Ask The Guide

Being four years old your car has lost some value in the time you have owned it, and that will be factored into the deal.

The trade-in value is $9500-$11,500 and I would expect that’s what the dealer will offer you if you accept a replacement car. Don’t expect Ford or the dealer to be on your side here, you have to bargain hard with the dealer to get a decent deal.

Unfortunately the deal won’t factor in the stress, inconvenience, and cost you have had to endure with this defective vehicle.

Unfortunately you’ve kept the Corolla too long, and have had to spend money to keep it going. Keep that in mind for the next one you buy.

You’re constrained by your $20,000 budget, but I would suggest you look at a Kia Rio, Mazda2, Mitsubishi Lancer, or Suzuki Swift. All should fall within your budget and all will give you a good run. If you were prepared to buy a used car that is one or two years old, you could consider a Toyota Corolla, or a Mazda3.

Even though Ford’s warranty has expired the car is still covered by the basic statutory warranty under our consumer law. You need to negotiate with Ford to get them to cover the cost of the repair. You should also check with your insurer to see if this is covered by the extended warranty.

CarsGuide does not operate under an Australian financial services licence and relies on the exemption available under section 911A(2)(eb) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) in respect of any advice given. Any advice on this site is general in nature and does not take into consideration your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a decision please consider these and the relevant Product Disclosure Statement.

The transmission probably needs servicing at the least, perhaps even rebuilding. Have a mechanic check it.

It’s measured from the lowest point on the car, whatever that might be, and it varies from model to model.

The ADR requires carmakers to have a side indicator so there is always a visible turn signal light, so you should be able to see that even if you can’t see the front light.

Not sure about an Aldi, but to find out how much it would cost to register an 2011 Audi Q5 go to www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/registration and you’ll find everything you need to know. For insurance shop around the insurance companies for the best deal.

CarsGuide does not operate under an Australian financial services licence and relies on the exemption available under section 911A(2)(eb) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) in respect of any advice given. Any advice on this site is general in nature and does not take into consideration your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a decision please consider these and the relevant Product Disclosure Statement.

From personal experience I would advise against buying an old Euro, they can be expensive.

They can be nice to drive, and it’s nice to have a prestigious brand in your driveway, but parts can be expensive if you need to repair them.

My dalliance wasn’t with a Mercedes, it was another European brand, but I was regularly forking out for repairs as one thing after another failed and I mean seriously spending money. The problem is that they all look like new on the outside, even when they’re clapped-out.

It would need to be low mileage, less than 100,000 km, properly serviced, should have no oil or water leaks, no exhaust smoke, the engine should be smooth running, and the transmission should be smooth and seamless in operation.

Servicing isn’t necessarily expensive if you avoid dealers and use an experienced specialist mechanic.

If the crack happened recently it should look fresh, so inspect it visually in the presence of the dealership people.

It’s hard to prove conclusively that it happened while it was at the dealership, but the fact that it is now leaking profusely suggests that it wasn’t cracked before you took it in, or at least it wasn’t cracked as badly as it is now.

Try and reach an agreement with the dealership.

Getting to the halfway mark on the gauge in five minutes doesn’t sound like a problem, providing it sits there and doesn’t go any higher. The gauge will move up relatively quickly while the thermostat is closed during warm-up, but once the thermostat opens the gauge should remain steady. If it continues to climb it could be that the thermostat is stuck and not opening.

Others things to check are the coolant level, coolant leaks, and make sure the thermo fan is working.