Big thanks to Audi and Halesowen Beechwood for excellent customer service while repairing my Audi A4.

How's this for service from Audi? A few months ago my A4 3-litre Quattro's steering and ESP lights came on so I got the car to my local dealer in the Midlands. It then took Audi UK nearly seven weeks to...

Does setting a car's front wheels to toe-in improve straight-line stability?

You claim that "too much toe-in will make a car's steering feel light and very vague". I think you're getting your toe-in and toe-out mixed up. Toe-in will give a pronounced self-centering characteristic...

Should my Skoda Octavia Estate's ESP be switched off in slippery conditions?

I was wondering whether your advice regarding the switching off of both ASR and ESP in slippery conditions applies to vehicles with AWD such as the Skoda Octavia Estate. I have found that, in slippery...

Why shouldn't I fit 15-inch wheels to my Toyota Auris T Spirit?

My car is a Toyota Auris hybrid T Spirit and comes on 17-inch wheels with 215/45R17 tyres. Is there any reason I can't have the 15-inch wheels with 195/65R15 tyres fitted, which should give me a softer...

Wandering E-Class steering

I recently purchased a used E280 with 45k on the clock , the steering does not feel right. It is not very precise and I have to work at keeping the car in a straight line (I understand it will not be as...

Will using the 'spacesaver' spare wheel on my Astra whilst towing a caravan affect safety?

A full-size matching road wheel (I paid extra as I tow a caravan) does not fit in the well of the boot of my fantastic new Astra SRi 2.0 CTDI. The ‘spacesaver’ is two inches smaller in diameter and the...

Is the method of steering two-handed and feeding the wheel between hands still relevant in modern cars?

I will be most grateful if you can help in the resolution of a misunderstanding that has caused a bit of a rift between me and the husband of a long-time family friend. The husband took it personally when...

Would you recommend an ex-demo BMW X1 for its handling?

With a budget of about £25,000 what is the best handling medium sized car (with economy if possible)? I had been looking at ex-demo BMW X1 2.0 diesel manuals, though I prefer autos. I am biased against...

What does: play nearside and offside steering rack arm mean on an mot advisory

The car has just been for its MoT which it passed first time however it got an advisory notice saying 'play nearside & offside steering rack arm' what does this mean? Even though the car is a 2004 its...

Steering and ESP failures on a Vauxhall Meriva

The steering has just failed on my 56 plate Meriva (its only done 18k miles ), with an ESP warning light also showing. I have noticed on your website that this seems to be an increasing problem with Merivas....