Ask the experts
Q&A;: Diagnostic port?
Drive Team Doug wants to know which diagnostic port his 2004 Mercdes-Benz A160 has.
Q&A;: Audi tow bar?
Drive Team Peter is wondering if he is being overcharged for having a towbar fitted.
Q&A;: software update
Drive Team Can I still take my car to the dealer and just ask for free update, not a full service?
Q&A;: dull 'thumping noise'
Drive Team Paul has a mysterious noise coming from his 2007 Subaru Forester.
Q&A;: Disconnecting car battery
Drive Team Is it a good idea to disconnect his car battery while it sits in an airport car park for three-weeks.
Q&A;: Keeping washer jets working
Why would the jets not be working, and what can be done to fix it?
Q&A;: Insurance claim too much?
I believe the insurance company's required payment for an at fault accident is too high.
Q&A;: Injectors serviced
I have been told that rather than getting my injectors serviced, I can get the same result by running a tank of 98.
Q&A;: Wheel alignment issues
The wheel alignment on my 2010 Santa Fe was not fixed correctly by Hyundai.
Q&A;: How many kays are too many?
Many vehicles have large number of kilometres on the clock, how do I know which one I should buy?
Q&A;: Who pays the insurance excess?
Drive Team After being hit by a stolen car, I was asked to pay the excess.
Q&A;: Starting an old car?
Drive Team Is there anything I need to do before starting a car after 18 months?
Q&A;: Engine Viscosity?
Drive Team What is the recommended engine oil type and viscosity for the 2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid 2010 in the Australian climate?
Q&A;: Is regular unleaded being phased out?
Drive Team I have heard in various places that there are plans to phase out regular unleaded fuel, forcing motorists with cars not compatible with E10 (a blend of 10 per cent ethanol and 90 per cent petrol) to purchase the more expensive premium unleaded fuel.
Q&A;: Engine seal leak
Drive Team Are there any additives from an automotive shop will help stem the leak?
Q&A;: Steering shake
Drive Team Is there anything else that could make my steering shake besides wheel alignment and balance?
Q&A;: Alternator power
Drive team How many amps the alternator puts out after fully charging the battery?
Q&A;: How bad is rust?
Drive Team Q. I'm looking at buying a 1990 Toyota Corolla as a second car just to drive to and from work.
Q&A;: European cars and brake dust
Drive Team Q. I have wondered why the front wheels of European cars are often stained black with brake dust (I presume) but those of other cars are generally not.
Q&A;: Mercedes performance air filters
Drive Team Q. I have a Mercedes-Benz diesel and I've seen promotional offers for performance air filters, including K&N; and BMC.
Q&A;: Automatic overdrive
Drive Team Q. My car is an automatic and has an overdrive button on the side of the gear selector.
The Drive Team answers your questions
Q&A;: Grabby brakes
Q. The brakes on my Suzuki Swift grab. It makes it very hard to brake smoothly and progressively.
The Drive Team answers your questions
Q&A;: Wheels sizes
Q. I have for many years been mystified by the practice of giving the size of a vehicle's wheels in inches, while the remainder of a vehicle's vital statistics - power, torque, dimensions, consumption, CO2 emissions etc, are correctly given in metric.
ASK THE EXPERTS The Drive team answers your questions
Q&A;: Registration expired
Q. I've forgotten to pay my registration on my car and it has expired.
ASK THE EXPERTS The Drive team answers your questions
Q&A;: Overcharged on Passat servicing?
Q. I recently had my four-year-old Passat TDI station wagon serviced.
Ask the experts
Q&A;: Ford Telstar TX5 V6 stalling
Q. I purchased a 1993 Ford Telstar TX5 V6 with more than 220,000 kilometres on the clock.
Ask the experts
Q&A;: Fuel efficiency, Diesel vs Petrol
Q. I drive between 500 kilometres and 750 kilometres a month, usually in short distances (urban driving during peak hours with short motorway stints).
ASK THE EXPERTS
Q&A;: Tyre sizes
Q. I'm trying to reduce the tyre size on my car - a classic MGB - from the current 185/70-14 to 175/70-14 but have found I can only get 175/65-14s.
ASK THE EXPERTS
Q&A;: Creeping Astra
Q. My wife and I purchased a used 2000 Holden Astra automatic from a car dealership.
Ask the Experts
Q&A;: Calais fuel gauge
The Drive Team Q. Help! All was great with my VY SII supercharged Calais until I ran out of fuel with the gauge showing better than half-full and the computer saying that I had about 40 litres of petrol left.
