What has Honest John been asked this week?

[Web Version]( | [Update preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Facebook icon]( [Like]( [Twitter icon]( [Tweet]( [Forward icon]( [Forward]( [After an accident, should you call your insurer or the vehicle manufacturer first?]( Posted by on 15 March, 2018 Who should you contact first following an accident, your insurer or the vehicle manufacturer? I constantly receive messages from the manufacturer saying in the event of an accident to contact them first to ensure genuine parts are fitted during repair. However, insurers say to contact them first. Which is correct? [Read more →]( [A driver hit my car today and didn't leave their details - can I trace them using a reg number?]( Posted by on 15 March, 2018 My car was reversed into in a doctor's car park, but the driver left without leaving their details. A taxi driver who saw it happen has given me the reg number. Is it possible to trace the owner from this? [Read more →]( [Why won't the DVLA refund tax on a car they know I've sold?]( Posted by on 15 March, 2018 Despite the DVLA recognising that my old car has been sold and I'm no longer responsible for it, they are unwilling to refund the tax paid for the following month. They claim the date of sale is irrelevant and refunds are only due for complete months from when they process the notification. The Government changed the system to collect double tax in the month of sale, but triple tax does seem rather sharp practice. [Read more →]( [Where could I buy an ex-supermarket van?]( Posted by on 15 March, 2018 Where could I buy a used Tesco or Asda refrigerated delivery van? [Read more →]( [What small, used van would £2000 afford me?]( Posted by on 15 March, 2018 What small van would I be able to buy for £1500 - £2000? [Read more →]( [At what mileage should I replace brake pads and discs?]( Posted by on 14 March, 2018 My Mazda 6 is just under three years old with 24,000 miles on the clock. I was told that the pads and discs need to be replaced all round. My first service at 7200 miles noted 8mm on the pads, the second service at 15,800 miles noted 7mm wear. A year later, I'm getting a grinding noise off the back brakes and rust on the alloys. I'm not hard on the brakes, using the gearbox in conjunction with the brakes to slow down. What mileage should I expect to have to replace pads and discs on a Mazda 6? My last car was around 60,000 miles when this happened, and from what I can see on the net, that's pretty standard. [Read more →]( [Do cars registered before 1978 still need an MoT?]( Posted by on 14 March, 2018 I've heard that cars registered before 1 January 1978 no longer need an MoT - is this right? The Government website doesn't seem to reflect this change. [Read more →]( [I did minor damage to a car today and the driver chose not to exchange info - could she claim later on?]( Posted by on 14 March, 2018 I bumped into a car today, but when myself and the other person inspected the damage it was only a tiny little scratch on the front. We both agreed it was fine and drove off. Could they claim against me using my reg number even if we didn't exchange details? [Read more →]( [If I claim for an accident on one vehicle, do I have declare this to the insurers of my other cars?]( Posted by on 14 March, 2018 I have been driving for over 50 years with no insurance claims. Last year, I was allegedly involved in a minor incident in my motorhome and my insurance company paid out on what I believe was a scam. My insurance with that company was subject to No Claims Protection. I run two cars as well as my motorhome. Do I have declare this claim to my car insurance companies? [Read more →]( [A dealer won't send my car's documents, so I can't tax or insure it - what do I do?]( Posted by on 14 March, 2018 I bought a used car online. The seller said he was a trader and the car was advertised as a part-exchange, just MoT'd with a one year warranty. I booked to view it (80 miles away) over the weekend at his house. I loved the car, so went into his house and he had about 10 logbooks. He said he worked for a major dealer and he has a few of the old part-exchanges to make a few quid rather than them going to auction. The car was for my son (just passed his test) and was advertised for £800. I offered £750 and asked for the paperwork. He said it was at work because he didn't think he would sell it that weekend, so he would post all the documents when he went to work on Monday. When I got home, I checked the DVLA and discovered it had no MoT or tax. I have the car, but no logbook - so I can't tax, MoT or insure it now. I've tried ringing him to no avail. When I took it to my local garage, it failed on a few things - costing £170 to put right, which I havent had done yet. Where do I stand with him? [Read more →]( [I'm going to lose my NCD because a man falsely claims I scratched his car - is there anything I can do?]( Posted by on 13 March, 2018 After parking in a shop's car park, in the only slot available, I saw someone on his phone. I ignored him until he came up to me aggressively and accused me of bumping into his car. I told him I had not done so. My sister and brother-in-law, who were in the car too, confirmed I had not touched the other car. The man proceeded to bully me, claiming he had friends in the police. He would get my address and send some men round to my door to sort me out. He repeated that I had damaged his car and pointed to a vertical scratch below his door handle. I said it was impossible for me to have created a vertical scratch. He said he was going to call the police. I said fine, but he didn't call them. Unfortunately, my phone had run out of charge so I was unable to call the police myself. After some minutes of silence, I left the scene as the man continued to threaten me, despite my having done no damage to his car. In my view he was hoping to scam money from me. Some months later, he contacted his insurance company about it. I told them there was no case to answer, but he has continued to press his case. My insurance company have said they will probably go ahead and pay the claim he has made as he has now shown another scratch - not shown at the time - which indicated the truth of his case. I do not want to lose my no claims bonus to some bullying scamster. What can I do? [Read more →]( [Do different insurers have different standards of writing off a vehicle?]