![environmental activist in Germany. words on the mask read 'Diesel emissions kill'](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/images/2018/03/01/TELEMMGLPICT000155764595_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqihVibxPbOwKDCDIL8LViRx268Td36dGzyRWferM98TE.jpeg?imwidth=680)
Honest John: why not ban smoky old diesels rather than clean new engines?
Banning the most polluting diesel engines should be a priority, says a reader. Our consumer champion advises on how this might be achieved
![environmental activist in Germany. words on the mask read 'Diesel emissions kill'](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/images/2018/03/01/TELEMMGLPICT000155764595_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqihVibxPbOwKDCDIL8LViRx268Td36dGzyRWferM98TE.jpeg?imwidth=680)
If your car has developed a fault, or for consumer advice, turn to Honest John by emailing honestadvice@telegraph.co.uk
Absolutely fuming
I am forever having to close the ventilation intake of my car to block the sooty fumes from old diesel-engined cars and particularly vans. After the sale of new petrol and diesel cars is banned in 2030, this pollution will continue. We should be getting these old vehicles off the road, not discontinuing newer, cleaner engines. Also, the Danes are concerned about how the increase in electric vehicles will cause a massive loss in revenue from reduced fuel sales. And this at a time when we in the UK are going to need every source of tax to repay our current debt. What do you think? JC
There will be moves to phase out the regular use of older vehicles that do not meet the previous EU3, then EU4 and EU5 emissions standards. This is worrying owners of classic cars, but those 40 years or more old qualify as historic and will probably be partially exempted. But you are right. Diesels that do not meet the current EU6 emissions regulations already suffer a significant financial penalty from entering cities and thereby a virtual ban. Only about 12 million vehicles on UK roads are EU6-compliant. Regarding the loss of taxes on petrol and diesel fuel, there are plans to recover lost revenue by road-charging, using GPS transponders. Different mileage rates will apply according to each vehicle’s certificated emissions. (Anticipate some lucrative contracts for supplying GPS transponders for about 40 million UK cars...).
Korea advice
I was going to replace my Hyundai i40 with another estate, but my wife prefers an SUV. I have boiled it down to a used Skoda Karoq, Ford Kuga, Kia Sportage or Honda CR-V. We would like a diesel and have £16,000 to spend. What do you suggest? SJ
They are all good cars but the Sportage is the only one that had a seven-year warranty from new. All the others have a manufacturer warranty of no more than three years (though you can extend that at extra cost if you are buying a used example). You might also consider a Kia Niro self-charging hybrid or plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
Polo minced
My 22-year-old daughter lives in west London and receives a £4,500 annual car allowance. What would be the best leasing choice? KB
![Toyota Yaris - 2021 Car of the Year winner](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/images/2021/03/01/Toyota-Yaris-Coty-Winner_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqops0vikWNH-JKkU3M00WcFtxvgSef2JVwWMCc3iuJqI.jpg?imwidth=350)
The Volkswagen Polo is regarded by many as the class standard, but the Toyota Yaris hybrid is more economical and has a longer warranty. It was also voted Car of the Year 2021 last week.
Off the handle
We want to replace our Vauxhall Meriva Excite with a smaller car. It should be comfortable, fairly inexpensive and have an electronic handbrake. Several dealers said they had small cars with electronic handbrakes, but then checked and told us we would have to buy a bigger car. What would you suggest? LB
You're right that they tend to be a more upmarket fitting. New cars with them include the Mazda CX-30, CX-5, Mazda3 and Mazda6, Nissan Qashqai, Ford Focus, Kuga, C-Max and S-Max, Peugeot 3008, Kia Sportage, Mercedes A-Class and GLA, Vauxhall Astra, Meriva, Insignia, Zafira and Grandland, VW Golf and Tiguan and with the Seat Leon. Of all of these the Mazda CX-30 and Mazda3 are the nicest to drive.
Flawed Ford
My Ford Fiesta Titanium 1.4 automatic is due a new timing belt and water pump, along with rear suspension springs. A Ford dealer quoted £879.26 for the timing belt/water pump and £340.27 for the springs (both including VAT). An independent garage recommended by the RAC quoted £536.83 and £200.17 respectively, a difference of £482.53. When challenged, the Ford dealer implied that the independent garage might be using inferior parts. What do you think? MG
The Ford dealer should have told you the real reason for the discrepancy. Its overheads are massively greater than those of a small independent: rent, council tax, environmental charges, spare parts stocking costs, electricity, gas, water. These put up what is called the hourly “labour rate” to a far higher level than that of a small firm, which will probably use the same Ford parts as the main dealer (and you must insist that it does).
