Ask The Guide

We could not find any tow ratings for any of the new Mini models on sale in Australia today, which tells us they are not designed to tow a trailer.

Yes, provided you drive to the conditions. This answer assumes the Honda CR-V in question has good tyres, has been serviced (including having wheel alignments), and is driven with care. The all-wheel-drive (AWD) models will be vastly more suited to driving in snow (or sand, mud and dirt) than two-wheel-drive models which only power the front wheels.

The Kia Souls sold in Australia are 4140mm in length.

Intermittent problems like yours are always hard to diagnose and fix because they rarely occur when the mechanic is present to observe them. It seems as though yours has gone into limp home mode after the computer detected a fault. The only course of action is persistence until the source of the problem shows up in a diagnostic check, or when the mechanic is there to witness it.

The entire Sorento range sold in Australia are seven-seat models.

I can understand why the key would normally not be covered by the warranty because it would be subject to wear and tear over its life, but in this case when the car is basically brand new I think you do have a case for the key to be replaced free of charge. In my view, based on what you have told us, Subaru should replace it as a gesture of goodwill. I am surprised and very disappointed that the Dept. of Fair Trading has dropped it simply because Subaru has not responded to their requests. That undermines the credibility of the department. I would seek legal advice on the merit of your claim before taking Subaru to court.

Due to modern security systems you will need to take the car to your Ford dealer and have them program the new key for you, as it is coded to your car's ECU. You cannot do this at home as dealerships have this software.

The problem affects 2010-2016 Focus cars with petrol engines, at this time the transmission in your car is not affected. Once you know what is causing your problem you can decide what course of action you will take.

The principals of changing any fluid, including engine oil, in cars hasn't really changed in the last 70 years. Warm up engine, remove filler cap, drain old oil into a pan, swap oil filters, refill oil to recommended level using the oil grade recommended by the manufacturer. However, if you get something wrong in that process there is a real risk of injury or causing (financially) catastrophic damage to your car, so I'd suggest newbies take their cars back to the dealership, or a good independent mechanic, to have a professional do the job for you. They can also give your car a once-over to ensure nothing else needs repairing, or will wear out soon!

The dealer should be able to tell you why this service is going to cost you more, so talk to the service rep there. If that doesn’t satisfy you contact Hyundai on 1800 186 306 and ask for an explanation.