- Comment RSS Feed

Car Choice: Travel in style through a Highlands winter

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Monica Satny is 64, and drives a convertible diesel Volkswagen Beetle, which she is looking to change soon. She wants an economical automatic car with style, which is easy to park, and with good rear visibility. As Monica's family already has a Honda CRV, she does not need anything too large. A leather interior, a diesel engine, and a sunroof would all help her make her decision. Her budget is a generous £30,000.

Car Choice: Take the high road to Scotland, but keep the costs low

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Elizabeth Mann is 59, and although she lives overseas she is set to return to her home in rural Scotland. She will need a 4x4 because of the weather and the poor state of the roads. She previously owned a Subaru Justy. Until full retirement and a pension, she will have to run this car on a part-time income, and as economically as possible. She has up to £15,000 to spend.

Car Choice: A practical hatch, with room to expand

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Robert Stern has a Renault Megane with 122,000 miles on the clock.

Car Choice: Look east for record-breaking reliability

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Mary Reilly is 55, and is looking for a replacement for her much-loved Renault Clio. She covers around 20,000 miles a year for both work and leisure, and is looking for reliability. Mary has heard that Volkswagens are reliable, and is also intrigued by cars from the Far East. She has £8,000 to spend.

Car Choice: Isabel would like to become a high roller

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Isabel White is 39 and hates the Peugeot 307CC 2.0 diesel she and her husband own.

Richard Parry-Jones: The man in the driving seat of Britain's automotive industry

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 23:00:01 GMT

If Richard Parry-Jones could not drive his Aston Martin DBS black convertible any more, he would park the beast in his living room.

Car Choice: In search of the automatically economic

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Brian Westbury is looking for a car for his son and daughter-in-law. She can only drive an automatic, and they haven't been able to find any information or comparisons on economical automatics. Brian realises that they are not as frugal as manuals, and has a very simple requirement – a small, automatic four seater, with five doors, which must be, economical.

Car Choice: Don't give up your pride and joy – buy a sack of spuds

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Lin Evans loves her MX-5 sports cars, and has run them for the last 20 years. But after a move to the Cotswolds, the last two winters have been a problem as the Mazda can't cope with the snow, and she has had several scary experiences. However, Lin does not want a boring car, would love another convertible, but realises that the MX-5 may have to be replaced. Her budget is £20,000.

Car Choice: Don't give up your pride and joy – buy a sack of spuds

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Car Choice: New job in the North means a new car for Nic

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Nic Neklesa is 38, has recently got a new job in the North-west, and wants a new car to replace his thirsty 1998 Saab 9-3. He needs a car that has enough room for an elderly couple and a young child in the back, as well as enough boot space for a pram. Obviously, fuel economy is an important factor, as is the budget – £5,000.

Car Choice: Musician John is in need of a change of tune

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 23:00:01 GMT

John Huw Davies is 76 and a very lucky fellow as he owns two Volvo V70s – one petrol, one diesel. But they are now a problem. The low seating means that it is becoming difficult for him to get in and out. So what John needs is an automatic diesel vehicle that can carry keyboards, music stands, and stools, with easily moveable seats. He has £8,000 to spend.

Car Choice: A strapping teenage son needs room to grow

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 23:00:01 GMT

David Remmer has a Mini Cooper S, which is used for the school run and the daily journey to the railway station. However, his 14-year-old son is now 5ft 9ins, which means getting him in the back of the Mini is no longer an option. Ideally, David is looking for a car with five doors, decent rear legroom, which is small and easy to park, with an automatic gearbox. He wants lots of equipment and has a generous £25,000 budget.

Car Choice: Four wheels good, five wheels better

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Peter and Christine Goodhugh are looking for a vehicle with seats that are higher than average as they have impaired mobility and need to be able to get in and out more easily.

Car Choice: It's time for George to turn his back on the French

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 23:00:01 GMT

George Waddel is planning ahead as he wants a new car in March 2012. He likes the Renault Megane and Renault Laguna; however, he likes the look of coupé models and wants something stylish. His budget is £23,000, plus an extra few thousand from the sale of his 2005 Peugeot 206 HDI GTI.

Car Choice: Is it possible to have it all?

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Helen Salter is looking to replace her 10-year-old Zafira, which is now too small for fully grown children, but she is confused by what's on offer. Space is a priority, of course, and after last winter she is wondering whether a four-wheel drive might be a good idea. Ideally, she wants a vehicle that will seat more than five adults in some degree of comfort. Oh yes, and it must be economical. The budget is £8,000 to £12,000.

Car Choice: You can be sporty and frugal at the same time

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Martin Ellis drives a W reg Fiat Punto ELX 1200 with 78,000 miles on the clock – and at 56 he still wants something sporty.

Welcome to Bolton West Services – unless you're Peter Kay

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Aficionados of Britain's stop-start motorways will know the M61 north of Manchester for two reasons.

Je t'aime, La 2CV

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 23:00:01 GMT

In a place like Salbris, in the empty, green heart of France, any traffic jam is an event.

Welcome to Bolton West Services – unless you're Peter Kay

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Aficionados of Britain's stop-start motorways will know the M61 north of Manchester for two reasons.

Car Choice: Elderly mothers deserve the best in comfort and style

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Mike Ford has an unusual request: a vehicle suitable to transport a couple of elderly mothers, who are 93 and 95 respectively. At the moment Mike has to cope with one wheelchair; now he envisages that before long he will need to accommodate two. So access to the boot needs to be easy as heaving the chairs in and out is an issue. A wide opening passenger door would be good and the budget is a generous £15,000 to £20,000.

Car Choice: Wanted: A little town car that will keep the bills down

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Rosalind Nolan needs to replace a 2002 reg Audi A4 1.8T Sport petrol car which has only done 74,000 miles but only gives 27-30 mpg.

Car Choice: Trendy and reliable? Yes, you can have both

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Chris Andrews is 38 and feels that his X reg, 1.8, petrol Ford Mondeo is starting to look and feel a bit tired after 150,000 miles. With about £8,000 to spend, Chris is tempted to buy either the new Mondeo or a Skoda Octavia but he wonders if there is an equally reliable yet trendier alternative? Chris is also thinking that it might be better to go for a newer, higher mileage car and he is curious about what he can expect from a modern diesel?

Car Choice: Jon means business – but he should invest wisely

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Jon Arnell is setting up his own business and is handing back his company BMW 535d Sport.

Car Choice: An ugly duckling could win this beauty contest

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Raphic Gunny is 50, and needs a car that he can comfortably fit all five members of his family in. He wants reliability, and after many years with a Toyota Carina E, Raphic is not used to any breakdowns. He now needs a lot more space, and that means he is looking at people carriers, such as the Ford Galaxy. The budget is between £5,000 and £5,500.

Car Choice: In search of the perfect vehicle to restore marital harmony

Sat, 28 May 2011 23:00:01 GMT

Gerry Batty is 54 and will soon lose the use of his Volvo C70 company car.