How can I stop my Fiat Stilo Abarth Selespeed 'kangarooing'?

I have a 2002 Fiat Stilo Abarth fitted with Selespeed transmission. I have owned the car since 2003. The car has done 36,000 miles. Soon after purchasing the car I noticed that, on starting from cold,...

Can my 2008 Ford Fiesta Style be upgraded to have central locking?

I recently purchased a 2008 Ford Fiesta Style and, to my amazement, the car came with a key which looks very much like what my grandmother had for her car 15 years ago, a simple plastic thing with no remote...

The dealer has had my car for engine repairs for a month - what can I do to speed the process along?

I bought my car from a dealership in 2009. It's an one-year-old ex-demo with low mileage. No problems with previous service history. This year in Feb it started having problems. The engine indicator lights...

Why does my Smart car feel like it's labouring at slower speeds?

I have a new Smart Car which is using a lot of fuel and feels as though it is labouring when trying to keep to 30mph and 40 mph speed limits. Is the car too powerful or is there something wrong with it?...

Will the W204 Mercedes-Benz C200 really never need replacing?

I own a 2004 Ford C-Max TDCi with over 100,000 miles on the clock, which will need replacing fairly soon. I seem to remember you writing that if one bought a Mercedes-Benz 220 CDi, it would never require...

Is there a variable windscreen wiper rate relay available for my Honda CR-V?

Some years ago I had a Volkswagen Passat. I purchased a relay that replaced the wiper relay and gave a variable rate of sweep. This worked by switching on the wipers in 'Intermittent' and when you got...

Why isn't wishbone replacement on my Citroen C6 covered by the warranty?

My Citroen C6 is just over three years old, owned from new with 58,000 miles and always serviced at a Citroen dealer. I took out Citroen's extended warranty. At a recent service the Citroen dealer informed...

Could an aftermarket air filter be causing my Ford Puma to misfire?

My Ford Puma 1.7 1999 V reg has been misfiring lately. Over the last few days it cuts out when I brake and misfires at low revs. When idling I have to keep revving to stop it cutting out. The car seems...

Should I spend £2000 on repairs for my Volkswagen Golf or trade it in for a new Kia Picanto?

I bought a 2002 Volkswagen Golf automatic in June 2006 for £6500. Milage was only 16,000. I used it for the last four years and added 20,000 miles on it, so it has 35,000 miles now. During the last few...

Is it normal for Audi TTs to use oil?

My brother has bought a brand new Audi TT and it is using oil - Audi say this is normal. We have a 142,000-mile Volvo V70 diesel and it never uses oil. I believe it indicates a problem with the Audi -...

My Ford Focus Powershift diesel only does 40mpg but is quoted at 47-62mpg. Who do I complain to?

I recently bought a Ford Focus Powershift diesel and the garage quoted Ford figures of 47-62mpg. It only ever reaches 40mpg. If I had been told this initially I would never have bought it. I feel I have...

My Chrysler Grand Voyager automatic is stuck in gear - how do I repair it?

My 1998 Chrysler Grand Voyager LE automatic seems to be stuck in a low gear, and won't change up. I was advised to get a new heavy-duty battery, as the original one went flat and wouldn't hold a charge....

Does the Volkswagen Golf TDi tend to clog up its DPF?

I've been looking at the Volkswagen Golf TDi 105PS Bluemotion, but was told today by a fellow Volkswagen fan that I need to beware of their tendency to clog up the diesel particulate filter every 6-800...

How are the tappets in my Rover 416 1.6-litre twin cam engine adjusted?

I've got a Rover 416 1.6 twin cam. Recently my tappets have got noisy and I was told by the garage that it has self-adjusting tappets. What can I do about this?

Can ANPR identify the driver of a car?

Do ANPR cameras automatically pick up drivers with just provisional licence, even thought the car has an MoT, insurance and tax?

Is the Hyundai i10 still the best small automatic car?

My sister has stopped driving due to arthritis, but I feel that she could drive a small automatic. I know that you rate the Hyundai i10, but it seems to have increased in price quite a lot. As I am thinking...

Should Volkswagen contribute to repairing an air conditioning hose fault on my 2007 California camper?

