Got any car queries?

Q Is rear-drive a good idea?

I’M thinking of buying an executive saloon, but am unsure about rear-wheel drive. A friend of mine sold her rear-wheel-drive car after it coped poorly in icy weather. Do cars with this layout handle worse in bad weather?

A MODERN cars have come a long way in terms of traction control and driver aids. If you drive to suit the conditions and road surface, you shouldn’t lose control in a rear-wheel-drive car. In winter, we’d recommend fitting a set of winter or all-season tyres for extra reassurance.

Q Why is my Skoda sluggish?

THERE aren’t any mechanical faults with my 2.0-litre petrol Skoda Octavia, which I bought new in 2007. But it’s starting to feel a bit sluggish. Is this a sign of future trouble? Paul Oldman, E-mail

A NOT necessarily. If you haven’t had the car serviced recently, things such as filters and fuel lines could have become clogged. Change the oil, pollen and oil filters, and pour some petrol additive in the tank. These things should help. If the car still feels sluggish, then book it in for a service.

Q Confused by clonking Audi

MY 2001 Audi A4 has been making a clonking noise when going around right-hand bends. It’s a faint sound, but I don’t think it’s the brakes or the suspension as those were inspected recently. Any ideas what’s up? William Mcpherson, E-mail

A IT could be the CV joint which connects the driveshaft to the transmission and to the wheels. If you see grease coming out of cracks or any tears in the joint, now is the time to replace it.