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Honest John Ask Honest John » February 2017
Trending topics in February 2017
buying a new car buying a used car buying an suv buying and selling consumer advice consumer rights diesel cars diesel engines dpf economical emissions fix legal and consumer advice liability maintenance and servicing mpg nox emissions owning petrol cars vans volkswagen emissions scandal
Questions from February 2017
My father-in-law just had the emissions fix on his Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI. They had it for the day, then the next morning as he was driving the car started smoking heavily. He has taken it back and, after...
I have recently had the E189 emissions software update on my Volkswagen Golf VI 2.0 TDI. On the way from London to Cornwall the glow plug warning light started flashing and the car went into limp mode....
What do you think of the Fiat Doblo?
Does my car qualify for the £140 rate? It's a 2010 BMW 3 Series Coupe 2.5-litre.
My company car just came up for replacement. As I largely do short trips, I decided to ditch diesel and got a Volkswagen Passat GTE last week. My commute is just over 10 miles each way, so I had hoped...
I would appreciate your advice regarding buying a used automatic car. My options are a 2013 Honda Jazz 1.4 I-VTEC 20,000 miles, 2013 Mazda 3 1.6 Tamura 29,500 miles or a 2012 Ford Fiesta 1.4 Zetec 43,000...
I bought a 2015 Ford Focus ST TDCi and have done 17,402 miles. It has now broken and I've been told by Ford it is not covered by warranty because the wrong grade of oil in it. It has cost me a lot of money,...
Why is the Volkswagen emissions fix not being withdrawn? My Volkswagen Golf 1.6 bluemotion had the 'fix' two days ago and this morning had to be recovered and towed back to the garage after driving less...
How much is my 1968 Ford Sierra XR4i/4x4 worth? Where would be the best place for me to sell it?
Can you publish some advice about the owners considering whether to get the Volkswagen "fix" being applied to EA189 engines actually implemented? I sold my 2011 Audi A3 2.0 TDI to my girlfriend's mother...
My dad has a 1997 4-door Ford Escort Freedom 1.3 with 32,629 miles. It's been garaged for about 5-6 years and was barely used before that. Despite looking, I can't seem to find out it's value. Maybe you...
My sons petrol 2011 Renault Clio 1.2 has ended up in the garage this week after performing more and more sluggishly over the last seven days. The mechanic reported that there was virtually no compression...
As I wouldn't buy any of the current ones, when will VWG make new engines?
I have a maximum budget of £8000 to buy a motorway friendly 3-5 year old small hatchback, 1.6-litre with a maximum mileage of 50,000. Can you advise please?
I have £8000 to spend on a medium-size family car that has good safety, reliability and mpg. What are your suggestions?
I have a pedestrian controlled, petrol engine, two wheeled, wheelbarrow. It cannot be ridden on and I wish to move a quantity of topsoil across a 'public', residential road. Please advise on road tax,...
I own a 2008 MINI Cooper S with approx 70,000 miles on it. Last night, after a 10 minute drive without going above 3000 rpm, I stopped the engine and noticed the hood was burning hot and the cooling fan...
I'm in a bit of a predicament, we've got a new build with two parking spaces but the street that we live along is only wide enough for one car to drive through. Someone has decided to park directly opposite...
My disabled step-daughter is looking for a new car. She has Ehler-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) which affects the muscles and joints, so needs something with a higher seating position to make it easier to get...
I enjoy reading your column on a Saturday morning. I have noticed over the years that VWG products seem to feature quite significantly, both in frequency and expensive resolution. This seems at odds to...
What 4x4 with 7 seats can I get for £4000. We are using all of our savings to upgrade our old 2003 Vauxhall Zafira. We have 4 growing children, 3-15 years old, and normally do around 10,000 miles per year....
I want a small single cab pick-up truck, not as huge as a Ford Ranger or a Mitsubishi Warrior type but much more modest and lower to the ground. You mention pick-ups of the 1990s being a sensible size...
I own a 2013 Volkswagen Golf VII GTI that's covered 23,000 miles. With the ever increasing reports of problems with VWG timing chains, should I consider a regular replacement regime such as that for engines...
