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Questions from June 2010
I'm thinking of getting rid of my faithful SEAT Arosa 1.0 and buying my friend's Fiat Doblo 1.9 diesel, on a 53 plate with 94,000 miles. My driving is mainly in town and with some long motorway journeys....
I have a Vauxhall Astra estate diesel turbo with oil leaking into the water. We've been told it probably needs a new head gasket. How much will this cost to replace DIY, or would it be cheaper to fit a...
I have inherited a newer car and now have an old R-reg BMW 5 Series with 130,000 on the clock that I would like to sell. Being a complete girl, private sales are a no-no. I am looking at online car sales...
I have a 2003 Audi 2.4 petrol cabriolet that needs oil. I found a 5 litre can of Shell Helix Plus 10w/40 in a blue container. My handbook says it uses VW 500 oil but this is VW 505. Does this make a difference?
I'm looking at buying an economical and 'green' car but I'm clueless. I'll be doing almost all motorway driving, so I'm not sure I'd get the benefits of a hybrid when doing a 160-mile round commute every...
My wife has seen a Nissan Figaro at a dealer for £5500 which she is very keen on. It's a 1991 model and has done 35,000 miles. The aspects of the car that she likes are the size, soft top and image. What...
I'm thinking of changing my 3-year-old Hyundai Coupe. I could do with something a bit more frugal on fuel and VED, and something which will cope with the awful potholed roads around Manchester. I like...
I currently use a Laguna Sport Tourer 1.9 diesel to tow a small yacht. The all-up weight of the boat and trailer is about 750kg. I am considering replacing the Laguna with a new Megane Sport Tourer. The...
I was banned from driving for three years in 2007 and my ban is about to expire in July 2010. I phoned the DVLA and enquired about reapplying for my licence, only for them to tell me that they have no...
I have a 2002 Volvo V70 with 153,000 miles. Recently the air conditioning started blowing hot regardless of what setting it was on, but by turning it off for a while then randomly pressing the hot/cold...
I am looking to buy a used car, up to seven years old, and I'm wondering which type of car in the 1.6-litre range is quite cheap to tax and insure.
I have just bought a diesel Citroen DS3. I've had it for seven weeks and done 5500 miles. The oil warning light came on and when I took it to the garage the service manager said that it is normal for new...
How can I check if a car I once owned is still on the road?
When should I have the timing belt changed on my 2005 diesel Vauxhall Astra Estate? I've had varying advice - four years/40,000 miles, 80,000 miles or 10 years/100,000 miles.
My wife has a Mercedes-Benz A160 CDi automatic with which she is very happy in terms of access and comfort, but she would like a little more power. I have read reviews and claims on Chip Express and it...
For dents/scratches in and around Guildford, Surrey I strongly recommend Louis Wan at ChipsAway - fantastic service and results.
I want to buy a Honda Jazz 2003 1.3 which has 100,000 miles on it. Is this a high mileage vehicle? It is in good running condition. Is this worth up to £1800, and how many more miles will this engine run...
I purchased a new Honda Civic Type-R in July 2009 with 19 miles on the clock and a few cosmetic issues. It came minus rear parking sensors and mats as requested. However, there were a few dull wheel nuts...
I've just had my car in the garage as I'm getting a really bad grinding noise when applying the brakes. At my local garage, the mechanic said the front and back brakes are pretty much worn down to the...
I purchased a vehicle (Citroen Saxo 1.1) a few months ago. It was to be shared between myself and my 21-year-old son, with me as the main driver and my son a named driver. Because of this the insurance...
I have a 3-year-old Honda CR-V 2.0 automatic. I get a lot of road noise - is this a general problem with this vehicle or is it the type of tyres fitted? Currently they are Dunlop ST30 Grandtrek.
I want to start a vehicle distribution business and have several garages and auctions willing to use my services to deliver and collect their cars. I submitted an application to Carlisle DVLA for trade...
Does anyone know if the new HTC Desire phone will work fully in an April 2009 latest model BMW 325 saloon with the professional satellite navigation / connected drive unit installed?
I have a KIA Sportage (4WD) which is generally a very good vehicle but suffers from excessive rear tyre wear. Mine are worn out after 15,000 miles. They operate as front-wheel drive unless slip is detected,...
Every police force has a set of rules and regulations, usually formulated by the Home Office and adapted to local needs. Things covered range from uniform code to outside activities, which are not allowed....
