Ask The Guide

The deal VW has offered you on the diff rebuild is the industry standard deal on a car that is a few years old and has done a few kays, such as yours. It's frustrating for you, but cars do wear out and do break down. Regarding the belt and tensioner, they are normally considered consumable parts and not covered by the warranty. If you could prove that it was design or production fault that caused the problem you could make a claim against the company.

Headlamp globes are listed in the warranty as consumables and not covered. It's the same with all carmakers Hyundai is no different. It's not a big deal.

It's most unlikely that the problem is related to the belts. Have the throttle body cleaned and the idle speed checked.

Missing the services really clouds the issue, as you don't know if the problem might have been picked up before it became a major issue. There's not a lot you can do, you need to find an engine and get your car going. You would be unlucky for it to happen again. You could also try to convince Hyundai to come to the party with part payment for the repairs, which might help alleviate the financial burden for you.

Holden hasn't announced a final date for the closure of the Elizabeth plant in South Australia. All it has said to date is that production of the Commodore will cease towards the end of 2017.

There are companies in America that make extra dickie seats for your Cherokee. You can find them on the net.

This is a disaster, and by your description of events I think you should either get your money back or be given a replacement car. Unfortunately that isn't the way it works in Australia where owners are mostly treated with contempt. Complaining to Consumer Affairs is unlikely to result in a resolution; they seem powerless to do anything when it comes to faulty cars. If it were America I'm sure your car would be regarded as a lemon and you'd have a much better chance of getting a resolution. As much as it might seem impossible I would recommend that you continue to deal with Chrysler, best to do it with head office while keeping the dealer in the loop. Chrysler has a responsibility to fix your car and it would seem they are not doing that. Try sitting down with the people responsible and ask for a plan of action to fix your car.

I would be looking at the injectors first. Worn injectors are common in modern common-rail diesel engines; it could also be a sticking injector. You could also check the low and high-pressure fuel systems.

There are no hard and fast rules unfortunately, so you are relying on your skills of negotiation and Ford doing the right thing. I think you should get your money back, but that's being unrealistic. Ford has been doing deals to buy cars back, and that would appear to be your best bet to get out of the car. The dealer would probably offer you $14,500 to $16,500 as a trade-in, but your car is worth more like $18,000-$20,000 as a private sale, which is the minimum I would be trying to get Ford to pay.

If you are not sure about the van you're buying then back out of the deal while you have the chance. The next time you decide on a van have it checked by a mechanic.