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...

I would like to replace my 2004 Vauxhall Astra automatic - should I get another Astra or try a Honda Jazz?

My current car is an August 2004 1.8 Astra automatic purchased a year later, which I am now considering replacing. My two previous cars were also Astra automatics and I have been well pleased with them....

What new hatchback?

I have a 12-year old 5-door Rover 420Gsi and my wife has a 10-year old 3-door RAV4. We want to sell both cars and get one new petrol 5-door medium-size hatchback, eg Golf or similar size. We are both...

Should I take my car dealer to court over an incorrect swirl flap repair on my Vauxhall?

I bought a car in June 2010, found a problem with the inlet swirl flaps, took it back to garage and they apparently repaired it over the course of a month. I got it back in August 2010 and in December...

Should I buy a new car or a good year-old model?

I'm retired, and my mileage annually is approx. 5,000. Do I purchase a new car (keen on a Focus or Astra) with usual discounts, or select a good year-old model? I have looked at Motorpoint as a dealer,...

Alper beater

We are looking to replace our trusty 10 year old SAAB 9-5 Estate with a new manual diesel estate (or similar). It will be used mainly for an 80 mile daily M4 commute. We drive to the Alps so it must also...

I was sold a new battery when the fault was actually a failed alternator - can I get a refund for the battery?

The 2-year-old battery in my Vauxhall Astra 2.2 Coupe failed to start the car during the recent spate of cold weather. After recharging it, it again failed a few days later and so I charged it up again...

Can you recommend a small, automatic car with good suspension and a comfortable ride?

We seem to feel every road imperfection that our 3-year-old automatic Astra traverses on the short journeys we mostly make. The Citroen C5 we had previously was better, but like driving a battleship. A...

Why doesn't my new Opel Astra doesn't achieve the quoted fuel economy figures?

My new Opel Astra 1.7CDTI SE (110) is still heavy on diesel with over 13,000km on the clock. The manufacturer quotes circa 61mpg, whereas I am lucky to get 45mpg. I don't drive very fast and don't have...

How do I know that my new Vauxhall Astra 1.4 has the higher-rated 100ps engine?

Last week I signed a purchase order from the local Vauxhall main agent for a new Astra "Exclusiv" 1.4i. I subsequently discovered that this description covers two versions of the same engine, one with...