Ask The Guide

It’s a fad and it might even affect your warranty because it interferes with the factory ventilation system on the engine.

Not all cars with the Powershift have been affected, but many have and it’s impossible to say yours won’t be at some time. If the deal with your dad is a good one, and it seems as though it is, then it’s probably worth taking the risk. If you can feel any shuddering when you drive it then it’s likely you could have a problem; if you don’t then you could be in the clear. It’s not really dangerous to drive it, but it is annoying.

Regular 91-octane unleaded petrol.

There is a cooling-off period in Victoria. You have three clear business days from the time you sign the contract of sale to change your mind, but you automatically lose that right if you accept delivery of the car within that period. By taking it home your wife forfeited the right to the cooling-off period.

No. While it’s annoying and potentially damaging there’s no quick fix for your problem. It’s clearly an intermittent one, and they are the most difficult for mechanics to trace and fix. I suggest you talk to the dealer, and also Renault’s technical support people, to make sure they understand your concerns and are actively trying to fix it.

Unless you’re spending the winter months in alpine areas use 5W-30.

The Kia Sorento range sold in Australia is either front wheel drive or all wheel drive. Kia does not sell a rear wheel drive Sorento Down Under so your choice of the SLi, GT Line and SPORT models are front wheel drive and all wheel drive.

Properly looked after (as in, doing mechanical services by the book) Kia Sorentos shouldn't require too many expensive parts replaced during their several-hundred-thousand-kilometre lifetime. The key to having vehicles last is to drive them sympathetically and have them serviced regularly. All cars will break down or have a failure at some point as they do wear out eventually, but you can limit this by not driving like a New York cabbie, and having a qualified mechanic look after your car.

Ford Escapes will last a long time if they are serviced regularly and driven sympathetically. The most common fault listed for the Escape is ignition coils breaking down over time, leading to a miss or hesitation under acceleration. This is a simple problem to fix and not limited to this particular model or manufacturer, so I'd consider the Ford Escape to be reliable - so long as you look after them by servicing them regularly!

Ford manufacture their Escape SUV in Spain, China, Russia and the USA. The Ford Escape, called the Kuga in Europe, actually started off in 2000 as part of a partnership between Mazda and Ford, going on to become a sales hit for both manufacturers. The new-generation Escape is expected to be on-sale in 2020.