One thing I find slightly annoying with our Golf is that I cannot get my phone to interact with the 'Nav' feature (which we paid extra for).

The Nav system works quite well up to a point. The map is large and clear to see and can provide good directions to an entered end location. Unfortunately, I cannot access the traffic-flow facility, although I have correctly connect my phone - with data connection and location turned on - via both USB and Bluetooth.

Consequently, I make use of Google Maps on my phone which can be viewed on the same Nav screen by selecting the 'App' button rather than the 'Nav' button.

It is, at least, quick and simple to switch between the Nav map and the Google map (with traffic flow).

That reminds me of the last service at the main dealer's on my VW Golf, an intermediate service so the smallest. The cost of that initially was £189 plus £30 for a MoT (special deal if booked with a service) so £219 in total then plus £12.50 to put my name on the insurance for the courtesy car. OK, they have to be MoT'd and serviced even though the service was applicable to a higher mileage car, probably 60,000, mine has only covered 17,000 miles.

A week later, before the car went in a phone call from the service department. Just to say that 'they had noticed' my car is now five years' old so the timing belt would need replacing, usually at 140,000 miles or five years' old, the cost of that – £459. Then I was informed at every other MoT the brake fluid should be replaced. "How much is that?" Back came "it's £69."

So a basic intermediate service for £189 had become £759! I disputed the need for a new timing belt at such low mileage and was informed that "they are perishable, that's why it's recommended." "Odd that is" I remarked. "I also have a six-









cylinder car in my garage that is 35 years' old, it has done 163,000 miles and has the original timing belt, I know that as the car was bought new by me and I serviced it." They then recorded on the car's file that I had declined the new timing belt and change of brake fluid.

The car hasn't even had a new tyre yet, they still have between 5mm (fronts) and 7mm (rears) tread depth, according to the MoT!

Do they think 'I came up on the last banana boat' or 'do I look that stupid or something?' springs to mind!

Timing belts deteriorate with age, as do tyres, if your tyres are 35 years old, they may not be safe,

Primus – apologies for my post in which the wording was was obviously misleading. It is the 2014 VW Golf that has not yet had a new tyre at 17,000 miles. The other car I have in the garage has covered 163,000 miles, it has had quite a few sets of tyres during 35 years. As an ex-motorcycist the last things I ever compromise on are tyres, they are all that keeps a vehicle on the road! At that mileage, it's the timing belt on this 1984 car that is the original. Maybe that one is made of a stronger, non-perishable material so has lasted without the need for replacement.

I will have to check out about a new timing belt being required on the VW Golf as 17,000 miles does seem to me to be low mileage for such an expensive replacement. No way do I wish to chance the engine being damaged though. At the cost of £459 it will not be going into the VW main dealer, that is something a local garage can do for around £150 less, so a vast difference.

No worries baz....does your car have a belt or is it chain driven
As for cost, it will also need a water pump, and tensioner/ guides, silly not to do it whilst it’s in bits ( assuming that the belt also drives the waterpump) as with anything in today’s modern engines, stuff is buried under more stuff, and a lot of the labour is gaining access to things...

I had a look on Toyota's website for the cost of replacement battery packs. For the hybrid models, it's around £12-1500 and for the plug-in Prius, which I assume is full electric it's around £6000.

The Toyota website says 5 years / 100,000 miles.