Garth-1

As you have tried the obvious, maybe a warped disc?

Not sure if it's connected with your problem but the very first time I put V-Power in my wife's MX5 it failed to start the next day and I called out the RAC. Then the fault mysteriously cleared and it started OK. Since then it's been very happy with V-Power, as are all of my cars, which I use whenever I can.

I asked my local "indy" garage, who have serviced all my cars for the past 20 years, which brand is the least likely to have faults. Honda, they said, without prompting. I asked my local auto electricians which brand is the least likely to have electrical faults. Honda, they said, without prompting. Admittedly they won't see many Lexus's but they didn't mention Toyota either.

Quite a few years ago I was in Monaco for a weekend company conference. One lunchtime I was walking round the harbour with one of our invited guests. We gazed in wonder at a giant motor yacht complete with helipad. My companion turned to me and said he didn't know how anyone could afford it. Nothing remarkable there, except that my companion was the CEO of the largest software company, at that time, in the world.

Malc is right in raising a moral dilemma. I have 2 German cars and 1 Japanese, all non-ULEZ compliant, so I intend to replace one of them next year with a ULEZ compliant car. But I have recently started to think about (a) the barbaric Japanese cruelty in WW2 (b) the Germans killing us in WW2 (c) the present totatlitarian bullying of China, Should I rule out German brands, Japanese brands and Volvo? Should I buy a car which poses no moral problems, such as a French one. Would buying a British-made Japanese brand be acceptable? (Civic, Corolla, Qashqai?). Unfortunately Jaguar Land-Rover are too unreliable. Would anyone else take account of moral considerations when buying a car?

The last car I sold, a Toyota Avensis, had a full tank of fuel and over 1 year's worth of MOT! I sold it unexpectedly to a friend of a friend who rang up and asked if I would consider selling it.

I'm running a Mercedes W140 and previously had a W126, both straight sixes, both spacious and both mechanically reliable. The LS400 is likewise well engineered though I find the interior styling rather "American" compared to the German simplicity.

Is it just me, or is the Bentley pug-ugly?

Yes, the Heyner Digimatic has a digital display. Worth tracking down if you can find one. Photos attached.

The Panasonic battery in my wife's MX5 lasted for 16 years. I put its longevity down to charging it once a month with my Ctek charger, which I do to all my cars.

I use and recommend the Heyner "Digimatic Portable 12V Compressor" from www.heynershop.co.uk. It's a quality German product. I paid £35. Far superior to my previous Ring compressor which broke, was replaced, then the replacement broke. I've just checked the Heynershop website and it seems that particular model is not available, but I can vouch for the quality of Heyner products.

In reply to the original questions 1) It's absolutely OK to use 85-90 instead of plain 90. 85 is how the oil behaves when the diff is cold, 90 is how it behaves when it's warmed up. As long as the grade ends in 90 it's OK. 2) Synthetic oil, whether partial or full, will definitely not harm any seals or other components. Moreover, synthetic oil will keep its consistency longer. In simple terms, think of full synthetic oil as being manufactured to consist of many molecules of the same size. Then think of mineral oil as being composed of molecules of varying sizes which on average are the right size for the desired viscosity. Over time the bigger molecules are the ones most likely to get thrashed, which is why mineral oil doesn't keep its properties as well as synthetic oil. OK, the industrial chemists amongst you will turn pale at my simple explanation but I am confident that no harm arises when synthetic oil replaces or is mixed with mineral oil. It's still oil, just purer if you like.

Biggest excesses are for my Mercedes, £250 compulsory + £150 voluntary. All other combined excesses are lower. Last year I got a great deal on the MX-5 from the Co-op:- premium£150 (= their minimum) less £50 of Co-op food vouchers for being a new customer = Nett £100.

At present I'm insured with Co-op (x2), Sainsbury's and Classic Line. I also regularly use Saga and LV. All have decent policies and ratings. At one time I used NFU Mutual but they became too expensive. All cars are comprehensively insured, parked in garage or on drive. I pay for protected NCD (not that I've ever needed it) but no other extras. Breakdown cover is provided by a separate policy (under £100) covering any vehicle I am driving.

Where are you all going wrong? I can't remember the last time I paid over £300 for insurance. This year I'm paying under £200 each for a Mercedes S-class, BMW 5-series, Lexus LX430 and under £150 for an MX-5. Just shop around every year and insist on proof of NCD from all previous insurers. It's nearly 50 years since I had a claim and 25 since my wife claimed. (OK, I'm in rural Cheshire, but I hope you get the point about shopping around).

I know it's not helpful to Lexus owners, but if you want the right combination of driveability and simplicity you can't beat my wife's MX5 Mk2 (10th Anniversary edition). It has everything you need but nothing you don't. I've just checked my service records and in the last 12 years I've only needed the assistance of a garage/workshop twice - totalling £400. I've been able to do everything else myself, very economically.

I reckon it's a problem motorists just have to live with, dependent on the efficiency of the window seals. However one of my cars - a 1998 Mercedes S class - is immune to just about any smearing of the side windows from any cause. It was Mercedes' first car to have double glazing and the glass itself seems to be super-smooth in comparison to that of other cars.