By Paul Gover.
Q: Now that Covid has been sort-of sorted, what will happen to car prices?
Will new-car and classic prices stabilise, or go down, considering the ridiculous prices people have been asking due to Covid?
Paul C
A: The escalation in new-car prices, with a knock-on effect on secondhand values, is down to a global shortage. That will not end any time soon, as the whole world will be battling Covid-19 for quite a while into the future. As for classic prices, there are people who have more disposable cash because of Covid but there are also plenty of speculators looking to turn a profit. So values will stay high for some time to come.
Q: I currently have a 2004 LandCruiser Prado Grande, which has been fantastic.
My problem is that the paintwork is breaking down, and the timing chain is just hanging in there.
I am trying to decide what to purchase as our main car and to tow our caravan, fully loaded at approximately 1500kg, with.
I am looking at the Prado Grande diesel again or the Nissan Pathfinder, perhaps the Volkswagen Touareg or Jeep Grand Cherokee as they are cheaper secondhand.
John C
A: The Prado is still an excellent beast, and definitely the first pick, but the Jeep got a bad reputation through poor after-sales support in Australia and the actual vehicle is quite good and would work for you.
Q: What are your thoughts on the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series?
The vehicle cost is a little high for me but I am considering one to replace my Ford Ranger Wildtrak, and need 3.5-tonne towing capacity.
Peter C
A: The new ‘Cruiser will be a massive step up from any Ranger. It’s not a work truck trying to be a family car or a ute or an off-roader, or all three at once, but a big family beastie that is great for towing. If you can find the cash, it’s still the benchmark.
Q: I’m interested in purchasing the 2021 Peugeot 2008 GT Sport, so have you got any insight on this car?
Thus far my own research has concluded that, up until the 2021 version, Peugeot missed the mark but they got it right with the 2021 release.
I took it for a test drive over the weekend and I am absolutely in love and I’d like some reassurance as to whether it’s a good buy.
Lama F
A: If you love it then get it. It’s not best in class, but it’s a funky little car that has traditional Peugeot strengths in comfort and ride quality with a classy cabin. It gets The Tick.
Q: My query is on the new Kia Sportage GT Line grade, but whether I should get a diesel or the petrol 1.6-litre Turbo.
Anything else to be mindful of when considering this car.
I am currently driving a Mercedes C250d sedan and would like as much fuel efficiency as possible without losing kick and power.
Voula
A: The new Sportage is a very classy SUV and the petrol turbo is the better engine choice, unless you’re doing lots of long trips. It’s a small engine but has surprising punch, with good fuel economy. Remember that there is a global trend away from diesel engines that will affect future resale values.
Q: I would like your advice on buying a new small SUV.
We have been looking at Kia Seltos and Subaru XV.
Would love to know your opinion on both.
Peter T
A: The Seltos wins. It’s a newer design, impressive to drive, and also good value. The XV is ok, but Subaru is now trading more on its reputation than the quality of its recent work. A back-to-back test drive should make it an easy choice for you.
Q: I’m currently driving a 2016 Mercedes GLE 43 but cannot afford the new GLE being around the $200,000.
I’m looking at the Genesis GV80 and it’s quite an impressive vehicle, appears to have taken design points from Bentley on the exterior and even the Aston Martin SUV on the interior and super strong in details.
I’m thinking of the 3-litre diesel as I do around 25,000 kilometres a year with some long trips and wondered your thoughts against the 3.5-litre petrol engine.
Perhaps more importantly, given the extremely poor resale value of the original Genesis sedan, in 2016 whether you think the new GV80’s will suffer a similar fate or hold their resale value more comparable to say Mercedes or BMW?
Alan L
A: For longer-distance driving the diesel will work, but remember the extra cost and also the potential hit on resale with diesel engines losing favour around the world. On Genesis resale, the brand has changed massively in every way since the early G80, which was only for hire-car drivers, and residuals should improve pretty rapidly as the range grows and more people realise they are very good vehicles.
Q: We are trying to chose between an Audi A6 Allroad and the Q7 50 S Line. Both are gorgeous.
I know they are very different but due to shortages we have the choice between a new Q7 or 18 month-old A6 Allroad with 9500 kilometres.
We use car for normal things like food shopping and going to Melbourne once a week.
Maria G
A: A car will work better than an SUV for your kind of driving, with the ability to tackle gravel roads for weekend getaways. The Q7 is a hulking beast so, unless you need lots of seats for kids and grandkids, the Allroad is the way to go.
If you have a question for the Car Doctor, send an email to [email protected]
