What has the Honest John team been asked this week?

[Web Version]( | [Update preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Facebook icon]( [Like]( [Twitter icon]( [Tweet]( [Forward icon]( [Forward]( [What are the driving licence rules on C1E, D1 and D1 entitlement when you reach 70?]( Posted by on 18 February, 2022 I am due to renew my driving licence shortly, will I lose my C1E, D1 and D1E entitlement when I do? [Read more →]( [Do I have to renew my driving licence as soon as I am 70?]( Posted by on 18 February, 2022 I have just turned 70. The expiry date on my licence at 4b (expiry date) shows 2023. Do I need to renew now or wait until next year? I have had no reminder. I tried to do it online anyway but a message comes up that says I am ineligible. What exactly do I need to do? [Read more →]( [Private number plate swap - how does it work?]( Posted by on 18 February, 2022 When I bought my car it was brand new and I put my own private number plate on it. Now I am changing my car and want to take my private plate off the old car to put on the new car. But I don't have a number plate to put on my old car because my private plate was the original plate. How does it work? Do I have to buy another number plate to put on the old car? Or will the garage do it? [Read more →]( [Can I reject a car which smells of cigarettes?]( Posted by on 17 February, 2022 I have just bought a three year old Audi A1 which is Audi approved. It smelled of cleaning stuff when I drove it away but now, two days later, there is a strong cigarette smoke smell. Do I have any grounds to return the car to Audi since I wouldn’t have paid what I did for it if I'd known? [Read more →]( [Can I change my Kia Sportage wheels for off-road driving?]( Posted by on 17 February, 2022 On your advice I have bought a Kia Sportage. I’m just wondering about the wheels. It has low profile tyres and I’m concerned that these may not be sufficiently robust for off-road driving. Is it possible to replace the wheels (19-inch) with a smaller size wheel and high profile tyres? [Read more →]( [How reliable is a used BMW E61?]( Posted by on 17 February, 2022 Are there any major failings as far as the BMW E61 520D 2007 is concerned? I am considering buying one with 50,000 miles on the clock. What points should I look out for, and what sort of price should I be paying for a car in good condition? [Read more →]( [What do you recommend to replace a Volkswagen Golf?]( Posted by on 17 February, 2022 My in-laws, who are in their 70s and live in rural Scotland, recently had a car crash in which their 2014 Volkswagen Golf was written off. They are now looking for a smaller car than the Golf but one that suits my six foot six father-in-law. The car also needs to be economical and ideally an automatic. So far I've narrowed it down to: Toyota Yaris Cross, Hyundai Kona and the Nissan Micra. [Read more →]( [Volkswagen All-in service plan and warranty - is it worth it?]( Posted by on 16 February, 2022 Volkswagen have a service plan and warranty called All-in. It’s for cars over 3 years old and included two MoTs, one minor service, one major service, breakdown cover and a warranty for £33.45 per month for 2 years. Do you think it’s worth it? [Read more →]( [Can you recommend an estate car that can fit three child seats?]( Posted by on 16 February, 2022 We currently have a Skoda Octavia Combi but looking for something more useful for a growing family into many outdoor sports that need boot space and roof carrying. (i.e. not an SUV as they just don't have useful luggage space) Are there any large estate cars that you can fit 3 child seats across the back? Or am I headed towards an MPV? [Read more →]( [Does my car's air conditioning need servicing?]( Posted by on 16 February, 2022 I have a two year old Skoda Karoq and done 7,000 miles. My dealer has emailed to say my air con service is due. Do I need one? [Read more →]( [Honda CRV problems - what can I do?]( Posted by on 16 February, 2022 I recently purchased a Honda CRV to replace my Peugeot 3008 upon your recommendation. I have had it a week and am now suffering from buyer's regret... There are niggles, nothing major on its own (I don't even blame the dealer as these things you would only notice by living with it). After about 30 minutes the clutch pedal squeals. There is water collecting in the spare wheel space. The air vents smell like old shoes and fag ash. The radio has a mind of its own and just displays whatever time it feels like. These may seem trivial but my experience with it is tainted and it has been 6 days. There is a big part of me that just wants my old car back. What can I do? [Read more →]( [What is the most reliable used 8 or 9 seater?]