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Questions from August 2010
Which one do you recommend? The BMW X1 or Mercedes-Benz C250 CGI?
I've just bought a 51-plate Citroen Xsara Picasso from auction. There have been some strange messages coming up on the dash, such as an 'overspeed inactive' warning as well as an 'electrical immobiliser...
Could you tell me if the water pump on a 1998 Ford Escort Finesse 1.6 is cam belt-driven? I am no mechanic, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
I have got a Toyota Camry VVT automatic 2004 that tends to have a misfire. I have changed the plugs and tested the coil packs and found the number two piston to be the reason for that. Is the problem electrical...
The handling on my 59-plate Mercedes-Benz SLK 200 is really solid on the sports low profile tyres and wheels. Can I fit the standard SLK wheels and tyres? Any snags or warranty issues, and will it make...
My car crashed into a barrier in Scotland. The barrier is bent and the car is a complete write-off. I want to cancel my insurance as it is only third party, but who is liable for the barrier damage?
Could you give me information on popular makes of estate diesels and hatchbacks which have cam chains please?
I have a 1999 Citroen Saxo. Which of the three relays above the fusebox is the one for the heated rear window?
I am about to trade in my old Ford Focus for a year-old Focus. I've just noticed an item on the quote listed as "Documentation and Taxation" with a value of £74.73 plus VAT. I don't recall this being...
I have jut obtained a quote for repairing the clutch in my V-reg Volkswagen 1.4 Polo. It had a clutch repair six months ago, but for the last 10-15 days the car is not very smooth. The garage said that...
I have a Land Rover Freelander with 18-inch rims. In order to fit winter tyres, can I put on 16-inch or 17-inch rims on, or not because of the brakes etc?
We had a problem with a knocking sound on our 2005 Toyota Avensis. We extended the warranty in September 2009, and had the car serviced and MOTd under their terms. We were shocked to hear that we would...
My Renault Megane Dynamique has done 28,000 miles and one rear wheel bearing has had to be replaced, as the other does now. Is this normal?
I recall reading about vibrations from the driveshaft on the CVT automatic Honda Jazz. Is this a problem that Honda is aware of?
My 2001 Honda Civic SE automatic has been diagnosed as needing a new low pressure pipe and/or condenser. £500 is the quote for whole job. The Honda official agent has said he can do just the pipe for £160,...
I wonder if you have looked at the Auto Bild 100,000km tests? They ran a Golf and an Astra to 200,000km and the results make me wonder if manufacturer's oil change intervals are perfectly adequate after...
I have been looking at buying a Hyundai i30 estate - the premium version. The target price on another website is £15,164 and the list price is £17,150. However, Hyundai have the 'trade-in, trade-up' deal...
We have a four-year-old Volkswagen Golf MkV 1.6 FSI petrol. I'm told today by my local non-franchised Volkswagen specialist that the rattling that developed two days ago is the inside of the catalytic...
I am about to change my car and would welcome some advice. I can spend £3500 tops. The car has to be automatic, have five doors, be a hatchback because of the dogs, and no larger than 1.4-litre. The bigger...
My wife has a Merecedes-Benz A-Class bought just over a year ago from one of the car supermarkets. It still has outstanding warranty on it and runs well. It is low mileage, but has been used daily by ourselves....
I've seen and test driven a Volkswagen Polo 1.4S 52 with 48,000 miles. It's up for £3495, has a full service history, one owner and is HPI clear. Is £3300 reasonable? I've also seen a Volkswagen Polo 1.4SW...
I've just had my 54 plate D22 Nissan Navara written off by another driver. I'm hoping I can get maybe £7000 from the insurance and now find myself with an issue. Do I spent the £7000 on another similar...
I am looking to spend up to £15,000 on a secondhand car for my wife, who only will do 4000 miles per year so I'm looking at one or two year-old car. I would like either front wheel drive or 4X4, as we're...
How much am I looking at paying for a new clutch on a 2002 Ford Mondeo?
The button on the handbrake in my 2003 BMW 325Ci is stuck pushed in, and as such I can no longer get it to grab when I pull it up. Is there a way I can fix this myself?
