Ask The Guide

Petrol is really the best in your situations diesels are not at the their best in stop-start driving. I wouldn’t suggest a Great Wall; I feel they are still to earn their stripes in this country. Go for a 2.7-litre petrol Toyota HiLux.

Having ruled out an SUV your choices are fairly limited. If you were prepared to buy used you could buy a late model Falcon, but if you want to buy new you’re really limited to an SUV. Most SUVs have good performance, they’re certainly not sluggish, and they aren’t all bulky. Something like a Toyota RAV4, Mitsubishi Outlander, or a Subaru Forester should be able to comfortably handle your towing needs.

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A number of owners seem to be having troubles that relate to the so-called Smart charging system. The system is designed to keep the battery charged to a sufficient level to keep the car going, but as you say there is little reserve and that can result in a flat battery. It’s also important when fitting accessories to the vehicle that connected in a way that allows the ECU to identify that there is greater draw on the system and the alternator needs to work harder. Ford can disable the system for you if that’s what you prefer, and lots of owners are doing that.

There was a recall on the Epica in 2012 to correct reduced brake performance and/or a spongy low brake pedal due to a sticky valve in the Electronic Brake Control Module.

Your car has the dreaded Powershift disease. Call Ford’s customer service (13 3673) and request they repair the car at their cost. I would expect they would cover the cost of repairs, but they might offer to cover part of the cost of replacing the transmission.

Before he can repair it he has to find out what is wrong with it, and that’s what he’s charging you for. The hourly rate most dealers charge is around $150, and he seems to be charging you for one hour, which is probably his minimum charge. If you don’t want to stump up $150 take it someone who charges less.

It’s an old car, it’s a headlight, which I doubt is covered by the warranty, so just replace it and get on with your life.

The 1995 Impreza is rated to tow up to 750kg providing the trailer has brakes, the rating drops to 400kg when the trailer doesn’t have brakes. On that basis you could tow 500kg if the trailer is fitted with brakes, but not if it isn’t.

It could a sensor in the ABS/TCS system; it could perhaps be the computer controlling the electronics. You need to have a diagnostic check done on the car to properly identify the cause of the problem.