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Questions from June 2010
I have a 2003 BMW 530d Auto (E60) that has done 124,000 miles. I recently experienced a sort of power lag, by this I mean when doing speeds of 75 - 85 mph and you press the accelerator (not kick-down but...
I part-exchanged a car but wanted to keep the numberplate. The garage charged £80 and said they would arrange the swap. They kept all the documents, including the complete V5 form, as they said it was...
My stepdaughter's 2007 Mazda 5 has had a squealing noise which comes of its own accord, but when you touch the brake pedal the noise goes away. This was reported to the main dealer several times. Last...
I have a Ford Fusion 2004 model with the 1400cc Duratec Engine - does this have a timing belt or a chain? I can't seem to find an answer on the internet. Its done 62,000 miles. Also my wife has a Suzuki...
I was stopped by Essex police yesterday advised that my MOT certificate had expired on a week earlier, and I was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £60.00. I explained that I had been out of the country...
I have a really serious problem with my 1997 Ford Ka. I start the engine - no problem; it starts promptly and idles itself immediately. And it runs that way fine until I touch the accelerator. When I do...
Sometime this week I will collecting (by trailer) an MGB GT. The car has been subjected to a near total renovation including a new engine, however this was five years ago and it hasn't been started since....
Please could you advise me as to whether my 1999 Toyota Yaris is OBD11-compliant?
We recently bought a car which has caused us nothing but grief and the dealer gave us a 3-month warranty. The car started playing up after the warranty ran out and the dealer has said there is nothing...
We bought a car with our wedding money about seven weeks ago from a dealer. We found the dealer to be very nice and we test drove the car, and although the previous MOT wasn't available we saw the service...
I bought my Nissan Note NTEC last year. I've had continuous intermittent problems with the CD player / sat nav unit. The CDs I put in the player keep jumping. The unit was changed and I've even driven...
I'm in the process of buying 2005 Mazda 6 1.8 S with 37,000 miles. The car is being used for school runs, so I want to make sure it's in good working order. I've read that there was a recall regarding...
I bought an approved used 2006 C4 from a Citroen dealer last December. I had to take the car to my local Citroen garage this month to have the wheels balanced. My MOT is due in July, so I asked them to...
When I take my foot off the gas, my Vauxhall Vectra drops speed as if I'm pressing the brakes. I've checked the brakes aren't sticking, there is no free play in the ball joints, there's no noise from the...
Having recently sold my trusty 15-year-old Polo, I'm looking to replace it with something similar in size. I only do about 1000 miles pa and the car is used for shopping, local trips and the occasional...
I have received by post, a Parking Charge Notice for parking for two hours on a site jointly used by Aldi and a Travelodge. The permitted time was 90 minutes. Cameras confirmed my entering and leaving...
My Renault is mystifying my local Renault garage and various experts. It intermittently looses power and the diagnostic is clear. It is being suggested I replace the gearbox oil at £80/ltr with a total...
I have a 2004 A3 3.2 Quattro which has developed a fault which is really bugging me. My rear light cluster lens was slightly cracked and had let in some water and so I removed the cluster to seal the lens...
My step daughter has a Mazda 5 registered in June 2007. It has had an annoying squealing noise from the brakes. The noise comes of its own accord - touch the brake pedal and it goes away. The car has been...
My mother has had the clutch replaced twice since 2007 in her Toyota Corolla with 40,000 miles on the clock. I don't think she's a 'heavy' clutch user even though she's 80, but it is possible that as the...
I bought a van from an auction back in 2008. When I bought the van I registered it in my name, but as the insurance was too high we decided to register it in my ex-girlfriends dad's name so I could be...
What crossover style vehicles are there with both 2WD and 4WD?
I have a 2005 Vauxhall Monaro (5.7-litre, 333bhp version) which needs new front brake pads. Do you know if there is a source other than Vauxhall for these?
I have paid the road tax for my car online and I will receive it in five working days - can I drive only with reference number until my disc arrives?
A named driver on my private car insurance policy has an unspent Fixed Penalty speeding offence (Code SP30). Can I allow him to drive my car, given that I have not told my insurance company of the three...
I think I have found source of the creaking rattle noise heard in the cabin of my 2009 Ford Focus 1.6 'Style'. On the outside of the car, when very lightly pressing down on the bonnet with my fingers on...
