Q I need to replace my VW Golf GTI (Mk 3) with something larger as I am expecting a baby in February. The car will have to cope with two dogs and a 6ft 2in husband and needs to fit on a 15ft driveway. We can spend up to £35,000 and I’d like a bit of go. — EW from Saffron Walden A A 4x4 is unlikely to give the desired performance; an estate car will probably be too long: so let’s go for MPVs. Although they are about the same length as your Golf, the high roofline will give your husband plenty of headroom, the extra boot space will make carrying the dogs easy and the focus on family practicality will suit baby.
Consider the VW Golf Plus, the top spec 2.0 TDI being the most powerful with 140bhp and a bargain price of £18,540. There’s also the Mercedes-Benz B-class — the B 200 Turbo has 193bhp and a 0-62mph time of 7.6sec, while the £23,060 price allows you to add extras.
Even more powerful is the Vauxhall Zafira VXR turbo with 240bhp, which reaches 0-60mph in 7.2sec and is £22,145. All three come within your length limit.
Q I recently parked my 2004 VW Touran on two innocuous slopes and applied the handbrake, only to find it creeping downhill. On the last occasion the car hit a wall. My VW dealer reassures me the brakes are fine. What do you think is the problem? — PM from Co Cork
A A common problem is that owners don’t pull the handbrake on tightly enough. Most handbrakes need about four clicks on the ratchet — if yours takes much more, a garage should adjust it.
Even if a brake has been correctly engaged, however, the hot discs may shrink slightly over time, so the pads apply less pressure and there is risk of slippage. You wouldn’t notice this on the flat but with a little help from gravity a car can roll away. We suggest you take the car back to your VW dealer and get it to check the discs.
Because handbrake mechanisms are not foolproof, we recommend that cars be left in first gear to prevent creep. If you’re parked next to a kerb, turn the wheels slightly inwards.
QAfter a gap of 11 years, I am now, aged 50, planning to buy another Porsche, which I plan to keep indefinitely. With about £25,000 to spend second-hand, I’m considering a 911 (996) but have found big variations in price. What do you advise? — CH from Nottingham
A Porsche prices are sensitive principally to mileage, colour, service history and specification. Comparing like with like can prove difficult as few used examples are identical.
You tend to pay more at franchised dealers as they often handle the most desirable stock. Instead, look to some of the good non-franchised specialists who also deal in quality cars, such as www.911virgin.com (01895 255 222). If you are buying privately you should expect to pay about £3,500 less than at a dealer as the car will not come with a part-exchange option or even with a warranty unless the existing owner has one that can be transferred.
Personal taste will dictate which model you choose, although many purists favour the coupé rather than the cabriolet as the stiffer body shell gives the car better driving dynamics. With a budget of £25,000, we would recommend a Carrera 2 Coupé dated around 1999 with 40,000-50,000 miles.
Classic colours such as blue, silver or metallic black tend to fare better at resale but if you intend keeping the car for long then this may not be a priority. A full Porsche service history with the original receipts is a must. Check, too, that the clutch, brakes and tyres all have plenty of life.
Prices tend to come down a little in the winter as sports cars are less sought after.
Q I have a three-year-old Range Rover in which the rear seats squeak and rattle when unoccupied. I think the squeak is caused by the leather surfaces rubbing together. It’s annoying. Any ideas for a cure? — PC from Cheshire
A Seats on a car of this quality and value certainly shouldn’t rattle and, if it’s under warranty, the dealer should fix the problem.
The prime suspects are the fixings for the seats or the seatbelt mountings and buckles. If flawed, these need fixing, for obvious safety reasons.
Irritating squeaks can occasionally arise where two leather seat bases or back rests rub against each other with the vehicle movement. Leathercare Renovations (01925 851 621, www.leathercare-renovations.co.uk) suggests a remedy: smear Vaseline on the affected areas. The slight sheen won’t matter because it will be out of sight.
Q My wife is refusing to drive my four-year-old BMW Compact saloon (with only 33,000 miles) because the gearchange is heavy from first to second. I have seen an advertisement for an oil additive called Greased Lightning Teflon Gear Treatment that suggests draining the gear oil, replacing it with this, adding just under a litre to the differential, then topping up with the manufacturer’s recommended oil. My local garage is reluctant to do this. What do you recommend? — EN from Manchester
A The problem is not with the differential and we don’t think it’s the clutch, as it affects only two gears. First ask your garage to check the gearchange linkage to make sure the metal rods and connections below the gearlever are not sticking at any point.
However, the problem you describe is more likely to be internal, possibly with synchromesh on the lower gears, and this, unfortunately, means removing the gearbox and stripping it down.
We’d suggest you have a BMW dealer check it because the car is still young and the mileage is low so there is the possibility of a goodwill contribution — depending on the car having been serviced correctly. Speak to customer services on 0800 325 600.
The jury is still out when it comes to the effectiveness of oil additives but no additive can solve a physical problem of the sort you have here.
Q My daughter will shortly be 17 and will want to drive the family car. I fear the cost of adding her to my insurance policy will be prohibitive — I drive a VW Golf 2.0 GT TDI (140bhp). What could I trade it in for that would be cheaper to insure? — JP from St Albans
A The Volkswagen Golf GT TDI falls in group 14 for insurance (group 1 being the cheapest; group 20 the most expensive). Some insurers might not even consider insuring a 17-year-old on this car.
A Seat Leon 2.0 TDI Reference Sport has the same 140bhp diesel engine as the Golf but falls into group 9. Insurance companies regard the Seat as a lower theft risk and repair costs tend to be lower, while Seat drivers tend to make fewer claims than VW Golf GT TDI drivers. A new one costs £15,195, nearly £3,500 less than the VW Golf GT TDI.
QThe engine in my 1996 Mercedes C 250 diesel automatic keeps surging, even though my dealer has replaced the fuel injectors and fitted a new fuel injection pump. Also, sometimes the electric windows, radio and sunroof will work with the ignition key removed and the sat nav has taken to switching itself off. Could all these problems be connected? — EE, North Walsham, Norfolk
A On the face of it, there’s no common ground between sat nav and fuel injection but both use the car’s electrics and this is where the trouble could lie. We’d suggest you ask an auto electrician to give the system a check, starting with the main battery’s negative (earth) connection and working back.
It’s often the case that even though connections may look sound, rust beneath can prevent the full 12v getting through. Removing connectors and cleaning them with a wire brush often does the trick.
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