Questions from August 2013
Hi there, I'm looking at buying a new car and have seen a 59 Plate Audi A4 2.0 TDI S Line. It's a beautiful car with immaculate body work and besides a small mark on the inside of the drivers door it's...
I own a 2008 Vauxhall Corsa SXi, which has only covered 12,000 miles. After its last service and MoT the engine management light (EML) came on. I changed the front O2 sensor, but after 48 hours it came...
Two weeks ago the clutch pedal on my MG ZT 2.5 manual went. I took it to a garage who replaced both the master and slave cylinder. Before they started the work, the mechanic offered to replace the clutch...
I disconnected the battery on my Ford Fiesta recently and the radio is locked. Can anyone help me with the code for FD4500 SN M046770?
I’m looking to buy a used Skoda Octavia estate. This will be my first diesel and I’ll be driving eight to nine miles a day. Does it make sense to buy a diesel or will I encounter problems with the DPF?...
I had four new Michelin tyres (205/60R15) fitted to my 1998 BMW 323i Coupe in 2009. Since then I have only covered 14,000 miles, yet comments from a recent MoT test note that 'the tyres are perishing and...
I bought a Rover 75 two weeks ago. The garage told me the car was in good condition and had a new clutch fitted less than 100 miles ago. Since then I’ve covered 400 miles and the clutch has failed.
I...
We are moving to Guernsey in a few weeks and plan to take our new Volkswagen Up with us. I phoned Volkswagen’s financial service to inform them, but they have told me I need to pay the loan in full before...
I purchased a new Chevrolet Captiva a few months ago. Within weeks of owning the car an oil drip appeared on my driveway and the dealer told me to bring it in for a check-up. However, on the way to the...
My local dealer has a 2012 Toyota RAV4 for sale for £18,490. It has covered 10,000 miles and looks in good condition. Is this a fair price, and what could I expect to get for trade on my 2006 Toyota Rav4...
I am looking for a replacement for my Toyota Auris Hybrid T-Spirit. Can you tell me if I should replace it with another Auris or buy the new Volkswagen Golf Bluemotion 1.6TDI?
Is it sensible to wait and buy a demonstrator rather than brand new? I'm thinking of buying a Honda CRV and want to get a good deal. How long do Honda keep their demo cars before selling?
In my twenties I drove an MGB roadster and a TR4 and enjoyed both greatly. I now desire a cabriolet/roadster again. Which is the best bet for a 65 year old - a Vauxhall Cascada (I have GM points to use),...
I sold a vehicle recently, which was later caught using a prohibited to cars bus lane. In this time the DVLA had not had time to update their systems therefore the PCN came to me. Unfortunately I did not...
I've just bought a 2005 Citroen Xsara Picasso 2.0 Diesel, but there is strange crunching noise coming from the near side front wheel area. It's relatively consistent and doesn't just happen under breaking....
I have a 2006 Ford Focus. A few months back the engine management light came on and my local garage said it was caused by the emissions sensor. However, I’m not sure this is true as the car passed its...
I have a 2004 Citroen C5 2.0 HDi with an automatic/tiptronic gearbox. I’m very happy with the car, but while driving in tiptronic mode the automatic gearbox will change down when the revs are below 2500rpm....
My new BMW 330D M Sport Touring was delivered a few weeks ago; it had two small stone chips on the n/s rear quarter panel, and a hairline scratch on the black gloss part of the door.
I corresponded with...
My mother in her 80s needs to buy a small petrol car with a good automatic gearbox. She is concerned about accident protection, so wants SIP and lots of airbags. She likes diesels, but obviously wants...
I own a 2006 Ford Focus estate with 165,000 miles on the clock. I’ve been told the car needs a new duel mass fly wheel, which will cost approximately £800. I estimate the car to be worth £1200. Is it worth...
I have a 2010 KIA Cee'd that I want to replace with a new or nearly new hatchback. The car must be no more than 1.8 metres wide and have a boot that will take a bag of golf clubs and an electric trolley....
I had a service a few months back, but ever since then my power steering has been making screeching noises every time I make a turn. I kept going back to the garage (solo mechanic) and asking about it,...
I've just put a second hand engine in my 2001 Vauxhall Astravan. From what I can tell, the engine was good and the only thing that needed changing was the fuel pump. However, I started it up and it is...
I want to replace my works lease car (Audi A3) with a family/work car which will cover 14,000 miles per year. I also need a small car for my 18 year old daughter to learn to drive in. Both must be reliable...
