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Questions from April 2011
As we travelled along the nearside lane of a motorway recently, my husband flashed his car lights to indicate to a car driver wanting to join the motorway that we were there and that he should not attempt...
I renewed my car insurance 15 days before it was due (with much difficulty due to hearing problems). Now, 10 days after it was due I have still not received any confirmation of renewal through the post...
I feel bound to add weight to the letter from RH of Cumbria about the catastrophic failure of certain tyre pressure monitoring systems. In February 2010 three Siemens TPMS valves failed within 24 hours...
Can you clarify whether debt collection agencies can be used to collect debts without a court order?
Just a note to say your comment that "debt collection agencies cannot legally be used unless a court order is obtained" is wrong. Such agencies can be and are used far more often to collect debts that...
You advised me of problems with Saab diesel engines and also potential problems with the DPF on a 1-year-old ex-demonstrator Subaru Legacy. After more research I purchased a new Mazda 6 TS2 with the 2.2...
I know you question your loyalty to Volkswagen, but they can't all be that bad. I know a lot of people put in complaints about them, but there are a heck of a lot them out there; same as SEAT (reliability-wise,...
I understand that a child cannot travel in the front seat unless the airbag is disabled (our grandson isn't three yet). Our 2002 MX-5 has not got a disabling switch. Our Mazda dealer couldn't help, saying...
Seduced by the promise of half price MOTs on Halfords website, my daughter took her 2003 Fiat Punto for the test. It failed and she was told it would need £600 of work, but she was eligible for a discount...
I have purchased a used Audi from a local dealer.
They offered a three-month full warranty with the vehicle.
Unfortunately the car has been back to the garage on several occasions and has cost the...
Recently on the motorway I had to accelerate hard.
All was fine until about 3,000rpm then there was a noticeable drop in power and the glow plug warning light appeared.
I stayed on til I had time to...
My mother is about to have her third clutch in four years replaced.
We moved to rural Devon where there are steep hills and narrow lanes with passing places. She is a game old bird who loves to drive...
I've been getting illustrative quotes for my daughter, aged 23, when she buys her first car as soon as she passes her test. On a typical VW Polo or Toyota Yaris costing £5k we are looking at £2.5k or...
My garage tells me that a catalytic converter and sensor for my Daihatsu Extol can be purchased ONLY from the main Daihatsu wholesaler at the exhorbitant price of around £800 for the two items.
Is this...
Bought a car 2 weeks ago, and someone in their wisdom decided to apply either intentionally or not, wax to the windscreen! (before my purchase) - looks maybe like an accidental runoff ?
Anyway, every...
I have a RX400h, 2007 with 94,000 miles.
Owned the car from new, full dealer history. I had a fault coming up on the dash saying 'hybrid system failure' and a VSC code.
Car now in the Lexus dealers,...
In March I was towing my horsebox with one large horse and a very small pony when the car all of a sudden blew out black smoke and accelerated to 4,000 revs, the car was covered by warranty so went back...
We bought a BMW X5 from a car dealer, things started going wrong with it very early on.
We discovered after investigation it was clocked and was not the car we thought we were buying. We won the criminal...
I'm selling my car privately. The purchaser will want a test drive. What do I need to do about insurance?
I am 6' 6", disabled, and need a reasonably high vehicle, large, with front doors in excess of 105 cms. I have tried just about everything from Range Rover down, and just can't get in. Would consider an...
I am having to sell my fun and faultless 2000 Golf Cabriolet as I am setting up my own business and need a bigger vehicle.
I have a small budget of £2500 and have been tempted by a second hand 2.5 V6...
Is it safe and practical to downsize the tyres on my XK8 from Pirelli 245/50/17 to Falken 235/50/17's?
I want to buy a set of steel rims and winter tyres for my 10-plate Mercedes-Benz B180 CDI auto.
I would like to fit a smaller rim with a narrower tyre of higher profile. There seems to be a problem with...
Have a Nissan Micra R reg and have only done 60,000 miles.
She sadly needs to be replaced. What would you recommend for someone who usually only does town mileage, with occasional trips out in GB at...
Would you have any help to direct me to a company that would do blanket motoring legal cover for myself and my wife to drive the four cars we have?
Is it correct that, although lean burn technology offers better fuel economy and lower emissions, the EU compels manufacturers to fit catalytic converters instead, using up such rare and valuable metals...
