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Trending topics in December 2013
Questions from December 2013
My Vauxhall Vectra C 1.9 diesel has started making an intermittent clunking/crunch through the lower gears. It does not do it when you let engine speed slow down, or when changing down, but only on the...
Last April I purchased a 2010 Honda CRV 4 x 4. I now need to fit two new tyres. When I took delivery the vehicle was supplied fitted with three Dunlop and one Falkum. Having done some research I think...
I commute 24,000 miles a year mostly on motorway and usually queuing in traffic. I'm looking to replace my Volkswagen Polo 1.4 petrol which I drove into the ground (235,000 miles) and I’d like a diesel...
My 2013 Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo 1.6 tdi has been pulling to the left since I picked up the car (pre-registered with 20 miles on the clock) four months ago.
If I hold the steering wheel straight the car...
A section of the dashboard trim on my Volkswagen Tiguan has melted/disfigured as a result of an air freshener making direct contact with it. When I informed Volkswagen they claimed this is not covered...
We have a 2011 Ford Focus TDCi and recently had the clutch replaced under warranty. I have taken the car back to them regarding the refit and they assured me all is well; however, since getting the car...
My Mazda MX-5 apparently requires a complete handbrake lever assembly after being delivered to my local main dealer on a tow truck due to an oil leak. There was nothing wrong with the handbrake when it...
I’m having some problems with my Vauxhall Agila. Recently the EPS light came on then the engine cut out. The car would not restart, but eventually fired up after it was taken to a local garage. It was...
Can you tell me where I can get the best discount on a new car? I’m in the market for a Mazda 3.
I recently took a second-hand 2011 Land Cruiser for a test drive, and it would not disengage from low 4WD. When I told my mechanic about it, he was not surprised and said it was a common problem. Apparently...
I have just bought a new Volkswagen Golf Estate 1.4GT with standard 17-inch wheels. I ordered the GT over the SE as I thought it had the ACT engine - it doesn't and I’m still waiting for an explanation...
I am looking for an economical diesel estate with a large flat load space. I would like it to drive well and not be sluggish, but without sacrificing economy. My budget is £6000.
My shortlist includes...
I own a 2004 Toyota Celica and I'm having endless problems with vibration coming through the steering wheel at around 70mph. The front and rear wheels have been balanced (the fronts by two different garages)...
I'm looking for a small, cheap, reliable, low insurance cost car for my 19 year old son. He will use it to drive to his apprenticeship job and cover 18 miles a day. I have £1200 to spend. What do you recommend?...
I am about to retire and feel like treating myself to a real car having driven company rubbish over the years, I have had 10+ years of motor sport experience so I am not naive and fancy a BMW M3 saloon....
My 2008 Land Rover Freelander is nearing 50,000 miles. Can you tell me when I should change the cam belt?
A friend of mine (who works with Land Rovers) say the belt will last 100,000 miles, but the car...
I have recently bought a Mazda 2, but it has only been supplied with a tyre repair kit. Can you tell me where’s the cheapest place to buy a spare wheel?
I need to buy a second car for commuting 25,000 miles per year. I have £3000 to spend and want to keep running costs as low as possible. I am also tall, so need something that will accommodate my long...
I had my 2003 BMW 5 Series stolen three months ago and the police have just informed me that it has been recovered. They also informed me that the car has been involved in some offences in the UK.
Can...
Can you tell me where I can legally place an in-car camera? I want to fit one to my dashboard, but don’t know the rules on such things.
One week after my car was serviced the engine has seized. It's still full of oil, but now refuses to work. Could it be something the garage has or hasn't done?
I am thinking of buying a convertible car with a metal folding hardtop. It needs to seat four adults and can be either a petrol or diesel. I have £7000 to spend, what do you recommend?
I'm looking for a large-ish five door that will accommodate two adults and a child seat in the back. Ideally I'd be spending no more than £3000 and I'd rather an older, less complicated model that is going...
I'm 21 and recently got myself a good steady job, with a decent income. Having driven my parents' Fiat Panda for the last three years, I'm looking to get myself a second hand car in the £5000 bracket....
I've just read an answer you gave regarding paring in a supermarket car park I can't believe the answer you have given. It's not any sort of offence to park on private land; it' only a rule set by the...
My wife has a 2009 BMW X3 X-drive 2.0-litre which has 235/55 R17 standard tyres fitted. Having read your frequent comments about the benefits of fitting winter tyres she is about to "take the plunge" and...
