Who should pay for my car's air con top up?

I bought a 2016 Hyundai Tucson two weeks ago with 39,000 miles on the clock. And now with the warmer spell of weather,

Best used small car for my 18-year-old son?

What are your suggestions for the best used car for my 18-year-old son? Also, what is the best insurer for affordable cover for him?

Can I buy a Bluetooth aftermarket reversing camera for my car?

I have a Honda Jazz and would like to connect a reversing camera to the cars display screen. Is there a Bluetooth camera that can do this?

Do I buy my own ‘black box’ or does the insurance company supply it?

What is black box insurance? Do I buy my own ‘black box’ or does the insurance company supply it?

Are there any cars capable of fitting 3 child seats?

My son and daughter-in-law are keen on buying a Skoda Kodiaq seven-seater, but we think it can't easily fit 3 child seats in and there's no Isofix on the rear seats. Do you have other ideas, please? Best...

What should I know about Cat S cars?

What is a Category S car? Can you offer some advice on Cat S?

Why don't you rate the Ford Focus ST as one of the best hot hatches?

In your Top 10: Hot Hatches list, you rate the Ford Fiesta ST but what about the Focus ST with the 2.3 engine? Why no mention?

Can I put a rear-mounted bike rack on a car with a spoiler?

I’m looking for a bike rack that will fit a Mk5 Ford Fiesta. All that I’ve found so far will supposedly not work due to the rear spoiler.

Why are used car prices increasing?

Why have used Audi Q7 gone up in price in the last year or so?

Can I mix standard and all-season tyres?

I'm thinking of replacing the standard tyres with all-season tyres on my Suzuki SX4 S-Cross All Grip. The front tyres need replacing soon, but the rear ones are good for another year or so. Is it OK to...

Should I buy a new petrol, hybrid or electric car?

In the next few months, I will buy a new SUV. Is it better to buy a petrol, plug-in hybrid or all-electric nowadays?

What's a fair price for air-con regassing?

A trusted AC specialist says I need a new condenser for my air conditioning unit and has quoted £400 for a replacement, with three hours needed to fit — including a re-gas. Is this a fair price?

Are imported cars worth buying?

I want to buy a used Volvo V70. There are a number for sale with lowish miles that look good but most seem to be imported from Japan. Are Volvos, originally exported to Japan, made to the same standard...

Is buying a Mitsubishi Shogun a smart move?

I am considering buying a new Mitsubishi Shogun Sport. Would this be a sensible move, given that Mitsubishi are pulling out of Europe? What about services, spares, warranty etc?

Should I buy a spare wheel for my MG 5 EV?

Should I buy a space saver wheel and tyre to use on a new MG 5?

How much is a cam belt change on a Mazda Bongo?

I am thinking it is time to change the cam belt on my Mazda Bongo. How much should I expect to pay?

How can I fix my Volkswagen Golf's DPF problems?

I have a 2011 Volkswagen Golf Plus diesel with approx 54,000 miles on the clock. It has a problem with the DPF (diesel particulate filter) light which comes on and then forces the car into limp mode. It...

BMW passenger restraint system malfunction warning - what does it mean?

The following message has appeared on the dashboard of my 2008 BMW 530d: "Passenger restraint system malfunction". The seat belt and airbag warning lights are also illuminated - what should I do?

Why is my car's clutch pedal stuck to the floor?

I have a problem with the clutch pedal staying down. I am being told this is a gearbox problem. What do you think?

Will my Toyota Aygo meet the new ULEZ rules?

Will my Toyota Aygo be ULEZ compliant when the extension rules come into force in October 2021? How can I check this?

My partner has a phobia of modern technology - can you recommend a suitable replacement for their ageing Audi?

My partner drives a 2003 Audi A6 Avant TDi with 200+ miles on the clock and has a phobia of change. Which modern estate car: a) has a large flat load area (>1800 mm L x 1000 mm W between arches). b) is...

Why do I have to fill my car up with oil so often?

I have a 2009 Peugeot 207 SW 1.6-litre automatic with 45,000 on the clock. I acquired the car in June 2020. The car has been serviced annually (last in June 2020) and passed its MOT in January 2021. I...

Can you recommend a small car that'll cope well with hilly terrain?

Can you recommend a small automatic car. I have moved to the country and need something that will cope well with the steep hills around my house. I currently drive a 2008 Fiat 500, which doesn't cope well,...

Are there any sat navs that can route you around the ULEZ?

Are there any sat navs that are able to route you to avoid clean air zones like the ULEZ?

Can I cancel my purchase without penalty within 7 days if I buy a car online?

I'm confused about my rights when buying a new car online from a main dealer. Am I allowed to cancel within 7 days from delivery without penalty?

Which is better, the new Volkswagen Golf or BMW 1 Series?

I currently have a 2015 Volkswagen Golf with the DSG gearbox, which you have been critical of (but ours has had no trouble). I'm now thinking of a replacement. The new Golf has a DSG gearbox. Is this the...

Can you help me decide what reliable, used crossover to buy?

I would like to buy a used crossover. My budget is £14,000. I'm likely to keep it for the next 10 years, so reliability is important. My annual mileage is 12,000: a mixture of local trips and longer motorway...

