Why doesn't the start-stop function in my car work sometimes?

My Volvo V90's start-stop facility frequently refuses to work. Is this a common fault?

Should I add a diesel additive to keep my DPF working properly?

Is it worth using a DPF additive in a tank of superdiesel to keep my car's DPF clean?

I'm an international student in Manchester - what will bring my insurance premium down?

I'm a 25 years old, international full-time student in Manchester. I've been in the UK since 2013 and got my driving license in 2011. I was recently offered a 2007 Mercedes-Benz B-Class for £3800. It has...

Can you suggest a petrol pick-up truck?

I have a great Mitsubishi L200 pickup, which is pre-DPF. I'm now looking to change it, but I only do 5000 - 6000 miles per year, which are mostly short journeys so I don't want a diesel with a DPF. Is...

My MoT expires four days before the 40 year exemption begins - what do I do?

The MoT on my 1963 classic expires on 16 May 2018. Apparently the new rules come into force on May 20th. Does this mean that I'll have to have to have an MoT for the sake of four days? I'll certainly get...

My insurer told me my car was being repaired but it's now a write off - what should I do?

I recently damaged the front end of my car, it was my own fault. My insurer verbally said, on three separate occasions, that the car has been authorised for repair and that it has not been written off....

Is it fair to have to pay a diagnostic fee for a car covered by a warranty?

Our Hyundai dealer wants a nonrefundable £78 diagnostic fee before covering work under the Hyundai five-year warranty. Is this acceptable?

Is buying a Euro6 diesel a sensible idea right now?

I'm looking to buy a 2016, second-hand, Euro6 diesel Hyundai Tucson for around £22,000. I want to keep it for five years or more. With all the confusion surrounding diesel cars, is this a sensible buy?

Why do insurers keep penalty points on record for five years if the DVLA remove them after three?

I just had my renewal quote, when asked if anything had changed I mentioned the removal of three penalty points from my licence last year (after three years). I was told that insurance firms keep the points...

Should I buy a diesel car?

Is it smart to buy a diesel car?

Are faraday bags useful to stop keyless entry theft?

Are faraday bags for car keys viable? Surely when the key is removed to enable the engine to be started it becomes vulnerable to hacking. Also, once started my car will continue to run even when I move...

When does a classic car become MoT exempt?

When does the 40 year tax and MoT exemption begin?

How easy is it to import a used van from Europe?

I'm in the very early stages of planning to get a large, secondhand van to convert to a camper for family holidays. I'm looking at a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter LWB, but I'd rather not get diesel for environmental...

Is it worth using premium grade petrol?

Is premium grade petrol good value?

An engine replacement for my van has taken seven weeks to sort out - is that fair?

My 2014 Ford Transit is fully serviced, but blew a piston (or that's what we were told). The issue happened with six weeks warranty left, but I've been waiting nearly seven weeks for new engine. Ford refuse...

I can still see a windscreen chip I had repaired - is this normal?

I've just had a windscreen chip repaired. It was approximately 10mm in diameter. I hoped it would disappear, but I can still see it from inside and outside of the car. Is this acceptable?

What's the best way to insure a learner driver?

What's the cheapest way to insure a 17 year old learner driver on my car whilst teaching them to drive?

Why should I pay to protect my no claims bonus?

I am shortly to renew my car insurance and to protect my no claims bonus of nine years, maximum, the charge is £30. For what? It does not seem to me to give any real reason to pay. Could you give me some...

I'm buying a small van - what would you recommend?

What's the best small van that will fit a trials bike (approx 6'2 long)?

I sold a car 'as seen and approved' but the buyer now claims there are faults and is demanding money?

I have a 'sold as seen and approved' document from a sale I made recently but now the purchaser is demanding £500 for alleged faults. He wants to take County Court action against me. What are my rights?...

How do we go about driving a classic car through France's clean air zones?

I was under the impression that the French authorities had banned classic cars - even if they were over forty years old - from entering major French cities. With this in mind, I wrote to the French embassy...

Do I have to accept a refund for a car that I want repaired?

Can I insist on a dealer repairing a car instead of refunding me? I bought a BMW i3 from a used car supermarket. It developed a major, complicated drive train fault on day one. The dealer and I agreed...

An elderly relative has a car on PCP but has been diagnosed with dementia and now cannot drive - where do we stand?

An elderly relative has owned a car for one year of a three year purchase agreement. During this year he has been diagnosed with dementia and is not capable of driving. The car is stored off road and the...

My insurance premium increased despite no formal claims - why is this?

A few days ago I accidentally reversed my car into a neighbour's parked car, resulting is very minor damage to one of his car's rear wheel arches. My car was undamaged. I immediately notified my neighbour...

What do multiple total loss insurance claims on a used car mean?

I'm looking at a used car. What do multiple total loss insurance claims mean?

Should I wait to get my 1971 Spitfire MoT'd?

I have a 1971 Spitfire IV on which the MoT expires in February, but which is currently garaged over winter. The tax runs to 1st May (its £0 now). Shall I wait until the new MoT exemption rules come in...

