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Questions from July 2013
My 2005 Ford Mondeo TDCi has started losing power and, most recently, the power cut out completely. After a few tries, it restarted, but now sounds like a bag of bolts. After reading your forum, we cleaned...
My 2011 Land Rover Freelander - which i have owned since new - has developed a slight misfire below 50mph. I have returned it to the dealer multiple times, yet it hasn’t been fixed. The dealer is now considering...
I’m looking at buying a new/used Audi A1 Sportback, but am not sure which wheels and tyres to fit in order to get the best possible ride. Can you help? Also, if I buy new, is the Drive the Deal website...
I would like to ask about an issue that I had with my 2007 Peugeot 407; I was driving the car when it suddenly stopped. I tried to restart the engine but with no success. I took the car to the dealer and...
I took my KIA Cee'd to my local dealer recently and they upgraded the ECU. Since this work has been carried out the car has loss power throughout the range. Max torque is now not possible at the stated...
I recently received a parking charge notice from parking eye for over staying my break at Corley services on the M6. I have appealed and got a reply saying they only reply in writing and this can take...
We purchased a used Citroen C4 five months ago and the car has now suffered a breakdown. The garage have told us the bearings have mechanically failed prematurely which has affected the cam belt, valves,...
I've sustained a dent in the nearside front wing of my Dacia Duster, whilst it was parked in a supermarket car park. I asked the customer service personnel at the supermarket as to whether they had CCTV...
My son's car was hit in the side by a pick-up truck trying to execute an illegal U-turn. The driver of the truck admitted it was his fault and provided contact details, which later were found to be false....
I need two new tyres on my BMW X5, sizes are 285/45/19 I've spoken to my local garage and they have mentioned star rated tyres. Is it wise to differ from the tyres BMW recommends, or will it cause damage...
I recently had a none fault accident after a double decker bus hit me from behind and pushed me into the one in front. The bus that hit me has accepted responsibility, but my pick-up truck has been declared...
I want to sell my classic 1988 Porsche 944. It has covered 60,000 miles and comes with a full service history. It looks as good as new and also has its original in-car telephone. What is the best method...
Someone recently tried to steal my 1997 Citroen Synergie. They pulled all the wires out of the key pad and now the car is immobilised, with no key pad to unlock. What should I do?
I have placed an order for an Audi A3 1.8 Quattro with Autoebid, was this a sensible decision? This car is replacing a three year old Jaguar XF 3.0D Luxury, which we are thinking of selling to Webuyanycar.com...
I purchased a 2006 Toyota Rav4 from a main dealer six years ago and have had few problems with it. However, a few weeks ago, an injector loosened and I’ve been told the cylinder head needs replacing. The...
Our Gold AA Membership cards arrived last week, but there was no renewal price included. I phoned the company and was told the renewal price was £302. Whilst on the phone to them I got a quote from their...
I am soon getting a new Peugeot RCZ and the dealer has offered Protect Paint Sealer on my new car at a cost of £249. Is it worth the extra money? I cannot apply a polish or sealant myself due to trouble...
We are a large children's home in a small village in Sussex. We currently have four cars, but now need a 4x4 to get the kids to school in the winter months. We have £7000 to spend, but don’t want anything...
I am suffering occasional gearbox problems with my Vauxhall Astra. I only bought the car a few months ago, but it is making grinding noises when I select reverse. I took it back to the dealer and it was...
My Ford Mondeo has been off the road for the last two years. It has only done 60,000-miles and is in good condition. I’ve charged up the battery, but was wondering if there’s anything else I should do...
My wife had her Volkswagen Polo scratched in a car park recently and the perpetrator left a note. I am keen to keep the cost down in view of his honesty and avoid involving my insurer. I am considering...
I have an intermittent problem selecting reverse in my Volkswagen Golf DSG. Each time I attempt to put it into reverse, the DSG ‘box select forward gears instead. What’s wrong with my car?
Can you recommend quieter tyres for the Lexus GS 450H? It currently has Yokohama Advan A10 tyres, but the ride is spoilt by the noisy tyres.
I own a 2003 Ford Fiesta Zetec with 80,000 miles on the clock. The car has just passed its MoT and I have been told that the cam belt needs replacing every 10 years or 100,000 miles, at a cost of £350....
