What does white residue around the oil filler cap mean?

My Volkswagen Golf 2002 has white residue around the oil filler cap, is this always a sign that the head gasket has failed?

Can I mix all season tyres with normal summer tyres?

I have a 12-month-old Skoda Octavia Estate. The front tyres are worn but the rears are fine. Can I fit two all seasons to the front only? Is this combination safe and do all season cope with moderate snow...

Is the BMW 316i engine powerful enough?

What do you think of BMW 316i? Bearing in mind that I'm not the kind of driver that tends to push the car towards its limit, I'm concerned that the engine is not powerful enough. For example, just for...

What fuel should I use for a petrol hybrid?

I own a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and do approximately 9000 miles per year. Half of which are local journeys, not exceeding 25 mile round trips, and the other half is motorway driving, approximately 60...

Should I sell my high mileage Subaru?

I own a 2008 Subaru Outback 2.0-litre diesel. I am the second owner of the car which has now done 180,000 km. Everything has been perfect so far, but there are 3 big non-official Subaru repair shops in...

What's the smarter buy - Mazda MX5 hardtop or soft top?

I love the look of the new Mazda MX5 hardtop, but could the retractable roof mechanism cause problems in years to come and would I be wiser to stick to the (much cheaper) soft top?

Has the Ford Fiesta Zetec got a big enough wheel well for a spare wheel?

Has the 2014 Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.25 got a wheel well that would take a space saver wheel and a jack/wheel brace?

Is the law on child seats changing?

Is the law changing for child seats and, if so, what is it changing to?

What is the difference between the Skoda Rapid 90PS and 86PS version?

What is the difference between the Skoda Rapid 1.2 TSI 90PS and 86PS version? Is the latest the same engine as used in the current Octavia? Is there anything to watch for, such as the timing belt/chain...

Should the DVLA take away my old friends licence?

I have an old friend, he is 73. About 15 years ago he had eyesight problems with visual field defects which lead to the DVLA taking away his licence, which he accepted with grace. He then had a triple...

Should I get the cam belt replaced on my Volkswagen Golf before selling it?

I'm planning on selling my 2010 Golf 1.6 TDI DSG privately in around four months time. By then the car will have approximately 75,000 miles on the clock and has a FSH. I can get the cam belt replaced for...

How good are hybrid cars?

How good are hybrid cars?

What should I do if I paid for a diagnostic report and the garage will not give me a copy?

My grandson owns a 4 year old BMW 1 series, petrol which has done 52,000 miles. Recently two red lights appeared on the dash and he took it to a BMW dealer who quoted him £160 per hour for the diagnostic...

Do 'active headrests' come under the Kia warranty?

I have a 2011 Kia Cee'd 3 CRDI. It's a lovely car but when you sit in either of the two front seats the seat back appears to collapse. I have no lumber support function and it can quite often happen while...

Toying with the idea of buying a 'new' Beetle - is this a good idea?

I have toyed with idea of buying an old-ish Volkswagen Beetle as second car for fun, maybe for 4000 miles a year. I have seen a 2003 2.0 petrol manual with genuine 16000 miles although I'm sure when the...

Can I retrofit a reversing camera to my Vauxhall Mokka?

Can I retro-fit a reversing camera to my Vauxhall Mokka?

Should I buy a used car that's only done 2000 miles?

I am after a used Mazda 3 automatic car. I have seen a 2 year old car with only 2000 miles and another 2 year old with 15,000 miles. Is it better to buy one which has done 15,000 miles? Both are advertised...

What car should I buy after owning a Saab?

We will have to change our car next year and I am struggling to find one that is as spacious, comfortable and efficient as my current diesel Saab 9-3 twin turbo. We get about 53mpg and looking at the Honest...

Mercedes-Benz GLC steering issues - is this common?

I have a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC on lease. When the steering is on full lock the car starts to crab and makes an awful noise. Mercedes says this is a characteristic of the car and that to solve the problem...

I can't unlock my car at all - what can I do?

My Citroen Xsara Picasso 2005 won't unlock. Not with the key nor with the remote. Only the boot. Any ideas?

Is an extended warranty a worthwhile investment on a three year old car?

I am considering buying a 2012 BMW 320i with around 28,000 mileage. I have been offered an 18-month warranty with Safe and Sound mechanical breakdown insurance for £495. The warranty includes no claims...

I need a small car with comfortable suspension - any ideas?

I am looking to buy a petrol Citroen C2 or C3 (1.1 or preferably 1.4). I want soft suspension. Roads in my country of Serbia are full of holes and imperfections and I don't want a car to be "braking my...

What problems should I look out for on my 10 year old BMW?

I own 57 plate BMW 335i M sport Touring with 65k miles on the clock. We are the second owners of the car which we acquired from a main dealer 4 years ago. We do 5k miles a year hence the choice of a fun...

Dealer hasn't sent me V5C after six weeks - is this normal?

I bought an Audi A4 Avant TDI six weeks ago from an independent Audi dealer. I am happy with the car but I have not received my logbook from the DVLA. The garage told me that they had not yet sent the...

Why does my steering make a strange noise?

I have a 2012 SEAT Ibiza 1.2 ST and every time I turn the steering wheel it makes a whining noise. The garage says it is the electric motor for the power steering (cost £720 fitted). Is this a common fault?

