What has Honest John been asked this week?

[Web Version]( | [Update preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Facebook icon]( [Like]( [Twitter icon]( [Tweet]( [Forward icon]( [Forward]( [What's the rotten egg smell in my car?]( Posted by on 21 July, 2017 My 2010 Toyota Prius has been stuttering and there's a rotten egg smell. I've sent it to Toyota for repairs. What could be the problem? [Read more →]( [A car hit my broken down van on the side of the road - who's at fault?]( Posted by on 21 July, 2017 I ran out of fuel and was stopped on the motorway as far over as I could go (no hard shoulder). I was there for some time and was on the phone to the police inside my van when I was hit at over 50mph in the rear. The driver is denying liability, they're saying that I was negligent by running out of fuel and placing myself in harms way. [Read more →]( [My motorbike has been insured in America while I was there - why have I now got a penalty warning for having no UK insurance?]( Posted by on 21 July, 2017 In April, I temporarily imported my Triumph motorbike into the USA to use on a 3 month road trip. I couldn't SORN because it is a requirement for the road tax to remain current. I let my UK insurance lapse as I had taken out a policy issued by a USA insurer (as required). On my return I found a penalty warning notice from MID/DVLA due to the bike being uninsured for UK use. I have used the DVLA's online message service to explain why it would have been pointless maintaining a UK issued policy but all I got back was a 'standard' reply which just repeated what was said on the warning letter. I will of course restart my UK insurance once the bike completes its sea journey home. If the penalty notice arrives what should I do? [Read more →]( [Can I let my insurance cover continue to run on a car I'm selling to avoid the cancellation fee?]( Posted by on 21 July, 2017 I'm trading in my car in on 31 July 2017, the insurance expires at the end of August. Rias want £50 to cancel or £53 to change insurance onto new car for the remaining one month. Had good quotes from another insurance company but would need to insure the new car with alternative insurance company from date of purchase 31 July. Rather than pay the cost of cancellation, is it possible to let the insurance cover for my older vehicle run its course until 31 August although I will no longer be the owner of that vehicle? [Read more →]( [Mercedes won't refund my repair bill for a breakdown abroad - where do I stand?]( Posted by on 21 July, 2017 My 2014 Hymer B 585 Starlight motorhome (based on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter) recently broke down while I was in Ireland. I was recovered to an authorised Mercedes-Benz repairer, who eventually diagnosed the problem as a faulty ECU. This was replaced at a cost of €2000. On my return to the UK, I contacted Hymer, Mercedes-Benz and my Hymer dealer requesting a refund of my repair bill as I felt the ECU should have lasted longer than three years and 8650 miles. Hymer and my dealer informed me it was a Mercedes issue. Mercedes refused my claim stating they do not know how the vehicle has been driven and also because they had no process to contact the repairer as it was outside their network. When I told them the repairer was an authorised Mercedes-Benz repairer they confirmed the repairer was in their network but still refused my claim. Where do I stand? Surely the ECU should last the best part of the life of the vehicle and if not Mercedes are liable for at least some of the repair costs? [Read more →]( [What are the consequences of doing low mileage in a diesel car?]( Posted by on 21 July, 2017 I'd like to buy a diesel BMW X3 2.0 but most of my journeys are short. What would be the negative effects on the car from my driving pattern? Are there any small changes to my driving, like doing a 50-mile trip each weekend, that would make this work for me? [Read more →]( [An injector in my van has broken - is this related to the emissions fix?]( Posted by on 21 July, 2017 I have a Volkswagen Caddy 1.6 diesel which has had the EA189 fix done. Can this fix effect the injectors? I've had an injector go after the fix and the van has only done 16,000 miles. [Read more →]( [What's the easiest way to import a motorbike from Japan?]( Posted by on 21 July, 2017 I want to get a motorcycle shipped from Japan to England. Could you please advise me the best way to do this? [Read more →]( [Do you know of a good non-subscription, car GPS trackers?]( Posted by on 21 July, 2017 Do you know of a good non-subscription, car GPS trackers? [Read more →]( [I want to buy a car following the owner's death - can I buy it if the V5 is still in his name?]( Posted by on 21 July, 2017 I'm interested in a car that's being sold following the owner's death, however the V5 is still in his name. Can you advise on the legal position should I purchase it? [Read more →]( [Should I get a hybrid or a diesel car to commute?]( Posted by on 21 July, 2017 I do a 40 mile round trip every day with a mix of roads, including 70mph dual carriageway and a stretch of motorway for about 10 miles each way. Would a hybrid be suited to this driving? If no, I'm going to get the Peugeot 3008 diesel and give up looking at a hybrid. Whichever I get I'll be keeping for five years or so. Do you anticipate any toxic taxes or massive government interference to hike prices for diesel drivers? [Read more →]( [The air con failed in my Mazda 2 - why are replacements taking so long?]