My 2006 Vauxhall Astra 1.7 CDTi crunches hard when changing into first gear unless I hold the clutch down for a few seconds. It seems as though the clutch is sticking or just not releasing quickly enough....
I have a Hyundai Verna diesel CRDI VGT which has done 17,000km. I have had turbo failures three times - the third time was when I was coming out of the service centre after a new turbo was fixed for the...
I have rubber door seals on the driver's side of my Honda CR-V which make a noise as I am driving along. How can I stop it?
I am buying a new car and all dealers want to sell me aftermarket paint protection at what seems a substantial amount - often around £350. Whereas I do not mind paying for the service of having my new...
Many people seem to swear by driver satisfaction surveys on dealers, however much of the feedback would appear to be subjective. If you just take the number of star ratings for dealerships they vary from...
My parked 5-year-old Ford Galaxy was reversed into causing damage to the bumper, hatch and tow bar. The driver's insurance assessor has inspected my vehicle and is insisting the hatch is repaired. I don't...
I have just fitted a tow bar and electrics to a 2005 Citroen C4 Coupe. All trailer lights and buzzer work but when I press brake pedal the rear wash wipe operates. Any ideas what I've done?
I have a motoring query that I hope you can help with. I purchased an Audi A4 Cabriolet 2004 plate on a PCP 5-year hire and purchase agreement just over two years ago from a main Audi dealer, so the car...
After a test drive in the 3-litre diesel Jaguar XF Sport I was sold until I asked our Jaguar man about servicing costs, which seem to be extortionately high. Is that the actual experience of owners? Is...
I am looking to buy a new set of tyres for my 1995 Honda Accord Touring. I have been informed you had a similar question, but I can't recall what tyre you advised for low road noise. Can you let me know...
When radio or CDs are playing in my 2005 Vauxhall's CDR the sound will be cut off and the word 'Message' will appear on the display. How can I stop this happening?
I'm interested in buying a top quality used Honda Accord Tourer, but don't like the silly prices asked by dealers. What is the best source of private sale used cars? The classified advert magazines seem...
I bought a used 2005 MINI Cooper S from a German dealer a few years ago. The car had only 5000km, now it has 40,000km. The car has been running great and we really like our little MINI as a second family...
I am looking at buying either an old shape Renault Grand Scenic or Citroen C4 Grand Picasso secondhand. At the car dealers the Scenic screen prices seem to be way over the car guide prices such as Parkers,...
I have a 2003 (revised) Nissan Almera N16 1.5S. I’m hearing some strange noises from from the front end of the car after it has been driven constantly for a while. There are a mixture of high pitched squeals...
I intend buying a new car soon, but I cannot decide between a 2010 Ford Fiesta Zetec diesel or a new Polo diesel. Also is it possible to get cruise control on either one?
My Vectra's clutch assembly (including flywheel) has failed after only 50,000 miles. It would appear that if it was only the flywheel, which is a relatively common problem apparently. Vaxhall would cover...
Where could I find a reputable company that would be able to rebuild my Peugeot 205 1.1 GL gearbox? I live in Birmingham.
My wife thinks the ride in the Toyota Auris SR I have just bought is too hard. The tyres are Dunlop Sport2000 225/45ZR/17/91W. Could you recommend any softer-riding tyres of the same size?
My daughter wants a used estate car and she says that she thinks that somewhere you can buy a used police Volvo estate with 120,000m on the clock for about £5000. Have you any details and do you think...
I read the comments on the Skoda Octavia 2-litre TDI PD oil pumps with alarm. I then dug into the detail on the engines in the VAG manuals and spares catalogues that I have. It appears that the 2-litre...
My 2002 Suzuki Wagon R Plus has always had ''sticky steering'. It's as though there is a tight bush on a shaft, with noticeable static friction then into an easier running friction. It's not immediately...
I have just received a Final Reminder from UKPC asking for £90 as a Civil Traffic Enforcement Notice. It is for a car I no longer own but is still registered to me by the DVLA, as the paperwork is behind....
My car insurance is due to expire and my provider for the last two years wrote to say they were stopping this service, but that they would look for a new insurer for me. In a second letter I was informed...
I'm just back from two weeks away without the car to find our 2004 Meriva Enjoy has developed an EPS (Electronic Power Steering) fault. The car was recently dealer-serviced, as always. Might this just...
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