Ask the Experts
Q&A;: Engine noise
The Drive Team Q. Why is it that on some days my car engine will run quietly and smoothly but on other days itâs a little rough and noisy?
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Q&A: E10 issues
Drive Team Q. I've heard from a couple of mechanics that even though most engines will run on E10 unleaded, fuel system components of most cars three or four years old will not cope with E10 long term, and components such as fuel pump seals will fail over time with ongoing use of E10.
Ask the Experts
Q&A;: Hail damage
Drive Team Q. I've just noticed, after giving my car a good wash, that it sustained some hail damage during a storm in late December.
Ask the experts: The Drive team answers your questions
Q&A;: Mercedes tyre pressure
Q. I have recently bought a second-hand Mercedes CLK 320 convertible with Roadstone 225/40ZR18 N7000 tyres fitted front and rear on 18-inch Mercedes rims.
Ask the experts: The Drive team answers your questions
Q&A;: Fuel gauge accuracy
Q. The fuel gauge in my car, which is under warranty, is unreliable but the dealer brushes off the problem, saying it reads differently depending on where the car is parked. Is this correct?
Q&A
Q&A;: Retreads or new tyres?
Drive Team I drive a 2003 Toyota Camry and the tyres are due for replacement. Mainly on "environmental" grounds, I was thinking about replacing the tyres with retreads.
Q&A
Q&A;: How do I know which car is safest?
Drive Team With so many cars achieving the maximum five-star safety rating, what should people look for to ensure they are buying the safest car possible? Got a question for Drive's experts? Email qa@drive.com.au
Q&A
Q&A;: Installing aftermarket cruise control
Drive Team Is there a reliable, integrated â and cheaper â alternative to the Toyota genuine article?
Q&A
Q&A;: Why is my BMW using 1-litre of oil every 300km?
Drive Team I drive a 2002 model BMW 318ti with 168,000 kilometres on it. I noticed excessive oil consumption of about a litre of oil every 200 kilometres to 300 kilometres.
Q&A;: Why does my Great Wall ute's motor surge?
Drive Team I have a new Great Wall Motors V240 dual-cab four-wheel-drive ute and am happy with it, however the motor surges and can be sluggish under load or acceleration.
Q&A;: Why can't I achieve the factory-quoted fuel use?
Drive Team I have a 2010 Mazda CX-9 which uses on average between 16 litres and 17 litres per 100 kilometres in conservative urban driving and with light throttle application.
Ask the Experts
Q&A;: Magna transmission units
The Drive Team Q. I have a 2001 TJ Magna. My mechanic says the transmission is a sealed unit and he can't change the fluid.
Ask the Experts
Q&A;: Respraying a Honda Accord Euro
The Drive Team Q. I have a new Honda Accord Euro. Recently, I had an accident and the car was fixed by panel beaters.
Ask the Experts
Q&A;: How long will my Prius battery last?
The Drive Team Q. I have a Toyota Prius. I will be going overseas for 3½ months next year and the car will not be used.
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Q&A;: An Australian or a European car?
The Drive Team Q. We are looking at getting a bigger car and, having owned VWs in the past, we realise that European cars can cost a fortune to service or maintain/repair.
Ask the experts
Q&A;: Will disconnecting the car's battery reset the computer?
The Drive Team Q. Does disconnecting the car's battery overnight reset the the car's computer, therefore readjusting its performance the next time you drive it?
Ask the experts
Q&A;: My Toyota Prado dash has cracked
Q. I have a 2006 Toyota Prado and the dash has started to crack.
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Q&A;: Why does it cost $1000 to put a towbar on a 2008 VW Golf?
The Drive Team Q. I want to fit a towbar to my 2008 VW Golf and have been told it will cost $1000 to have it wired up (despite the actual part only costing $500).
Ask the experts
Q&A;: Stopping an automatic
The Drive Team Q. I always drove manual cars but recently bought an automatic.
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Q&A;: 17, 18 or 19 inch wheels?
The Drive Team Q. I'm buying a new Land Rover Freelander 2011 model and have the option of 17-, 18- or 19-inch wheels for the same price.
Ask the Experts
Q&A;: Official fuel consumption figures
The Drive Team Q. When arriving at official fuel consumption figures, how do the manufacturers do the split between city and country running?
Ask the Experts
Q&A;: Is there a BMW model runout?
The Drive Team I notice there is a BMW sale on now. Do you know if this is a model runout - are there going to be new BMW models next year and if so do you know what and when?
