Honest John's mailbag contains hundreds of letters and emails each week, but the vast majority of them ask the same questions. The most popular ones are reproduced below.
Here are the 108 Most Frequently Asked Questions.
VEHICLE EXCISE DUTY ('Road Tax'): Please summarise the Vehicle Excise Duty (Road Tax) changes as from March 2001? Then the changes for 2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2008, 2009/2010 and 2010/2011.
On 24th November 2008 the Chancellor 'U' turned on original proposals. Read more...
CO2 TAX. Which cars emit less than 121g/km CO2 and thereby qualify for £35 VED a year and are eligible for 100% write-down as company cars during the 2007/08 tax year? What happened to the proposal to make them London Congestion Charge exempt? Read more...
INTERNET SALES AND BROKERS: Buying a new car on-line. What questions should you ask? (Also applies to new car supersites.) Read more...
DAMAGE: Who repairs minor damage to my car, its trim and its wheels at less cost than a garage or bodyshop? Also, please list any recommended valeters. Read more...
CONSUMER RIGHTS. How do I reject a duff car or get compensation for problems with a car I have bought from a dealer? Read more...
SPEEDING DEFENCES 1. Is inadequate posting of a speed limit a valid defence to a speeding NIP? Read more...
SPEEDING DEFENCES 2: What can I do if I receive a NIP late or cannot identify the driver on the occasion of the alleged offence? Read more...
SPEEDING DEFENCES 3: Is incorrect use of a speed measuring device a valid defence against conviction for speeding? Read more...
PARKING FINES. What are my rights regarding parking fines? And is a parking ticket void if I drive away before it has been served on me or the car? Read more...
HIRING A CAR: Where can I hire something special? A Ferrari, a Ford GT, a motorhome, or a car which is completely out of the ordinary? And where can I drive sportscars on racetracks? Read more...
COMPANY CAR TAX (BIK): Please explain company car benefit in kind (BIK) tax? Read more...
MULTI CAR INSURANCE: Can I insure more than one car on the same insurance policy? Read more...
AIR-CONDITIONING: What do I need to know about servicing it and can you list some specialists? Read more...
OIL-CHANGES: Some manufacturers specify oil changes at 20,000-mile or two-year intervals or leave it to the car's service indicator computer, and give no indication of when things like timing belts should be changed. What is your advice? Read more...
RUNNING IN A DIESEL: What's the best way to run-in a diesel engine? Read more...
RUNNING-IN A PETROL ENGINE: What's the best way to run-in a petrol engine? Read more...
NEARLY-NEW CARS: Where are the cheapest places to buy nearly-new cars in the UK? Read more...
INSURANCE WRITE-OFFS: When is an Insurance Damage 'Write Off' not written off? How do a get a fair payment if my car is written off? How do I stay on the road in the meantime? Read more...
SELLING WEBSITES: Which are the best websites to advertise a car I want to sell? Read more...
REVERSING AIDS: Where can I get electronic car reversing aids? Read more...
CHEAP NEW CARS: Where can I buy new cars in the UK at sensible prices? Also tell me about import warranties and import finance. Read more...
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS: Could you recommend any automatic gearbox specialists prepared to service and rebuild automatic boxes rather than simply replace them? Read more...
LPG AND CNG: Where can I get my car converted to run on LPG? Read more...
BEST FUELS: Which are currently the best fuels. And where can I buy fuel cheapest? Read more...
ENGINE ELECTRONICS: Where can I have the Engine Control Unit (ECU) of my car re-mapped ("chipped") to give better performance? And where can I have my car's ECU tested for faults and repaired rather than replaced? Read more...
CHAIN CAM?: Which Engines Have Timing Chains or Gear Trains instead of Timing Belts? Read more...
PERSONAL IMPORTS: I want to personally import a car from Europe. What do I need to know? Read more...
CRASH SAFETY: Where can I obtain information about the crashworthiness of vehicles? Read more...
DRIVING AUTOMATICS SAFELY: Why do you repeatedly advocate left foot braking of automatic cars? Read more...
TURBO FAILURE: Why do turbos fail early? Read more...
3X3-POINT REAR BELTS. Which older cars have three lap/diagonal three-point belts in the back seat? Read more...
LICENCE AREA DESIGNATORS: Please summarise the car licensing system by area? Read more...
SATNAV AND LASER DETECTORS: Can you do a FAQ about Aftermarket Satnav Systems. Which of them Show Speed Traps? Read more...
COOLANTS: How long do they last and which type should I use? Read more...
LICENCE AGE IDENTIFIERS: Please list vehicle registation Suffix and Prefix registration age identifiers. Read more...
TRACKING AND ALIGNMENT: Where can I have my car’s suspension properly laser aligned? Read more...
MAKING A CAR LAST: Can you give ten tips to extend the life of a car? Read more...
FUEL CONSUMPTION: How do I work out my car's fuel consumption reasonably accurately? Read more...
CAR SOFT-TOPS AND HOODS: What are the best products for reconditioning the canvas hood of a convertible and for restoring transparency to a plastic rear screen? Read more...
US CAR MARKET: Are there any websites for buying cars and getting information about cars in the USA? Read more...
STORING A CAR: What should I do if I will be leaving a car unused for 3 months or more? Read more...
ELECTRIC CARS: What information do you have? Read more...