( Posted by on 13 March, 2018 Do different insurance companies have different levels for writing off a car? [Read more →]( [A vehicle I've driven for six years has just been revealed as a write off - what do I do?]( Posted by on 13 March, 2018 I have a Ford Torneo that I bought in 2011. I have owned the vehicle for six years. When I bought the minibus, it had a V5 with two letters attached from the DVLA. The letters said their had been a discrepancy with the vehicle and asked it it could be taken to DVLA Leeds to be inspected. The vehicle was taken there and the marker was lifted off. I had no knowledge what this was about until I came to sell the vehicle in January 2018. The buyer said the vehicle was a Cat B write off in 2010. I spoke to the DVLA and they checked the vehicle, which confirmed the marker was lifted in January 2011. As long as it is taxed and MoT'd, it could be used - but suddenly I cannot get it insured. Where do I stand? [Read more →]( [Rain water is getting into the boot well of my car - what's causing this?]( Posted by on 13 March, 2018 My 2017 Vauxhall Astra has a large quantity of water sitting in the well under the boot floor where all the battery and fuses are located. It has stopped all the dashboard from working completely, however the car still starts. It has been taken to the local Vauxhall dealer for investigation. It must have been happening for a while as there is visible rust in the boot. Have you heard of this before or know what might have caused it? Obviously it is under warranty but I am worried that unless it is rectified properly and the damage put right, it could re-occur and any visible damage could affect its future value on resale. [Read more →]( [The cambelt broke in my car long before the recommended replacement - should the manufacturer offer a free fix?]( Posted by on 13 March, 2018 I have a 2014 Skoda Octavia vRS TDI with 88,000 miles and a full service history. It isn't due another service for 8000 miles, but the cambelt has just snapped. I don't know what engine damage has been caused because the mechanic is reluctant to start stripping down before Skoda are contacted. The manufacturer recommendation for cambelt replacement is at 140,000 miles or five years, or whichever comes soonest. So I am over a year and 52,000 miles short of this recommendation. I've contacted my local Skoda dealer and they have advised me to contact Skoda UK, which I have done. The dealer says that this is unheard of. I have asked Skoda UK to cover the costs of the repair etc due to keeping to their recommendations. I'm aware that if they don't this could cost me a lot of money. Is there any advice you can give me in relation to dealing with Skoda? [Read more →]( [What's included in the list price of a vehicle?]( Posted by on 13 March, 2018 Cars with a list price over £40,000 pay higher VED, so what's included in the list price? [Read more →]( [Should I claim via my insurer or an accident management company?]( Posted by on 12 March, 2018 Yesterday, I was rear ended at traffic lights. I have the third party's phone number. He did not know his insurer's name and is asking to settle without reference to insurers. The damage to my 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class seems cosmetic, but now (18 hours later) I'm suffering from a 'stiff neck' and have lost mobility to one side. At 75 years old with a plethora of health problems, I was too shaken to do more than the basic exchange of information before returning home. How do I now best proceed? Should I call my insurer, the third party or a claims management company? [Read more →]( [A driver knocked my daughter off her bike, but won't pay for the week of work she's missing - what should I do?]( Posted by on 12 March, 2018 My daughter, a bicycle courier, was knocked off her bike while working. The driver who ran into her admitted liability, but doesn't want to go through his insurance. He has offered to give her the equivalent of one weeks' statutory sick pay (about £90). I pointed out that she is self-employed and normally earns about £80 per day. She has been told by the hospital and her GP to rest for at least one week due to her injuries. I told him that the least he should pay is loss of earnings and the repairs to the bike. We have a receipt for the repair and proof of her regular shift pattern for the last year and we have recorded all our phone conversations with him. When I told him we reported the accident to the police and that we have a crime number, he became very aggressive and said he wants to meet me in person. I've checked online and the car he was driving at the time of the accident is MoT'd and insured. I suspect the car isn't his or he was driving it without permission. What would you suggest I do next? [Read more →]( [What would cause the loss of power steering in my Jaguar XJS?]( Posted by on 12 March, 2018 I have a 1989 Jaguar XJS. Today I moved it off the drive for the first time in five months and it's obvious that the power steering has stopped functioning. What could be the cause of this, please? [Read more →]( [My 2013 Ford Focus needs a new engine - what are my consumer rights?]( Posted by on 12 March, 2018 My 2013 Ford Focus 1.0 suffered engine problems at 58,000 miles. Ford has diagnosed that it needs a new engine. Ford know this three-cylinder engine has problems, so what are my consumer rights? [Read more →]( You are receiving this email because Honest Insights is a publication produced by HonestJohn.co.uk with your requirements and specifications in mind. It provides in depth site analysis comparative with wider industry trends. [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( HonestJohn.co.uk Ltd Unit 1 Eaglethorpe Barns Warmington Peterborough PE8 6TJ