Ask The Guide

When buying an older car that’s done lots of kilometres it’s best to go for a well-known and respected brand, a car that is in the best possible condition, and one that has been well serviced. The Camry is a well-respected name from a highly regarded company, and providing the car you buy is in good condition and has been properly serviced it is probably the best option for you.

It would be nice if cars didn’t have any faults, but the sad fact is that they do. You best bet is to contact Suzuki (1800 777 088) and request help to pay for the repairs.

If you want a reliable ride go for the Camry, buying the Jetta is a gamble, which could end up being an expensive one.

Does it get hot or overheat? I would have the head gasket checked to make sure coolant is not leaking into the cylinders.

It’s clearly not well and needs attention, so take it to a mechanic and find out what is wrong with it. Any number of things could be wrong with it, from a simple as needing a service to being worn out.

I would urge caution when thinking of buying an APV with 200,00 km or more on it. They’re a workhorse for small business and get used and quite often also get abused. Take careful note of the condition of the car, it can tell you quite a bit about how it has been treated; also check the service record to assure yourself that it has been regularly serviced.

Parts are readily available for the E90 3-Series and won’t be a problem in the foreseeable future. They will be relatively expensive if bought from a BMW dealer, but are more affordable if you buy from the aftermarket, and they can be imported from overseas at a very reasonable cost.

You can fit conventional tyres to it. Take it to a tyre retailer and they should be able to help you.

You don’t say how old your Kluger is, so it’s hard to say what your best course of action would be. If it’s still under warranty then ask for it to be fixed under that cover, if it’s not get a mechanic to establish the cause of the problem and have it repaired.

It needs closer inspection by an auto electrician or Nissan specialist. It could be something as simple as a bad connection in the wiring loom.