Is £400 a reasonable price to repair the sills on my 1996 Ford Escort?

I run a 1996 Ford Escort Ghia 1.8i Cabriolet. It's done 73,000 miles and is in excellent condition. Recently, I took it to a local garage for its MoT. I was told my car needed new sills to pass and I was...

Why can't my Skoda dealer fix my Fabia's faulty rear wiper motor?

My neighbour, a widow, took delivery of a new petrol-engined Fabia Estate six months ago. Since delivery, the rear wiper motor would not stop working regardless of switch position. The main dealer said...

Thanks for your advice!

I had the wheels swopped around and it's done the trick. I'm sure the problem could have been solved 14 months ago had I been able to talk with the fitter instead of service receptionists. Many thanks,...

I suggest that people should use dedicated independent specialist garages for repairs and mechanical work.

JB of Alton, the independent garage owner, is quite wrong in his comments. I can prove my point easily and confirm that what you wrote is right. We have local independent garages who serve the local community...

Will I invalidate my warranty by having my Renault serviced at an independent garage?

My local Renault dealership closed in Weston Super Mare so the nearest dealer is in Bristol. Will I invalidate the 5-year warranty I have with Renault if the car is serviced at a small local garage in...

Can I recommend the Volkswagen Service Package from my local dealer?

I feel TH has been unfortunate over his service deal. I have had a Volkswagen Service Package since 2008 with Sinclair Garages of Bridgend. My current car, a Volkswagen Scirocco, bought in Dec 2010, has...

What is causing clutch vibration in my MkVI Golf?

My experience since purchasing a new Mark VI Golf on my retirement last October has not been good. I wrote to Volkswagen about a vibrating clutch pedal issue that my local dealer had told me was normal...

Why do you not support the independent garage sector?

As an independent garage owner, I take issue with your warranties and servicing comments. To say “fiddle around and mess it up” implies the independent sector is made up of a breed of inferior technicians,...

Should my daughter buy this used C-Max which has an HPI discrepancy?

I am trying to buy a car for my daughter (Ford Focus C-Max 2004 2.0-litre TDCI, 88,500miles at £2800) from a private seller who says that he works for a garage. He said that the Focus came in as a part-exchange...

Why don't drivers have their cars serviced at independent workshops instead of franchised dealers?

I read with interest your replies to AB and JD about the advisability of franchised dealer servicing in order to keep a new car warranty valid. Over the years I have experienced the efforts of both franchised...