Ask the experts: Buying an Astra
Q, I bought a 2007 Toyota Corolla Ascent 1.8-litre sedan a few days ago. The car drives excellently.
Ask the experts: Changing the chain belt
Q, I bought a 2007 Toyota Corolla Ascent 1.8-litre sedan a few days ago. The car drives excellently.
Ask the experts: Cruise control
Q. I bought a Mercedes-Benz B200 petrol towards the end of last year.
Ask the experts: Running-in a car
Q. There are many different beliefs about how to properly run in a new car to ensure the correct wear-in of bores/piston rings.
Ask the experts: Speedometers and speed cameras
Q. If the speedometer on a car is plus or minus 10 per cent its indicated reading (as previously noted in Drive), do speed cameras provide that leniency when detecting cars?
Ask the experts: Tyre pressure
Q. The bushes on my front shock absorbers have disappeared and I have the option to put in new shock absorbers.
Ask the experts: Shock absorbers
Q. The bushes on my front shock absorbers have disappeared and I have the option to put in new shock absorbers.
Ask the experts: Noisy Vectra
Q. I have started to notice a strange noise when my Vectra runs from idle in first gear.
Ask the experts: Drive to neutral
Q. Does gearbox into neutral and coasting to a stop create more stress on the transmission?
Ask the experts: Scratched paintwork
Q. Our cat has been sleeping on the bonnet of our BMW 318i E46 and we have noticed that its claws have left fine surface scratches on the paintwork. What is the best way to eliminate them?
Ask the experts: Tiida airconditioning
Q. I bought a new Nissan Tiida ST sedan a few weeks ago. The car is exceptional, except for one problem.
Ask the experts: Interiors
Q. I am concerned about how long the leather steering wheel will last before it begins to crack, especially when you consider its level of exposure to the sun.
Ask the experts: Car warranties
Are car warranties provided by the dealer or the manufacturer? For example, if I buy a near-new car from a private seller, do I get the balance of the new-car warranty from the manufacturer or is this only the case if I buy a used car through a dealer?
Ask the experts: Family car solution?
Q. We are looking at another car. Do we buy or lease with salary sacrifice?
Ask the experts: Buy or lease?
Q. I travel about 70,000 kilometres a year in Sydney and its surrounds. It makes for a difficult choice of vehicle because selling after two or three years attracts a huge loss.
Ask the experts: Engine malfunction light
Q. Why does my engine malfunction light turn on on every few minutes?
Ask the experts: Replacing tyres
Q. I have a current-model Nissan Maxima (2009 with 53,000 kilometres) and the tyres are due to be replaced.
Ask the experts: Where there's smoke...
Q. I read and enjoy your column every Friday and am hoping that, although my car is older than most models covered, you may have some suggestions.
Ask the experts: Brake and clutch fluid
Q. I had my 2009 Holden VE Berlina in for the 30,000-kilometre logbook service (cost: $470) by my Holden dealer.
Ask the experts: Compression brakes
Q. Do truck drivers have a choice of the way they apply compression brakes: loud, civilised, or not at all?
Ask the experts: Wheel alignment
Q. Last week, I had my Golf serviced by an official Volkswagen dealer.
Ask the experts: Bonnet rust
Q. I dropped something on the bonnet of my car and scratched the paint. Will I need to get it fixed to stop the bonnet rusting?
Ask the experts: Window squeak
Q. I recently bought a pre-loved BMW 318i made in 1998. I have noticed the windows squeak when I am driving.
Ask the experts: 2009 Mazda3 fuel tank size
Q. I have a 2009 Mazda3 that I am very pleased with, except for the size of the fuel tank.
Ask the experts: Carbon accumulation
Q. I'm concerned about carbon accumulating in my car's engine block and affecting its performance. How do I avoid this?
Ask the Experts: Common-rail diesel engines
Q. What, in layman's terms, is a common-rail diesel engine?
Ask the Experts: Dealer up-selling
Q. I have a 2004 Honda Accord Euro. I've been very happy with it, except for the demands for frequent services. But that's not my issue
Ask the experts: Getting the Yaris out of 3rd
Q. My Toyota Yaris has only travelled 30,000 kilometres, mostly city driving. Since day one it has been hanging in third gear at times when I think it should be in fourth.
Ask the experts: Cargo barriers
Q. With the arrival recently of two new family pets, a Kelpie cross and Siberian husky, we were considering a cargo barrier for our MY09 Subaru Forester.
Ask the experts: Petrol or diesel?
Q. I understand it has been regarded as good practice to allow turbo diesel engines to idle for a minute or two before shutdown.
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