My new Audi is the wrong colour - what should I do?

I ordered a brand new Audi Q5, which was delivered today. However, the car is in the wrong colour. What should I do?

Suzuki Splash auto - is it worth buying?

I want to buy a new small car for my wife because she always drives in the city. I saw a Suzuki Splash automatic, but am worried about fuel consumption reliability. What is your opinion of this small automatic?

Should I buy a Saab 9-5?

I'm thinking of buying a 13 year old Saab 9-5. It has 140,000 miles on the clock, but is in lovely condition bar the broken air con. If I can live without the AC, what other major points should I be aware...

Broken gearbox - should the seller pay for repairs?

My daughter purchased a used Peugeot 3008 (2010) with 60,000 miles on the clock and full service history from a car supermarket. Yesterday it broken down with what appeared to be a clutch failure. Our...

How can I verify a car's mileage?

I want to buy a used Mercedes-Benz, but am worried about cars with hidden histories. Is there a way to check mileage has not been tampered with?

Clutch slippage in Mitsubishi Outlander

I bought a used (2010) Mitsubishi Outlander last year. I towed my caravan last week and noticed clutch slipping in high gears only. The car has done 30,000 miles. Should I have to pay or should I call...

Should I pay extra for extended warranty?

We are about to buy a used Ford C-Max Titanium 2.0 Tdi Powershift Automatic from a main dealer. We are spending £12,000 and we will get a three month guarantee. Is it worth getting the extended warranty,...

ABS fault with Skoda Fabia

Last summer I bought a three year old Skoda Fabia from a local garage, with one year’s warranty. After just three months the ABS light came on and the garage took the car back and fixed it under warranty....

Locking problem with Nissan Micra

My friend has a 2004 Nissan Micra with a locking problem. Whhe car has been locked using the keys/remote, you can walk around to the boot and press the "button" on the handle and the car is unlocked. Is...

Parking ticket problem

My daughter, a single mother, has come to me with a problem concerning a parking fine. On the 24th June this year they issued a parking charge notice for a contravention on the 15th with a demand for £60....

Why is my power steering making a hissing sound?

My Daughter has a 2000 Toyota Yaris with 75,000 miles on it. On full lock, either way, there is a hissing sound. The dealer says this is normal. Would you agree or does something need to be done?

Does my Volvo have a DPF?

Does my 2004 Volvo V70 D5 automatic have a DPF?

Should I buy an old S-Class?

I’m considering a 1993 Mercedes-Benz 320 S-Class. The car has had one owner from new and is sold with a full service history and 134,000 miles on the clock. Is this a lot for this age of car? I'd plan...

What's the most reliable estate money can buy?

I have a 2007 Vauxhall Vectra Estate which has served me well for the last 5 years, but I am now thinking about a change. Should I play the safe card and go for the Insignia Estate again or are there other...

Car key won't fit ignition anymore

I own a Jaguar S-Type and I can't get the key into the ignition or the driver's door. I have tried the spare key, but that also refuses to fit either barrel. Any ideas?

Why is my Toyota Corolla burning oil?

I have a Toyota Corolla (year 2000 model) and it is burning too much oil after every 1500 miles. Is the engine ruined or is it a simple fix?

Buying new or nearly new small, four door car.

I am looking for a new or nearly new small, four door car. A couple of times a week, I need to commute for a few hours so a bit of comfort and safety would be great but otherwise, it will be a runaround....

What's the best used estate for £8000?

Which second hand small estates are worth considering? I have £8000 to spend and want something that's a few years old.

Buying a Ford Puma - what should I look out for?

I'm thinking of buying a Ford Puma for £995. The seller has told the car had a number of advisories on the last MoT, which was done two months ago. These include front suspension bushes slightly worn,...

Need a car that can fit 3 child seats

We need a medium sized car with enough width for three child seats in the back. We'd prefer an estate (not keen on MPV or 4x4s) but cannot find any cars that match our needs. Can you help?

Need a new car with good comfort - what do you recommend?

Have been looking for a new car to cover around 20k miles a year and my priorities are refinement and long distance comfort - personal purchase rather than via my company. Have been impressed by both the...

How can I return my car's paintwork?

I've just purchased a 2010 Toyata Verso. The paintwork looked good in the forecourt with a couple of patches where it seemed as if the surface shine has been rubbed off. However, after a week or so more...

Loss of coolant in Peugeot 207

My wife’s Peugeot 207 keeps losing coolant intermittently. There is no trace of a leak, no water from the exhaust and no 'mayonnaise' on the oil filler cap and the oil level is stable. The only thing that...

How can I stop a fraudulent whiplash claim?

Recently my wife was involved in a very minor reversing incident in a car park - both cars were reversing out of opposite spaces at the same time and there were scuff marks on both cars. Names were exchanged...

How do I rung-in a low mileage car?

I have recently purchased a Peugeot 207 auto. It is three years old,i mmaculate, and has done 4500 miles only. It has had an interim service, engine oil and filter change and new MoT on purchase. What...

