The Motoring Expert

The lads from MicksGarage.com are back once again to answer your motoring related questions, which you kindly submitted to us on Facebook. This week, they're taking a look at fixing some strange sounds among other things.

Whether you're looking to do some motoring DIY or whether you're just looking for some good honest advice from an expert, look no further than the lads at MicksGaage.com. They're back once again to answer the questions you submitted to our Facebook page.

When I turn left my 01 Ford Ka makes a grinding sound, but not when I turn right. Why is this?

It’s a very difficult question to answer based on noise alone. However, it could be a something like a worn ball joint or tie rod end (from steering rack) or even something simple like a piece of plastic or trim hanging off and rubbing off the wheel when you turn. However, it's most likely to be the CV Joint, a relatively inexpensive part. They start at €52, depending on the engine size. We would advise getting it properly diagnosed before diving into a purchase immediately though.

Where would I get a CD player (6disc) for an Audi A4 fixed in Dublin? I had full service last week but no gravy with cd player…

Unfortunately we don't know anywhere that repairs radios, but in a lot of cases like this, replacement is cheaper than repair. A new original unit is probably out of the question but second hand units can be found on eBay or in scrapyards. You can submit a parts request using our Car Part Finder and one of our contacts in the industry may get back to you if they have a replacement unit. The alternative route is to go aftermarket, where it’s possible to buy non-original units that are of superior quality to original equipment but at a much lower price.

Think the head gasket is gone in my Fiat Punto. What's a reasonable price to get it fixed?

The job takes about 4 to 6 hours so it depends what the labour rate is like wherever you take it. It's a fairly technical task but if it’s an older car, at times, the price of a gasket replacement may not make sense. Perhaps a good idea would be to pick up one of these and one of these and if you're handy with a spanner then you could do it yourself, learn something new and save a bit of cash!

My 99 Peugeot 206 makes a knocking noise when turning left. Also there's a hissing noise when you apply the brakes any idea what it is?

If this is what you’re hearing, then the brake servo seal is gone. Your brakes won’t stop working but you will have to press the pedal harder to stop as you wont have servo assistance. You can continue to drive the car just don't try any heroics on the brakes. Basically, you’ll need a new servo.

The engine management light came on in my BMW318i e90. The car has felt like its missing power in lower gears at low revs. I've had to change one coil already, so would it be wise to change all coils while I'm at it? And are they expensive?

Assuming what is causing the current issue is the ignition coils then it would be a good idea to replace all four (or change the remaining three since one is already new). While modern coils can be changed independently and are much better than back in the day, they do tend to fail at similar intervals. Chances are they will all fail eventually, at least if you change them once you will save money on having the engine light removed. We have coils in a couple of different brands, Bosch (which we're pretty sure are the original equipment on the BMW) are €37.40 each or €42.50 each depending on whether its the earlier (2005-2007) 318 or the later (2007 onwards) model. You can find them here.

For all your car part queries, visit www.micksgarage.com. We’ll find the solution to more of your motoring issues next week!