August 2021
I am looking to buy a 2014 plate automatic car however I want to go for a car that is known for a reliable gearbox. I don't need anything fancy and tend to drive locally mostly. I have been looking at the following cars. Ford fiesta, Focus, C Max or B Max, Honda Jazz, Nissan Note, Mazda 3, VW Polo or Golf, Hyundai i30 or Volvo V40.
Can anyone shed any light on which of these might have a reliable automatic gearbox. I will go for a car with full service history and has been well looked after. Or if you have any other vehicle suggestions then please let me know. ... Read more
When I joined the Civil Service back in 75, one of the first things I did was join the CSMA. Eventually they stopped using Green Flag and instigated Britannia Rescue which they ran for many years before flogging it off to LV.
I used BR a couple of times and always found them very good and no massive delays waiting for the chap to turn up. Their comprehensive level of cover weighs in at around £97pa plus CSMA membership.... Read more
Just got Start Rescue 5 star cover for everything including Europe for £64.14 after discount from the moneysaving expert website
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We Have a 2017 Renault Clio 1.5 diesel with 26,000 miles on the clock which we bought new.
The car isn't giving us any issues but I do read about the dpf and the damage that short journeys can do to the dpf.... Read more
Gave the car a good run today, added redex diesel engine additive and dpf additive. Before hand, I was getting 57 on a steady run to Newcastle, filled up with the additives and diesel, did 20 miles sitting at 70 at just under 3000 rpm in 4th on a dual carriageway and then reset the mpg and I was on 69mpg , will be interesting to see what it will show on Normal everyday running
Grandaughter has just passed her test. Despite all the good advice from this forum about Yaris, Jazz, or even Focus 1.25 etc, she has for some reason leaned heavily towarfs what she considers street cred in VW Polo. We know about the timing chain issue, but petrols are expensive, but diesels less so.
,Can anyone advise whether the 1.2 diesel might make a sensible buy. She might do an hour on the motorway every 3 weeks or so. Other than that 8 miles max here and there.... Read more
“ After looking at more Polos, mostly at silly prices, sense finally arrived as she has bought a 2015 Yaris 1.3”
A very wise purchase. The Yaris 1.33 is probably the toughest supermini on the road. There’s really no inherent reliability concerns beyond ordinary wear and tear. Look after it and it’ll be merrily singing away in a decade or more.
I recently bought a new Honda Jazz Hybrid. It has an impressive sounding list of safety features including:
- Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow
- Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)
- Road Departure Mitigation System
I'm wondering if some of these systems could actually be less safe than not having the system at all.... Read more
Well, the car has had a couple of days in the dealership, with technical support from Honda UK. Apparently everything correct, although they cannot know if the recalibration of the camera led to any adjustments. On my first call from the dealership, I was just told all about the routine safety checks and nothing about the reason for the car being there, had to press the service chap for details. Met with the service guy and technician the following day when went to collect. Detailed discussion, basically them saying that "thats how it is, system may not work correctly under certain conditions, try driving a different route......"
My wife reports that the Hand of God has been tamed to some extent, severity of self steering being more muted. She was pleased when the car goes into "Aaargh I cannot cope - switching off LKAS" and lighting up the displays with all sorts of lights, as she can just drive it without interference....
I see my local Sainsbury's has now followed the trend of every other station and are charging for air £0.30 and also I saw screen wash £1.00 so not even free water.
My colleague bin Godalming says it's the same there, so probably a national decision.... Read more
"Their fuel is garbage though, as is all supermarket juice..."
All fuel sold has to conform to a standard. The three components of automotive fuel are all regulated. They are: hydrocarbons, ethanol and additives, which include so-called performance additives, which help increase engine longevity and include detergents, and operation additives, which include anti-oxidants....
Last minute request landed on my lap via swmbo a few days back. Her cousin is returning to the UK for three months and wants a cheap car instead of hiring one. Plan in mind is to buy it, run it for buttons then sell it on with minimal loss. I do like this kinda thing.
I was limited in scope by the budget of £2,000, a need for low insurance, enough space for elderly parent plus walker frame, reliability and minimal cost overall. I shortlisted the Honda Jazz, Ford Fusion and Nissan Note as front runners but began searching with an open mind. I looked at several examples of each, all in relatively good unabused condition as per the norm for these pensioner favourites and today bought a very tidy post facelift 59 plate Nissan Note 1.4 Visa in bright (surprisingly unfaded) red with 85000 miles up, complete with a full service history from a local trader I’m familiar with. The car is in excellent order, drives without fault and cost all of £1900. No A/C is a downside according to darling wife but since it wasn’t working on any of the other cars I looked at with A/C fitted I’d simply say that it’s one less thing to worry about. It even came complete with weird old pensioner steering wheel cover, an extra I love to see.
The dealer has previously sold the car and has asked for its return when we no longer need it, promising a decent price or a commission sale on our behalf. Though I’ll probably have a pop at it myself as it’s likely to be an easy sell. Much boredom was apparent on swmbo’s face as the two of us went off down memory lane about the good old days of flogging motors. She ended up walking out and leaving us to it, very considerate of her.
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Sold the Note to a family friend at mates rates. He’s quite delighted.
Seems there may not be a lot of credence to them. Perhaps they should have someone check them. Lots of repeats here. www.autotrader.co.uk/dealers/hertfordshire/welwyn/...s Read more
The five star reviews are often fakes, it’s the lower rated I’ll look at. To get a full five stars from me you’d need to go above and beyond, something very few in the motor trade will do.
I am looking at a 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander with 100,000 miles on clock for £8000. Was looking some advice on whether or not this is a good buy. Are they a reliable car and is a model with this many miles on the clock a good investment? Read more
I believe the engine in this case is a PSA unit, as used in various Citroen and Peugeot models including their versions of the Outlander (C-Crosser and 4007). Not sure what, if any, specific problems affect this engine though....
Im am thinking of buying a second hand Diesel SUV but want to negate having to pay the ‘Premium Car Tax’ for any vehicle registered after 1/4/17 which currently stands at £335 per year for years 2-6 on top of that vehicles tax rate. Rather than relying on a dealer to tell me if the ‘list price’ (inc. options etc.) was under £40,000, is there a reliable database to consult to determine this? Call me suspicious but Im not 100% confident in a sales person to furnish me with the definitive answer as they have a vested interest in selling a specific car. I have scoured the interweb for the answer without much success. Read more
.People who historically have bought older premium cars now need to bear this in mind, as their possibly cheap but luxurious/fast barge may not be teh bargain they once might have been, especailly with prices generally rising in the last few years...Depends on how old - you only pay the premium for five years after the first tax renewal, usually six years old.
The older the better. My pre-23 March 2006 six litre planet-warmer is frozen at Band K (201-225g/km), currently £340 per annum.
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Find a 2014 Toyota with FSH, well looked after and under 100,000 miles and you can have three more years of warranty on the gearbox if you use main dealer for services.