I am thinking of buying a new shape Honda Civic, question is do I go for 1.6 or 2.2? My local Honda dealer let slip that with the arrival of the new 1.6 I-DTEC "earth-dreams" engine Honda will in time...
I hired a car from Hertz in Nice, France for five days in May. However, I have just received a speeding fine from the French authorities for driving at a different location later in July. How Can this...
I'm thinking of buying a Vauxhall Agila. Can you tell me the real mpg difference between the 1.0 ecoflex and 1.2 ecoflex engines?
I need a small used car with good fuel economy and easy access for three elderly passengers. I also want a decent sized boot for holiday luggage and simple driving controls. I have £7000 to spend, what...
I’m currently experiencing some problems with my Ford Galaxy and its Powershift gearbox. When going at constant vehicle speed up a steep hill (or gentle incline while towing a caravan), the engine revs...
Help, I can’t stop the alarm going off on my Toyota Avensis. I dropped the keys and the buttons stopped working, so I tried the key in the door and the alarm started going off. I now can’t drive the car...
The speedometer on my Citroen C5 is seven miles out. The problem has only started since I had the cambelt changed. What could be the cause?
In Sept 2012 I bought a 2010 Audi Q5 from my local dealer. When I bought the car I specifically asked if it had any history of accidents, damage or repairs; I was told it had not.
Earlier this year I...
I am contemplating the purchase of an Audi A3 Sportback S-Line, however I am worried about the comfort provided by the standard 18 inch wheels. Is it really so much worse than the 16 and 17 inch wheels...
We have owned a Citroen Xsara Picasso for six years and have been very pleased with its size, comfort, capacity and versatility. I really would like to buy a new one - only problem is now there is no...
I own a BMW 118D, but following my wife’s stroke I find the car is no longer suitable for our needs. What we now want a car with easy access and a much softer ride. A friend has a Suzuki Grand Vitara and...
I currently have a Land Rover Discovery 3 and use it for my job as a handyman, transporting plasterboard (2m wide) lengths of wood/pipe, tools and other equipment. When not working I use the Discovery...
My Chevrolet Matiz is on its last legs, but I don’t know what to replace it with. I have around £8000 to spend and want a reliable and economical car. Would it be better to get a petrol or a diesel? I...
Back in Jan/Feb you advised that BCA might be a good place to sell my 2010 BMW 335i Coupe, 23,000 miles, manual, excellent condition. I was wondering whether that advice still holds, as I shall be going...
I am buying a new Skoda Octavia for £19,000. The dealer suggests that I fund £9500 using Skoda Finance. The deal is that Skoda will contribute £500 and give me three free services up to 30,000 miles, so...
About 2 years ago a Land Rover reversed into my parked vehicle. The matter was settled by the other party's insurer who specified the local repairer. A new bonnet was fitted amongst other parts and the...
I am considering purchasing a Volkswagen Polo, either new or used. However in the past you have mentioned that the cam drive and pulleys on some models are suspect but the later models now have chain drives....
My wife and I own Suzukis, a Splash and an SX4. It appears that a new SX4 is in the offing and that the current version is available VAT-free, presumably to clear old stock. Could you briefly explain the...
I'm a community mental health nurse who does approximately 23,000 miles a year, mostly in journeys of 15 to 40 miles. A good chunk of this mileage is made up of my daily rural commute of 78 miles, but...
I have a friend who is a counsellor, and she told me last week that some of her clients were referred to her by solicitors acting on their behalf after a car accident. In some cases the clients were fine...
I have a 30-month old Discovery 4 3.0d HSE automatic with 28,000 miles from new, with full supplying dealer history. It has just destroyed its electromechanical parking brake. The dealer thinks the shoes...
Four times in the last few weeks, I have had to point out to women driving small FWD cars with 40 per cent profile tyres that they were running with a flat rear tyre, of which they were quite unaware....
My wife has an MGF that has developed a problem with the cooling water. All is well for most of the time, but when held up for any length of time, with the engine ticking over, the water temperature suddenly...
We have a Hyundai i10 Classic. We are thinking of upgrading to a new Honda Jazz 1.2 SE manual for more comfort and the higher seats, as I have had back surgery. What are the pros and cons of this Jazz...
I have a very early 1967 Lotus Elan +2 that I bought in 1979, Chassis Number 50/0111. In 1984 I did a major renovation/restoration, fitting a new galvanised chassis etc, but got married in 1986 and ran...
Last year we bought my daughter and family a rather long-in-the-tooth Mazda 5 diesel that had done 69,000 miles. I admit it was a pig in a poke and is costing a lot in repairs, the latest being a new DPF...
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