why don't tyre reviews rate for durability?

We own a 2000 Mercedes-Benz SLK 2.3K that has just completed 32,000 miles on its original tyres. We need to replace two rear tyres and I have been searching for tyre reviews online. Most review sites cover...

Why don't all manufacturers fit Bluetooth to cars?

Can you explain why relatively few manufacturers fit Bluetooth as standard on all their models? It seems that for most new cars you either add it as an option, or it's simply not available. With mobile...

Why was I asked to pay for an oil top-up when my BMW 1 Series is covered by the BMW service deal?

You recently mentioned high oil consumption of BMW 4-cylinder petrol engines. I bought a BMW 1 Series convertible this year. A couple of months ago the oil warning light flashed on and, as I was local...

Why has my insurance company charged me an extra £10 after a non-fault accident?

I was involved in an accident in August where someone went into the back of my car. The other driver admitted it was his fault and the claim was entirely settled through his insurance. However, I came...

Which sporty Mercedes-Benz model should I buy?

I have a Mercedes-Benz A-Class and want to replace it. Can you tell me what Mercedes models I should be looking at? I fancy a sportier model of this type whilst I can still get into them. Yes I am doing...

Is Ford planning a replacement for the discontinued Fusion?

I have been advised by my local Ford Dealer that the Ford Motor Company has discontinued producing the Ford Fusion. Do you know whether or not it has any plans to produce a similar vehicle on the Fiesta...

Thanks for recommending Event Tyres, who fitted Michelin Alpins to my car.

In response to your articles about winter tyres, I contacted Event Tyres and have now been fitted with a set of Michelin 205/55 R16 91H Alpins. Your correspondent MY, Poole has the same car as myself so...

Winter tyres

My Peugeot has 18 inch wheels. I intend to fit winter tyres this winter. Can I move to 17-inch wheels without affecting suspension, steering, speedo etc as the ride is harsh on 18-inch wheels?

Citroen C4 EGS questions

I own a Xsara Picasso with manual gears. My wife has shattered her left wrist and will be unable to use the gears or handbrake. We are looking at a Citroen C4 Picasso EGS which has auto gear change on...

Buying a new small car

My wife has owned a 57-plate Fiesta 1.2L Style from 6 months of age and has done 20k. We are looking to change and wonder what your choice would be? Fiesta, Corsa and Polo are all on our list currently....

Concerns about a car

We bought a car on Auto Trader a week ago and paid in cash (£5550) but the car is registered under company name. We got 3 sets of keys, full up to 83k Audi dealer history. I was given the green slip of...