Ask The Guide

It's clearly confused. I would suggest you have it rebooted and you might need to take it to a Toyota dealer to do that. You could also try an auto electrician, or a sound system specialist.

Your budget limits you to older models, such as 2008/2009, which will have done 120,000 to 180,000 km. I am loath to recommend buying one of these cars with such a mileage on them; you would be heading the period of pain when you are quite likely to face increasing and expensive repairs. If you were to choose to buy one I would go for the Discovery. I would also urge you to have the car you choose checked over by a specialist mechanic who knows the brand intimately. Instead of the European models you are considering I would suggest you also look at something like the Toyota Kluger, which would likely to be more reliable and less expensive going forward, and your budget would stretch to a later model.

You're not alone, there are lots of reports of the Ranger sagging to the left; the springs are clearly not up to the job. Ford's answer in most cases is to stonewall and hope the owner goes away. Keep the pressure up on Ford, but also consider going to Queensland's consumer affairs department. Sad to say, the least painful solution would be to go to a suspension specialist and get the suspension uprated.

You need to continue to hound the dealership and Toyota's customer service people, and ask for a meeting with the dealer to discuss the problem and to request a plan of action to resolve the problem. Because replacing the pistons and rings didn't solve the problem, the engine may need to be replaced, and I would suggest that you pursue that option with Toyota. While you are seeking a resolution with Toyota also consult the Victorian Consumer Affairs department and ask for their support.

We asked Ford to confirm the claims of your Ford salesman, and while we were told they would get to us after checking with their technical people they haven't. It's a tricky situation given that there is an on-going class action suit over the transmission, so I'm not surprised we didn't get a response from Ford. I doubt the claims very much, I suspect there's no truth in them, and the salesman was spinning you a line hoping to land a sale.

We recently reviewed the Honda City as used car buy. To summarise the City has 5-star safety, which means it has all of the safety features you want, it also has the features your daughter wants. Best of all owners are unanimous in their praise for the car. The price is on the high side, but being a drive-away deal you save on government charges, which makes it a pretty good buy.

Turbos can fail for a variety of reasons, but one that is common is the oil supply. That's not to say that that's what's wrong with your car. You could have your car checked by a turbo specialist.

You have to anticipate that things will wear out and need replacing when the car gets to the sort of kilometres that yours has, but worn-out shocks and oil leaks are not what I would call major repairs. If the car were in good overall order I would have the work done. To keep driving it until it dies is not a great idea, and could be dangerous to you and other road users.

You need to simplify your needs and wants. Most, if not all new cars have the sort of features you want. The more pressing issue is the choice of SUV or hatch. While a hatch might be best for your city needs, it probably wouldn't suit your camping needs, so I would rule that out and focus on a compact SUV. Of all the models you have looked at I would select the Suzuki Grand Vitara.

Start by asking your Mercedes-Benz dealer for their assistance. Explain to them that you want to tow a caravan and that the factory towbar is not suitable. If they cannot help seek the help of towbar companies, such as Hayman-Reece. If might be a case of modifying an existing towbar to suit.