I own a 2001 Ford Mondeo diesel, with 115,000 miles on the clock. Recently the car has started stopping or jolting forward. I called the RAC and they said it’s a P0149 and P1546 errors, which is related...
The windows on my 2001 SEAT Leon are opening by themselves when I lock the car. What’s going on?
I am having some problems with the gearbox in my 2003 Volkswagen Passat automatic. It drives fine most of the time, but jolts when I stop and change into neutral and back to drive or reverse. After that...
I am looking at buying a used SEAT from a main dealer. I have negotiated a good deal, but the seller is some distance from where I live. The car comes with warranty and 30 day return policy, but I am worried...
My Mini had only done 48,000 miles when it developed a cracked cylinder head. BMW/Mini wanted £1200 to do an initial diagnosis and considerable charges would have been incurred on top of that if I would...
I have received a parking ticket from my local supermarket. The ticket states that I was taking up two spaces by being over the lines into another bay. When I queried it and they told me why it had been...
Recently, when driving on a motorway after 20 minutes or so, the temp gauge of my 2005 Mondeo 2.0-litre petrol automatic moved into the red. However, if I coasted downhill, the gauge came off red. The...
I have a 1983 Saab 99. Not having used the car for a month, I was driving to my mother's with lower oil pressure than usual at 40psi when the engine suddenly cut out descending a gentle incline. There...
I have an 80,000-mile BMW E83 2004 X3 3.0i automatic. Recently, the brake warning light came on in conjunction with the warning lights for ABS, DSC/xDrive and the tyre pressure indicator. The 4-wheel drive...
I have happily run a Dutch-built Volvo V40 for 13 years and, although it is still performing well, I feel like a change. My problem is that my garage door is 83 inches wide (the car 74 inches) and I find...
I am thinking of buying an older 2000 X-reg BMW with 50,000 miles, one previous owner and FSH from a dealer. Apart from ascertaining the regularity of servicing and use, and assuming that you do not dismiss...
I've been reading up about the Civic 2.2iCTDI on your website. It looks good, but the 1.8 iVTEC also looks good. I'm just wondering which one's going to end up costing the most to run with circa 20,000...
My wife qualifies for a car under the Motability Scheme and her last two cars have been Volkswagen Golfs, presently a 1.4 TSI which has just about all the bells and whistles you could wish for. She now...
My car is a 2007 Volvo V70 diesel automatic with 54,000 miles. It is serviced by the Volvo dealer as required. When towing a caravan (but only then) I get a warning saying 'Transmission service required'...
We bought a BMW F25 X3 X-Drive 2.0D SE 8-speed automatic 21 months ago. The total price including extras and a spare set of alloy wheels with cold weather tyres was £41,000. We recently asked the BMW dealer...
We recently had to scrap our second car, a 1996 Golf GTI that had fully foldable back seats, making it ideal for its later life of short journeys to and from the station, allotment and tip. I would love...
Bad news for visitors to France. The cash pay booths on the Autoroutes in Southern France have been replaced by ‘card only’ machines. The queues are horrendous! We saw a three kilometre queue near Aix-en-Provence...
I've received a parking penalty after parking in a pub car park when we had Sunday lunch there on 15 September. I was en route to hospital to be induced (I was 12 days over my due date). Preoccupied by...
I'm about to change our XC90. Do you have any better recommendations that match the cargo space of the XC90 with front and middle only seats up? Another issue is I've tended to stay away from metallic...
I have been quoted £571.68 by Aylesbury Honda to replace the air conditioning condenser and seals on my 2003 Honda Accord 2.4i Exec Tourer Auto, which seems like an awful lot of money to me, when the car’s...
I own a 2004 Mercedes-Benz E220 CDi Classic. It has 130,000 miles on the clock. Just a couple of weeks ago, a warning appeared on the dash: ‘Service Brake! Visit Workshop'. I visited my regular Mercedes-Benz...
I have owned a Skoda Superb 1.8 TSI DSG Estate since new in 2010, with some 20,000 miles on the clock. Why hasn't Skoda UK recalled my car as has been done elsewhere in the world? http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor-news/audi-follows-volkswagen-recall-20130612-2o3o5.html...
I have three cars: a 2008 Chrysler 300C estate with a Webasto electric roof, unique stitched Nappa heated leather, fantastic Classic FM and Radio 3 Boston audio upgrade and Parrot, tinted glass, 57,000...
In late May I decided to purchase a used Vauxhall Tigra from a Vauxhall dealership. I took receipt of it on 1 June. During the purchase discussions my wife and I were told on several occasions that the...
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