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Put a set of winter tyres on the Focus and it'll walk clean past any of the other AWD SUVs (if they're on summers) come icy and snowy days, if you ever experience any. And it'll be far safer and easier to drive in such conditions, to boot. Can't go far wrong with a Lexus/Toyota/Suzuki hybrid...

Three-door ZC32S-gen Suzuki Swift Sport, or a five-door one if you can find it in budget. Great fun to drive at even sensible speeds, tough, comfortable, cruise nicely as well, and stacked with kit – climate, keyless entry and start, bi-xenon lights, cruise, DAB, etc. Lots of nice mechanical and...

It really depends on the condition, mileage (with some caveats), and history. There was one in the same colour, in running condition with a few months' MOT, at an auction I was watching recently – and that went for £5,600 or so, after fees. Pretty tidy, too, and had 113k on the clock.

Find one with the block mod done, as well as an RS clutch and (preferably) recent drive shafts...

VCheck is the one to use.

I'd be inclined to keep the Fiat. Another £4k hatch is just as likely to throw up problems (or, at least, generate bills through consumables that need replacing – tyres, brakes, etc. – but that's part and parcel of owning any car). It's not like 500s are hugely unreliable or complex, either...

I don't mean to derail the thread, but has he purchased this kind of car before? I only ask because I've seen so many people get burned by supposedly restored and immaculate Mustangs. I remember looking at one £45k+ example at auction and the panel gaps were all over the place. Terrible job...

What are the circuits around you like, at least the ones you might regularly visit? Do they have lots of long straights and wide sweeping corners, or are they tighter, narrower, and twistier? That'll help narrow down what might be best.

Worth bearing in mind IVA requirements and processes as well, because the DVLA is increasingly on the lookout for (and clamping down on anything) that is modified and not properly registered. All you have to do is comply with the regulations and get the vehicle inspected if required, at the end...

Just as some background – not necessarily for you, but just in general – cabin pre-heaters have been around for about 85 years on passenger cars but they're quite rare because they would entail additional hardware and cost (usually an additional fuel-fired heating system). So, more often than...

I think you are actually technically correct in that respect, on reflection, which is the best kind of correct; I just clocked another conversation on a Porsche forum about similar (using OEM xenon unit, manual adjuster, no washer). As you say, not fitted, not tested. Your mileage might vary...

It's in the MOT inspection manual handbook. Which entails it matching the OEM configuration, so it'll need washing and levelling systems (if the output is in excess of 2,000 lumens, at least, which is generally par for the course with xenons). Whether you get picked up on it or not is another...

Yeah. It sounds perhaps a little rich, but maybe you could supply your own parts. I'm getting a pair of front suspension arms done on my car in short order; they're £150 a side, and then there's £150 of labour and £35 of tracking. So, £485 all in.

There's the potential for it to be a faff, yes, but it will vary tremendously depending on the dealership and the staff involved, among other things. For example, I had a minor but infuriating problem with a used Volkswagen from a main dealer. They had two attempts at fixing it, over the...

Yea, I drove an MG4 a few weeks ago and it was significantly better than the MG5 (which isn't terrible, but feels and drives distinctly like a budget affair).

You could have a look at a five-door ZC32S Suzuki Swift Sport. Lots of upgrades, compared to the regular Swift, and a hoot to drive. They're also compact, easy to live with, reliable, and the running costs are sensible (you'll probably average in the region of a true 40mpg, for example)...

Take it to another garage.

Sweeeeeet! :D

I hope the day goes well and that the weather holds out! I managed to eke 144.24mph out of my old nail the last time I was up there. Not bad going, really, considering its top speed was reputedly ~153mph... in 1989. Quite a long time ago, to say the least. I might have touched that if the runway...

If you want someone to do a decent job that won't cost the earth, or simply to get a second opinion from someone who will cut to the chase and tell you plainly what it needs, speak to Tony Russello at Wheels in Motion in Milton Keynes. He can do the lot; he's worked on several of my cars over...