Can I reject a faulty new car the garage can't fix?

I purchased a new Mitsubishi ASX at end of September 2015, had very stiff gear change and very bad condensation inside on windscreen. Garage saw the problem took the car in for two weeks and have not been...

BMW 3 Series coolant loss - a know issue?

I currently own a 2013 BMW 320d, generally a great car. Now at 32k miles I have noticed the coolant has fallen below the min level (2k miles after its last service). This also happened at 14k miles,...

Market value of a classic Mercedes R129?

I own an R129 Mercedes in excellent condition with low mileage. It has been very well maintained and serviced every year, even though it only does about 3k miles. I paid just short of £9k for this model...

Advice on buying a used Range Rover Sport

My local non-franchised garage has a above Range Rover for sale. It's a nice colour (grey with cream leather) and seems to be in good condition. I am concerned about the above average mileage. They are...

Air conditioning - why is recirculate not default?

I have hired two different cars recently and now have a new Skoda, and all three default to air circulation off when the a/c button is pressed. I would expect recirculate to be the more logical default,...

traders responsibility

3 weeks ago I bought a 2011 C Class from an independent trader, the car was advertised as having 18" AMG alloy Wheels. Because of last weeks snow storms I considered fitting winter tyres which was when...

Parking charges from February 2011 - is there a time limit?

I have received a 'reminder' from Civil Enforcement Ltd regarding a parking charge which occurred in Feb 2011. I have no recollection of this and have asked for the details again. Is there a time limit...

Overheating problems with a Fiesta

I broke down after my car overheated. Looked at the coolant and there wasn't any. Put loads in and managed to get it back (3miles away). Got home and looked again and it again no water. The next day put...

Total loss due to to water damage - how to get the best value

My 2004 Mercedes E320 CDI with 173k has been declared a total loss due to water ingress and resultant engine damage. What is the best value for the car and what advice do you have for dealing with the...

Golf EGR valve replacement - link to Volkswagen emissions scandal?

The EGR valve needs replacing on my four year old Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI. This will cost over £1000. This model is one of those affected by the Volkswagen emission scandal. Given that the EGR system is...

What to buy to re-sell?

For those of us with a little too much time on our hands, are there any opportunities left in an otherwise highly efficient market ? Might I buy a convertible in the winter, sell it in the summer ? Buy...

Misrepresented service history

I bought a two year old Jeep Grand Cherokee from a Jeep dealer. It was advertised as having a full service history but after I received the documentation I found it had not had its first service and the...

Volkswagen emissions recall - what to expect?

I have today received a letter from SEAT regarding my EA189 diesel engine, they state my engine will need a software update to the engine management system. What can I honestly expect if I choose to have...

Vauxhall dealer charging £315 for a stop start battery - a rip off?

A Vauxhall main dealer is charging £315 to supply and fit a stop start battery in my Zafira Tourer diesel ecoflex. Am I being ripped off?

Skoda Yeti or BMW X1?

I am looking to replace one of my cars and am considering the Skoda Yeti 1.2 DSG but I don't like the gearbox and would prefer a torque convertor so am therefore considering the BMW X1 sDrive auto which...

Rattle from my Land Rover Freelander

I have a 52 plate Freelander and got back from an 80 mile round trip and for the last 20 miles when idling or pulling away, a bit of a rattle has developed from drivers side low down. Pull off and alls...

Goodwill from Volkswagen regarding TSI engine problems

I have a 2010 Mark VI 1.4 TSI Golf. The engine fault light came on suddenly so I took it straight to a Volkswagen garage to be told it needed to strip engine down to check why no compression in chamber...

Hyundai Tucson buying advice?

I'm considering a Hyundai Tucson, I especially like the 5 year warranty. - is it worth forking out the extra for the 4x4 2.0 Premium over the 1.7 SE nav which is only 2WD? And are there any competitors...

Replacement car for Micra - suggestions?

My 65 year old wife drives 10k miles a year and needs a reliable automatic small car, not French, Italian to replace her Micra CVT, which despite full Nissan service history requires a new CVT gearbox...

Honda Jazz or Skoda Fabia - which is better?

Which is better - a Jazz SE or Fabia 1.2 SE? It will be used mostly for trips of 6 miles on country lanes into town, 22 miles into city and rare long distance trips. Most journeys only myself and wife...

Is there a problem of judder on the Ford B-MAX Powershift?

At 5000 miles my Ford B-MAX developed clutch judder, three trips to the local dealer (not who I brought the car from) they were very good and Ford finally agreed for them to fit a new (dual) clutch basket....

One year old high mileage Insignia - good used buy?

I'm planning to buy a insignia from a Vauxhall dealer. A 2014 model for £10,800. But this car has 53000 miles already on in 1 year, and has 1 key missing and original service book missing. it seems dealer...

Dashboard cluster issue - MOT issue?

My Fiat Panda 1.2 dash cluster has been behaving rather strange recently. It relates to the 'left' directional indicator lamp on the cluster, as it fails to illuminate after 1 hour or so of driving. When...

Leaving car unused for three weeks

I will be away for three weeks over Christmas and New Year and will be leaving my car unused. I do not have a closed garage and therefore, it will be parked outside the house, in London. I am new with...

Lease car damaged and then repaired - where do I stand?

I was wondering if you could help as I am tearing my hair out. I was supposed to take delivery of a Golf R last Wednesday which I ordered on a personal lease via Vehicle Savers - the owner of the car would...

