Questions from June 2010
I'm buying a Peugeot 407SW diesel from a dealership. It's on an '07 plate with 72,000 miles. Should I get them to replace the timing belt before collecting?
I just took my Mazda 2 for a service at which I was informed that I need new brake pads and skimming of the brake discs (it is the 30,000 service). Is this not too early for skimming of the brake discs?
I've just found out that an S-reg Volkswagen Polo 1.4 we were proposing to purchase was a 'write off' and the status is 'Cat C'. I've spoken to the seller who said it was only the colour-coded bumper that...
My Renault Espace Series 3, 2-litre petrol 16v, T-reg has developed two faults. Firstly, on start up from cold the engine cooling fan kicks in. Also, on start-up whether cold or warm, the engine revs away...
Currently I am driving a KIA Magentis SE in which I drive an average of 8,000 miles pa. It is beginning to cost a lot at MoT time. Having had a shoulder injury, I have been advised to get a vehicle with...
My new Mercedes-Benz C-Class alloys are a disgrace with corrosion on centre hub and spokes. They are the premium AMG wheels. Mercedes-Benz will only replace one of the four under warranty due to some rim...
I recently experienced a blowout and visited an Official Porsche Centre in Paris where a tyre was supplied and fitted, for which I was charged nearly £600. The full price of the same tyre fitted by an...
I have a 1996 Fiat Brava Automatic. When I go around corners the oil light flashes on the dashboard. I have checked the oil levels and the red dipstick says there's plenty of oil in the engine. But the...
The revs do not drop between gear changes in my 1999 Ford Ka, and after a few miles when you hit neutral the revs keep climbing. The only way to stop it is to switch the engine off and on again, but it...
I intend to buy a Jaguar X-Type with 70,000 miles from 2002 with an automatic gearbox and 2.5-litre V6 engine. How much does it cost per year to pay all taxes on this car (taxes like insurance, mot, road...
I'm trying to decide between the following: a brand new Skoda Octavia Elegance 1.4 TSI from Drivethedeal for around £14,500 (includes some extras) or a year-old Skoda Octavia Elegance 2.0 TDI PD for around...
I have approximately 80-90 litres of unleaded petrol which is 10 to 12 years old. It is clean and stored in approved marine petrol tanks. Can I use it in my car or is there some way to recycle it?
I have far too many kids and need a reasonably-priced 8-seater with plenty of space, that is reliable and relatively cheap to run. The only things I can find that may be suitable are things like the Mitsubishi...
I have a Renault Laguna 1.9dCi on a 51 plate and it runs fine, but when in top gear it feels like it's holding back. Also, when accelerating it produces a little black smoke. Please help - I have cleaned...
My Citroen Xantia lost all but the battery lights on the dash. I managed to get it going by getting a power cable straight from the battery to the glow plugs rail, waiting about ten seconds and then turning...
My Fiat Uno was kept in the garage for a minor wiper motor repair. I happened to collect it on the third evening. With the headlights on, the battery discharged within 15 minutes of driving and the lights...
Having tested a Mazda 3 2.2 diesel I was planning to buy the vehicle outright from Perry's. However, they have offered 0 per cent finance based on paying half the cost of the car upfront, and this is on...
I have a low milage Peugeot Expert van and for some reason the electronic mileometer LED has started showing only the top half of the numbers and is now showing nothing. The question is, if I change the...
I'm thinking of buying a 2006 KIA Sportage automatic diesel (2-litre 4x4) with 49,000 miles on the clock, with a view to driving to Portugal from Dover. Is there anything I should look out for? Does this...
Having just bought a Toyota Auris 1.6 SR petrol 2008 model and the wife has complained about the harsh ride. I want to keep the 17-inch wheels, but would like to know if a bigger profile may soften the...
I have, for a while now, been searching and googling for a database, just like the new car prices list at the back of car magazines, that I can download to my computer and search various parameters e.g....
I wrote to you some time ago about my KIA Venga diesel smelling of fuel in the cab. I've done 4500 miles in it now and it is still happening, though not as bad as it was. It seems to be worse on hot days...
I am looking at buying a used car for £10,000-£11.500. My criteria is that the fuel economy is fairly good, it is comfortable (due to longish journeys for work), it has three doors and that it has a little...
Three days ago I tried to start my 2006 diesel Renault Kangoo and it took ages to start. When I start on a hill it fires right away and goes well. My nephew took off the tubes to the injectors and, on...
