Trending topics in November 2014
automatics
buying
buying a new car
buying a used car
buying and selling
classic cars
diesel engines
diesel particulate filter
estates
family cars
first cars
fuel economy
legal and consumer advice
maintenance and servicing
mpvs
petrol or diesel?
ride comfort
technical issues
wheels and tyres
winter tyres
Questions from November 2014
I recently had an issue with my Jaguar X-Type in that a pipe from the turbo had cracked and the car belched black smoke out of the exhaust. That was fixed easily by my local mechanic, but the fuel economy...
BBC 1's Watchdog programme featured a viewer with a 2014 Fiat 500 which was not able to maintain speed in climbing a local hill. The owner had been back to Fiat with the problem and they said there was...
I have a 2012 Ford Focus with the EcoBoost engine. It's done 19,000 miles and recently broke down with a serious and spontaneous overheat. I was rescued by the AA who found the pipe from the turbo to the...
I am looking for a new/nearly new automatic four-wheel drive car. I have a £7000 part exchange and am expecting to pay £20,000/£25,000. I do 20,000 miles per year with about half that on the continent....
We have a Skoda question: from time to time the engine cooling fan our new (2014) Octavia 2.0 TDi continues to run for an interminable period after the engine has been switched off.
I understand in principle...
I want to buy a new hatchback to replace my old Vauxhall Astra. However, I can’t choose between the Mazda 3 or SEAT Leon. I also cannot decide between petrol or diesel. I cover 20,000 miles a year, with...
We want to buy an economical seven-seater. It must be second hand and (as we’re vegan) not contain any leather. We realise that glue will be used (which isn't vegan friendly) but we also accept that we...
My 1997 Mercedes-Benz E220 diesel auto is experiencing problems when changing from park. I eventually manage it after a few frustrating restarts. It has also just recently lost kickdown and normal shift...
I currently run an Alfa Romeo 159 2.4JTD , which I love, but is getting long in the tooth. Do Alfa Romeo build anything that will compare with my 159?
I have lost a bunch of keys and desperately need a replacement electronic key for my Mazda MX5 (2004), where can I purchase one from?
I have found a very nice 2010 Skoda Octavia L&K DSG with 58,000 miles on the clock. However, the car has the problematic 1.8TSI engine. I've read the bad entries on the Octavia section and the 'oil consumption'...
I am considering purchasing a 2005 Volvo V70 2.4 D S for about £5000. The dealer allowed me to take the car to my mechanic to give it the once over and the DPF warning light was on most of the way there...
I borrowed a BMW 3 Series recently, on runflat low profile tyres, and noticed the ride was considerably smother than my 5 Series on 17-inch wheels. Why would that be the case? Is it possible that my suspension...
My girlfriend's MINI was getting its MoT recently and the mechanic said the water pump had a slight leak. Since then the radiator reservoir needs filling every week.
The heater is also taking ages to...
I bought a new Hyundai Santa Fe last March. Should I have the oil changed next March or at 10,000 miles or wait for the 20,000 mile service, possibly the year after (2016)?
I am looking to buy a used diesal MPV soon, with a budget of £4500. I have narrowed my choices down to the following motors: Citroen Berlingo Multispace Desire 2007/2008, Vauxhall Zafira 2007/2008, Citroen...
The lease of my Citroen DS3 DSport 1.6 HDi will be up in a few months. Given the average factory lead time, I need to start looking sooner rather than later.
I love the DS3, but my elderly parents struggle...
A branch of a national dealership has a three year old Ford Kuga at a very good price. However the salesman quotes £99 administration charge to check HPI outstanding finance etc.
He gave me some guff...
I owned a BMW 325i for 12 years and I loved it. I'm now looking to buy a new car, and I recently test drove a Kia Optima. I loved it too and all the extras that would cost a fortune to have in other cars....
I parked in a car park in Stockport recently. I paid my £1.50 at the machine, did my shopping, and left. A week later I received a letter from the parking company stating that I now owed them a parking...
I recently took my 2002 Mazda 6 to the local dealer in response to a safety recall notice concerning the passenger airbag - console airbag light on and binnacle airbag light on.
They replaced the passenger...
Are you aware of severe corrosion on Smart Fortwo brake pipes?
Our car's brake pipes were found when a mechanic was carrying out unrelated work and had to drop the undershields below the car. The brake...
I am looking for a second hand van for leisure purposes - transporting bicycles and hopefully being able to spend an odd night in it. In the past we have done this with Mitsubishi and Toyota vans, sliding...
If I have a named driver on my insurance policy and they receive points or a ban, will it affect any future policies I may have without including the named driver?
I am currently looking to replace my 2005 Audi Allroad with either another A6 Allroad or a 3.0 litre Quattro estate. Of the three to four year old models that I am considering the majority are fitted...
Hi John
I bought this golf under the VW Das Welt Auto scheme in March 2014 at 24k miles. I have only done 4k miles but already have had a new drivers seat and complete air-con system. Fortunately these...
I'm interested in buying a MB GL 420 from a local independent Dundee dealer. 2008, 50,000 miles, v good bodywork, test drove v well. Crack in windscreen, three seats in need of repair/replacement. Dealer...
After reading about the penalties in the Telegraph from eating whilst driving, drinking coffee, mobile telephone usage etc, the article didn't say anything about smoking at the wheel. Presumably this...
Dear HJ and experts,
I traded a car on the 6th June this year and sent off the V5C/3 shortly after. Four weeks passed so I sent a letter to DVLA and finally received a V5C for the car I bought. Today,...
Hi there,
Our (new to us) Jazz uses 185/55R16 tyres which are not too commonly found. We always change to winter tyres, but wanted to downsize for winter and buy a combination of steel wheels and 175/65R15...
I am looking to downsize my Focus automatic and normally I would be looking at the likes of a Fiesta or Jazz. However, I am of an age when this could be my last car and I am tempted to buy a new premium...
I am considering buying a two year old Nissan Qashqai (2012) from a non-franchise dealer. It is described as having the 1.6dCi engine rather than the 1.5dCi, and thus being "rare".
Could the larger engine...
We have a lot of trouble clearing our Corsa internal windscreen of condensation at this time of year.
Is there something we can do to reduce condensation or is there some way that the heating/ac controls...
I am currently learning to drive in a manual and have actually found it quite easy to do. I am also starting to look at buying my first car. As i'm learning in a manual I can buy either a manual or an...
Can you recommend a replacement for my trusty Citroen ZX estate. It needs to be a similar width to fit in the garage, but big enough for the dog to sit in the rear. I am looking for something up to 3 years...
I am interested in an BMW 320i I have seen for sale. It's a 1989 2-door with 51k on the clock. It has service history, a year's MOT and seems to be in very good condition. At £4950, is this a good buy?...
I am 82 and my wife is 78. We both dislike driving and would like to sell our 2011 Nissan Micra Visia CVT.
I pay £110 annual tax, £205 insurance and £105 service. We do about 6000 miles a year.
How much...
Just bought a 54 plate 1.6 TDCI Ford C-MAX. On the way home I noticed large puffs of smoke out of the exhaust when accelerating. I've had a quick scan on some forums about the issue and it seems it could...
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