Why are the prices of used cars rising?

I have been looking at buying a large, used SUV for the last three months: Volvo XC90, Land Rover Discovery, Audi Q7 etc. I now notice that the exact cars I have been looking at have gone up in price....

Are tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) reliable?

How sensitive are tyre pressure monitors? My wife’s Skoda Fabia’s tyre pressure warning came on recently and when I checked the pressures they were all a long way out. Is a slight pressure decrease over...

Why are there so many used cars about with low-mileage and two former owners?

I'm looking to downsize car and I'm seeing very reputable dealers advertising very low mileage on 1 or 2-year-old cars. However, they're listed with 2 former owners. What would the likely history of these...

My car tyres have been flagged as perished by an MOT. Shouldn't they last much longer than 3 years?

A recent MOT stated all four tyres are advisory items as they've perished, yet my 2018 car has only 15,900 miles on the clock and just does two or three local trips each week. Surely tyres should last...

My dad has a 50's classic car. Should we sell the car with the original plate or sell them separately?

I'm writing in onn behalf of my father, who wants to sell his Lanchester LD10. The car has a three-letter, three-number car registration. He would like to know the most suitable means for selling the car...

The automatic gearbox in our Nissan Juke has seized. Should Nissan contribute to the repair?

My wife’s 6-year-old, 36,000-mile Nissan Juke has a seized automatic gearbox. There appears to be a lot of similar problems with the automatic gearbox. Do you think Nissan should make a substantial contribution...

We love our electric car but the lack of charging infrastructure is depressing. Are other people finding this, too?

We enjoy driving our BMW i3 very much; we feel good about doing our bit for the planet and find home charging both convenient and economical. However, as we start to go further afield, we find increasing...

How can I secure my car's catalytic converter from theft and is it likely to be stolen?

Like many people, I am alarmed by the rising number of catalytic converter thefts and the cost of replacement with having to pay the excess on any insurance if this were to happen to me. I have a 2013...

Which cars are the cheapest to insure for a learner?

What's the cheapest car to insure for a learner driver?

I want to lease a small car. Is there a time of year when better deals are offered?

I currently drive a Land Rover Freelander but I'm considering changing to a smaller leased car for a few years until the newer hybrids improve on distance. I live in a rural area so would need at least...

We want a dash cam but don't know where to start. What should we buy?

We've been advised to get a dash cam but have no idea what to get. It's very confusing. Neither of us is very tech-savvy so really we need a medium-priced product that will basically record as necessary....

I've only done 1000 miles in the last 12 months. Do I need my car's annual service done?

I have a 2009 Lexus GS450h. I had a full Lexus service at 69,000 miles in September 2020. The car has now done 70,000 miles. Should I have my annual service this year? Thank you.

Do plug-in hybrids self-charge while driving?

Does a plug-in hybrid have any self-charging capability?

My dash cam can't go behind the rearview mirror. Where should I place it?

I'm thinking of fitting a dash cam to my 2016 Honda HR-V but the large sensor housing on the windscreen does not allow me to fit it behind the rearview mirror. Any ideas about the next best place?

I made a stupid mistake and put the wrong fuel in my car. What should I do?

I filled my diesel Nissan Qashqai with petrol. What’s the best course of action?

A private road I have right of way on has no obvious speed limit. Should there be speed limit signs on a private road?

I, along with seven other residents, have a right of way by vehicle over a private road that leads onto an A road. The private road has no speed signage etc. The road is owned by a campsite at the end...

Which small cars have the most comfortable, adjustable seats?

Can you please recommend a Volkswagen Polo sized car with comfortable front seats and a full range of adjustment (lumber and height) on the passenger seat?

My friend says the engines in Honda scooters are made in Thailand, is this true?

My friend tells me that the engine in the Honda SH300i scooter is the same as in many other scooters and is made in Taiwan or Korea. It's a general product and not original from Honda, meaning it doesn't...

Why doesn't everyone use all-season tyres?

Is there a good reason that all drivers shouldn't be using all-season tyres?

I did a 250-mile, 7-hour trip in my diesel car. How would an electric car have coped?

Last bank holiday Monday, I travelled the 260 miles from Edinburgh to the North Midlands in my diesel Hyundai. I still had enough fuel for another 250 miles, but the journey took seven hours instead of...

Is a 25-year-old camper van an unwise investment?

My daughter wants to buy a 1997 Volkswagen Caravelle with 97,000 miles. It looks in good condition and has a current MOT. Please advise what we need to check before considering an offer. Many thanks.

Can I retrofit a petrol engine into my diesel car to be compliant with the ULEZ?

I'm happy to keep my Freelander 2 TD4 until the end of days. Is there any option, anywhere, of an engine swap to petrol and could it be legally re-registered to cover ULEZ? I daren't even ask about insurance.

I'll need to replace my ageing car before 2030, but should I wait a few years to buy an electric car?

I have an 11-year-old car which I'll probably replace before the end of the decade. There seem to be three possibilities: replace soon with another petrol or diesel car then change after 2030, replace...