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Questions from January 2013
My wife and I live in Portugal on our own, but are visited by families of our children and grandchildren. We need a low-priced but reliable 7 seat people carrier.
It would be used as a second car so...
The time has come to replace my much loved Daihatsu Terios. I need a reliable 4 wheel drive automatic (dodgy knee). It must be able to deal with unmade country lanes, occasional off-road use and deep snow...
In September 2009 I bought my first ever brand-new car (a Peugeot 107) under the government's scrappage scheme. I put down a £4000 deposit (lent by family) and finished paying it off in Sep 2012. When...
I am considering purchasing a 2006 / 06 Plate Grand Cherokee diesel auto with 66 thousand miles through a dealer asking £7995. This appears to be a good price .
I am aware that the V6 is a Mercedes engine....
My 2006 Subaru Forester 2.0L manual has recently started beeping (a single beep) when first starting. Should I be concerned?
Every so often the red warning light comes on and the car is stuck in 'N' so I can't move.
The engine won't turn on.
This usually happens when I'm waiting at a junction or traffic lights & want to...
Does this engine have a diesel particulate filter?
My Fiat Panda 1.2 Dynamic petrol 2006 is due for a cam belt replacement. The garage have told me that if it goes, it will damage the engine. (which I thought too) However, some forums suggest that model...
I'm thinking of buying either a:
Mazda 6 2008 2.0d or 2.2d hatchback
BMW 320d 2006 saloon
Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0 diesel 2008 saloon
Which one would you recommend and why?
I wondered what could be wrong with my car so I don't get quoted incorrectly by a garage (just because I am female).
I have had my car for approximately two months which was bought privately. For the...
Hello,
can you please give me some info regarding the soundproofing of the post facelift Ford Focus mk2? I've driven the previous one (2004-2008) and it was very noisy, especially wind and tyre noise....
I am in the process of taking a dealer to small claims court - I bought a Toyota previa from them in June for £3125. It was 12 years old and had done 130,000 miles. It broke down 2 months later having...
Still very pleased with my 307 cc which I bought after receiving your great advice four years ago. The back brakes are worn and make a screeching noise, so I have been told by my local Peugeot garage that...
On 23rd July 2012 I was involved in a minor accident. The circumstances were (at least in my mind) pretty straightforward. I had entered the Waitrose carpark in Wantage. The carpark was about two thirds...
My Ford Focus key fob stopped working. It opens doors manually via the central locking and starts the car fine, though. We replaced the battery - still nothing. I've tried coding it using the ignitions...
I currently drive a newish Volskwagen Passat, which is perfect for carrying two sets of golf clubs and two electric trollies out of view in the boot. However I now require something with greater ground...
I am just writing to say that having finally taken your (repeated) advice and put some winter tyres on my 330i BMW Coupe, I am absolutely astounded at the difference they make.
This morning I have driven...
I am thinking of replacing my Discovery 3 with a Discovery 4. Will I be able to use my winter tyres and wheels on the latter (255/55/r19)?
I would like to sell my Ford KA 2002 plate. I am thinking of putting it up on Autotrader but not sure how much for. It has 51.000miles, 1.2, 2002.
I have just bought a BMW X5 4.4 sport 2005, and wanted to know which winter tyres you recommend.
The current tyres are 285/45/R19 at the back and 255/50/R19 at the front.
Do alloy wheels have a finite life? For some reason I think I read somewhere that they do and can become porous over time. I cannot find anything obvious relating to it on the web though.
I have a W reg 1.8 Ghia which has suddenly started overrevving - to 4,500 rpm.
It is intermittent but getting worse and therefore no engine braking is available. I have disconnected battery to reset...
I need a spare wheel to take with me on a Scandinavian tour up to the Arctic circle and back through Lapland. Even a space saver is better than a bottle of sealant. Any suggestions appreciated.
I want replace the 2000cc petrol engine with a diesel from 1500cc to 1800cc in my Suzuki Grand Vitara.
My MOT has come back with three advisorys - leaking shocks, treads down to 3, but the one that worries me is that they said the rear of my fuel tank is badly corroded and will need to be replaced within...
