What has the Honest John team been asked this week?

[Web Version]( | [Update preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Facebook icon]( [Like]( [Twitter icon]( [Tweet]( [Forward icon]( [Forward]( [Is no claims bonus affected by who is the named driver and who is the policy holder?]( Posted by on 21 December, 2023 I am currently the policyholder and main driver for our car. My wife is the named driver. I/we have more than 10 years no claims bonus. If my wife becomes the main driver will that affect the NCB? I'm concerned that she would have to start again. Same question applies if my wife becomes the policyholder. [Read more →]( [Does having an airbag light on invalidate my insurance?]( Posted by on 21 December, 2023 Will an airbag fauly warning light on my dashboard invalidate my insurance if stopped by the police in England? [Read more →]( [Do VWs have electric water pumps?]( Posted by on 21 December, 2023 Do some VW cars have electronic water pumps? And do they get changed when the timing belt is renewed? [Read more →]( [Do rear dashcams interfere with DAB signal?]( Posted by on 21 December, 2023 I have just swapped cars from a BMW 1 series to a 5 series 2022 year model. My 1 series had the Nextbase 622 with front and a rear window camera. Nextbase say they cannot professionally fit the rear window camera as it interferes with the DAB radio? Seems odd. As a rear window camera is just as important as the front facing, can you shed any light on this or offer any alternative makes that are as good as this? I do not want a camera looking in the actual car, I want it looking out of the back window as it needs to. I also want it professionally fitted which Nextbase did really well last time. [Read more →]( [What's the best car for a new driver?]( Posted by on 20 December, 2023 My grandson,17,has just passed his driving test and is looking for a first car. Can you advise on which models to choose based on reliability and insurance costs? His maximum budget is £5-6K. [Read more →]( [Are there any small cars with heated seats?]( Posted by on 20 December, 2023 My wife has a bad back and really values heated seats. We fitted heated seat covers to her Volkswagen Polo, which work reasonably well However, we are about to replace the car and wondered if there is a Polo-sized car which comes with heated front seats as standard, please? [Read more →]( [Can my wife drive my car even if I remove her as a named driver?]( Posted by on 19 December, 2023 I'm thinking of changing my insurance policy by taking my wife off the policy as a named driver as it will be cheaper. If I let her drive the car with my permission, is that legal insurance wise, and if she has an accident, what could be the outcome in that scenario? [Read more →]( [Is there a suitable replacement for a Land Rover Defender?]( Posted by on 19 December, 2023 I have a 25 yr old Land Rover Defender 110, it gets used for taking the dogs walking, runs to the tip, shopping, tows a caravan to the odd muddy festival I working on summer time. I’d like to get something newer to give it a rest from the winter salt, I do not want a pick up as they are classed as a commercial vehicle, that causes issues running garden rubbish to the tip. I live rurally in the Fens, anywhere I take the dogs is pretty muddy at this time of year, so some ability to get in and out of mud is vital, single track roads, you get forced onto verges to pass oncoming traffic. Most modern SUVs appear full of needless technology and lacking in robustness, my wife has a Kia Sportage and tested a Dacia Duster, I include these in this assessment. Also not a fan of more recent Land Rover offerings, due to reliability concerns. Part of the worry is my wife had a 2014 Kia Rio, had trouble with the power steering, a new steering column cost £2200 all told, I don’t think I’ve spent that much on servicing the defender in the last 5 years. I also own a C250 Mercedes estate, purchased due to a good local specialist, I bought it towards the end of lockdown but find myself using the defender still for the reasons stated above. I guess the annual mileage of the two vehicles is 10k, I drive a Transit connect 20k per year on top of this. It appears to me that modern SUV are aimed at town drivers or school run folk, and aren’t very utility at all. £15k budget, less would better. What do you recommend please? [Read more →]( [Can I apply for emissions-based road tax on a 1998 Mercedes-Benz A Class?]( Posted by on 19 December, 2023 Am I allowed to apply for a lower car tax as my car produces a low level of emissions. Currently I have to pay £325 as the car is pre-2001. [Read more →]( [How many EV charging stations are there In France?]( Posted by on 19 December, 2023 I am considering buying a full electric car after my good experience with a PHEV. However I will be touring in France next summer. Is France well provided with public electric charging points around the country ? [Read more →]( [When is a cambelt change required for an Audi A3?]( Posted by on 19 December, 2023 Apparently Audi UK have fallen in line with Audi Germany in stating that the cam belt is now replaced at 180,000 miles instead of every 5 years. Is this true? [Read more →]( [What do you recommend as a very comfortable, roomy, economical, safe and reliable car?]( Posted by on 18 December, 2023 We’re thinking of changing our 2012 Honda Accord Diesel Tourer for something with as much or more room - we need the space for sailing gear - but with a softer ride, more directional stability on motorways, brighter headlights, automatic transmission, predictable handling and similar reliability and economy. Like the Accord the new car would be mostly used for regular 100+ mile trips on motorways to the coast and back. I love the Accord’s diesel, the best engine I’ve ever had, so something like a diesel estate VW Passat or Skoda Superb could suit, but are the engines reliable, is the DSG box reliable and critically is it wet or dry clutch - wet clutches seem to be a better bet? The budget as little as possible (we see our cars as costly tools) but realistically it will have to be mid/high £k teens, perhaps a little more. Is there anything else I should consider? [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