Got a query?

QRising problem with damp

I’VE had problems clearing condensation from the windscreen in the recent cold weather. A colleague said I should use the air-conditioning but that makes no sense to me. Is he right? John Kennedy, E-mail

ACONDENSATION is caused by damp air in the car, which you heat with your body and breath, increasing how much moisture it can hold; when it touches the cold screen, it cools and mists. The heater will clear mist and raise the temperature of the glass, but the air-con will help dry the air.

QWhy is clutch wearing?

MY daughter has had the clutch in her car replaced again after little over a year. I thought it would last longer, but the garage said it was worn, not faulty. What could be the problem? Will Tremlett, E-mail

AIT could be the way your daughter drives or the kind of trips she makes. Frequent journeys in stop-start city traffic will accelerate wear, but we’d expect a clutch to last longer than a year. Also look for your daughter ‘riding’ the clutch – not taking her foot off the pedal after changing gear – and holding the car on it when making hill starts. Jerky gearchanges can also increase wear.

QGet a grip on winter tyres

I’M on my third year with the same set of winter tyres. I wonder whether I should put them back in the tyre hotel when it’s time to change, or bin them and buy new ones next autumn. When’s the best time to change winter tyres?

Fred Leggett, E-mail

AOUR advice for summer tyres applies to winters as well: swap at 3mm because the drop-off in performance to the legal minimum in the wet is too great. This is for the kind of conditions found in most UK winters; if you drive on snow or plan a ski trip, grip drops away quickly below 4mm.