On your excellent recommendation in 2009 we bought a Hyundai i30 1.4 Comfort under the scrappage scheme and have been delighted with it. As you I think have pointed out the tyres the car came with produce...
I own a Nissan Primera, 2004 registration, 2.0 manual petrol hatchback.
It has done 140K since I bought it in 2005. So far it is doing fine with a few things needed to be replaced. What are your thoughts...
I need a car with a big estate boot to carry barrels of beer - approx. six barrels at a time, weight approximately 55s or 330kg.
Comfortable and reliable are keywords, was looking at a 10-year-old Mercedes-Benz...
My wife suffers a chronic and quite unique lower-back problem, she also drives 25,000 miles a year and finds it hard to remain out of pain for long. Her current car (Volvo S40) has great seats and she...
My Vauxhall Zafira 1.6 won't run. Starts for two seconds and then cuts out.
When stood at idle after about a minute I believe it goes into get you home mode or just has no power, once I turn engine of and start it back up it runs fine!
My wifes 2010 reg Peugeot 207 has a problem with excessive tyre wear on the front 'passenger side ' wheel, while the 'drivers side' wheel has perfectly normal even wear, so I don't think it's a tracking...
What options in the way of a 4X4 with a 1600cc or less engine are there? Petrol preferably, or no DPF. Offroading will be only on the ranges at Bisley. Low tax and running cost required
Should I buy Jaguar wheels or non Jaguar wheels to run winter tyres?
A reputable second hand car dealer has a Mercedes-Benz S350 on an 03-plate with 47,000 miles on the clock for sale at £5890.
What should I consider?
What average MPG Short and long distance?
What is...
I have a Mk1 (1990) VW Golf 1.8 Clipper Cabriolet Auto and have had it for many years.
The auto box is starting to play up a little bit so am thinking of taking the plunge and having the car converted...
What is your view of Alpinas please. Are they a relaible brand or just a high maintenance version of a BMW? Generally they seem to be well maintained.
Recently I bought a pre registered car from a dealership. The car was registered on 29.9.2012 and I took delivery of it on 12.10.12. The tax disc expires on 31.8.13, which is puzzling, as one usually can...
We are looking to buy a new family car for 3 children aged 5, 2 and 4 months who are all in car seats, we want to be able to fit all 3 car seats across the backseat so have narrowed it down to Ford Galaxy...
I have often read in your column of the shortcomings of diesel engines when used for frequent short runs, particularly the huge expense of replacing a DPF. I am in the process of a career change, becoming...
I am an equine veterinary surgeon doing over 40,000 miles a year. My Saab 9.3 2.2-litre diesel has come to the end of its life at close to 300,000 miles. What do you suggest to replace it? I always buy...
I recently received a PCN from Gravesham council for failure to display a ticket on an Audi. I live in Shropshire and my car (a Renault) was on the drive at home at the time, so I sent them a photo of...
My partner is driving me to distraction, he always said when he retired he would buy the youngest S-Type or similar F-Type. Now retired he cannot make up his mind whether to keep his Volvo S40 saloon or...
I live in the country and with that comes furry little friends. My last two cars have incurred damage due to mice getting under the bonnet and nibbling air conditioning pipes and electrics. I have Googled...
Victims of registration cloning face a nightmare situation, but this will continue to be prevalent in the UK while car accessory shops and dealers continue able to produce plastic plates on demand. I observed...
On 15 April 2011 I purchased, for my wife's use, a 2007 Astra Club 1.4 Estate from a local garage with only 15,813 miles on the clock. We like the car, but a month or so after we bought it the horn began...
I bought a pre-reg, as new, Volkswagen Transporter Kombi in April 2012 for my business from a Volkswagen dealer. I bought it over the phone for just over £24,000 and had it delivered. One month and 1000...
I know it is my fault, but I filled my diesel Mercedes-Benz car with petrol, and landed myself with a bill for £730. Amazingly, the car travelled 75 miles before the engine cut out. The service manager...
Following on your response about speed cameras at night, it's worth noting that the police can of course use a laser speed device at night (although arguably forming prior opinion of excess speed is a...
Yesterday, my wife she was driving her aunt’s Motabilty car, a Ford C-Max diesel automatic. When she returned to the car with her aunt, she had great difficulty manoeuvring out of a parking space due...
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