I have a 2007 Volkswagen California camper with 27,000 miles on the clock which went out of warranty on 22 July. An air conditioning hose has split which is going to cost around £700 to replace, because...

Should we replace our Rover 416 with a Kia Cee'd or Skoda Fabia?

I am thinking of purchasing a new motor prior to my retirement. At present I use an old Rover 416 automatic and having been looking at a Kia Cee'd and Skoda Fabia. Both would probably suit my wife and...

How should I remove a nasty smell from my Saab 9-3's interior?

I have a 51 reg Saab 9-3 SE TiD with half-leather trim, I have owned it for the last seven years. I have kept it much longer than planned but it keeps going very happily. My daughter says it has an odour...

I bumped another car but am being asked to fix damage I didn't cause - am I liable?

I had an unfortunate incident yesterday in my work's car park. My car wouldn't start so I had to push it back to get the start leads to the engine. When I was getting pushed back my brakes didn't work...

How do I reset my 2004 Ford Fiesta's immobiliser?

My 2004 Ford Fiesta 04 Flame 1.4's battery has died, so I tried to jump-start the car and a red padlock light started flashing and the car wouldn't start. I've been told its something to do with the immobiliser...

I went through an amber traffic light - am I likely to be prosecuted?

I just went through an amber light in a 40mph zone. I didn't see a flash but I was wondering if you could give me some advice. I'm worrying because I've got six points already.

Should I buy a Ford Mondeo or BMW 320?

I am planning to buy a two-year-old car to replace my 1996 diesel Ford Mondeo. I am looking at either a BMW 320 diesel or a Ford Mondeo Titanium diesel. It would seem that for the same price I will get...

Can I drive through Spain on runflat tyres with no spare wheel?

I am travelling to Spain by car and I understand that it is obligatory to carry a spare wheel. I have runflat tyres and also carry a tyre inflator. Are these sufficient? My car does not have a housing...

I can't find what seems like a blockage in my 2001 Peugeot 306's cooling system.

I've recently changed my 2001 Peugeot 306's water pump but the coolant doesn't seem to circulate. I've even removed the thermostat. One of the radiator pipes is very hot and the other is cold. I've checked...

Are all warranties as useless as the one covering my Peugeot 207 SW?

I have a Peugeot 207 SW with just 30,000 miles on the clock. It is still within its three-year warranty and at 29,000 miles the clutch went. Peugeot would not repair this under warranty and the new clutch...

What's causing my Honda CR-V to judder at 60mph?

My 2.2 Honda CR-V CDI is five and a half years old and has done 87,000 miles. It has developed an alarming judder at around 60mph which disappears at about 65mph. I thought it might be wheel balance, so...

Why can't I get a replacement wing mirror for my Chrysler Grand Cherokee?

I have a Grand Cherokee jeep in grey, which I bought new last September. Unfortunately, a man in a white van has hit my vehicle and it now needs a new wing mirror on the driver's side. I took it to my...

Have you heard of many dash failures in Renault Scenics and Espaces?

The electronic dashboard in my 2004 Renault Espace went faulty on a motorway, leaving the car incapable of being driven with no speedo or fuel gauge. A similar issue arose with Renault Scenics in 2008-2009....

Why won't my 1998 Renault Megane start?

My 1998 Renault Megane Cabriolet has had intermittent starting problems for a while now. The car seems to be fine but won't start. Battery appears fine. I thought it may be the immobiliser, as a few on...

Are 2005 Vauxhalls prone to engine failure?

I have been looking at your website following the breakdown of my 05-plate Vauxhall. Can you tell me how people went about getting Vauxhall to pay for the repairs? I am having no luck with them as they...

Why is my Vauxhall Vectra 'flat-spotting'?

My Y-reg 1.8 Vauxhall Vectra Estate has started spasmodically flat-spotting for a few seconds at a time. It then picks up again and it may not happen again for several days or weeks. It appears to happen...

We're looking for a runaround and can't decide between the Nissan Juke and Ford Fiesta.

My wife and I are looking to get a 'runaround' which is suitable for transporting our new granddaughter and my wife's elderly mother. We think it needs to have five doors and we've eliminated the Yaris,...

Why won't Nissan contribute to a clutch repair on my Pathfinder as promised?

