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Car Choice: A spacious Alp-mobile that you can take anywhere

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:01 GMT

Jonathan New has just bought a chalet in the French Alps and requires a 4x4, left-hand drive car. In the winter months the road to the chalet is kept open but compacted snow will be around most of the time. Jonathan's budget is probably between £10,000 and £12,500, but he does not want a "flashy 4x4".

Car Choice: Taxi for Julio! That'll be the Mondeo or the Galaxy outside

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:01 GMT

Julio Lambert is 58 and looking to buy a car to use as a taxi. He admits to being on the short side, so wants a raised seat for excellent all-round visibility. Julio does have an old Rover which could be part exchanged for £2,000 in scrappage, but he wonders whether something a little older would be better value?

Car Choice: Good things really do come in small packages

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Alison Thompson is currently driving a Fiat Seicento, which she bought almost seven years ago on entering retirement. She reckons it won't see her out, and she has up to £5,000 to spend on a replacement. Ideally, Alison wants a very small car, and does not wish to pay more than £35 per annum road tax. She hates irritating gadgets so it must be basic. She also lives in a rural area so it must be able to cope with muddy roads just as well as more urban environments.

Car Choice: What does the future hold for Ronnie after the Jazz age?

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:00:50 GMT

Ronnie Wilson is a pensioner and sadly, due to illness, his wife can no longer drive. They currently have a 2005 Honda Jazz, which has been an excellent little car for them, but now they want something more comfortable for long trips. The main criterion is that the car allows the passenger seat to be raised, to give Ronnie’s wife better vision. Economy and easy maintenance are a priority, and their budget – including trading in the Jazz – is around £10,000.

Car Choice: Something elegant and sporty, with room for a border collie

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Sharon Finch is looking to replace her Ford Puma with something similar which is also elegant, sporty, has good performance, is very responsive, and is not too big. Sharon says the Puma is easy to park, but she does not want a Mini. Style is the most important factor – although a border collie occasionally needs a seat. Sharon has up to £20,000 to spend. Her mileage is on the low side, running at 7,500 miles a year around the M25.

Surprised by Daihatsu

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:24:24 GMT

I was reading up on Daihatsu's plans for the Tokyo Motor Show later this month. For some reason I've never really given much thought to the company or its products; for some reason I had categorised it as a manufacturer of interchangeable, small, boxy cars.

Car Choice: Mobility scooters can wait – there's a funky alternative

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Peter Unsworth is 75, disabled, and needs a vehicle that he can slide into rather than crouch down to enter. With that in mind he has been thinking about some van-based people carriers. As he has breathing difficulties, he needs power steering and also thinks that an automatic would be a help. The car will only be used for short journeys, but Peter wants something more than a mobility scooter. His budget – not a big one – is £2,000.

Car Choice: Don't worry about those first-car premiums. Get a Life

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Eric Chambers is looking for a small, economical, diesel, second-hand car for his 19-year-old son, who lives in the Oxford area. Eric's budget is from £4,000, with £5,000 as an absolute maximum. He was thinking of a Volkswagen Polo, a Citroë*C2, or a Peugeot 207. Otherwise, Eric has an open mind about what to get though he needs to be aware of the perennial problem with young drivers – insurance premiums.

Sean O'Grady: When there's no vroom, vroom, it makes it all seem a bit ho-hum

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:00:01 GMT

The trouble with electric cars is that they just don't feel right to drive. There's no involvement. No passion. No fun. Usually, they are ugly, slow and unsafe. And they will never emit the sonorous symphony of burbles and grunts of a proper V8. If you love cars, you will be disappointed. Leccy cars just, well, go sluggishly, silently and rather boringly. And not very far.

Car Choice: Say cheerio, Cherokee – meet Mondeo mum

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Lynne Gould is 61 and has a five-year-old Jeep Grand Cherokee that was bought to tow a caravan. There is no longer a caravan in Lynne's life, so now she wants an alternative vehicle, which will on average cover 11,000 miles a year economically. It will be required to accommodate Lynne's 84-year-old mother, often a grandchild – plus there is another on the way. Lynne also occasionally needs to transport large items, so needs space when the rear seats are laid flat.

5 ways to cut your motoring costs

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:06:33 GMT

Last week's fuel duty increase has sparked anger and despair among British motorists, with haulage firms and drivers’ groups outraged by the rise. Effective from midnight on 31 August, the measure has seen the price of both petrol and diesel jump by 2.3p per litre.

Car Choice: Oh do beehive! An apiarist gives us a buzz

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Craig Treeby is due to retire at the end of the year and lose his company car. He does want to continue his hobby as a beekeeper. Craig's dream is to become relatively self-sufficient, which will mean having a car that is tough, and that has a decent carrying capacity – or could tow a trailer. Craig will keep the car for at least a decade and plans to run it into the ground. His budget for a new car is £15,000-£17,000 but he would actually prefer to find something second-hand for half that.

Car Choice: Wanted: Quirky, reliable, economical Transformer

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Rosanna Dixon is 44, and currently drives a Chrysler PT Cruiser, which she loves, despite having lots of problems with it. Notwithstanding the high fuel bills and cost of parts – and the fact that it is now broken – she thinks that it is classy, has a comfortable interior, and makes her feel safe. She is at a loss as to how to replace it, and wants a combination of quirkiness and reliability, along with some economy for her daily 60-mile commute.

