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Questions from January 2014
I have been accused of driving in a bus lane by Hounslow Borough Council on 15th DECEMBER 2013 @ 18.25.
I submitted evidence of a phone call I made from my home land line telephone almost 100 miles away...
The day after filling up the tank and for the last two days have noticed a considerable drop in performance in my Volvo V70, with sluggish performance and a lagging speedometer and rev counter.
It remains...
My partner has narrowed down her choice of car to the new Audi A3 3 door or sportback model (she has yet to decide).
She would like the 1.6tdi but is it worth paying extra for the S Tronic gearbox or...
I have recently bought a new Honda CR-V with 18-inch wheels as standard, but for a drive down to the Austrian Alps I changed to 17-inch wheels with 225/65 R17 102T Continental ContiCrossContact winter...
In your review of the Renault Captur, you mentioned there is 'No form of 'Grip Control' initially'. Are you hinting that this might be introduced at some later stage?
The original Hankook 235/60 R16 100H tyres on my Hyundai Tucson need replacing and I want to buy something to improve the ride. What do you recommend?
My Land Rover Discovery has failed its MOT and needs a lot of welding done. It is not worth doing the work, so I need a new vehicle for my job. It needs to be capable of towing a trailer and it needs...
Recently had an MOT and one of the results is "Damage to inner beads possibly caused by potholes". Would there be a chance of claiming for this through the council?
We have a 2010 Mitsubishi ASX Diesel (1.8 MiVec engine, rather than the newer non-VVT engine) and at 34,000 miles the clutch started slipping intermittently, especially when the turbo kicks in.
It's covered...
I need a similar size car to the Toyota Yaris, but with a better automatic ‘box than the electronic actuator type. What do you recommend?
We own a Renault Scenic and want to replace it with a Nissan Juke. Can you tell us what model is best?
I have £10,000 to spend and am looking at either the Lexus IS250 auto or the Toyota Avensis V Matic. Both cars will be used and I will cover 6000 miles a year. Can you tell me which is the better auto...
My new Renault Scenic 1.6 dCi is going in for its first service and the garage has offered an Emission Control treatment for £24.95. Apparently this cleans the oil, improves emissions and increases mpg....
I've had the "anti skid service required" message appear on my 2004 Volvo V50 and its delivering a fault code of "BCM 0130 pressure sensor signal missing". I've heard that this may mean a new/reconditioned...
What's the best gear to use on an automatic when stopped at traffic lights? I drive a 2006 Jaguar XJ and generally use 'D'. I used to use 'N' and apply the electric handbrake but have now switched to 'D'...
I am interested in replacing Michelin Energy / Primacy tyres with your recommended Goodyear all year tyres to enhance winter performance. What are the impacts on noise and fuel efficiency and length of...
The EGR valve is playing up on my SEAT Ibiza, which is one month out of warranty at 21,000 miles. Unfortunately the supplying dealer has gone into liquidation (shortly after I bought it) and I have no...
My Peugeot 207 is less than four years old has done 13,000 miles. It is due for service and the garage says it needs brake fluid and coolant change. Are either of these really necessary?
I'm buying an ex-hire Citroen van (from Germany) is the manufacturer's warranty still valid?
My Peugeot 206 is leaking water in the boot. Have you encountered this before and can you tell me what's the cause?
I am buying a new Mazda 3 and the dealer recommends that I use normal 95 RON petrol rather than the higher octane petrol such as Shell V-Power, which I believe is 98 RRON. Would you recommend that I continue...
What all year round tyres do you recommend for a 2009 Skoda Fabia? My mileage is no more than 6000 a year, mostly on urban roads
My car has minor damage from another car overtaking parked cars on the wrong side of the road. His damage was minor, but my wing mirror was damaged and cost £405 to fix. I made it clear (at the accident...
I want to buy a new car and have narrowed my choice to the Volkswagen Golf GTI and BMW 3 Series. I do 12,000 miles a year, which includes a daily commute of 40 miles to London. Given the choice, which...
