Should my sister-in-law buy a petrol or diesel Ford Focus for short journeys?

My sister-in-law is looking to purchase a new Ford Focus but cannot decide between the 1.6TDCI diesel and 1.6I petrol engines. She does less than 10,000 miles per year, mainly very short runs in town with...

Which specification Ford Fiesta best suits my needs?

I love my X-reg 1.25 Fiesta Zetec, but it's definitely starting to show its age and I think it's about time I replaced it. Ideally I'd like to buy a new Fiesta, but I'm not sure which spec would best suit...

Recommend a cheap 4x4 workhorse?

I am looking for advice on buying a cheap (fully depreciated) but reliable workhorse for very occasional trips to garden centres and still capable of (very infrequently) ferrying four people in comfort....

Which small car for local use could I buy to replace my 2003 Ford Ka?

I plan to trade-in my 2003 Ford Ka Collection for a two or three-year-old model. I'm a 74-year-old widow, living in a Somerset village, and doing only 3000 miles a year, mostly local driving. What would...

At what annual mileage should drivers consider diesel vehicles?

In last Saturday's paper, you advised someone who does 10,000 miles a year that 'You don't do enough miles for a diesel.' I'd appreciate your opinion as to what mileage would suggest the need for a diesel,...

How can I speed up engine repairs to my ex-demo Volvo C70 2.0D?

I bought an 11-month-old ex-Volvo management C70 with 4400 miles on the clock from a Volvo dealer in February 2010. Included in the deal was the first annual service. On 2nd June at 7700 miles, the car...

Will a diesel Toyota Urban Cruiser's DPF be ok with a 25-mile run each month?

I 'm thinking of downsizing from my Toyota RAV4 (01/2004) diesel and quite like the Toyota Urban Cruiser. I do about 6000 miles pa and you say the diesel is the better model, so if I give it a 25 mile...

Which small car is capable of long motorway drives when necessary?

I have a Rover 75 and I'm thinking of getting something smaller and more economical. I'm now retired, living in Dorset and I use the car infrequently for a bit of shopping, but half a dozen times a year...

Should Skoda contribute to a failed DPF in my Octavia vRS diesel?

I have an 07-plate Skoda Octavia vRS diesel. It has a full Skoda service history with 72,000 miles (the next service is due at 78,000). Recently, the particulate filter warning came on and I followed the...

How easily does the Fiat 500 1.3 Lounge diesel's DPF clog up?

We tried out the Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge petrol but found it to be very sluggish, especially as we live in Devon with loads of hills. You mentioned that there could be problems with diesel models on short...