HONEST JOHN EXPERT ADVICE

The dealer you can trust is on hand to answer your questions on car problems and consumer issues

BALANCING FACT

I’ve been told that the depreciation costs of a car actually fall every year, whereas maintenance costs obviously rise. Should I carry on driving my 2010 Audi Q5 diesel until it’s worthless, but costing me a fortune to keep going, or cut my losses now and buy something new? DH

That’s the perennial dilemma. Obviously when the cost of maintenance and repairs exceeds the car’s value, or the inconvenience and danger of breakdowns outweighs saving money by not replacing items, that’s the time to switch. If the s-tronic transmission fails in your Q5, you’re in for an enormous bill.

MANE ROAD

A big thank you to all those kind and considerate drivers who slow down and give horse riders like myself a wide berth. Horses, even well trained ones, can easily be spooked and jump sideways, so it is sensible to overtake slowly and leave ample space. Some drivers just don’t realise this. WT

The same advice applies to bicycles. Drivers still don’t slow sufficiently or leave enough room for them. It’s also important to anticipate vehicles overtaking horses and bicycles coming in the opposite direction.

DEAR CULL?

I have owned several Hyundai Tucsons and currently have a 2.0 Premium SE CRDI auto. I might buy another Tucson, but perhaps with a 1.6 T-GDI petrol engine because of the diesel controversy. I do 12,000 miles annually, mostly long distances. One reviewer advised against a petrol version; what do you think? DC

I would go for the 1.6 T-GDI petrol this time around – either the Tucson

Whether it is manual or automatic, a new gearbox will cost more than the car is worth – but with

CENTS OF DIRECTION

We inherited a low-mileage 1999 Honda Civic LS Aerodeck estate six years ago. Since then we’ve added 65,000 miles (the odometer now reads more than 110,000) and haven’t had to replace anything other than wheel bearings and brake discs, but unfortunately it’s just failed its MoT test because the steering rack is failing. New genuine Honda parts for such an old car seem scarily expensive, however. Is the Civic Aerodeck worth fixing and, if so, where is the best place to source replacement parts? RT

Parts are a problem with older Hondas. But this is a British-built Civic that shared many parts, such as the steering rack, with the equivalent Rover 200 and 400 models, so all is not lost. Whether you want to spend the money buying a new steering rack and having it fitted is another matter, since other parts might also be failing.

A Citroën Berlingo Multispace, Peugeot Partner, Citroën C3 Picasso or Ford Tourneo Connect would have the most head room. There’s also now a smaller Ford Tourneo Courier with the 1.0 EcoBoost 100 engine, for £14,815. Another possibility might be a

Dacia Duster.

RUBBER SOUL

My front tyres last about two years and those at the rear about four. Is it better to fit new tyres at these intervals, or to swap front to back part way through, to equalise tyre life? MS

Swap front to back to even out the tyre life, then you can change to a full set of better tyres – such as Michelin Cross Climates – that need to be fitted as a complete set of four.

FEE LICKS THE CAT

I’m looking at buying a 1967 Jaguar Mk2 3.8. It is mechanically good, but needs attention to the bodywork (some minor welding and a full respray), upholstery, headlining – none of which I can do myself. I live in Gloucestershire; the car is in Stockport. Can you suggest who I should approach to get some costs for the work before I make an offer? IP

The cost of properly restoring a Mk2 will probably exceed its restored value by a considerable amount. I think you’ll be looking at £50,000 and perhaps more. A full repaint is at least £10,000 – pbcm.co.uk/html/ jaguar_mark_ii.html can help with the bodywork repairs.

DIESEL IS BEST SHOCK...

I am looking at buying a Ford Kuga. Which model would you recommend for a regime of 25,000 miles a year? BK

The 1.5 EcoBoost six-speed torque converter 4x4 auto has a very high CO2 rating (209g/km), so the initial showroom tax is £1,240 (then £140 per year thereafter.) The showroom tax on a 2.0 TDCI Powershift is much less – and for your high mileage a diesel engine makes more sense.

STEP BACK IN TIME

My wife and I have just spent a week in the Cotswolds in our 1990 Peugeot 205 CTI. We have owned it for more than five years but this is the first time we’ve taken a holiday in our classic cabriolet. After covering 800 miles the car has been great, with none of the electronic problems associated with complex modern cars. We think it’s time to celebrate the potential of such classic vehicles. Do you agree? SR

Fair enough. Since the market levelled out, most classic cars are now more affordable than they were six months ago – and a lot more affordable than they were a year ago.

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