( Posted by on 16 February, 2022 What is the most reliable used 8 or 9 seater car/van? I'm at the cheap end of the market, so probably under £8,000. I need a fairly bullet proof engine that will last another 3 years or so. [Read more →]( [How reliable is the Peugeot Traveller?]( Posted by on 15 February, 2022 We need an eight-seater for our large family, and a Peugeot Traveller 2.0 HDi looks to tick all the boxes. We're looking to buy second hand. However, research with online forums suggests all manner of problems with the Adblue system (tank/pump) and electrical gremlins, including sliding doors that won't open or close. We're looking at the Allure model which has plenty of extra toys, but we need something reliable and dependable. Do you have any experience or advice? [Read more →]( [Why is my Land Rover Discovery 4 steering wheel wobbling when I brake?]( Posted by on 15 February, 2022 My Land Rover Discovery 4 steering wheel wobbles at braking from 70mph to 50mph. The dealer replaced the front lower arms bushes but the problem came back after 30 minutes drive. Then they said the front brake discs are warped and need replacement. However, the front brake discs were only replaced last September and I did only 3,500 miles. They blamed it on our driving behaviour (constant heavy braking) but it is our family car for holiday use only and we never go over speed with young children abroad! Can you advise what could cause the wobbling issue? [Read more →]( [Can you recommend an automatic car up to £13,000?]( Posted by on 15 February, 2022 I'm looking to buy an automatic car. My criteria in order of importance is: safety, reliability, air con, boot space, and sat-nav and connectivity to phone. The Peugeot 2008/3008 has peaked my interest, but am interested in other SUV/non-SUV options. I'm used to driving a Nissan Almera 2005 SX, but it's on its last legs. [Read more →]( [Should I buy an older car for cheaper VED?]( Posted by on 15 February, 2022 I am looking to buy a used Peugeot 2008 petrol auto 1.2 engine. My online research has shown that prior to 2017 the VED payable is £20 but after that date is £155. Looking at the CO2 emissions it seems the older cars emitted less which seems at odds with progressive engine design which usually dictates that engines are more efficient. Do these figures suggest that the later engines are less efficient or are the newer engines quicker (from 0-62)? I would be much happier paying £20 per annum than the larger amount and at my age (80+). The age of the car is not as important as a low mileage, well-looked after model. [Read more →]( [Which second hand SUV should I buy?]( Posted by on 15 February, 2022 I'm looking at a second hand SUV. My choices are Peugeot 3008, Skoda Karoq, Mazda CX-5 or a Nissan X-Trail. Ideally I'd like a petrol for now. Is there a stand out car out of those four and any choice of engine or trim I should look for? [Read more →]( [BMW 5 Series - how much will a service cost?]( Posted by on 14 February, 2022 Our grandson has bought a BMW 5 Series M Sport 2 litre auto, 94,000 on the clock.What will a 100,000 service cost at BMW or a private garage ? [Read more →]( [Ford Focus servicing - charged for screen wash but no sign it's been added]( Posted by on 14 February, 2022 My Ford Focus had its six-year service and MoT at a dealership recently. Before my car had its service and MoT, I filled up the screen washer tank with screen wash fluid (blue). When I got the car back I noticed that the screen wash tank was not full so I put some water in and observed that the contents were clear, not blue. This is despite me being charged for a little bottle of screen wash (SW1). Obviously it being winter and close to freezing I added some more blue screen wash myself but I am curious to know what is going on here. One conclusion is that the screen washer tank was drained, refilled with water but the screen wash SW1 was unfortunately omitted. Seems trivial and I am not one to make a fuss but one wonders what is going on here. [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