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Trending topics in February 2016
Questions from February 2016
I want to buy my wife a car. It must be robust (we live on a farm), comfortable and suitable to carry two dogs in the back. What do you suggest for £8000?
I recently bought a Fiat X1/9 from a classic car auction. Although described as "serviced and MOT'd", I've found it to be unsafe. I went to the small claims court naming the guy on the V5, but he says...
The engine of my 2010 Audi A3 2.0 petrol has failed. It was recovered to my local independent garage who found no compression on one of the cylinders, suggesting serious damage. Monday they can start removing...
I have £15,000 to buy a used SUV/4x4, but need an automatic and no older that 3 years.What would you recommend between Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage or Nissan Qashqai ?
The towbar of my car caught the number plate of a car parked behind and pulled it off. There was no evidence of other damage and I left a note on the car's windscreen with my mobile number. The owner has...
Three months ago I purchased a used 13 plate Ford B-Max 1.0 Titanium from a dealer. Upon owning the car my wife and I noticed that the rear bumper is a completely different colour tone to the rest of the...
I took delivery of my Jaguar XE 2.0 petrol automatic six months ago. However, it has developed a noise in the transmission somewhere (as well as other problems). The dealer has admitted that there is a...
I am interested in purchasing a used 2012 petrol manual or auto Mercedes-Benz B-Class. What do I need to lookout for and what alternative would you recommend? Annual mileage around 5000 max.
I'm after a used 'premium' coupe with a bit of 'oomph'. My budget is £15k. It must have four seats and be petrol-engined. Obvious choices are BMW 3 Series Coupe (very common), A5, C-Class coupe, but is...
I am considering buying a used Honda CR-Z up to five years old and £10k to use as an occasional secondcar. What should I look out for and how will I know if the hybrid battery is knackered?
We're looking to buy our first SUV, what would you suggest for under £10k? We'll do approx 8000 miles per year, reliability, economical a must, just concerned about DPF or EGF valve failure.
My car was worth 8800-9000 pounds pre accident. The garage has costed repairs at 4560 and I also need a car to drive while awaiting the repair. My concern is this. I have insurance and Gap insurance which...
Would greatly value your opinion choosing between a new Kia Optima, a new Sportage and a new Cee;d with the emphasis on comfort. All around £22,000.
My 21 year old daughter bought a 2008 BMW 1 Series one month ago from a private seller. The car has 51,000 miles on the clock and cost her £5450. She paid for a background check and everything seemed fine,...
I have discovered a coolant leak from my 2000W Fiesta Finesse after hearing hissing. After a few days i've now identified the leak. I'm no expert with engines so i'm unsure as to the actual location name....
I am looking at buying a used car. I drive approx 15k per year (although may drop). Currently drive a Mazda 2 (2010). Would like something a bit more comfortable. Interested in Peugeot 308 1.6 hdi 2014...
My 2009 Audi A3 Sportback has failed its MoT due to the nearside rear passenger door intermittently not opening from the outside. First question is, is this a legitimate reason for MoT failure when the...
My Citroen Xsara Picasso 2.0 HDI is coming to the end of its life after seven years of good service and 220,000 miles. It's always done over 40mpg, even over 70mph. I'm now looking for a car that can do...
A few weeks ago I bought used (2006 model) Ford Focus. Everything was working fine before I sent it to a local cleaning centre to do a full interior clean. Now both the electric wing mirrors are not working....
I own a Hyundai i30 (2007 model) with a 2.0-litre diesel engine. After a major service at a main dealer an advice note came back that the fuel pump was 'whining' and was 'on the way out'- replacement cost...
I bought a 1993 camper van from a dealer. Before buying it, the seller carried out an MoT. However, within days of collecting the vehicles, we found the fuel tank to be leaking and two split tyres probably...
I'm in the process of buying a six year old MINI Cooper. The car has its original tyres, which are badly cracked on the sidewalls, although there is plenty of tread. The MINI dealer state this is normal....
My mother would like to buy a replacement for her aged, but much loved, convertible Volkswagen Golf. She would like an automatic with a petrol engine and space for grandchildren in the rear seats.
Her...
The automatic gearbox on my 2006 Nissan Note is not working as it should. It drives off normally, but will change up from first to second gear. Any idea what could be causing this?
I've just bought a brand new Vauxhall Astra, but when I change from first to second gear I can feel, but not hear, a slight crunch. Is this normal for a new car? It is less than one month old and has less...
