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Questions from October 2013
I have a 2008 Peugeot 308 S 1.6HDI 5-door hatchback. So far it has been an excellent car with no breakdowns. A few months ago I received a leaflet from the Peugeot main dealer in the area, Walkers of King's...
You may be interested in my experience with CP Plus when they fined me for overstaying my time at a service station on a motorway. They wrote that the DVLA had told them either I was the registered keeper...
Thought you might like this info for future troublesome oldies. I just fixed Roadside Assistance and UK Breakdown Recovery from Britannia Rescue, via my insurers LV. Cost from now to mid-May next year...
The air conditioning in my two-year-old Skoda Yeti has been non-existent this summer. I finally had it looked at and my local dealer has told me that the condenser has been damaged by a stone flying up...
I would appreciate any comments from you about suitable reliable vehicles, apart from the Honda CR-V diesel, up to about £30,000 that could tow a 1433kg caravan.
My wife and I intend to make regular trips to Nice, France, in the future, and we are trying to decide which would be the best left-hand drive car to buy for use there. It needs to be small, about 18 months...
Is it any wonder car insurance is so expensive? A couple of days ago, my wife had a 50/50 door mirror clash on a narrow country lane. Both mirrors were broken but there were no other damage or injuries....
Three weeks ago I purchased a 2002 78,000 mile Porsche Boxster 3.2 S from an independent dealer, after first having had the car inspected by Peter Morgan Ltd. Now one of the Lambda sensors has failed and...
My son has asked for a Group 1 insurance Corsa 1.0 such as a Life, Expression or Breeze. What are your views on these as a first car please? Our preference is a Fiat Panda. However I don't think my son...
We are looking to buy a 3-year-old used car for our 17-year-old daughter who has just started driving lessons. Although we've narrowed our choice between a Toyota Yaris, for reliability, or a Fiat 500,...
My daughter and her family are returning to live in the UK. They need a car large enough to take three children's car seats in the back. They would prefer a saloon car rather than an MPV or an SUV. They...
My 4-year-old Mazda 3 1.6 diesel has done 63,000 trouble-free miles. I live in the country so don't do many short trips (the nearest shop is 7 miles away). I am told by the Mazda dealer that my next service...
Earlier in the year I read a motoring story ‘On par with Golf’. What it boiled down to was that the World Car of the Year, the Mk VII Volkswagen Golf, has very close ties to the Audi A3, the Skoda Octavia,...
I recently purchased a Mercedes-Benz 'Approved Used' B180 CDI from a big Mercedes-Benz dealer. On examining the paperwork I found that the service booklet containing the service record was missing. I phoned...
I’d like to offer a tip from a long-retired cop. When your car suffers accident damage and there is any possibility of an unwanted write off, first have it appraised by your local small man before letting...
My car was scraped by a careless driver in a car park. He got out for a look and then drove off. A public-spirited witness left me a note of his registration, which I reported to the police. They said...
My wife’s car has just had a steering pump pressure switch failure and deposited unwelcome fluid on our tarmac drive. Do you have any suggestions for clean up, please?
I wrote to you recently about ABS failure in my Honda Jazz. Due to the excessive cost, I contacted Honda directly, hoping for some assistance. Bearing in mind my car was secondhand, nine years old and...
I’ve been with the AA for many years paying for their “Roadside, Home Start & Relay” cover. As a result I now have Gold Membership, though the free extra benefits this confers are not important to me....
Crikey. Ford is quoting 6-8 months for a new Mondeo. At least, according to the second dealer I spoke to. The first was staggeringly rude. A Mazda 6 Tourer 2.0 petrol engine looks similarly good. Any advice...
Which has the least effect on fuel consumption: having the air conditioning on or opening a window?
I read in the Telegraph motoring section of a new Honda Jazz model called ‘Fit’, which will be on sale in 2014. After reading your high praise of the Jazz in 2004 I purchased one and have changed it for...
I have just ordered a 435i M-Sport and now have a few days in which to decide whether or not I should go for the 8-speed autobox. I have always been a 'stick' man but think I should move into the brave...
I wish to buy a Mazda MX-5, spending £1000-£1500. Obviously, for that amount, the car's going to be relatively old with a high mileage, etc. I should be pleased if you would let me know what "important"...