MICROCAR QUADRICYCLES: Where can I buy a 500cc automatic microcar in the UK? Read more...
MANUFACTURER WEBSITES:List car manufacturers' websites and brochure lines? Read more...
EXPORTING TO AUSTRALIA: Can I ship a car back to Australia tax-free? Is it better to export from the UK or buy there? Read more...
MOTORBIKES FROM THAILAND. How do I import a motorcycle from Thailand? Read more...
SPEED CUSHIONS: What is the best way to drive over a metre wide 'speed cushion'? Read more...
LEADED PETROL: I have an older car designed to run on four-star leaded petrol. What should I be using now? Read more...
UNEXPLAINED ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS: Why do cars suddenly shut down and/or suffer strange elctrical problems like the dashpanel lighting up or going out completely? Read more...
SWITCHABLE DIP: Which cars have switchable left to right dip? Read more...
COOLING SYSTEM AIRLOCKS: How do I get rid of an engine cooling system airlock? Read more...
CARAVAN TOWING: Can you give me some general tips about towing caravans. Read more...
PASS PLUS ADDITIONAL DRIVER TRAINING. What is Pass Plus? Read more...
WINTER TYRES: Should I use different tyres for the winter? Read more...
BMW SERVICE INDICATORS: How do you re-set a BMW Service Indicator? Read more...
EURO SPEEDING PENALTIES: What are the Speeding Penalties in Germany, Spain and Sweden? Read more...
TACHOGRAPH TOWING LAWS: What is the new tachograph law about towing? Read more...
CHILD SEAT LAWS: What are the new child seat regulations, effective from 18th September 2006? Read more...
DRIVING SOMEONE ELSE'S CAR: Can I drive someone else's car on my insurance? Read more...
BUYING MOTOR INSURANCE: Ross Hall explains. Read more...
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS: What are the different types? Read more...
MOTOR-RELATED NO 10 PETITIONS: Can you provide links to the various motoring Petitions. How do I lobby my MP? Read more...
CLIMATE CHANGE: Another truth about climate change Read more...
UK ROAD DEATHS AND INJURIES: What are the true figures for injuries and deaths in the UK? Read more...
BRAKE DISCS AND PADS: Why do brake discs as well as pads need replacing so often? And why is it usually rear discs first?
INSURANCE. When does a 'non disclosure' by the policyholder affect a claim? Read more...
DAB CAR RADIOS. What will happen to present day car radios when the switch-over to digital happens? Read more...
FOREIGN DRIVERS. Do foreign drivers driving cars with foreign plates get away with UK motoring offences, even if they are resident and working in the UK Read more...
EXPERT WITNESSES. Can you give details of expert witnesses whose testimony regarding a mechanical or bodily defect will be valuable in court? Read more...
MOTORWAY CLOSURES. What can be done about them? Read more...
CONDENSATION. My car is full of it. Why? What can I do about it? Read more...
NUMBER PLATES. What are the new rules that came into effect on 1-10-2007? Read more...
DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. Are they to become a legal requirement, or not? Read more...
MOTOR SPORTS EVENTS. How can I find out what's coming up where and when? Read more...
LONDON LOW EMISSION ZONE. What is the schedule for the imposition of the LEZ? Read more...
ANPR. What happens if I get pulled by a police Automatic Numberplate Recognition Check for no insurance? Read more...
YOUNG DRIVERS. What are the best new cars for them? Read more...
CONVERTIBLES. Please list all four seater convertibles either available or soon to be available in the UK in February 2008 Read more...
DRIVER TRAINING. Where can I get race track experience, learn to control skids, etc. Read more...
INSURANCE GROUP. How can I find the insurance grop for my car, or any car I am thinking of buying? Read more...
BRAKE DISCS AND PADS. How can I save money replacing them? Read more...
OVERLOAD ACCIDENTS: How do I stop my suspension bottoming out with a heavy load aboard?
DIESEL v/s PETROL. What are the pros and cons? Read more...
BUYING PETROL: How can I maximise what I get for my money from the pumps? Read more...
DUAL MASS FLYWHEELS: What are they and why are they so much trouble? Read more...
CAMPER TAX: How does the new CO2 based graduated VED from March 2001 apply to campers and motorhomes. Read more...
ABU DHABI. What's the best vehicle for driving in that country? Read more...
CAR BODYWORK. Can you define the precise meaning of the different names historically used to describe IT? Read more...
SCRAPPING A CAR AT THE END OF ITS LIFE. What do I need to know to do this legally? Read more...
YOUNG LEARNERS: What is the best car for youngsters to learn to drive in and who is offering the lowest insurance? Read more...
EMERGENCY VEHICLES. What should I do if one comes up behind me. Read more...
FUEL DUTY. What are the rates for 2008/2009? Read more...
INSURANCE. Which are the cheapest new cars to insure? Read more...
SPEED CAMERA LOCATORS AND DETECTORS. Which European countries ban them? Read more...
FIRST CAR: I am looking for some advice on where to begin looking for my first car. I am 22 years old and have just passed my driving test. I am looking for a vehicle with low insurance, low tax, low mileage and a low maintenance cost. I also need the vehicle to be both reliable and safe to drive.
'NO FAULT CRASHES'. If someone crashes into my car, completely their fault, how do I make sure I'm restored to the position I was in before they damaged my property? Read more...