Air apparent
I am considering buying a Porsche 911 for up to £23,000, after wanting one for many years. Is this a reasonable choice for a second car or potentially problematic? Which model would you recommend? DS
![Porsche 911 (993-series) Targa](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/images/2017/07/12/Porsche-993-Targa_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bq1e80u7Jh6k2vK8fLT-Us3WIOkOCais36tTAlmc9STls.jpg?imwidth=350)
The 993-series of 1994 was the last classic air-cooled, dry-sump 911. If they are bought well they can be investments, although prices tend to reflect their desirability. Its 996 successor was the first water-cooled, wet sump 911 but they’re best avoided due to potential engine problems. Generally, your best buy for under £25,000 should be a 997-series (2005-2012), the second generation of water-cooled 911, but they can still have problems, especially cars that hardly ever get used. It’s best to avoid PDK automatic gearboxes and anything that’s been modified.
Plugging along
I am considering changing my five-year-old, 30,000-mile Mercedes C200 Sport petrol for a new Lexus NX300h hybrid. I only do 6,000 miles a year and this seems to be a good car for this sort of mileage. Is this a sound idea? AH
Toyota now makes a much better hybrid than the self-charging Lexus NX. Check out the new RAV4 PHEV plug-in hybrid. It offers up to 46 miles of running as an EV after a full charge. And, if you are on a long run, pressing the charge button can put enough into the 18.1kWh battery to take you another 35 miles as an EV. On a cross-country journey this enables you to drive through the towns and villages with zero emissions. The top version of the RAV4 PHEV is also rebadged as the Suzuki Across. I drove one 1,500 miles, averaging 41.4mpg. If most of your driving is local and driven after charging the lithium-ion battery from a wallbox at home, you should return 100mpg-plus. They have a Lexus-like price, though: £46,000.
Hue and cry
I have a 10-year-old Toyota iQ and its pearl while paint is peeling from the bonnet. My Toyota dealer said it was a known issue and Toyota was paying for rectification on cars up to 10 years old, but not for older models. I accept that Toyota can’t go on fixing the cars forever, but how was I to know it had a recall in place? RB
It is a common problem. It is very fair of Toyota to take responsibility for cars up to 10 years old – and unfair for owners to expect more than that. The maximum legal liability of seller and manufacturer ended after six years. Paint is not normally warranted beyond three years.
False hope
I have purchased a 1963 Ford Consul Capri Classic. The mileage currently reads 78,000, which the previous owner thinks is genuine. I ran an HPI check and, based on information from the DVLA, discovered the mileage at its 2011 MoT test was 96,623. Can I secure details of previous owners to shed more light on this? PI
You are simply not allowed to access this personal information, due to GDPR legislation. Your best source is the MoT history, but even that can be wrong because sometimes testers misread the odometer.
Urgent delivery
I am looking to invest in a bigger van than my current Renault Kangoo. I came across another trader very unhappy with his electric Peugeot van. He was finding that in winter, with the van loaded and the heater on, he was getting approximately 60 to 70 miles between charges, at best. When combined with the high purchase cost, electric vans look like a non-starter, especially as I travel mostly with the van fully loaded. Hydrogen versions seem to be few and far between and I believe I’d have to travel from Norfolk to Sheffield for my nearest hydrogen fill-up. Is my only realistic option another diesel? JP
A good point. From the late 1930s until the 1970s, the accepted means of delivering milk and anything else requiring frequent stops and restarts was electric, with huge, heavy lead-acid batteries. A range of about 60 miles was the maximum they needed. Then almost everything went diesel. An electric van makes sense for short distances, but for greater distances you need a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or a Hydrogen Fuel Cell EV.
Sense of direction
My new Toyota Yaris Hybrid is not fitted with a conventional sat-nav. Instead it has Smartphone integration including Apple CarPlay & Android Auto. Would it be better to buy a simple, stand-alone satnav or, even cheaper, an old-fashioned road atlas? AB
This system will not work without a reasonably up-to-date smartphone, but you could buy a used iPhone SE for £100-£150 and then load Google Maps and Waze to make the most of the car systems. If you are already on a SIM-only contract this should not significantly increase your monthly bill, but you will need a data package. (If all that sounds like gobbledegook, a second-hand phone shop will either show you what to do or do it for you.)
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