Which is the cheapest country in Europe to buy a left-hand drive car from?
I have a 2006 Skoda Fabia 1.9TDI PD. After driving for about 10 minutes the ESP light comes on and stays on. Once you stop and turn the ignition off, the light goes off but comes back on after another...
I'm looking for an interesting car to buy for six months as I'm looking to come back to the UK to work for six months next year. My requirements are fairly relaxed; a good fun four-seater car which can...
My son-in-law has purchased, two months ago, a 2005 Vauxhall Astra CDTI (1.7-litre turbo diesel). The car is a saloon hatchback with only 31,000 miles on the clock. My son-in-law uses the car daily, but...
I am looking for a car with three Isofix fittings to take three child seats on the second row. I would rather not have a very large car like a Galaxy. I have looked at the Citroen C4 Picasso but the semi-automatic...
Do you know what the equivalent spring rates are for the Citroen Xantia front suspension? Is there any way I can alter the pounds per inch rate of these units?
I have a 1996 Peugeot 106. The immobiliser has locked itself. The red and green light are on together and the dashboard lights are on too, but it wont start. Is there a way to override this?
I thought you might like to comment on the way the 2007 Lexus IS250 cruise control operates when resuming from a speed below that saved in the system. Rather than accelerating steadily (cruising?) back...
Do automatic transmissions have or need dual mass flywheels? How do I know if a car has one?
I received a recall letter last Wednesday for a potential problem with my Audi A4's plenum chamber. Ironically my car broke down on Saturday and, according to the AA, it was caused by water corrosion in...
I am a trustee of a small UK charity working to improve primary education in Uganda. We are trying to find a suitable secondhand vehicle for use in our charity's work in a rural area of Uganda. One possibility...
The car is a 2007 Renault Laguna 150 DCI. The windscreen is developing spots, about 3mm in diameter, like semi-transparent watermarks which are inside the screen, perhaps between the laminate layers. They...
We are looking at a 1.4 Fiesta Titanium in Sea Grey. The dealer is offering it at £12,000 plus our Y-reg Puma valued at £1200. I'd like reversing sensors and mud flaps included but the dealer won't budge....
I use a Tom Tom Go 370 Navigator in conjunction with an RDS-TMC Traffic Receiver aerial also by Tom Tom. Recently I noticed, what looked like deep scratch marks on the dashboard of my car. It was only...
My wife has a 2006 Nissan Micra 1.6 Sport, so it's just 6 months or so out of its 3-year warranty. The other day when she started it up the brake warning and the ABS warning lights and the ESP off warning...
I have just completed a 3,000-mile trip around Europe, and travelling quite fast on the autobahn the TPMS warned of a puncture. It was Saturday afternoon and no garages open, so I took it easy for the...
Yesterday I took delivery of a new BMW 320i convertible. However I am quite upset with the noticeable 'orange peel' (literally in this case, as the car is a shade of orange/red). Although I looked the...
My sister-in-law purchased a Hyundai i10 under the Scappage Scheme 12 months ago and is highly delighted with the car. During the recent hot spell she has been using the air conditioning but insists on...
Back in January this year I year I e-mailed for advice on the Skoda 1.2 TSI 105 engine in the Yeti SE as I was concerned about the power for a large car, having driven nothing smaller than a 1.9 engine...
The central locking and alarm system of my 2002 BMW 318i Touring has started to malfunction. Sometimes the system will operate normally, other times not unlocking any doors and on occasion, only releasing...
I recently took part in a couple of community clean up days in villages in my area. Much of the litter along the verges appeared to come from cars. Cars have glove compartments, cigarette lighters and...
I have a Kuga 2.0 Titanium diesel and it’d brand new. However my pride and joy has been in the garage for the last month because of engine malfunction. The AA believe it is particulate fuel filter issues,...
I've taken your advice and won't deal with a Swedish buyer for my car who wants to pay be bank transfer and have his agent pick the car up. However I am curious to know how the money would be taken back...
In 1971 I was working as a car salesman. It was a Saturday and I had just filled the tank of my demonstration car. I was in the countryside and I had to stop for a cow on the road. However I was on the...
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