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Honest John Ask Honest John » August 2009
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Trending topics in August 2009
4x4s buying claims consumer rights dealers driving insurance legal issues mpvs new cars owning scrappage scheme selling small cars small family cars speeding technical issues used cars warranties wheels and tyres
Questions from August 2009
Can you give your opinion on Speed Camera Locators, particularly the pros and cons of the new Talex GPS, and the Novus GPS Rider.
I have a 2005 Peugeot 307 HDI and occasionally the fan comes on during and after driving for no apparent reason. This would last for between 10 and 15 minutes and the noise coming from it is extremely...
In May 2008 I was on holiday in Florence Italy and hired a motor car from Avis. I picked up the car in Florence and before leaving the depot asked Avis staff for directions to Sienna. Some 6 months later...
My wife was involved in a collision in January, a no fault claim where the other driver admitted liability and there was a witness to confirm this. We value the car at about £1,000, the damage is cosmetic...
I purchased a 57 plate Passat from a VW dealer around a year ago. The vehicle is still in warranty and has 20k on the clock. On a recent visit to the local VW dealer, I was told that a routine check had...
This week we traded in our car under the government 'Scrappage scheme'. The car road tax had another 5 months to run and we asked the dealer for the disc so that we could claim a refund from DVLA. Our...
I have just taken delivery of a new Nissan Note (under the scrappage scheme). The dealer has offered a 3 year service deal for £767.73 inc VAT now, or in monthly instalments which add up to the same amount...
My 10-year old Primera (a reliable car that wont be going anywhere near the scrappage scheme) recently suffered from a loud rumbling noise at about 50 mph. My garage diagnosed inner wall damage to the...
We have a 2006 Bentley Flying Spur, which is currently in our local Bentley dealer for a service. The dealer has phoned to say the car needs a new front wheel bearing and new front brake discs. The car...
I have just bought a VW Golf Mk VI. It would appear that VW has failed to provide an up to date phone prep kit that can sync with modern mobiles. The Skoda phone prep kit in my previous Octavia can cope...
We have just ordered a Hyundai i10 on the scrappage scheme. We have a cherished registration on the part-ex car. We have been told by the dealer that the plate has to go on retention until the new car...
I bought a VW Touareg on 24th April privately. The car had full VW service history and had only been serviced in February 2009. In respect of this we bought the car believing that it had been looked after....
I have a 2004 Mercedes 500SL. I recently broke the small plastic catch on my centre arm rest console, I could not open it so I pulled a bit hard and the end piece of the plastic hook snapped off. I have...
I have a 1996 SAAB 900SE 2.3 turbo convertible with only 56,000 miles from new and serviced once every year by a SAAB dealer or SAAB specialist. A report on the latest service this week says that a common...
My LandRover dealer has sent me a letter offering to service the air conditioning of my Freelander, including replacement of filters and recharging the system, all for a special price of 140€ (£120 at...
My Audi A5 is off the road again this time with a faulty Diesel Particulate Filter sensor. In 18 months ownership the car has spent over 3 months back with Audi dealerships, including clutch / Dual Mass...
Our faithful 1993M Nissan Primera 1.6 LX has been forcibly retired having done 161,000 miles and now requires a new engine (£2,000) as the timing mechanism is completely out of kilter. I believe that this...
I have a BMW 530D Auto - coming up for its 5th birthday. I am pretty pleased with it and plan to keep it for about 2 or 3 more years. My only niggle really is that the ride is a bit harsh - I have low-profile...
Two weeks ago my husband was issued with a parking ticket in a carpark in Ipswich, Suffolk while visiting our son on father's day. This was on a Sunday when the car park is free, but it was given because...
I want to change my 2004 Golf 2.0 FSI with 40,000 miles for a smaller car (from reading your column, an Abarth 500, FIAT 500 or MINI Cooper), but I still want enough zip to make frequent driving on motorways...
Three years ago, my wife and I downsized to a small house with a single garage. Being close to the town amenities we now walk a lot more and find that our 2 cars spend more time in the garage or car park...
In view of the number of suggestions appearing in the press that older drivers should be banned, or made to take a further test, you may be interested to know that Hampshire County Council runs a very...
We are very concerned about the increasing width of modern cars. we hired a Peugeot 308 in Toulouse last October and it was frankly too wide for the little villages in the Aude Department. We think that...
You recently advised someone to avoid 19 inch rims on a BMW 3-Series and to go for the smallest wheel size. What would you say are the pros and cons of the wheel sizes available on 3-Series? I know the...
My 05 VW Golf has just been diagnosed with a faulty ABS control unit, estimated repair £1,500. We have had the car since new and done 45,000 miles, exactly one year out of warranty. Not happy with prospect...
