By Paul Gover.
Q: I wanted your advice on selecting a car for a friend of mine that just has no clue about cars.
She needs something new as she drives an old 2008 Toyota RAV4 will 380,000 kilometres that is slowly dying.
She needs: $15-25,000 drive away, 4 seats minimum, easy-to-find parts and maintain, tows a medium/small caravan well.
She would like: good on fuel, low kilometres, not too old.
Nathan W
A: If she wants another SUV then the Kia Stonic or Hyundai Venue will do the job and she can get a new, or very near-new, car within her top budget. Looking secondhand, the Suzuki Vitara is undervalued and a good choice.
Q: Can you please repeat your understanding of a Ford Mustang?
Was it something like ‘It’s just a two- door Falcon’?
My partner is currently looking at purchasing one, I have suggested that his desire for the car may be related to his mid-life crisis – but you never know.
Deborah R
A: Mustang? In some ways it is the modern equivalent of a two-door performance Falcon. Yes, it could be a crisis car, but it’s a good one and relatively affordable in the performance car stakes.
Q: I’m looking at buying a Volkswagen Golf soft top 2013 that has done 23,400 kilometres.
They want $23,000 from a dealer and this for me is a second car to run around fancy. It will be garaged.
Can you please comment?
Noelle S
A: Hopefully you’re talking about a Cabriolet and not the EOS because it was very complicated and not recommended. Golf Cabrio is a fun car, good to drive and much more practical than, say, a Mazda MX-5. It gets The Tick from me.
Q: For better or for worse I am a loyal Ford customer as it’s the only brand I have owned or driven and I’m now 60.
I retired in 2018 and Purchased new a 2018 Focus LZ Titanium, which has been faultless.
I’ve only done 32,000 kilometres due to Covid but I love the car and all its features.
I am a Grandfather with a couple of toddlers running around nipping at my heels and I have noticed that its becoming increasingly difficult for me to get into the car and with baby seats there is no room in the back seat.
I am weighing up whether I should upgrade to an SUV. I feel the Escape is a little too big for me but the Puma appears to be a “similar-ish” size to the Focus, but a little larger and with the higher ride height and benefits of an SUV.
My only concern with the Puma is whether the three-cylinder engine is any good.
Bruno G
A: The Puma is a ripper little thing. It’s a cross between a hatch and an SUV, so drives like a car but has plenty of space. No quality drama with Romania, since all Ford factories – like everyone else – use the same processes and quality controls. The engine will sound a little odd at first, with a three-cylinder thrum, but goes well with good economy.
Q: My 30-year-old daughter has been driving a 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 4WD but the auto transmission has died and quotes to repair are between $3000-$3500 assuming no complications.
Given the car is only able to be insured for $3300 she has been advised it is probably not worth repairing and should take the opportunity to replace with something else.
So she is looking for something that is a little smaller to enable easier parking, but still wants something that she feels she sits up high in to see what’s happening up ahead, and also wants good sized windows to be able to see what is around her.
So still an SUV, not a sedan, and I could go on with the wish list but she has found the 2021 Suzuki Vitara LY Series 2 auto.
Trevor K
A: The Vitara is a very good car, but largely under-appreciated, and will tick her boxes. Two other good things are that you will get a new car on budget and Suzuki has reasonable stock of the Vitara, unlike the waiting lists at many other brands.
Q: My daughter is looking at a 2021 Toyota Yaris Cross GX 2WD so I need to know if this is a good car for country and town driving.
Is this a good choice or is there another option you would recommend?
Mick K
A: The Yaris Cross is a surprisingly comfortable and enjoyable drive, Toyota is a good brand, but it’s not cheap. It definitely gets The Tick but get her to also test drive the Kia Seltos for a comparison and to check the value equation for her budget.
Q: I have a B200 Mercedes-Benz, 2015 with low mileage, and have had increasingly frequent RACV callouts at the most unexpected times (and locations) to recharge the battery.
I have been lent a battery charger to restore it to 100 per cent, but I am still nervous and have had a lot of conflicting advice.
I now keylock it and run the car for 10 minutes or so before heading out.
I no longer consider sitting in the car at the beach for more than 20 minutes or so, even if I am careful not to run any accessories or leave a door open.
The car is no longer a pleasure and I am fearful of the bushfire season, as I live in an isolated location and may be unable to leave at a crucial time.
Deidre G
A: Instead of waiting for the rescue van, you need to get a Benz dealer to investigate the reason why the battery is going flat. To keep a trickle charge going into the battery each night, CTEK makes an excellent range of devices, which are supplied with Ferrari cars and Ducati motorcycles, that charge and condition batteries while the vehicle is parked overnight.
Q: I would be very interested in your opinion on a secondhand SUV.
There are not a lot of options when looking for a roomy four-seater with performance and nice handling at around $70,000.
I am looking at either a BMW X5M, BMW X5 M50D, Mercedes ML63, or Porsche Cayenne around 2014-2016.
Steve A
A: The X5 is the go-to car for you and the M has a brilliant thumping exhaust note. The Benz gets a bit pitchy in the roll and the Cayenne is not as sharp or enjoyable as the BMW.
If you have a question for the Car Doctor, send an email to [email protected]