A friend is intending to buy a small car for his 17 year old granddaughter to learn to drive in, safety is the overriding priority with insurance and running costs secondary, his budget is up to £3000....
My 2012 Volvo XC70 has covered 34,000 miles and just had its second annual service. The dealer reports the rear disc pads as 75% worn, and the discs as lipped. Although the Volvo has done the miles, I...
Is it legal to keep a vehicle off the public road with no up-to-date documentation? And if so are the DVLA/Police concerned about it if it is not?
I bought my Nissan Qashqai in 2012 after I was shown a photo of it by my local dealer. I really liked the car and was impressed that it had only covered 21,000 miles. I deposited some money for the car...
I usually fill up with branded diesel rather than supermarket diesel but would I get any benefit from switiching to Shell V-Power or similar? My car has done 65,000 miles.
Would there be any risks involved,...
I have £1200 and a Volvo C70 1999 Coupe which I would like to swap for either a hatchback or smaller coupe. What's the best I could get?
What car would you recommend to replace our 1997 Toyota Picnic?
We prefer Japanese cars and want to spend £10,000 on a manual with a petrol engine. Any ideas?
I have a friend interested in buying my 1998 Ford Focus, which had its DMF replaced four years ago. Will the Ford replacement part be any better than the original or should I warm my friend it might go...
My son wants to buy a new Renault Clio and we have been offered what seems to be a very good deal by an online dealer. None of the local dealers in our area can match the price and we’re very tempted....
I've been quoted £560 by Kwik-Fit to replace a burnt-out clutch and think this is excessive. Am I correct? Unfortunately the car is already in their garage and I would have to find another garage which...
What is/are the most reliable 3 litre engined cars, petrol or diesel?
My wife complains about a damp smell in the boot of her Mini One 2006. Further inspection revealed the 'carpet' on either side to be totally sodden with water. As this forms part of the back seat arrangement...
I need to replace my towcar, I've towed caravans with GM autos for 30 years and they've always been good for me. The obvious choice is an Insignia or V70 but are there any other big estates with a torque...
The emissions warning light on my 2008 Mini Cooper came on last year and after visiting our local mini dealer and being quoted £380 for a new sensor we had it replaced at a local garage for £280. Six months...
Mercedes' own website shows emissions for this engine at 109 g/km. However, their paper brochure shows them as 115 g/km.
Asked for clarification, the dealer just said 'the brochure says 115', which missed...
The windscreen wipers on my SEAT Alhambra have got stuck. I can hear the motor running with a slipping sound but the wiper blades don’t move. I've also noticed the o/s wiper is nice and secure while the...
My Vauxhall Corsa has a really bad problem with condensation. Both the front and rear suffer and it’ll freeze inside and out. Any ideas what’s causing it?
We are looking for a reliable cheap car for a 17 year old. It must have a small engine, four doors and cost no more than £700. What would you recommend?
We have 3 large dogs and want to buy a cheap, used car to carry them in. Can you recommend anything? We cover 6000 miles a year and would prefer an automatic.
We are considering buying a Volkswagen Sharan with a six-speed DSG ‘box. Is this box reliable? A salesman mentioned possible gearbox overheating if left in 'D' in sustained traffic
I’m trying to insure two cars; my main personal car, a Mazda 6 which I’ll be using for business and pleasure and a Fiat Punto, which I use as a local run around. Both are registered to me as the owner/keeper....
I'm being put off buying a BMW 3 Series because it has run flat tyres. I understand a punctured run flat is only good for 50 miles at 50 mph and can't be repaired. So what do you do when you're miles from...
I have a new Porsche Macan diesel on order and have an early delivery slot (late April). Given it's now sold out for this year and no one has even driven it yet, do you think I could keep it for a year...
Would you use a car cover in a garage or leave it uncovered?
I bought this car with 13,000 miles on the clock, 9 months after 1st registration. It has now done just over 15,000.
It took me a little while to realise that the Autostop was not working and I asked the...
I have a slight condensation problem in the headlights of my 2012 BMW 530D SE. Should I be concerned?
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