I would be grateful for suggestions. I am recently widowed, and need advice on choosing a suitable car. My husband had a Rover 800, which has been sold. I have a Mazda 323, R registration that I like...
Do you come across many issues with the National Mileage Register? I have just put a deposit down on a used Porsche Boxster with a local dealer. It is a July 2006 with 26,900 miles for sale at £19,995....
Having seen a Croydon Volkswagen advert in the local press for “a £2,950 allowance to buy a new Golf on top of the government scrappage.” I called in at their showroom yesterday. I asked the sales executive...
My Pathfinder clutch has burned out. 2 years old and only 19,600 miles. Still under warranty, but no use, I had to pay £687 and over £100 on car hire. The Nissan warranty is not worth the paper it is written...
My husband and I were in bed on Feb 2nd 2009, the day of the really heavy snow, with our car parked in front of our house. We heard a commotion outside and when we looked out a foreign lorry driver in...
My wife part exchanged her 320d for a used SAAB convertible in March this year (in anticipation of the promised summer). Three weeks ago the hood stalled in mid-air to her acute embarrassment in a public...
I am a huge fan of the Toyotas. I run my own family firm and I have bought, over the years, 17 Hiaces (petrol and diesel), 4 Corollas, 4 Yaris, 5 Camrys, 1 Carina, 1 Supra 3.0TT, 1 Starlet, 1 Auris SR180,...
I wonder if you can help, I'm looking to buy a Hyundai i10, FIAT 500 or Toyota Yaris. I test drove the FIAT 500 and i10 today, both of which I liked. The only issue I have is the reliability of these cars....
The Police spend time trying to stop speeding vehicles, but what about very slow ones ignoring the recommendation of the Highway Code to stop and let following traffic pass? Apart from the lack of consideration...
In 2005 my motor insurer paid for repair to my car, which had suffered damage whilst parked in a French town. As there was no third party I forfeited my policy excess. In 2007 my car was rear end shunted...
I note your response R.W. of Wiltshire regarding the Government Scrappage Scheme, and in particular the policy of crushing perfectly good cars. I too subscribe to the school of "if it ain’t broke, don't...
I have been involved in a non-fault crash where the third party has driven into me at maybe 35 – 40mph, when I was stationary in a queue of morning traffic. The police were involved and she is being prosecuted...
My January 2008 BMW 325 is due its first service check. Under BMW’s “conditioned-based servicing” I understand this is just an oil and filter change. The local dealership wants to charge £233 for this,...
A young man of about 21 has just run into the back of my mother's 2003 Skoda Octavia car on a level crossing. He was very pleasant, apologized and admitted that it was his mistake. He pressed the accelerator...
I would be grateful for your advice with regard to buying a new or nearly new car I have a Lexus 300RX. Unfortunately I have recently had brain surgery and cannot now drive and probably will not be able...
My 3-Series developed a fault and displayed a YELLOW warning light. The handbook advised me I could continue my journey, but at moderate speed, exercising due caution, and have the engine checked without...
In 2007 my son was photographed stationary in a yellow box junction. A couple weeks ago his business van was clamped and the Bailiffs sent round to impound his car for non-payment of a fine £60, now increased...
I have been offered a Peugeot 807LX HDI for £5,995. It has done supposedly 31,000 miles, has a full service history, has had one owner and is a 2004 model. On a test-drive it appeared ok except for a rather...
Two months ago I bought a 2006 Grande Punto from a local FIAT dealer. It was 1 owner and low mileage 18,000 miles. I paid extra to have warranty cover for 15 months. I have just had the most dreadful noise...
I recently received my second speeding ticket for doing 39mph in a thirty zone. Since then I travel at no more than 50 on motorways, 30 on country lanes and 20 in built up areas. I did this recently on...
I sent you an email a while back over DVLA trying to take me to court because they hadn't received a change of ownership on a vehicle. You sent me a reply from one of your readers saying providing an affidavit...
I have the opportunity to buy a 4,186mm horse trailer with an unladen weight of 742kg and a laden weight of 1,796kg. What vehicle would you suggest to tow this? Auto or manual?
My daughter is in a slightly similar situation to T.F. In February she was pulling out of a side road (you have to edge out as there are cars parked on both sides of the main road and you cannot see)....
I have just come from the Vauxhall Owners Network where I have been checking how many other complaints there have been regarding the Electric Power Steering failure. We purchased our Meriva in August 2005...
I am a 26-year-old female and would like to buy a small convertible car that looks quite flashy. I would like it to still be quite economical to run, lower insurance, fuel consumption etc. I have looked...
 

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