( Posted by on 20 July, 2017 The air con unit packed up in my Mazda 2 and my local dealer confirmed that the condenser has failed. Due to failures they now have 18 on order from Mazda. Two months have now passed and I'm still waiting for a replacement. The dealer informs me that there are none in Europe and replacements have to come from Japan. [Read more →]( [I had the cam belt on my car changed seven years ago - does it need another one now it's hit 60,000 miles?]( Posted by on 19 July, 2017 I have a 2013 Renault Clio 1.4 and it has done just shy of 60,000 miles. It's already had a cam belt change seven years ago (25,000 miles ago). Will it need another belt change? [Read more →]( [My insurer didn't fix my chipped windscreen - should I have to pay now that it's cracked?]( Posted by on 19 July, 2017 I have car insurance with Saga that gives me unlimited time in Spain. In April, on the way down to Spain, my windscreen was chipped by a stone. I contacted Saga but they have no agreement with any windscreen companies in Spain. Their advice was to run the car and if the crack got worse I was advised not to drive it but we were not returning until mid July. On return to the UK I'm now advised that I will need to pay an excess of £75 to replace the screen. Is this fair because if the screen had been repaired earlier I would not have had to pay anything? [Read more →]( [A garage that lent me a courtesy car five years ago now wants £1700 - what do I do?]( Posted by on 19 July, 2017 I had a car accident over five years ago, the driver was convicted of dangerous driving. I had just bought the car and it was written off five minutes after leaving the garage. The garage had let me drive it home on their insurance and trade plate, and through his insurance I was given a courtesy car until the cheque for my car came through. I had the hire car for a week and they arranged for it to be picked back up from my home. I had told them where the keys would be as I had to go back to work. They hadn't picked it up on the day they were meant to, they did after they sent me some paperwork to sign but I never did. Now, five years later, I've just had a bill through the door at my new address for £1700 for 21 days car hire. It was a courtesy car, never was I asked to pay anything. I only used it for one week, they failed to turn up to collect it and I don't have any paper work or anything in relation to it. The garage solicitor did it all and they got their payment from the compensation three years ago. The garage doesn't exist now I don't know what to do. [Read more →]( [My car door needs replaced - should I be aware of any future problems that may arise?]( Posted by on 19 July, 2017 My car went in for servicing at the dealership garage I purchased it from. Whilst there, someone drove into it. The driver's door needs replacing. The garage will do this at their expense and give me a courtesy car in the meantime. Will it affect my resale value? Is there anything else I should be protecting myself against e.g. insurance premiums, future problems that might arise relating to this door replacement? [Read more →]( [Warranty company refuse to honour my warranty - what should I do?]( Posted by on 19 July, 2017 I bought a car in April and it came with a third party warranty. Just over a month later it developed a fault and I claimed it under the warranty I had. The warranty company have refused the claim stating that it was a pre-existing fault using their chief engineers' opinion. I have proof from the main franchise dealer that the item was working perfectly after I purchased the car as it was with them for an update. The warranty company have tried various approaches of suggesting the fault is through wear and tear, not a covered component and even more recently because the fault was discovered so close to the warranty start date that it is unfair for them to pay for resolution. Is it worth simply getting the work done myself and then pursuing them for the costs through the courts? [Read more →]( [The roads near me are very narrow - if a truck hits me on my side of the road, who's at fault?]( Posted by on 19 July, 2017 I live in the country with narrow roads. The trucks that use the roads are so big that sometimes they drive across my half of the road, forcing me to avoid them. If one hits me on my side of the road, who is at fault? I have a dash camera fitted. [Read more →]( [Why won't my car start?]( Posted by on 19 July, 2017 My Vauxhall Vectra won't start when I turn the key. All I get is a ticking noise. Can you please help? [Read more →]( [Can I modify my Audi A1 to get softer suspension?]( Posted by on 18 July, 2017 I have an Audi A1 1.6 TDI Sport which is well built, lively and economical. The only downside is the firm suspension which is not suited to the poor quality of my local roads. Is it possible to modify the suspension (I know that SE models have a softer set-up). If so, what would be the approximate cost? [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