I am looking for a four-wheel-drive hatchback. It must have a manual gearbox, a petrol engine, 04/5 seats, max 5 to 8 years old.
I have around £10,000 have looked at the Focus RS. It's a bit small so...
Please put my mind at rest, or help me out with what to do!
My husband's car, a W reg Renault Megane was recently dented by another driver reversing out of a parking space into the side of his car as he...
I bought a 58-plate Mondeo 1.8TDCI with 8,000 miles from a Ford Direct dealer with an unlimited mileage warranty for 2yrs.
The car has been serviced at the specified intervals at a Ford dealer and is...
For the 3rd consequtive year I renewed the warranty with Car Plan in Dec 10 @ £115 per month.
I sold the car yesterday and cancelled the Direct debit and informed warranty firm but they still want the...
I purhased a 2002 Peugeot 307 HDI last October. I bought it in Coventry and it ran well to my home town in South Wales.
The car has been left standing for sometime and now I have started using it, but...
There's water loss somewhere, but I can't find out where.
No visable signs of water loss. Engine runs well and there is plenty of power. No mayo in the radiator, but I have to fill up with water every...
I have £5k to spend on a four seat convertible for two Adults and two children. I am 6ft 5inches tall. What do you suggest?
I'm driving a 56-plate 2.0-litre TDi SEAT Leon with 33k miles on the clock.
I bought it in Feb 08 from a SEAT dealer and it was initially registered by SEAT UK and used for promotional events. I initially...
I bought a 2005 Saab Vector TiD (c, 43k miles) about a month (and 1,300 miles ago) from a Vauxhall Dealer, he provided a 3 month Dealership Warranty which has a single claim limit of £1,000.
I have taken...
I bought a BMW 320 last year from Alexanders Prestige and was offered a warranty on the vehicle that was renewable for as long as I owned the vehicle.
The warranty was with Motorcare but was sold to...
Recently ordered a car and quoted 13 week delivery on 29/03/11.
Informed today that the build date is to be mid August with delivery mid September, due to DSG problems.
Whilst I am aware of the DSG...
The lovely guys at ATS who check my tyre pressures are recommending that I have my tyres filled with nitrogen. According to them tyre pressures will then only need to be checked twice a year. Is this a...
The engine of my 56 plate 1.4 TSI Golf has suffered complete failure. It has 41,000 miles on the clock in under 5 years of careful driving and has a full service history through the dealership.
Surely...
I have a problem with power. The rev counter only goes to 2,000 revs and the engine management light has came on.
I have been told it's something to do with the turbo not kicking in. Either the pipe...
My 1998 Chrysler Voyager has started having overheating problems in that the water will shoot into and out of the expansion tank!
Hi, I had a problem with my Opel Zafira 2002.
I faced a lot of problems. The first problem was the car stopped when I was taking an exit from motorway. The mechanic replaced thermostat and EGR valve...
My Xsara Picasso 2.0 HDI wont start! I have checked the fuel system and fuel is coming from the tank to the injectors, but it does not seem to return to the tank, possibly as both ports on top of the filter...
My daughter lives near Richmond, West London. Last week she had her car's (Northern Ireland registered) number plate stolen.
She immediately reported it to the police, who sent round an officer the...
My son has negotiated to buy a used car from a dealer who acquired it with a cherished number.
Having had ownership transferred to them, they now have a V5 with the cherished number, but their attitude...
My in car fan heater is overheating and blowing hot air all the time, i.e. not cool when in the blue zone. What part is needed to fix this?
I bought my 55 plate Audi A3 2.0FSI second hand from my local Audi Dealer at 50K miles.
It's been serviced by them for the last 3 years and it's at 69K miles now. Good car.
Recently the clutch started...
I need two rear tyres for my 08-plate Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.4-litre. Are there any particular tyres you could recommend for fuel economy please? I average about 8,000-10,000 miles a year. Thanks
Part-exchanged my 180,000 mile car for £800 with dealer and handed over VT20 MOT Certificate which had a few weeks left on it before expiry.
However, we had put car in for re-test early, prior to part-ex,...
My 2.0-litre TDI 170 6sp A4 has been perfect so far whilst commuting 20 miles each way.
Now at three and a half years old and 41,000 miles my new commute will be only 3 miles each way. I would like to...
We used to own a Rover Landrover 3 (from new) but after 3 years and as soon as warranty had run out we changed it for a BMW 5 series touring model 520 diesel SE, a pre registered model with auto gearbox.
We...
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