Demisting Windscren

the windscren can fog up in heavy rain I would some ideas how to stop it, with the fan and heating settings.

Auto box

I am puzzled and need your help. I am looking at a 2007 (57 plate) C4 Picasso Auto ECG VTR+ 2L Petrol to buy as I only drive autos. I can see it has a column control with R,N,A,M and paddlesso i presume...

Buying - needs room for 3 child seats

We're currently in the adoption process and may be shortly getting 3 children into our lives, all under 5. They will need car seats and enough boot space to carry buggies etc. I currently have a '12...

Replacing a Smart with a different small automatic?

I'm looking to replace my smart passion as I need to transport a toddler. Want it to be as small as possible and an automatic so the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107 look like good options. 1-2 years old ideally....

Which small estate?

I'm looking for a good, cheap, general purpose small estate or MPV, new or nearly new. Doesn't have to be a big brand name as long as it's reliable.

Problems with my brand new i40 - what can I do?

I took delivery of a new Hyundai i40 Tourer Premium SE on 5th April 2014. All seemed OK except the gear change pretty rough. This did not improve with use. On 24th June I did my first long journey, a round...

Mercedes - warning lights ESP/BAS

Dear John Re: Mercedes e320 plate: EJ51 What is the significance of the warning indicator Esp and BAS? Our local garage has run the checks on his computer and found nothing wrong. yet these warning lights...

Which classic coupe would you buy for say 20-30K?

I want to buy a coupe with 4 seats and which is/or will become a classic and have 20 to 30K to spend and would like your advice on what you would suggest and where to get it from.

intermittent starter problem

i have problems with ignition switching car on ok but not engaging starter on first turn of key , will engage on second or third attempt. This only happens after using car charger for laptop/ radio/internal...

Shoddy service from a dealer - what should I do?

Three months ago I purchased a 2008 Volkswagen Scirocco with 45,000 miles on the clock. The car is a petrol mdoel and I bought it from a main dealer in Leeds. After a week of driving the car a variety...

Ford Fiesta - which fuse do I need?

What fuse do I need for the reversing lights on the 2002 Ford Fiesta 1.25 petrol?

Imported classic car gotchas?

I've been offered a 1990 "classic" Porsche which is currently in Japan. The trade seller says he will handle the registrations, import duty, and documentation so it is ready to drive when handed to me. It...

Buying an MX5 or an S200 - which one?

I'm interested in buying a Mazda MX5 or Honda S2000 from 2002-2004. Would you recommend one over the other and what possible problems should I look out for?

How much is my Toyota Yaris worth?

I currently own a 2000 plate Toyota Yaris. It has covered 50,000 miles and I now want to sell it. It has a slight nick on the back arch and has quite a few previous owners. In relation to service history...

What should I replace my old Auris with?

I'm looking to replace my Toyota Auris diesel. I'm not sure I want another diesel as I only average 44mpg on my 40 mile each way motorway return. My wife has a Ford Fiesta EcoBoost, which is fantastic...

Starting problems with Vauxhall Astra

My 2006 Vauxhall Astra is suffering an intermittent starting problem. My local garage has had the car two days, but can't find a fault. I recently had a new key cut, but have had it checked and it seems...

Buying a small auto - What's best?

I'm looking to replace my Smart car to cater for my toddler. I want it to be as small as possible and an automatic. The Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107 look like good options. 1-2 years old ideally. Would you...

What's the best used car for £4000?

I'm looking to buy a used car on a budget of £4000. I will be doing about 12,000 miles a year - 40 miles a day on my commute along an A-road to work - and it's unlikely I'll be taking any passengers. Obviously,...

How do I run-in a diesel automatic?

I have followed your guide to running-in diesel engines in the past , my next car will be a diesel with a DSG gear box is there a guide for this combination. Thanks

What's the best used seven-seater for £12k?

What options are there for petrol seven-seaters? My wife drives 6000 miles per year, most local, with a handful of trips to family and relatives which are round trips of about 300-400 miles. I have...

Peugeot 206 clutch problems

I recently replaced the clutch and gearbox on my Peugeot 206. It starts and goes into all the gears, but when I take my foot of clutch the car refuses to move. Any ideas?

Why does my Megane blow its 80 Amp fuses?

I have 2004 Renault Megane and the 80 Amp fuse that's connected to the positive terminal of the battery keeps blowing. Any idea why?

Is it normal for a MINI to use a litre of oil every 10k miles?

I have been told that it is fairly normal for a MINI Cooper S to use a litre of oil every 10,000 to 12,000 miles. Is this true as my MINI is using around this.

Can I cancel my contract hire agreement?

I took receipt of a BMW 535 M Sport three months ago. Two days after delivery the in-car computers displayed a "Vehicle Train" notice. The dealership said to ignore the message as it was probably a "software...

Can you recommend a new small 4x4?

I am looking for a new five-door hatchback or crossover, with an automatic gearbox due to my bad knee. The car must be comfortable on the motorways as I do a 500 mile trip every month. The car must also...