what is wrong with query?
$sql="select * from cars where make LIKE '%$term%' AND town LIKE '$town' AND colour LIKE '$colour' AND Reg LIKE '$Reg' AND price > $price AND miles > $miles LIMIT $offset";
echo "<br>";
if (isset($_session['term']))$_session['term']="%";
echo "<br>";
$term=mysql_query($sql,$odbc) or die("Can not run query");
if(mysql_num_rows($term)==0)
{
echo "no records returned";
}
else
{
$recCount=mysql_num_rows($term);
echo"<table>";
echo"<tr >";
echo"<td width=130 valign=top> <h4>Search Return:</h4></td>";
echo"<td valign=top>$recCount</td>" ;
echo"<td width=150 valign=top> records are found.</td>";
echo"</tr>";
echo"</table>";