I have a Ford Mondeo ST220 and when braking I get like a "juddering" from the brakes. I can feel it through the steering wheel as I apply the brakes. Any ideas what this might be?
I own a Vauxhall Zafira (2001 model) and yesterday the power steering stopped working. There is fluid in the bottle and no leaks to speak of. Could it be the motor? If so, is it possible to fix this myself?...
My 2013 Audi A3 Sportback 1.6TDi is coming to the end of its three year warranty and it has covered almost 60,000 miles. I drive around 20,000 miles per year and am trying to decide if I should keep it...
I have a 2010 Vauxhall Corsa automatic with 23,000 miles on the clock. It has been serviced regularly and kept in a garage. Recently I've noticed that the gearbox lever is sticking, which makes it very...
I am changing my wife's car. She is 5 foot in height and wants a car with a slightly raised seating. Motoring is mainly local but with occasional trip to Scotland and possibly France.
We do like diesels...
I have taken my Toyota RAV4 for an MOT today and have been told that I will need to put on new tyres due to cracking in between the treads. Really cheesed off as there are many miles left in them.
They...
I need to buy a used car for £5000. It must be comfortable and have a large boot for a pram/buggy for a new baby currently 4 months old. Highish driving position preferred.
I bought a Fiat 500L trekking in April 2014 for £21,300, a year later I was offered a part-exchange value of around £11,000 from the same Fiat dealer. I am appalled that such a run of the mill car can...
We are looking for a vehicle to tow a horse trailer over long distances to riding events. Parking at these events usually involves driving through muddy fields so four-wheel drive is a must.
Our 2003...
Can a registered keeper be taken to court for refusing to disclose the driver details? I've received a Parking Charge Notice from a private company saying the car has breached the terms and conditions...
I have a 2010 Mazda MX-5 2.0 Roadster Coupe Sport Tech which I love but no longer have much use for as it is a second car. I'm thinking of selling it but I'm unsure when would be best to do so.
I own Nissan Juke 1.6DiG-T and I love it. But the cabin noise on the motorway is too high. Do you think a sound proofing kit will help?
My friend has about £5000 to spend on a used family car. She currently drives a new generation VW Beetle which she loves so she would prefer something not too 'boring' but it does need to be more practical...
When it rains I get water in the front and rear footwells of my 1998 Volkswagen Golf. I have been unable to trace a leak. I have checked that the pollen filter is clear, but the problem continues. Any...
The manual for my Ford Focus Estate 1.6 TDI instructs to occasionally run in lower gears at high revs but does not say how high for the revs or over what distance. In 10k miles, I am not aware that DPF...
I bought a used approved BMW 5 Series F11 12 months ago. After six months the rear suspension failed. It took BMW four months to fix the issue before returning the car to me. Due to not being able to drive...
I have a Toyota Avensis D4D (2008) with 120k miles on the clock. I've never had an issue with it, but recently, when the car is idling, a rattle has developed coming from the rear passenger side. It is...
I own a Ford S-MAX (2008 model) 2.2 diesel. Recently it has displayed some fault codes. P0087 and P0088 both coming on at the same time. The car drives perfect until it's put under a bit of strain going...
I sold my 2003 Fiat Punto yesterday to a guy who seemed to know quite a lot about them. After the test drive and haggling over the price he bought the car. He contacted me late last night to say that the...
I have a problem with a 2009 (59 plate) Peugeot 308 1.6 diesel. The car drives fine but I now have a ABS brake fault. I have taken it to my mechanic who says that it's a specialist job. The diagnostics...
I am looking to upgrade from my diesel Ford Mondeo and a 2012 BMW 5 Series or 2011 Jaguar XF are favourites. I want a refined, comfortable cruiser, with decent oomph, to cover the 15-18000 miles a year...
I have the chance of buying a nice 2005 Honda Jazz 1.2 with 14-inch steel wheels. However, the tyres are bald and need replacing. I can fit wheels/tyres from another car? I've seen quite a few for sale...
Is the Michelin CrossClimate still the all-season tyre to buy? I think you did mention Nokian had one coming out in late 2015.
The instrument cluster on my four year old - bought-from-new - Audi TT has just failed. The car is a 2012 model and now has no speedometer, rev counter or mileage, just lots of warning lights (EPC etc)....
Yesterday I discovered some minor damage to the rear door of my Mazda 3 (purchased three months ago). I don't know how or when it happened. It's quite a shallow dent but it looks like the paint has cracked....
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