Car Choice: Sic transit Gloria's Metro...

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Gloria Johnson is looking to buy a replacement for her beloved automatic Rover Metro. She actually wants something just like it – small but powerful, nippy, easy to park, and surprisingly roomy. Ideally with power steering and air-con. It will be used for the daily station run, vet visits, grocery shopping, teenage ferrying, and several long motorway journeys each year on the university run. Gloria has £10,000 cash and wants to take advantage of the £2,000 scrappage scheme.

Car Choice: Making the right diagnosis for Dr Daniele

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Dr Daniele Albertazzi is 40 and is looking for a family car with five doors. She needs it to be relatively green, with low CO2 emissions and she does not need a particularly powerful vehicle. She has considered the Citroë*C4 and Ford Focus and is hoping to spend £5,000. She also has a car to trade in, which she would consider selling herself. But Daniele also wonders what happens if there is a problem with her 2003 Ford Ka, which has 55,000 miles on the clock, after it has been sold.

Car Choice: The first-car conundrum: Budget too low, insurance too high

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Andrew Bowler hopes that his daughter will pass her test soon and will be looking for a small, economic and reliable car. Andrew reckons that it will be used mainly for short trips, with occasional motorway use, and the estimated annual mileage should be around 10,000. With a budget of £1,000 and a high insurance premium, Andrew thinks that only 1-litre cars are going to be affordable, although the problem in his eyes is that the mileage on the clock will be too high.

Car Choice: At 63, David thinks it's time for a dramatic change

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 23:00:01 GMT

David Sterne describes himself as "a young 63". He's a working actor whose old BMW needs replacing. Being on his own, David does not need a family car yet he likes the look of off-roaders and has always promised himself a vehicle with a bit of character. He enjoys driving and is determined to get plenty of use out of what he buys. David's budget is a decent enough £10,000.

Car Choice: Sheila has a bee in her bonnet about space

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 23:00:32 GMT

Sheila Borwick has just retired and has become very interested in beekeeping. As a consequence she would now like to buy a vehicle, which could accommodate all her bee kit. Sheila has three apiary sites, and gets called out regularly during the season to collect rogue swarms. Sheila does not expect to cover a huge mileage and believes that a diesel, van-based people carrier could be the answer. She is, though, open to all sorts of suggestions and has a budget of around £6,000.

Car Choice: What to get for the driver with a bit of excess baggage

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Here's an odd one, but we don't mind. Mr H Chandler, from Canterbury, Kent, is asking me to recommend a car which he can then help someone else to buy. So he wants a reliable vehicle that is cheap to tax, insure and run, for about £3,000. It is for a newly qualified female driver, who is 25 and has some baggage – specifically two dogs and a pram, which have to be squeezed into the back of whatever vehicle is finally chosen.

Car Choice: Skoda has the key to cheap and cheerful motoring

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Satish Barot is a 55-year-old nurse who is about to retire from the NHS and now needs a car. He has been thinking of getting a diesel because that's what he is familiar with. It was the engine fitted to all the cars he used when he was working as a community psychiatric nurse. Satish wants a frugal automatic and I know he is looking at various Golf-sized options. He is also looking to buy brand new at the best possible price.

Car Choice: Heavens above! A Micra could be the answer to your prayers

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Sandy Williams is 60, and from September her new, part-time post as a Methodist minister means she will be responsible for several rural chapels in south Gloucestershire. She will use her car to go round the churches, visit people in homes and hospitals, and sometimes return in the evenings for meetings. Sandy wants the least expensive, but most reliable car, which is cheap to insure and run. Oh yes, it must also be as green as possible and she has a budget of about £2,000.

Car Choice: Scrap that Metro, Gloria, and get your hands on a Hyundai

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:00:54 GMT

Gloria Johnson wants a replacement for her much-loved Rover Metro. She wants something small but powerful, nippy, easy to park and surprisingly roomy. Gloria would be even happier if it had power steering and air-con. She has £10,000 cash and will be taking advantage of the £2,000 scrappage scheme.

Car Choice: Commuting? Perhaps it's time to think outside the hatch

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Jennifer Arkell's first car, a Fiat Seicento, was written off after an accident. She wants a replacement that is a bit larger, but in an equally low insurance bracket. Jennifer, 27, has £4,000 to spend, though she could stretch this to £5,000 for the right car. She wants decent back-seat space for occasional passengers. She covers about 5,000 to 6,000 miles a year, mostly commuting, with a few motorway trips.

Car Choice: The Ka's a star for any student on a tight budget

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Nabela Shaheen is a student and needs a car just to get her between university and home, which means about 50 miles per week. She would like a hatchback and needs it to be reliable and economical – and she wants a diesel. Nabela has a budget of £3,000 to £5,000. She will listen to all sensible suggestions, apparently.

Car Choice: A vehicle that's fit for teenagers ... and their cellos

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Robin Thomas wants to replace a dependable, but rusty, Mercedes E Class estate. The car is used for commuting but goes on holiday – sometimes camping – and transports several teenagers with cellos. Ideally he wants another Mercedes but has not been very impressed with the quality of the build – or indeed the reproduction from the music system, which is very important to Robin. So with a budget of £10,000 he is looking for a vehicle that is capable of shifting the Thomas clan in style.