Ask The Guide

Batteries for 2007-2018 11th-generation Corollas have basic dimensions of 234mm (long), 129mm (wide) and 201mm (tall, without terminals). They need approximately 430CCA (cold cranking amps). A Century NS60LS is reported to be a direct replacement for the original Toyota battery.

The early Territory was subject to a few issues that demand care when buying one now. The main one was the front suspension lower ball joints, which wear out relatively quickly and typically require replacement every 100,000 km or even less. Check the front suspension. The diff bushes are also a problem area; they also chop out quite quickly, so check those when you’re under the car. The automatic transmission can also be a source of trouble, and it’s an expensive item to replace, so pay close attention to the operation, gear changing etc., of the auto.

With such a low budget your choices are very limited. The best you could hope for would be a BF/BFII XT six-cylinder sedan. Shop around and choose the car in the best condition, with the lowest kilometres, and a solid service history.

It’s not related to the oil, the oil you used was correct. It shouldn’t lose oil pressure so quickly, if it does there is something going on within the engine that needs addressing. If the engine is making a bad sound, don’t drive it, and get a mechanic to check it.

It’s in the zone, so I would be very cautious about buying it. If you can, check its history to see if there has been any trouble with the automatic transmission, and consider having it checked by an automatic transmission specialist.

Is it using oil? Does it blow smoke from the exhaust? If the answer to those questions is no, then I would be looking for an oil leak from the engine.

Your asking price seems a little high, even though the car appears from what you have told us to be a good one. But be patient, and leave it advertised as you have done for another week or two before considering lowering the price a little if you still haven’t had any responses. If you're looking for a quick sale check out our price and spec guide here.

It’s rated to tow up to 1500 kg if the caravan has brakes, so providing it weighs less than 1500 kg when fully loaded it should tow it without difficulty. But I would recommend that you have the automatic transmission serviced before you leave on your trip.

Given the CX-8 only arrived on the market in June 2018, it's a bit too early to say conclusively, but the current CX-5 diesel (which shares its mechanicals with the CX-8) seems to be trouble free under these conditions. 

Early versions of the first-generation CX-5 diesel had diesel particulate filter (DPF) issues that caused diesel fuel to leak into the engine oil, but this was fixed with hardware and software upgrades under warranty in 2012. 

Having said that, any car will likely benefit from the odd highway run, but I wouldn't have any concerns about the CX-8 around town. 

Honda's Civic has been a bastion of high-quality construction and reliability since the model was introduced in 1972. Generally, if the models will run for many hundreds of thousands of kilometres, and up to 40 years, if properly serviced and maintained by professional mechanics.