The brake calipers of my Volvo XC60 are heavily discoloured and corroding, particularly those on the front. The car is only seven months old and I've owned it since new. This is my sixth Volvo and I've...
Like PC from London we just love our Skoda 1.9 TDI estate, but as it is a 2004 car and has done over 100,000 miles we feel it is time for a change. My husband has Parkinson’s and is finding it increasingly...
Unfortunately, I recently had my first serious car accident and am in need of some advice and information. The car involved was a 1995 Volvo 460 Automatic, which we have had regularly serviced and garaged....
The windscreen washer water filter of my wife’s 2003 BMW 320d is blocked. The nozzles are ok, but not having used the windscreen water for six months due to illness, the filter is blocked. The car handbook...
Does driving through floodwater still damage catalytic converters because they are so hot and suddenly cool down?
I bought a new Volkswagen Golf 1.4TSI in 2009 and the first three years' servicing was covered by a Service Plan. When I called the dealer to book my next service and MoT, I was quoted a price of £429....
My daughter is considering replacing her Volkswagen Golf 1.6 with a larger, more powerful car that will take two child seats and an adult in the back and has enough space for either a folding wheelchair...
We have a 2007 Peugeot 407 with 73,000 miles and just after the MoT about three weeks ago a light appeared on the instrument panel indicating the ASC was off. We have taken it to the local Peugeot dealer...
I’ve just changed from Citroen Xsara to a new Citroen C4 Picasso VTR+ HDI EGS. My neighbour informs me that this model has a turbo whereas my dealer states not. How do you find out which is correct?
I am a fit and active 75-year-old and learned to drive in London in a Ford Popular when I was 17. I have always driven manual cars. Being barely five foot tall I have enjoyed the adjustable seat and steering...
I am writing on behalf of my aunt and uncle who are looking to buy a used car. They would like something that would be reliable and powerful enough to keep up with modern traffic. They would prefer to...
We have a 2006 Honda CR-V Sport auto. It is costing too much to run as we only make very short trips in and around town. We are both in our arthritic eighties and are seeking a small car with ease of access...
I have read with some interest your reader reports about low profile tyres and their problems. I have had a 2007 BMW 535d Sport from new with 245/35x19 (front) and 275/30x19 (rear), all Conti Sport Contact...
I'm looking at replacing my Ford C-Max with the newer version. My mileage is around 10,000 a year and I’m not looking for high performance - reliability is more important. My choices are between the 1.0...
I have a strange problem with my 2008 Honda CR-V. The remote key has developed an intermittent problem and will not unlock the car. Sometimes it fails several times a day, while others it will go for weeks...
I am currently running my Honda Civic 2.2EX on 225/45/17 Y rated tyres, which were fitted as standard. Given the occasional snowy periods over the past few winters, I wanted to replace them with something...
Goodyear Vectors do not fit my Honda CRV (225 60). Best alternative?
I bought a Ford Fiesta EcoBoost and have been offered extended warranty. As this is a new engine, would this be wise or should I not bother?
I bought a 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class CDI Blue Efficiency two days ago and the engine management light has come on. I took it back to the dealer and they replaced the sensors for free, but the light has...
I now need to buy a new car; my commute is 15 miles of twisty A road and then 35 miles of dual carriageway. Economy and reliability are key for me. Would you recommend a Skoda Citigo and what sort of...
I’ve got a Peugeot 306 auto; however, after five miles, the gearbox goes into limp mode and I can’t fix it. Can you help?
I have shortlisted three which meet my needs (5000 miles p.a. mainly local/urban).
Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost 125 Titanium 5dr Hatchback
Honda Jazz 1.4 i-VTEC EXL 5dr Hatchback
VW Polo 1.4 Match Edition...
I bought a 2009 Renault Megane 1.5DCi Sport Tourer from a dealer two months ago with 44,000 on the clock. Since then the engine has cut out five times. Are there any engine known issues with this model?...
I purchased a new Honda Jazz 1.4 i-VTEC ES-T in June and had a rear view camera fitted as an extra for £637.00. I assumed this would be fitted at the factory, but later discovered the work was carried...
I want to buy a new Golf Estate 1.4 TSI SE, but want to haggle for the best deal. The list price is £20,620, and with some extras is £21,503. I will be trading in my 2004 Golf Estate 1.6 SE, which has...
looking for an economical (in every way) second hand car for school runs, with a budget of £4000. What would you recommend?
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