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Questions from July 2010
My Mazda 3 has done 20,650 miles and the DSC light has come on. The car is three years six months old, and after looking at the all the same problems with other cars, this has to be a major problem with...
Can you provide a list of the car models that are currently assembled in the UK?
Which wheel size is preferable on Mini Cooper Convertible?
Am I alone in just needing to replace the driver's mat? Can you help please? Is there anywhere I can buy just a driver's side mat, or just the front pair, for my 2006 Honda Civic?
Are there any problems at all associated with buying at a UK auction a car described as a Northern Ireland import? Would it need to be re-registered in the UK?
I own a 2005 Skoda Octavia with a 2.0-litre 140bhp Volkswagen PD diesel engine in it. It has done 70,000 miles and I want the timing belt changing at the next service. As well as the belt, what else needs...
I have a Volvo S40 on an 05 plate with just 35,000 on the clock. My local Volvo dealership closed about 12 months ago leaving the nearest about 25 miles away. After much trying, I have had the information...
I’ve recently ordered a new Audi Q5 TDI 170 S Line and was advised that delivery would be in March 2011, and the dealer has agreed to absorb any VAT increase. A few days later the salesman called to tell...
I have a 2005 Volvo V50 2.0d (full Volvo service history) with 140,000 miles that will not rev beyond 3000rpm. Have you any ideas as to why this is?
My granddaughter's 1.2 Renault Clio fails to start at irregular intervals. The immobiliser light flashes and sometimes stays fully on. This can last up to 10 minutes before the car will start again. We...
We have a 1999 Peugeot 406 that seems to get hot very quickly, going from 70 to 90 to 100 on the temperature dial. Also the engine, when hot, runs erratically. Can you help?
In a local garage I have seen a very nice 2006 Peugeot 206 SW Verve HDi for £5499. It is said to be a 1.6 HDi but this does not seem to be listed in Parker's guide. Is this because it is the end of the...
I have a 56 Renault Grand Scenic 1.9DCi (FAP) with 27,000 miles. This is not about the FAP and regeneration - I've been there and got the T-shirt (and won't be buying a car with an engine such as this...
I want to buy a used car because I just sold my 2004 Nissan Micra SE, and now I want a diesel car with up to a 1.5-litre engine. Which of the Nissan Micra 1.5, Ford Fusion 1.4 or Renault Clio 1.5 is the...
I buy and sell cars but I am now away to start to buy from auction, but they need a trader's number. How do I go about getting this?
I have run a 2002 Audi A4 SE130 TDI from new. It's reliable and cost efficient. However the joints are getting creaky (mine and my wife's, not the car's) and we want something more upright and comfortable...
I have a 2002 Skoda Octavia automatic 1.9 TDI with 260,000 miles. There is no power when accelerating and it's very slow to change gear upwards, and sometimes refuses to change upwards at all. The maximum...
I have just received a notification of a traffic offence in Florence on 14 August 2007. Is it correct that according to Italian law I have to be notified within 360 days? If not, this has got to be a record!
A few weeks ago the airbag warning light in my 2004 Audi A3 2.0 TDI came on. I took it to an independent Audi specialist for diagnosis, hoping it would just be a sensor or something else minor, as the...
I'm looking at buying a secondhand Honda CR-V from a Honda dealer. Currently its has no road tax - do they have any obligation to supply the vehicle with valid road tax?
My husband (Irish citizen) is a UK resident, but has only just got a UK counterpart licence after having to obtain a digital tachograph card. Due to previously having an Irish driving licence, previous...
I have a 4-year-old 5-door Volkswagen Golf SE TDi (06 plate). I bought it from the Volkswagen dealership who had owned it for six months. I have owned it ever since. It has 60,000 miles on the clock, is...
We are noticing a very expensive trend of Piezo injector failures on Volkswagen Group TDI engines and, at around £500 a pop, this is not funny. Also recommended is a new associated wiring loom due to it...
I sat in a 'speed awareness course' yesterday for three hours. They told me that sticking to third gear would help speed control in a 30mph area. They said it made no difference to the fuel economy but...
I've got a very annoying squeak coming from the gearbox when I change gear on my 55-plate Volkswagen Passat Estate. I have taken it back to garage where I bought it from and they have rectified other minor...