I recently purchased a 2013 Ford Mondeo 1.6 EcoBoost and have noticed after parking it up that a burning smell, similar to when a clutch is overridden, is present. There are no problems with the clutch...
My mum is looking to replace the 2007 Mercedes-Benz A-Class that she's had for 7 years. She likes the higher up seating in her current car and is not interested in the latest model with low down seating....
I bought a car from a Mercedes-Benz dealership and have since found out that it was involved in an accident. The accident resulted in £1500 damage (a new passenger door and wing mirror). I only found out...
I'm thinking about changing my 2011 Ford Focus 1.6 (45,000 miles) for a 2012 Audi A3. Is this a good idea?
I have a 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan 177PS DSG with the EA189 engine. This is due to have its 'fix' shortly and, having read all the comments, I'm extremely concerned that it will be worse after it's done....
I'm looking at a new Renault Kadjar 1.5 diesel automatic. During a test drive, I accelerated hard and the revs were quite high in relation to the speed. The salesman assured me this was normal for auto...
There are a number of "inspection" holes in the body of my Vauxhall Vivaro. They are in the corners at the back of the van, they vary in size and you can see the wiring through them. I presume the wiring...
I'm looking at a 2016 LWB crew cab Ford Transit van 2.2, 155PS. I was wondering if you know if it would tow my caravan, it's a 2009 Coachman Laser 645. I have an old Land Rover Discovery 3 at present and...
What are the common faults with the Volkswagen Transporter?
We own a 2014 Renault Clio Dynamique 0.9 TCe. Over the last 18 months we've had three tyre sensors replaced (under warranty) due to a slow leak in the actual sensor body. We've now had another slow leaking...
Am I better off buying my new automatic Suzuki Vitara SZT 1.6 petrol before or after the April VED tax changes? We are likely to keep for at least 5 years.
My Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI has been back in the Volkswagen garage for 4 days following starting problems immediately after the emissions fix was done. The fault does not show up on their computer analysis...
The 2014 Volkswagen Sharan 2.0 TDI fix is now available and the letter says there will be increased AdBlue use and 5 free refills will be offered. I phoned Volkswagen and pressed them for more info, they...
When paying by phone, I inputted my car reg using lower case letters. This was sufficient for POPLA to find that I had failed to pay and so issued me a parking penalty.
I own a 2013 Skoda Octavia Scout 2.0 TDI (42,000 miles). I've had two letters from Skoda inviting me to have the emissions fix undertaken, but I am happy with the car. Do I need to have the fix done, or...
What is your opinion of online car buying sites who offer substantial savings?
When were DPFs introduced?
Are there any bad auto gearboxes? If so, what are they?
Our 6 year old Jaguar XF Portfolio, which we like, is due for a change. Annual mileage is around 8000 - mostly short journeys, but 4/5 times a year 700 mile return trips. Main requirement is comfort on...
Has any one else suffered starting problems after the emissions fix on the Volkswagen Golf Plus 1.6 TDI. If so, what action was done to fix the fault as Volkswagen won't give any information regarding...
I own a 2012 Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost engine. The pipe from the expansion tank to the turbo has shattered and caused my engine to blow up. Is this normal?
Having suffered a "No Fault" accident, I cannot get the other driver's insurance company to repair my car. I own a 2002/2003 Volkswagen Passat 2.0-litre petrol saloon from new, with 59,000 miles and have...
I have been very pleased with my Ford Fiesta 1.25 which is now almost 6 years old. I'm thinking of replacing it soon but would like a car with a more upright seating position. Is there anything that compares...
We think we may have bought a car which has previously undergone repair for extensive crash damage. Can you recommend somebody to inspect it please?
I'm thinking of buying a new SUV but I have just over £20,000 to spend. Can you advise?
What year were DPFs introduced by Ford and Vauxhall. Also is there anything out there that can really clean them, apart from long drives?
The April 2017 VED surcharge applies to cars with a list price over £40,000. Does this include the various taxes, delivery charge, etc?
 

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