Fuel gauge fault on Polo

I have a 1996 Volkswagen Polo 1.4 petrol and my fuel gauge is fluctuating between full and empty tank. Is this problem common and can I fix it myself?

Diesel or petrol?

I am driving a BMW 520D manual 57 registration for about 14000 miles per year, 80% in heavy traffic (A406).Very good car but I have problems with the DPF. I would like to buy another one a bit it smaller,...

DAB radio traffic announcements

I have a 2013 BMW 328i with a DAB/FM radio. In FM mode I can receive traffic announcements without any difficulty. However I don't receive them in DAB mode. I've queried this with my local service centre...

Buying a used BMW - timing belt issues?

I have seen a BMW 118d 2011, 61 reg, 3200 miles on the clock for £10990. Were these models affected by the timing belt issues on N47 engines. Should I get extended warranty to cover this eventuality ....

Large 4x4 for high mileage - suggestions?

I drive 35k miles per year (90% motorway), looking for a large 4x4 (Land Cruiser, Discovery, Grand Cherokee, etc.). This would be a car I would keep for up to 10 years. I have two options: 1. With a £25k...

Winter tyres on a C-Class

I've just bought the above car from an independent dealer which came with one years MOT. Due to the recent snow in the North East of England I'm thinking of fitting winter tyres, however the current tyres...

Availablity of Michelin winter tyres

I have tried to replace two of my 175/64R14 Michelin Alpin A4's. My tyre depot (Michelin agents) tell me Michelin say they have no stock of that size and have no predicted date for availability. My depot...

Wanting to move to an automatic - help needed

I signed a PCP agreement for my first car, a new Hyundai i10 (manual) back in April. There is nothing wrong with the car, however, over the past 7+ months being based in London, I realised how much a manual...

Insurance pricing - confused?

I have recently returned to motorbike ownership after a three year gap. I had thought that insurance pricing was based on actuarial risk and commissions but it appears not. My previous insurers of 10 years...

Failed dipped headlight connector on Mazda 3

I need a new headlight lamp holder for the 12v 55w dipped headlight lamp. I've been told I can only get it from Mazda themselves. I was wondering if you knew of any other place that would sell this holder?...

The Volkswagen EA189 conundrum

The E189 diesel engine apparently wouldn't pass the EU5 standard without the use of defeat software? Now apparently, with a quick software fix, it will? With no other effects on normal driving or consumption?...

Porsche Boxster engine fault - where do I stand?

I bought a 2007 Boxster s 3.4 987 less than a year ago which has now been diagnosed as having scoring on the cylinder bores. According to the Porsche garage who serviced the car this is a know problem...

Automatic SUV for town driving - what do you suggest?

I would like to buy an automatic SUV mainly for town driving and have a low mileage and looking for good reliability. I was thinking of Honda CR-V petrol automatic 2012, but in your website review, it...

Passat warning light - dpf fault?

I have just had a fault light come on the dash of my Passat CC and a message saying diesel-particle. Would you have any idea what this means , as the light stays on while driving?

Buying a car for commuting and electric wheelchair transport?

I am looking to buy a medium car that I can use for commuting on country roads (20 miles a day), driving around town, and regular motorway driving. The catch is that my partner uses a powered wheelchair...

Buying a large family car - any advice?

At present I am driving a 1.6 diesel Polo but am thinking of buying 2.0 diesel car if you can suggest me best mpg and comfort car to drive?

Replacing 20-year-old Golf - any recommendations?

My wife is sadly letting go of her old Golf. We are after something economic, fully automatic, comfortable and reliable as it will be her last car. My wife has an old whiplash injury which causes problems....

New car running in?

I'm soon to take delivery of a Leon 1.4 150 petrol, and having never owned a brand new car before, wanted to ask your advice on running it in. Should I stay below a certain RPM for the first 1000 miles,...

Buying a used Audi A3 - petrol or diesel

I am planning to buy an Audi A3 used. I do 12-14000 miles/year mainly motorway. Should i buy a 1.4 TSI petrol or 1.6 TDI diesel. I have seen a deal for a 1.6 TDI diesel 2014 reg, 19000 miles for 14000....

Have buyers been mis-sold Volkswagen cars?

With the recent controversy over Volkswagen Group vehicles, have owners been mis-sold these vehicles as many would have been swayed by claims of lower emissions than published?

SUV choice for £22k - suggestions?

I have about £22000 and want a new SUV. Any suggestions?

Faulty BMW windscreen washer - is this a design fault?

The windscreen washers on my BMW 5 Series F10 are only producing a dribble of water. The garage tells me that it is likely sediment in the washer tank or filters. To flush it out requires major work...

Road tax confusion when selling a car

I sold a car to a friend of mine at the end of August. The road tax was being paid monthly by direct debit. Money was collected on the 1st October even though I had received a note from the DVLA saying...

Diesel bug in BMW 7 Series - any advice?

I have been told by my BMW dealer after spending £1000 that the reason my car stops running is that I have a diesel bug that has damaged the high pressure fuel pump and now has put small bits of metal...

Poor fuel economy in a Mazda 6?

Three weeks ago I bought a Mazda 6 2013 sport nav estate. It's a 2.2 175PS diesel auto. Overall I am very happy with the car. However I am a bit concerned about the fuel economy. At the very best I am...