I am looking at selling my 1965 4.2-litre Coupe Jaguar E-Type which I have had since 1970. It is in good condition. I am also looking at buying my wife a Mercedes-Benz Sports SLK200. What is my best option?...
I have just had my 2003 Citroen C3 fail it's MoT due to broken front springs. There are approx 46,000 miles on the clock and I bought the car secondhand in 2006 from a major car supermarket, where I was...
I have owned a 2002 BMW 320d Touring for the last seven years and, among other things, it has excellently towed my Swift Challenger caravan which has an all up weight of 1150kg. Unfortunately the time...
What would you recommend for a second car (a runaround)? My maximum budget is £1000. I'm not worried about goodies, the more basic the better. I used to buy Morris Minor vans but now they're expensive....
In Sept '07 I bought a new Range Rover TDV8 Sport. It went straight to Overfinch for cosmetics only, including 22" alloys. Main Dealers are now telling me that steering, suspension and drivetrain will...
We are beginning to get rather pissed off in Thames Ditton on the potholes issue. It seems that the current contract for road maintenance contained no Service Level Agreement or provision for penalties...
I own a 2002 Mercedes C220 CDI automatic, regularly maintained, still good to drive and still giving over 50mpg on motorways. Oil consumption is also very low. When accelerating hard, which I don¹t do...
We are looking to change our ageing 1.6 Mk4 Golf for a new/nearly new car. The car is used for short commutes of about 2 miles and has to be able to accommodate bulky objects in the back. Hatchback is...
I have a new Hyundai i30 1.4 petrol and have covered just 1,300 miles, but I am disappointed at the amount of fuel I am using. I have calculated my mpg to be no more than 32mpg based on the litres/gallons...
Whilst on a recent journey in my 37,000 mile 2004 Nissan Almera Tino, a message on the screen came up advising me of a possible malfunction of the Engine Control System, the remote possibility of an immediate...
I have been driving automatic cars for more than thirty years and have found that your advice to left foot brake to be a great advantage.
My reason for writing however is to seek advice on the disposal...
I have a manual 2009 BMW118dSE. From the date of purchase I have noticed that when I slow or change down, as when approaching a turning or roundabout, the engine thrust can still be felt. On occasions...
I noticed one or two concerns on your forums regarding nasty niffs created by a bacterial build-up on the air conditioning evaporator. We have some experience of this and investigated alternative treatments...
Given that the holiday season is upon us perhaps you could advise your readers again on the pitfalls of hiring a car. I booked a car from Europcar via Global Reservations in the UK for Beziers Airport...
I have always understood you to say that a car dealer must offer a 6-month warranty with a used car. However in Motoring Telegraph on 27 March you advised an owner that since he only paid a dealer £500...
My husband has received a renewal notice from the AA for his car insurance. Unfortunately he has been made redundant recently (he is a civil engineer) and after notifying the AA of this, his premium has...
I have owned a Honda Accord Tourer for over five years, and until last week, I have been fortunate in never having a puncture. To my horror, there was no spare wheel in the boot. Checking with the local...
I have a Ford KA 2004 model. My blowers inside the car are only blowing hot air even when on cool. The car gets really hot inside even on short journeys.
The problem ‘highlighted’ recently with xenon lamps is unlikely to be with properly installed lights, which have self-adjusters. The problem is with aftermarket lights, which are fitted to standard headlights...
My daughter has a Mazda 6TS2, purchased in April 2008. It has just been in to the local Mazda main dealer have a few faults fixed under warranty one door lock not working, shuddering when braking (they...
I assume that your advice re fitting winter tyres to all 4 wheels applies equally to "wearing" Autosocks, especially to a RWD car (Lexus IS250), even though the Autosocks website make no mention of this...
I have owned a SAAB 9-5 Estate1.9 JTDM Manual for some 18 months. The car was first registered in March 2006 and has covered 52,500 miles. The kerb weight without driver is 1,620 kg and I intend to use...
I think I can remember you writing somewhere that by entering the registration number of a car on a website it will tell you if that vehicle is insured or not. What was the website please?
Towards the end of February I renewed the VED online for two of my cars and declared my 1967 MGB as SORN as its MOT had expired. The DVLA website enabled me to print out clear receipts for the vehicles...
Your feedback on the Vectra CDTi were taken into account when I acquired, for 'very right money,' an ex-fleet 2006 estate, about 12 months ago, for towing a caravan, since when I have replaced the dual...
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