Got any car queries?
Q What’s the legal status of Euro-branded reg plates?
I’VE noticed some new 20-plate cars with the EU symbol on their registrations, even though the UK has left the European Union. Are these plates still legal post-Brexit, or will people have to buy replacement items? DW, E-mail
A UK number plates bearing the EU symbol – sometimes known as Euro plates – are still legal to have on your car, and will continue to be so. The Government hasn’t announced any plans to ban them, and at the moment they still allow you to drive a UK-registered car in the EU without a GB sticker. However, after the transition period finishes at the end of the year, it will be necessary to affix a GB sticker to your car to drive in the EU, even if you have Euro plates.
Q Multiple options available for paint-free dent repairs
I FOUND a dent in my car’s passenger door the other day. I don’t know where it came from – no paint has been chipped off, but it’s a fairly big indentation. What is the best method for getting this repaired?
Gregory Harries, E-mail
A HOME dent-pulling and repair kits can be bought for as little as £15, but success isn’t guaranteed, and it’s possible you’ll make the damage worse. You could use a bodyshop recommended by your dealer, but this is likely to be an expensive route. A third option is to pay for a mobile technician to perform a fix using SMART (Small to Medium Area Repair Technology). Many companies will provide a quote based on photographs of the damage.
Q Illuminating facts about ‘part-time’ running lights
I’VE noticed that cars fitted with daytime running lights (DRLs) switch off their corresponding DRLs when they indicate left or right. Why this is?
Dave Teller, E-mail
A EVIDENCE indicates that driving with your lights on during daylight hours can reduce accident risk by as much as six per cent, and since February 2011, DRLs have been mandatory on all new cars to pass type approval. The reason the left or right-hand DRLs switch off when a car indicates in those directions is also to do with safety: DRLs often occupy the same space in light clusters as indicators, which would be difficult to see if the DRLs were illuminated at the same time.