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Car Clinic

The Sunday Times Driving Placeholder

I have an unusual private registration plate - how...

Q. I recently transferred an unusual private registration to my car: 1386 R. How can I find out what cars this number has been registered to? The...
Published 28 April 2015
The Sunday Times Driving Placeholder

Are xenon headlight conversions legal?

Can I replace the standard headlights on my Vauxhall Astra Elite with xenon versions?
Published 23 April 2015
The Sunday Times Driving Placeholder

Does Dacia offer automatic gearboxes?

Does Dacia offer automatic gearboxes? I have emailed its headquarters, which did not reply, and asked two franchise garages, which shrugged off the...
Published 23 April 2015
The Sunday Times Driving Placeholder

Points: Letters of the week, April 19

This week: Mazda MX-5 spare wheel conundrum, personalised 'plate chat continues, Guy Martin feedback and traffic light mastery.
Published 20 April 2015
Top 10 ways to avoid stress when driving

Top 10 ways to avoid stress when driving

Maybe you're being tailgated too closely. Perhaps you're arguing with a stranger over a parking space. Or you're stuck in traffic on the way to a...
Published 16 April 2015
The Sunday Times Driving Placeholder

Every seven-seat SUV and MPV reviewed and rated

If life feels a little like a travelling circus and getting the family out of the door and into the car is a conjuring act that would put to shame...
Published 16 April 2015
The Sunday Times Driving Placeholder

Supermini showdown: which cars are better than the...

For seven years the Ford Fiesta has been Britain’s best-selling car. Even now, one in 20 cars sold in the country is a Fiesta. But the nation’s...
Published 10 April 2015
The Sunday Times Driving Placeholder

The cloth on my car's A-pillars is coming away. How...

Q. The cloth on the A-pillars of my otherwise immaculate W-reg Volvo S80 SE is lifting off the plastic trim beneath. Volvo replacements cost £200-plus...
Published 07 April 2015
The Sunday Times Driving Placeholder

The reversing light of my Seat Leon is always on. Can...

Q. The reversing light of my wife’s Seat Leon is always on. My garage has failed to fix it and is now talking about new relays and a gearbox switch...
Published 07 April 2015
The Sunday Times Driving Placeholder

Why does a smeary film keep appearing on my windscreen...

Q. A smeary film keeps appearing on my VW Golf’s windscreen. I clean the car every two weeks with a jet washer, and I use VW screenwash, Autoglym...
Published 07 April 2015
The Sunday Times Driving Placeholder

2015 Ford S-Max Mk 2 v outgoing S-Max

We compare the old S-Max with the new model, and look at the alternatives, to help drivers choose the right family car
Published 02 April 2015
The Sunday Times Driving Placeholder

Which should I trust - my speedometer or my sat nav?

Q. My sat nav generally indicates a road speed lower than that displayed on my car’s speedometer. At 70mph the difference between the two can be...
Published 30 March 2015