Ask The Guide

It does sound, from your description, to be the automatic transmission. Certainly take it back to the dealer; a new vehicle shouldn’t be doing that. If you want another opinion take it to a certified specialist.

If we were in the USA your car would be called a ‘lemon’ and you would be getting a refund or a replacement car. Unfortunately this isn’t America and we have pathetically weak consumer laws and an even weaker body (ACCC) overseeing them. You could try to negotiate a deal with Nissan, who I don’t think have a leg to stand on, or get a lawyer involved.

Without knowing the cost of labour in Qatar the cost seems about right if you’re going to replace the transmission.

The problem could well be a radiator problem, one not related to the incident with the kangaroo. It’s not uncommon for the transmission oil cooler in the radiator to fail. To try and determine the cause have the appraised by an independent assessor.

There’s every chance that it is the dreaded PowerShift transmission problem. Ford generally takes responsibility for the problem, so it would be in your best interest to contact Ford and register your problem with its customer assistance people (13 3673), particularly if your warranty is about to expire next month. It's well documented the dual-clutch transmissions in the Ford Focus and Fiesta have issues.

There is a class action underway against Ford over the problems with the Focus automatic transmission. More information can be found here.

The trade-in value is appallingly low; it should be around $7000. If you haven’t already talked directly to Ford then do so (13 3673) and explain your concerns with the car, and request a better deal. If that fails to get a satisfactory response then go to the ACCC or VCAT.

It is believed that it will be released in Sept 2018.

It’s a tough call on their part given that the car has only done a relatively few kilometres. Call Mitsubishi Customer Service on 1300 13 12 11 and present your case.

The VR is an old car now, and probably about worn out. The Omega sportwagon is a good car, and would be a good replacement.

It’s a toss of a coin, both are good cars and should give you a good run for the five years you want to keep them.