I bought a car privately in January and I haven't received the paperwork yet to confirm that I am the new owner of the car. I also haven't received the renewal form for my road tax. What do I do?
Recently, someone drove in to the back of my car. I then phoned to claim repairs through my insurance company. Apparently they then refer all claims and car hire to an accident management company. A couple...
When my Hyundai Coupe 2.0 SE (1998) is running at normal operating temperature, one of the two fans cuts in and out as normal. When the air conditioning is switched on straight away, both fans cut in and...
I am currently driving about 650-700 miles per week (rarely on motorways) in my Laguna 2.0 auto petrol, and really need to change to a more economical vehicle because of my mileage. The Renault does about...
I currently own an 04-plate Ford StreetKa which I want to part exchange. I've been told by the garage I bought it from that its worth £4000 as a part exchange. I want a reliable, solid yet stylish small...
During the last few weeks my Volkswagen Eos's ESP light has been permanently on. It developed this fault a month before the guarantee ran out, and I took it to a French dealer who informed me that it was...
Back in March we bought a Mazda MX-5. It's a 2007 57-plate 2.0 Sport. We test drove it and thought the gearbox was a little tricky to get into first gear to start with, but once down the road it was fine....
Can you please tell me which of these diesel engines come with cam belts and which with cam chains: Nissan Micra 1.5, Renault Clio 1.5 and Ford Fusion 1.4. I do about 4000 miles per year.
I currently own a X-reg (2000) Peugeot 306 HDI which needs changing before the next winter. I've done 300,000 miles in two 306s, so I fancy something with a bit more go. My normal annual mileage is 20,000...
When I approached a roundabout with the intention of going straight through, I approached it on the left lane, but another car came up beside me on the right, squeezing between me and the roundabout, to...
I have an automatic Ford Mondeo and recently the air conditioning has not been working. It works for about 10 minutes and then throws out air (not hot, but definitely not air conditioned). My local garage...
I was wondering if anyone has experience of replacing a middle seat lapbelt with a three point belt for a 2002 Vauxhall Zafira or a similar car? Would it cause a problem when it's MoT time?
My Volkswagen Touran has the ESP dashboard indication on and the ESP button lit up all the time. What is my best first move for this?
I've just received a replacement photocard driving licence as my previous one was past the 10-year point, thus requiring an updated photograph (plus a payment of £20). The DVLA specifically requests that...
I have a 2-litre 2003 Peugeot 807 LX HD. In March we were driving on a motorway when the engine light came on, and the computer read "anti pollution fault" and the car went into "limp mode". It was still...
My 23-year-old daughter is about to place an order for a car, and she'd like something economical but sporty and young looking. Her current choice is a 1.6 Volkswagen Golf Bluemotion Tech 3-door in white...
I like the idea of your site but it does confuse me. I am on a limited budget and can afford £4000 on a secondhand car, but every car has its faults. Could you do recommendations for budgets on estimated...
I have 2002 Mondeo 1.8 petrol with 72,000 miles. Recently, an intermittent clattering has developed from the engine. In addition, whether related or unrelated, the starter motor has been a little temperamental....
I have an MG ZT-T 2L diesel auto estate with 130,000 miles on the clock. Last year I had two expensive bills and now my air conditioning is playing up. It has checked out OK on refrigerant charge, but...
My '99 Peugeot 306 is having problems with the front wipers. They work, but only very slowly and then gradually speed up the longer you keep them on, but it can take a while before they're up to even normal...
I live in Northern Ireland and Im thinking of buying a car in Scotland. The current owner can deliver it as far as Stranraer. I can have it towed away once it gets to Larne. Would I be able to drive it...
We are considering purchasing a new FIAT 500 1.2 Sport. Can we realistically expect any discount on list, or failing that what extras can be satisfactorily negotiated into the deal?
My 2003 Jaguar XJ Super 8 automatic has recently been making an occasional, mild, gearbox "thump" when changing up from first to second gear, together with an amber engine warning light and a gearbox fault...
I am an observer for the Institute of Advanced Motorists and am currently observing a gentleman to help him to pass his advanced driving test. His car is a 2010 KIA Cee'd 1.6 diesel with an automatic gearbox...
Do number plates with the wrong font or spacing or letters changed by screw position, eg C to E, and are therefore illegal, affect the insurance of the car? Is this something one should take note of in...
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