Ask The Guide

It’s likely the clutches need replacing; it is a common problem with your model. Take it to a Ford dealer and ask them to approach Ford about repairing it under warranty at no cost to you. You could also approach Ford’s customer service people directly. The problem you will have in getting them to fix it for you is that the car is now seven years old and you bought it secondhand.

I'm afraid I can't say with any certainty that Holden has solved the Captiva's reliability issues.

Also worth considering is that even in 2015 the Captiva was a very old design, and well behind its competition in most areas.

If you're after a value buy of that vintage, I'd be looking at the Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-Trail as two key options.

We haven’t heard of a problem with the brakes, but to need new rotors and pads at 15,000 km is ridiculous. Take it to your dealer and ask them to consult Hyundai to get an explanation. Although brakes are not covered by the warranty I would be asking for the company to replace the rotors and pads at no expense to you, and to justify why they needed replacing at such low kilometres.

The best thing you can do is to go around to various dealers and check a number of vehicles to see how they work for you.

The trade values them at around $8500, but the collector car market operates differently to the regular used car market. The value comes down to what someone else is willing to pay for it, its condition, odometer reading etc. The chances are that in the long term it will hold its value, and maybe increase. If you’re looking at it as an investment then park it, cover it up, and drive it as little as possible.

It’s a motor made by VM Motori, which is a Fiat company. It’s one of the largest diesel engine manufacturers in the world. I would expect the LDV to last 10 years and give you decent reliability.

It’s not like the old days when Mini Coopers did appeal the purists and a manual was the only thing to have, today’s Mini buyers a less purists than fashion followers. Although I would prefer a manual for the fun of driving it, most buyers would prefer an auto and that would affect the resale of your car should you choose a manual. I do agree with you that it’s a good idea for your son to learn to drive a manual.

The Baleno should be fine for your needs, and I wouldn’t be concerned about the fact that it’s made in India. Suzuki has been making cars in India for a number of years and there has been nothing to suggest that they are of a lower quality or less reliable as a result.

I wouldn’t accept the advice without getting another opinion, one that is definitive, not a guess. You could take it to a mechanic who specializes in Audis and VWs and they should be able to give you an opinion you can believe.

Unless you are buying a manual I would rule the Cruze out, the automatic is trouble in that model and not worth the risk. If you do but a Cruze I would choose the 1.8-litre engine. Others to think of are the Hyundai i30, Mazda 3, or Mitsubishi Lancer.