What's the best petrol and automatic SUV?

In your review of the SEAT Ateca you refer to possible lag with the petrol/auto combination. I've driven a manual Ateca which is good in all respects. Should I be concerned about ordering an auto. What...

Buying a car on PCP - why are the fees from brokers so high?

I'm looking at buying a new BMW 1 Series on PCP and interested in brokers as the prices are a lot cheaper. They are charging anywhere from £199 to £395 in fees. Is that right? It doesn't seem bad if they...

What's the best value small new car?

What is the best value small car (around Fiesta size) for around £6000?

What is the best classic car for a young driver?

Would a classic 1970/80s Audi 80 be a good first car for a 17 year old? If not, which classic car would you recommend? Including factors of price of car, insurance and availability of parts.

What's the best car for ease of access for older drivers?

What's the best car for easy access for older drivers?

How much should I expect Land Rover to contribute to my engine repair?

I have owned and loved a Land Rover Discovery 4 for the last 6 years and the mileage is 59,500. Two weeks ago catastrophic engine failure occurred. This was due to movement of crankshaft bearing shells,...

Why is my car slow when starting from cold?

My Mercedes-Benz ML270 CDI (2004) is a bit sluggish when starting up from cold in the morning - it's only just started happening. I have to press harder on the accelerator to get the car going which is...

Should I ignore the engine emission warning on my high mileage diesel Volkswagen?

I'm driving a 2005 Volkswagen Touran 2.0 DSG automatic diesel. It has done 138,000 miles. Is there anything I should get done? It drives well, however, the engine emission warning has lit up on the display....

Seller didn't provide me with the first page of the V5 - what do I do?

I bought a car but I only have the new keeper supplement and the seller didn't provide me with first page of the V5. He said he would drop it off tomorrow, so in good faith I said okay, but now he's not...

Is there a known problem with the Toyota Yaris' steering?

Not so much a question, more a case of strange advice. I have been a vehicle technician for over forty years. Two months ago my daughter bought a brand new Toyota Yaris and from day one (the day I road...

The new owner of my car keeps wracking up tickets in my name - what should I do?

I gave my friend the logbook to sell with my car. He sold the car and sent the DVLA logbook but it was lost in the post and now I've been given 12 parking tickets which have been wracked up by the new...

Best place to see a year old MINI Clubman that's been repaired?

I need to sell my father's MINI Clubman Cooper S which is a year old with 2000 miles on it. It was ex-demo and well optioned. However due to age and a bump I need to sell it. It has been repaired at a...

What is wrong with my Ford Focus' speed sensor?

I have strange problem with my Ford Focus MK1 1.8-litre. When the speed sensor is plugged in my car's revs will not drop to idle when in neutral and the car is moving. In fact, when it's moving at any...

Why does my Fiat 500 keep stopping suddenly?

I own a 1.2-litre 2009 Fiat 500 Sport. The head gasket went in six months ago I had the head skimmed and the engine rebuilt. An hour after I picked it up from the garage the car stopped and has been stopping...

My warranty won't cover my windscreen because it isn't the original, what do I do?

I recently took my Volkswagen Touareg for its first ever service, I've owned it since new, and one of the issues was a fault on the lights sensor. This is part of the windscreen and they tell me that the...

Is the Hyundai i30 auto a torque converter or an automatic clutch?

I bought a Kia Venga 1.6-litre automatic, which is nice, but I preferred the Hyundais I've had in the past. If I were to change I notice there is a 1.6-litre petrol (I only drive petrol) automatic on the...

What are my rights if I bought a used car with no service history?

I bought a used Mercedes-Benz C Class from a Mercedes-Benz dealer in February 2015. It's a 62 plate and there is no service history on the database for this vehicle. I have been told there should have...

Why is my auto-stop system cutting out?

I bought my Hyundai Tucson Premium in 2016. Three months into ownership the auto-stop system is cutting off once a week, making it uneconomical to drive. After two days the system comes back as it should....

Why does my coolant level keep rising above the maximum line?

I have a new Ford Fiesta Ecoboost turbo 140PS. After a 400 mile journey the coolant level had risen to above maximum. I removed some coolant so that it returned to the maximum level. After another journey...

Highlands and Islands expedition - what vehicle would you recommend?

I am planning a once in a lifetime trip around the Highlands and Islands of Scotland for when I retire shortly. I'd like to buy a new vehicle that will cope with public roads, whatever the condition, and...

What do I do if my registration plates have been cloned?

My daughter in law has started receiving toll charge penalty notices from the Dartford Tunnel when she has not been there. We have appealed the fines, but they want a crime number. The police told us by...

My insurance has offered scrap value for my car after an accident - what do I do?

I own a 1996 Volkswagen Polo MK3 which has been in the family since new. Recently I had a small dent in the wing caused by a third party. The insurance engineer stated that it was not worth repairing and...

Why is my heater blowing cold air?

My 2011 Jeep Compass heater is blowing cold air all the time. Any ideas on what is wrong?

How do I find my radio code?

I disconnected the battery on my Ford Fiesta and now need a radio code, can you help please?

Should I wait for the new CX-5 or go for the current model?

I have a new Mazda CX-5 from stock due for part exchange with a 4 year old Skoda Superb in early January. I've read your 'Best for 2017' and saw new improved CX-5 due mid 2017. The garage are happy to...