Fined us keepers

I was particularly struck by the story of the nightmare in dealing with DVLA. But what I don't understand is if it is the responsibility of the previous owner of a car to make sure that DVLA has indeed...

Removal man

I would appreciate any advice you could give to relieve the plight of a good friend of mine who is in his early 70s and suffers from a minor heart condition. 6 weeks ago, he skidded at slow speed on a...

Glym reapers

We are soon to purchase a new Mark VI Golf TSI. What is your opinion of protecting the car with Auto Gleam LifeShine? In your opinion does it do what it says on the box and is it worth the cost to have...

Twist and shout

I seem to remember that some time ago you commented on the fact that many European cars were suffering from broken suspension springs because of poor manufacturing problems. Is this correct and can you...

Wheels within wheels

We need to buy a second-hand, small, wheelchair accessible mobility vehicle. Have you any specific advice about mobility vehicles please? We live in North West Kent: where is the best place to buy it please?

Front Porshe

I run a 2005 Porsche Cayenne V6 with 45k miles on it. The car is now outside manufacturer's warranty. Since buying the car in 2006, we have always serviced the car at Porsche main dealers and received...

Jazz blues

In terms of fault occurrence, my Jazz is the most unreliable car I have ever owned. After a few hundred miles, the fuel consumption worsens by 10mpg or so. I discovered by chance that using high revs (6,000...

The penalties of speedership

I think it was RA, and not CG, who "missed the point" recently. CG was valid in saying that he "concentrates more on speed cameras than what is around him". I know that you can reasonably expect to suffer...

Money-gran

Can you recommend alternatives to the Honda Jazz on which I might get a good deal? I had a drive in the Jazz 1.4. Nice car, more comfortable and a better ride than our old one, but very underpowered at...

Driving by the seat of your plans

We have a 2004 SEAT Leon 1.6 SX which we have had since May 2004 and have been extremely pleased with. Current mileage on the SEAT is 39,000. We are now thinking of changing it for the current model...

Clock watching

With hundreds of thousands miles behind me, happily accident-free, I reckon I generally know when I am driving at a safe speed for the conditions and, given fair reminders of the speed limit (often lacking)...

Car by car break-down

It seems that car manufacturers in Europe have been keen to create their own individual Monopoly Areas and have colluded by drivers means to restrict repair, maintenance and supply of parts to their own...

Beam me down

Following the advice in your column I have bought a Skoda vRS diesel for an astonishing discount. Thank you. Naturally a good price limits choice of specification to what is in stock and mine came with...

You are what you car

Driving various of our family's cars at different times, I have been amazed at the attitude of other drivers changing according to the car I drive. In one of my kids' cars (a FIAT Panda or a Skoda Fabia)...

Air today

Our Lexus GS 300 with 175,000 miles needs an exchange air-con pump at a cost of £1,300. The Lexus dealer considers that the car once repaired is capable of 250,000 miles. So for £1,300 we could probably...

Daddy’s sauce

I have 18 months left with my 1.8TDCI Focus on Ford options and although a great family car I do not want another diesel so will look at other alternative cars. I am a single dad and need to carry my 2...

Something nissing

I own a 2004/54 Nissan Micra, which has done 13,500 miles and was chosen as a retirement car. I thought being English/Japanese it would be reliable, but I went to start it and the management symbol was...

Koroda?

My 2006 Skoda Octavia has done 21,000 miles and is still under warranty. One of the rear brake discs has developed rust over part of the surface, evenly distributed round the circumference and on the hub...

Club class

I'm seeking a nearly new folding hard top convertible and have narrowed the selection down to three, these being the only ones that my golf clubs will fit into (with the roof up): New Ford Focus CC2 2.0,...

Feet of engine-erring

My mother's Golf is about 8 years old and has developed a chronic leak. The pool of water seems only to be in the front passenger seat footwell. The car has previously leaked from the roof, soaking both...

Fraud squabble

If a company gives me a warranty for 6 months, am I covered for inherited faults or just parts mentioned?

Inci-dent

My Focus was involved in a minor crunch whilst parked in our local doctor’s carpark, a car reversing out of a parking slot backed into the my driver's door. The damage was very minor, two very small creases...

The fuel and his money

I would be grateful for your opinion on petrol verses diesel fuelled cars. I notice that most manufacturers of cars now produce more diesel-engined models than petrol. In my youth I always thought that...