We were looking to buy an old model of the Ford Fiesta, which was registered in 2008. We were trying to find a review on your website, however they all seem to be for the new version. Would you be able...
I have a 2003/53 Fiat Punto and after filling up the water for my wipers I can't get the bonnet to close properly. There is approximately a 1-inch gap and I'm really worried it's going to fly up, as it's...
About 3 months ago I bought a Renault Clio from a faraway franchised dealer with a 1-year warranty. I took it into my local Renault dealer recently to check out what I believed was a slipping clutch and...
Having worked on a farm for many years I have unloaded thousands of used tyres supplied by numerous tyre fitters, both national companies and small local companies. The tyres are used on a farm to weigh...
I know someone who is a named driver on a trade insurance policy. The thing is, he is on the dole and doesn’t work (not legally anyway).
Is his insurance valid or not? I thought it was insurance for people...
I read with interest your article about road humps and tyres recently. I live in the lovely village of Ickleford and Hertfordshire Highways are about to install 11 road humps over less than a 1-mile stretch...
I'd like to recommend Marshalls Jaguar in Peterborough. They've helped me care for my XK8 since the dealership I bought it from closed down. Service and customer focus is really good. I feel properly informed...
I'm planning to change my car from a nippy little Fiesta Ghia, which I really like driving, to a more substantial vehicle that will accommodate my tall, disabled husband and a medium sized scooter or self...
I have a 1998 XJ8 with 73,600 miles. Although Jaguar has said the auto transmission is sealed for life, and a main dealer has told me not to have the oil in it changed as there are no problems, there seems...
I wonder if you can help me. My partner bought a brand new Lexus RX400 from a Lexus dealer in 2006. She is currently experiencing cash problems and I wondered if it is possible for her to hand the car...
Have I been mis-sold a car? I feel I have. I was assured that I could not put petrol into a diesel engine by a Citroen salesmen. He categorically assured me that this was no longer possible. Needless to...
Something I never thought to see: A busy road in Stevenage that was well-humped for about 1/2 mile has just had them removed and those sections of the road resurfaced. So what was real penance for me to...
I have agreed to buy a car from a local Jaguar dealership and the last time I sat in it I perused the service history record and made a note of the mileage that differs by 10k from the advertised mileage...
My husband and I posted an add on Autotrader to sell our Toyota Amazon and within minutes we had a phone call from an Asian guy wanting to buy, he asked a lot of questions: what is the reg, what is the...
As a regular M4 motorist I'm intrigued that the powers that be are replacing steel barriers with concrete ones, as the steel ones are reaching the "end of their lives." Concrete ones are supposed to require...
Our 2002 Peugeot 307 Rapier is just coming up for its 8th annual service and MoT. So far it has been very reliable and incidentally the most comfortable car to drive in 60 years of motoring. However, at...
In the last few days I have taken two calls from Online Claims (via an Indian call centre) about a recent accident involving a car registered at my address. There has been no such accident so this seems...
My husband recently passed away and I am looking to downsize. I have a 1998R Lexus GS300 Auto SE with fsh and 93,000 miles on the clock, which I believe is worth about £2,000. However, over the last 3.5...
I am a one-man band with a 2007 Renault Traffic. I am looking to get a small car as a second vehicle because of quoting for larger jobs that are often further afield, and becoming more frequent, it just...
I received a speeding notification from Portugal, which is 5 months old. It was sent 15 March 2010 and received 23 March 2010 and relates to a speeding offence on 24 October 2009. The fine is 120 Euros...
My Dad (aged 66, retired, disabled) is about to take up a car on the Motability scheme. His first ever new car. He is pretty mobile, his disability is around angina and late onset diabetes, but quite a...
I exchanged my Mercedes A-Class for a Subaru Forester, and was given a basic 3-month warranty with it. I also took out extra warranty with Warranty Direct. Within the first week of me having it, the car...
To protect my alloy wheels from the ravages of winter salt and brake dust I use Poorboys Wheel Sealant, a soft paste, which is easy to apply and buff off. In addition to providing a barrier it leaves a...
I bought a BMW 320dSE Touring in just over 2 years ago. The stop/start always worked well until recently. The car has been back to the dealership 3 times and each time they say there is nothing wrong...
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