What has the Honest John team been asked this week?

[Web Version]( | [Update preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Facebook icon]( [Like]( [Twitter icon]( [Tweet]( [Forward icon]( [Forward]( [The car I recently purchased has several faults - what are my rights?]( Posted by on 5 November, 2021 We’ve purchased a 2019 Nissan Qashqai and in the 10 days we've had it we've had a number of problems with it. We had tyre pressure warning light come on within 30 minutes of collecting the car and found a split in one tyre. The system fault warning light is on all the time and doesn’t recognise all speed limits, while the stop/start only holds engine off for a few seconds. Yesterday the battery in the first key fob packed up so I used the second key fob. Having parked the car for a short while, the fob wouldn't unlock the car. I removed the key from the fob to open the door at which point the alarm went off. After holding the key fob next to the stop start button for 20 minutes I managed to start the car and drive home with the fault light showing system failure and various other symbols also lit up. I phoned the main agent who we bought the car from and told them they could come pick it up and as far as I was concerned they could have it back. We were told when we bought the car they checked everything - nothing had been checked since it was last serviced in July and has been siting on their forecourt ever since. I’m waiting to hear back from them but I’ve lost confidence in the car. [Read more →]( [Which car should I buy for motorway commuting?]( Posted by on 5 November, 2021 I am looking for a car for motorway commuting and I am spiralling down an endless rabbit hole of options! I drive around 500 miles a week - a mix of 80% double carriage/motorway and 20% single carriage/broads/town. Comfort and economy are important to me so ideally I'm thinking of a biggish car (though I'm not keen on SUVs). I do quite like my options too (i.e. adaptive cruise control, digital dashboard). My budget is around £30k and I'm considering the following: Mercedes-Benz C-Class or E-Class, BMW 3 Series or 5 Series, Skoda Octavia or Superb, Jaguar XE or XF, or Volkswagen Arteon. What do you recommend? [Read more →]( [We need to store our hybrid for a long period - what's your advice?]( Posted by on 5 November, 2021 We have a Toyota Yaris Hybrid and the handbook states that if the car is not driven for a lengthy period, the electric battery will gradually discharge. There appears to be no way round this. We will be away for three months soon and need to leave the car parked up, do you have any suggestions on what we should do? [Read more →]( [Should I regularly drive the Honda Jazz Hybrid in B mode?]( Posted by on 3 November, 2021 I drive a new Honda Jazz Hybrid and I’ve read that a lot of people drive using B mode up to 45mph for almost one peddle driving. Will this damage the engine or transmission in the long run? [Read more →]( [I want an electric car with 250 mile range and a decent boot - what do you recommend?]( Posted by on 3 November, 2021 I currently have an Audi A5 but I’d like an electric car next. I don’t want an SUV, but I do need something with at least the same boot capacity as my A5. It needs to fit a wheelchair plus shopping/ suitcases so at least 475 litres. I’m also looking for something with a minimum real world range of 250 miles per full charge. I’d be tempted by the Tesla 3, but it’s a saloon not a hatchback - again the wheelchair. I also like the trim quality of the Audi. Any suggestions? [Read more →]( [What's the best SUV for £10k?]( Posted by on 2 November, 2021 I'm looking for an SUV under £10,000 that's not only reliable and economical, but also good to drive. We've been looking at the Kia Sportage, Dacia Stepway or Nissan Qashqai. Are these the best options? The age of the car isn't as important as the reliability and economy, but any help would be appreciated. [Read more →]( [What causes rapid tyre wear?]( Posted by on 2 November, 2021 I have a 2016 Nissan Note that’s only done 14,400 miles and the two front tyres have almost reached their end. Surely this is not normal life span for a tyre? Can you suggest what may be the cause, and what should I do before I replace them? [Read more →]( [What is causing uneven tyre wear?]( Posted by on 2 November, 2021 My Kia Ceed has a noise which sounds like a wheel bearing problem. My garage says it is due to uneven tyre wear, i.e. going round the circumference wear gets more/less as you go. Seems to me this can only be caused, if indeed it is the problem, by a geometry problem on the car. Have you heard of anything like this? [Read more →]( [I've sold my car online - what's the best way to transport it?]( Posted by on 2 November, 2021 How can I get my uninsured car to the car buying site's depot? [Read more →]( [Should diesel particulate filter (DPF) failures be covered by a manufacturer warranty?]