What is the definition of 'list price' on a new car?

What is the definition of list price on a new car? Does it include the delivery charge and number plates or is it just the RRP of the car itself?

How much is my 1980 Mini 1275GT worth?

I've had a 1980 Mini 1275GT since new and it's covered just 50,000 miles. It doesn't go and has not moved for five years but is in surprisingly good condition on the outside. I now realise I am not going...

How can I find out what damage was involved in an insurance write off?

I have purchased an Experian search on a car due to it being an Insurance write off. It only advises of the category, it doesn't show the name of the insurance company. Is there anyway I can find this...

Should I buy a Cat D car?

Can I find out what damage was done to a car that's a Cat D and why it was written off? The seller doesn't know.

What consumer rights does a buyer have when purchasing a classic car from a dealer?

What consumer rights does a buyer have when purchasing an older, or classic, vehicle from a dealer? For example, if the advertisement states that the car has been fitted with new or reconditioned parts,...

The dashboard dials in my car keep going crazy - how do I stop these time travelling episodes?

My Renault Megane dashboard dials keep going haywire, like the DeLorean's dashboard in Back to the Future, about 20 minutes into a drive. They go back to normality after two or three minutes of the dials...

Why is my second year car tax more than I expected?

My Kia Sportage has CO2 of 175g/km and I understood that my second year tax rate was £140 but I have just received my reminder and it states £220 for the next year. Have I misread the tax band details?

The clutch is slipping on a used car we bought four months ago - should the warranty cover this?

I purchased a second hand 2014 A5 Sportback in October 2017. We received a six month warranty with the car and now the clutch is slipping. The warranty company are stating that the clutch has to be completely...

Should I have to pay for recall work on my vehicle?

Due to recall of my Fiat Ducato motorhome I visited my local Fiat Professional dealer and they suggested that replacement of EGR pipe the work would take normally 6.5 hours on a Ducato van but with extra...

What are the best cheap 4x4 pick-ups?

I need to spend some time over a few months clearing a house on occasional visits. Skip hire is ridiculously expensive so I am thinking of buying an oldish high mileage pickup or 4x4 for a couple of grand...

Do we need to change the gearbox oil on our two-year-old Jazz?

My wife's two-year-old Honda Jazz with 13,000 miles is due a service and the dealer recommends changing the gearbox oil at the cost of £75. Is this necessary? There are no problems with the manual gearbox....

What checks do I need to make on a pre-reg car that's been sat around?

I am purchasing a BMW 340i Touring from a main dealer. It was first registered in April 2017 but only has 72 miles on the clock and has been sat round for a while. Is there anything you would recommend...

My car needed a new turbo which the manufacturer is paying for - should I have to pay the labour?

Last week a couple of yellow warning lights appeared on the dash of my 2014 Skoda Octavia 1.4 petrol. At the main dealer they diagnosed a turbo fault which requires a new turbo to be fitted at a cost of...

My car was written off but has been valued at £2000 less than I paid for it - can I claim back the loss?

I was involved in a no fault claim and my car is a write off. The valuation is £2000 less than what the window price was just three weeks ago when I purchased it. Can I claim back the loss?

I'm hiring a car in Australia - is it cheaper to buy collision waiver insurance through an independent insurer?

I have booked to hire a car in Australia and understand that it is cheaper to purchase collision damage waiver insurance through an independent insurer rather than through the hire company. Can you advise...

Would you recommend a Ford Transit Custom or a Volkswagen Caddy?

Which is the better van, a 2014 Ford Transit Connect or a Volkswagen Caddy?

Will a modified Morris Minor be difficult to insure?

I've come across a garage that specialises in selling Morris 1000. They also improve/modify them by fitting disk brakes, brake servos, Inertia reel seatbelts etc. The garage in question is https://www.morrisminor.org.uk/cars-for-sale....

Should you admit liability after an accident?

I often read in your questions that the third party admitted liability. I always understood that one must NOT do that as it will reduce the negotiating stance of the insurance company. Otherwise, fault...

Is my 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class a future classic?

Will my Mercedes-Benz S320 become a classic in the future?

An insurer-approved repairer botched work on our vehicle - what do we do now?

My son had his van broken into recently, the thief put a hole in the door and undid the lock through this. The van was fixed at a local garage through his insurance, but they didn't replace the lock, just...

A used car I bought a few months ago needs a new head gasket - what are my consumer rights?

I bought a 2014 Ford Focus on 30 Aug 2017, which only came with a three month warranty. Today I've been told it needs a new head gasket. Where do I stand with regards to liability and my consumer rights?

My Nissan Micra is making a strange acceleration noise - what is it?

I bought a 2012 Nissan Micra 1.2 petrol manual with 39,500 miles on it. A strange noise, like a constant need to accelerate, is occuring. Is it a CVT?

Do I need Gap Insurance?

Is Gap Insurance worth having?

What calculations do insurers use to work out premiums?

I recently replaced my group 40 SUV, valued at £9000 with an annual premium of £640, with a much newer group 15 car of similar value with a premium of £400. I expected the insurance to have at least halved...