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Car Clinic: Can additives reduce the pollution from a diesel car?

Car Clinic: Can additives reduce diesel pollution?

"Can fuel additives or retrofitted devices make a diesel car less polluting? And will removing biofuel reduce NOx emissions?"
Published 07 August 2017
Car Clinic: Will a 1.6-litre petrol Vauxhall Astra automatic pull a caravan?

Car Clinic: Will petrol auto car pull a caravan?

I want to buy a 14/15-plate automatic Vauxhall Astra to pull a caravan with a maximum laden weight of 1,172kg...
Published 10 July 2017
Car Clinic: What do I need to know about Paris car emissions rules before driving there?

Car Clinic: What are the Paris emissions rules?

"I am driving to Paris and have heard of new anti-pollution rules in the city. Do I need to do anything before I set off?"
Published 04 July 2017
Car Clinic: My Nissan X-Trail will not shift into seventh gear

Car Clinic: My X-Trail won't shift into seventh

My 2015 Nissan X-Trail will not shift into seventh gear in automatic mode, which I think is reducing the fuel economy. Why?
Published 16 March 2017
Car Clinic: Are owners of the new Volvo XC90 reporting many faults?

Car Clinic: Are XC90 owners reporting faults?

I was about to buy a Volvo XC90 when I noticed online reports about faults, plus lots of classifieds for six-month-old models ...
Published 06 February 2017
Car Clinic: Does the Sport setting on a Mercedes save fuel around town?

Car Clinic: Does the Sport setting save fuel?

At a speed awareness course my husband was told that using the Sport setting on our automatic Mercedes in town saves petrol. My garage disagreed.
Published 19 December 2016
Can I change the 18in tyres on my Ford S-Max Titanium X Sport to get a softer ride?

Car Clinic: Changing wheel size for a softer ride

Can I change the 18in tyres on my Ford S-Max Titanium X Sport to get a softer ride?
Published 31 October 2016
Car Clinic: Can a child travel in a car without a car seat?

Car Clinic: Can a child travel without a car seat?

Q. I was asked to drive one of my eight-year-old daughter’s friends home in my car without a car seat. Is this legal?
Published 30 August 2016
Car Clinic: What's the best portable sat nav device?

Car Clinic: What's the best portable sat nav device?

Q. My boyfriend and I plan to travel around the UK this summer in our campervan. To avoid squabbles, we need a (reasonably priced) portable sat nav...
Published 18 July 2016
Why do cars not achieve the claimed MPG figure?

Why do cars not achieve the claimed MPG figure?

A Peugeot I test-drove recently claimed 90mpg; I managed 47mpg. Why the discrepancy?
Published 28 June 2016
Car Clinic: how can I improve the visibility of my Fiat Ducato's speedo dial?

My Fiat Ducato's speedo dial is hard to read

It’s hard to read the speedo in our new Fiat Ducato motor home because the dial is dark and far away. What can we do?
Published 18 April 2016
Sunday Times Driving Car Clinic: Insurance premium increase after removing a named driver from the policy

My car insurance company charged me for removing a...

I asked Gladiator insurance to remove a named driver from my new policy a couple of days before the old one expired. The policy had already been renewed...
Published 11 April 2016