diesel engines | Ask Honest John

Ask Honest John

Most recently answered diesel engines questions

I have a 2008 BMW 120d M sport with 65.000 miles on the clock from new. The car has developed a severe vibration through the gear lever and clutch pedal. Any suggestions as to the cause?

Buying a used Skoda Yeti - which diesel is best?

I need a compact 4x4 with an automatic gearbox. I've seen two used Skoda Yetis for sale, both diesels with 10k on the clock. One is a 170PS, the other a 150PS with AdBlue. Which would be the best choice...

Vauxhall Vectra stalling at low revs

I own a Vauxhall Vectra C 1.9 diesel. It has a manual gearbox and a DMF. The problem I have is when the clutch is not engaged. The car runs smoothly and then stalls, with a clicking noise. This happens...

Volkswagen CC engine rattles since emissions 'fix'

My 2012 Volkswagen CC went back to the dealer for its emissions work back in July 2016; however, since then the engine has developed a very large rattle and no longer gets better than 47mpg (used to be...

Mitsubishi L200 blowing smoke - turbo failure?

My son owns a (2001 model) Mitsubishi L200 2.5 diesel pick-up. When starting from cold, the vehicle belches out smoke. He was warned that the turbo is on the way out; however, whilst driving home from...

Vauxhall Astravan blowing grey smoke

I have a 2009 Vauxhall Astravan 1.7 diesel. In the past few weeks the vehicle has started developing a smoking issue, which no one can find an answer for. The smoke is grey in colour, but the van doesn’t...

Best MPV for under than £2000?

I would like some advice on what car to buy. I have £2000 to spend on ideally a reliable MPV but I would also like it to be good at towing for up to 1.3 tonnes. What would you recommend?

SEAT Leon 1.6 diesel - keep or sell?

I bought a SEAT Leon 1.6 diesel on HP in 2014 as I was doing a 50 mile round-trip per day at the time and a diesel seemed like the most sensible option. Since 2015, an change of job means that I use the...

How reliable is the Vauxhall Insignia?

I am interested in a 2014 Insignia SRi CDTi 140 at a local dealer (20k miles, ex-rental plus one owner). Looking at your Car-by-Car Reviews, it would be easy to assume that Insignias have numerous reliability...

Buying a Ford Focus diesel - what should I look out for?

I am wanting to buy a 3/4 year old Ford Focus Estate and seem to have found a 2013 one, but the mileage is quite high at 100,000. Would this be a problem in the long run? My average miles per year wouldn't...