I have a 2007 Nissan Pathfinder and the warranty expired last month. I have had it for 18 months and the clutch has gone. I asked Nissan customer services and they told me to take it to my local Nissan...

Which Volkswagen 1.2 three-cylinder diesels have timing belts and which have chains?

Does the latest Volkswagen 1.2 three-cylinder diesel use a timing belt or chain? I am considering a new or nearly new car, but try to avoid timing belts.

Will my Nissan Note's DPF be ok if I take it for a 40-mile drive once a week?

I bought a new Nissan Note 1.5 diesel in March. Soon afterwards, I moved house with work and now it only has a three-mile trip each day. At weekends I ensure it gets a round trip of at least 40 miles in...

The air conditioning in my Honda FR-V needs an expensive repair - how do I get a goodwill contribution?

A holed condenser caused gas loss in my Honda FR-V in late May. It was replaced in early June (£475) but operating pressure was too high (24 atm and rising, normal 10-14). Communications between my local...

Are Hyundai i10s known for being unreliable?

My daughter's Hyundai i10 (purchased pre-registered new in January 2009) has, after some considerable to-ing and fro-ing, had the EMC changed. Around September 2009, it was 'juddering' and the warning...

Which 4x4 for commuting, carrying the children to school and towing a horsebox?

I need a car that will take my children to school, take me to work, drive up a muddy (especially awful in winter) track to take hay to my horses, and pull a trailer with two horses in it. I don't want...

How do you transfer registration on an ex-Motability car?

When re-registering an ex-Motability car, does the new owner have to go in person to the DVLA office or can someone other than the dealer do it for them?

Is this new Volkswagen Phaeton a good replacement for my father's Mercedes-Benz S320?

My father is interested in changing his 2002 Mercedes-Benz S320 CDI (owned since new) to a pre-reg 2010 3.0-litre TDI Phaeton with 25 miles on the clock. It has £5000 of options and is priced at less than...

How busy does the M25 get in rush hour between junction 5 and junction 15?

I am traveling from Folkestone to Bristol on Friday morning. The route requires going on the M25 clockwise from junction 5 (M20) to junction 15 (M4). Can anyone advise me of the likely travel time this...

Should the head gasket have failed on my mother's 2004 Subaru Impreza 2.0 GX?

My mother's 2004 Subaru Impreza 2.0 GX was serviced on 7 May 2010 this year. On 19 July 2010 we broke down on the motorway, which resulted in a bill for £1825.34. The garage found that the head gasket...

I'm worried that my 2008 BMW 520d may have a DPF fault - should I have the oil changed?

Six weeks ago I purchased an August 2008 BMW 520d Touring from a BMW main agent. It was supplied having being maintained from new by the same BMW dealer. When I bought the car, I noticed that the sump...

Will BMW offer any goodwill on my husband's BMW 118i dual mass flywheel repair?

My husband has a BMW 118i which is four years old in September. He has been quoted £1500 by a local BMW agent, who has diagnosed that the clutch and "clutch wheel" have burnt out and disintegrated after...

Which reliable 4x4 with a large boot can I buy for £20,000?

I am struggling to find a vehicle (used or new) that meets my following simple requirements: 4x4, can fit an adult and two child seats in the back, good boot space, affordable (less than £20,000) and has...

Should I sell or keep my 56-plate BMW 320d SE Touring?

I have a 56 plate BMW 320d SE Touring, owned from new, which has done 90,000 miles commuting up and down the motorway. I am trying to work out whether I should keep the car or replace it, and if so, when....

Where can I sell my Ford Ranger?

I have an "M" reg Ford Ranger left-hand drive, manual 3-litre engine, step side, flat bed truck to sell. It has 89,000 genuine miles and I have no idea of where to start with value or where to sell.

What could replace our 2002 Renault Megane Fidji?

We would like to replace our 2002 Renault Megane Fidji (1.6 petrol) with a similar car as my wife likes the height of the front seats. We would like a car with lower VED if possible. Have you any suggestions...

How can I cheaply repair my MINI Convertible's faulty roof?

I have a MINI Convertible on a 54 plate with just under 33,000 miles on the clock. I have had the car about 18 months. The gearbox was replaced after a few months of my purchase, due to a manufacturer...