( Posted by on 1 November, 2021 Is the MG seven year warranty any good? The catalytic converter has failed (or the particulate filter) after only three years. Is that acceptable to be excluded from cover? [Read more →]( [Driving another vehicle with third party cover - what happens if the vehicle gets damaged?]( Posted by on 1 November, 2021 I have fully comprehensive insurance on my car and the policy document says I can drive another vehicle with third party cover. I need to drive my sister's car for a couple of days - she has fully comprehensive cover on her car. If I drive her car with her permission and I have an accident, my insurance would cover the damage to the third party but would my sister's insurance pay out for the damage to her vehicle? What if the car was parked whilst in my care and it was damaged - would my sister's insurance pay out? [Read more →]( [How will pay per mile road pricing work?]( Posted by on 1 November, 2021 How is the Government going to recover the money lost on fuel and road tax? Electric vehicle owners are bound to be hit at some time. I had seen something about payment per mile - how on earth can that work? Do we pay monthly or once a year? I can see the tax dodgers working hard on that one. Not to mention the clever computer hackers coming up with a way around it or some kind of device to knock it out altogether that you will be able to buy online. [Read more →]( [Smart motorways - should we bring back the hard shoulder on all motorways?]( Posted by on 1 November, 2021 A recent UK holiday using so-called "smart" roads made me question why we are allowing motorists to risk their lives using them. I understand an extra lane will allow more cars to flow through but at what cost? We witnessed a family sitting in what should be the hard shoulder with motorists speeding by, without any regard for their safety. Surely, if we want safer roads we should bring back the hard shoulder on all motorways, have more marked police cars as just their presence makes drivers slow down and, more critically, simplify these variable speed limits that change every 100 yards? [Read more →]( [What is the best way to insure a driver for temporary use?]( Posted by on 1 November, 2021 My daughter is visiting us for a week at Christmas, what is the best way to insure her to drive my car? I do not mind if it is third party insurance. [Read more →]( [What happens if your car is hit while parked but not in a marked bay?]( Posted by on 1 November, 2021 I was parked in a work car park, but not in a marked bay. Someone reversed into my car and damaged the side of it. She initially accepted and we swapped phone numbers and didn't want to involve insurance. But after getting a quote, she’s now claiming I was at fault as I wasn't in a parking bay. I wasn't present when she hit my car, I arrived just after the accident. [Read more →]( [Which hybrid SUV should I buy?]( Posted by on 1 November, 2021 I am looking to replace my existing Kia Niro 3 with a hybrid. My current car achieves 69mpg/70mpg on 16-inch wheels and replacement Niro 3's only come with 18-inch unless you opt for a plug-in hybrid model. I need a reversing camera, sat-nav and five doors with room for my dog in the back, what would you recommend? [Read more →]( [What is a reasonable price for a service plan?]( Posted by on 1 November, 2021 I've recently bought a thee-year-old Mazda CX5 SE-L diesel auto with 18,000 miles on the clock. I do about 8,000 miles annually. My local Mazda garage has quoted me £33 per month for a three-year service plan including MoT. Is this a reasonable charge? [Read more →]( [Which plug-in hybrid small SUV should I buy?]( Posted by on 1 November, 2021 I'm looking to replace my 2016 1.6 diesel Honda H-RV and I am considering hybrid or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). I am retired and mostly do short journeys (up to 40 miles) but I also do long distance about once a month. I am nervous about going for full electric (should I be?). I like the high up driving position of the H-RV and I want to avoid a diesel engine next time. [Read more →]( [What's a good car to drive my mobility scooter into?]( Posted by on 1 November, 2021 I am currently taking my mobility scooter apart to load it into my Kia Sorento. This is becoming more difficult for me, so within the next few months I will be looking for a car that could be adapted to drive my mobility scooter into. What is out there that would do the trick? [Read more →]( You received this email because you signed up to our mailing list. If you’re not interested in receiving our newsletter any more, you can: [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( Honestjohn.co.uk 5 New Street Square London United Kingdom EC4A 3TW