I have recently replaced the DPF on my BMW X3, due to the car having a lack of power above 3000rpm. I assumed that the new DPF would fix things however two weeks later I have the same issue. If I remove...
My Volkswagen Caddy van has a side to side wobble as it reaches 4th gear of the DSG auto ‘box. The problem normally vanishes when I reach 6th, but gets worse during acceleration. Any idea what the problem...
I own a 2002 Vauxhall Vectra, can I change from alloys to steel wheels safely?
Last week I was in slow moving traffic on a motorway and was hit in the rear by a following vehicle. The impact pushed my car into the car in front, causing a four-car shunt. The rear car belonged to a...
I have discovered that my recently purchased BMW 6 Series has run flats on the rear axle, but none on the front. I am trying to persuade the BMW dealer to replace the front with a pair of run flats, what...
2008 Honda Crv wobbles/vibrates under acceleration
Are there any known issues with Ford diesel injectors? Our Ford Focus has suffered two injector failures recently, the second happening only about three weeks after the first. Each replacement has cost...
I bumped into a car in an office car park and there was minor damage (a scratch to the wheel arch), I left a message on the windscreen with my phone number and informed the office reception of the incident....
I parked at a leisure centre recently and returned to find a note on my car saying it had rolled back and damaged their Mercedes-Benz. My car was in the same place I left it, but the note said they had...
My wife has been diagnosed with osteoporosis in her left hip and we need to change our car. We currently own a Toyota Auris, but think an automatic would be more comfortable for her to use. We have about...
Do you know when these cars will move from the A series platform to the new MQB platform particularly the Q3?
We have a Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi and the clutch feels soft and 'spongy' when pressed. We recently had a new clutch master cylinder fitted as the clutch would sometimes stick. The car is fine if not driven...
I bought a new Kia Picanto in January. Today I parked it outside my daughter's house on an incline at the bottom of a hill and the car rolled backwards and crashed into a pillar, completely smashing in...
I am a new driver looking for my first car. I need something that’s economical, easy to use and features a nice interior. The must also be reliable as I’ll be driving 20-miles each day. I like the Kia...
Nine months ago I bought an Audi A4; I did a HPI check and the mileage looked ok. I now want to sell the car, but have discovered that the mileage on the MoT certificate has been altered with reduced mileage....
I'm looking to change the car to use for commuting to work. I have £5000 to spend and will do 15,000 miles a year. I’m considering a 2002 Ford Focus, but would like something smaller and cheaper to run....
My 2007 KIA Sorento 2.5 CRDI blows smoke on every cold start up. The problem usually clears as the car gets going, but it never happens when the engine is hot, what’s going on?
My husband has a 2009 Honda Jazz, which he wants to replace with a new car. Should he get another Jazz, or go for hybrid, such as the Toyota Yaris? He is 73 and considers fuel economy to be most important....
I'm looking to get a medium size family car for between £5000 and £6000. I'm looking to use it at weekends for getting out of London and holidays on the continent, so want decent boot space and reliability....
I own a 2004 Volkswagen Passat and it won’t start. A light has come on, saying “oil pressure low - Stop”. The engine is also making a chattering noise. Do you have any idea what could be wrong?
I was recently caught speeding in Dorset and the police have given me the choice of a driver awareness course or a fixed penalty and points. I would like to take the course, but live in Derby and think...
I have recently bought a Mini One D Baker Street, quoted as capable of 74.3mpg. I struggle to get 52 even on a long run and so does my dealership. This is a 30 per cent shortfall from the quoted figures...
We are considering replacing our 2007 Skoda 1.9TDI Estate as it has now done over 100,000 miles. We have been extremely happy with it, mostly using it for 150 miles at a time for motorway driving. We have...
I have a 2005 petrol 2.4-litre Volvo XC90 with 60,000 on the clock. My dear wife recently put a tow bar on it to pull the recently-acquired two horses and trailer. When both are loaded I am concerned it...
Plastic and nylon timing belt pulleys in VAG 1.4 and 1.6 16v engines have been an area of concern for many. We all know that the plastic pulley wheels/bearings are more likely to fail than the belt itself....
I'm keen on the new Golf estate, which, according to Volkswagen, can be ordered from July. What are my chances of negotiating a discount?