Articles by Graham Smith

If you can come to terms with the quirky CVT, this may be the car to move your people. New When car companies quizzed SUV fans about the importance of four-wheel drive the response was: not important at all. Potential buyers wanted a high-riding wagon with the space to carry kids and their kit. Nissan had an each-way

Fuel consumption is one of the things we most talk about when discussing our cars. It's a no-brainer that most of us believe they use too much fuel, particularly around town where the consumption is much higher than it is on the highway or in the country. If only we could get the same fuel economy in town as we get on

Having given us the luxury X5 and X3 SUVs it was only a matter of time before BMW offered us a compact version. New That was the BMW X1 that arrived in showrooms in 2010 and brought with it the on-road driving experience that is part of the BMW DNA. Like its bigger brethren the smallest BMW SUV boasted performance and

Discerning Passat buyers went for the German comforts and dynamics — but well-versed owners know they have to keep topping up the engine oil.Having started out as the maker of the humble people’s car, Volkswagen is no longer a single-model brand. From its vast range of cars, there is a model to suit almost everyone. The Passat was the next step for those graduating from the Golf. The badge was affixed to many variants: sedan and wagon, diesel and petrol, fours and a V6, driven by the front or all four wheels.If a little bland at first glance, the Passat had smooth lines, sleek shape and well balanced proportions. The German penchant for efficiency over bling perhaps meant it had few trinkets.The cabin was typical VW, clean and clinical but with lots of grey trim.That said, there were plenty of features to please the discerning buyer: six-way powered driver’s seat, leather steering wheel, cruise control, auto headlights, rain-sensing wipers and a six-CD audio.A turbo diesel opened the bidding, bringing decent performance and good economy, its turbo petrol counterpart had plenty of get up and go and the V6 was an out-and-out goer.All were mated to automatics, the petrol engine to a regular six-speeder and the others to the new six-speed dual-clutch transmission.The V6 came standard with VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive, the other two were front-drive.On the road the Passat displayed fine road manners with balanced, responsive handling.There is a lot to like about the Passat, it’s well built and comfortable, lively yet refined.There are also a couple of issues that buyers need to be aware of.One is the oil consumption of VW engines. Not all — but those that do can consume a lot. In most engines, this usually results from high mileage and associated wear but VW engines often use oil right from new.Some owners have had major engine failures on their new cars simply because they didn’t bother to check the engine oil and it ultimately ran out. Always check the oil in your engine, especially if it’s a VW.Dealers seem unable to fix the problem, and owners who are unlucky enough to have an oil user have to put up with it for the car’s life.If you’ve settled on buying a Passat talk to the vendor about any oil consumption issues the car has had.The other abiding issue concerns the DSG dual-clutch transmission fitted to diesels and the V6.Thoroughly test drive your chosen car if it’s fitted with the DSG transmission, observing for anything that might suggest a problem.Again, talk to the vendor about the transmission and any problems they have had with it.While you’re at it ask to see the car’s service record and check its maintenance record.Mike Page: I’m very happy with my 2008 turbo diesel. It’s good around town and great on the highway with plenty of grunt when needed. It averages 5.5L/100km on the highway and between 6.9L and 7.5L around town. The biggest bugbear is the Clive Atkinson: I’ve owned Audis and BMWs and my V6 wagon is right up there with them for quality, dynamics and performance. The DSG works well but, leaving the lights, you’d think a car has bumped you. I fear for when the warranty runs out.Jon Hill: My 2010 petrol wagon is a dream to drive. It’s now done 200,000km and has used oil from day one. Now it’s a litre every 500km. Smoke pours out — I guess it’s the rings and only a rebuild will fix it. I’ve also replaced the water pump twice.The infamous dual-clutch issue was resolved by changing the software at about 120,000km. An independent service agent saved me heaps. The comfort level is terrific, fuel consumption is great — 6.0L highway. I’d like to keep it another 200,000km, but the oil consumption is ridiculous.It’s a good car that’s under-appreciated. Beware of the DSG niggles and high oil consumption.

Graham Smith reviews the used 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara, their fine points, flaws and what to watch for when you are buying them.

For a long time Mercedes struggled to get on terms with the BMW 3-Series, which was slaying them in the compact prestige market, but the C Class launched in 2007 was good enough to finally get the three-pointed star into the game. New The W204 was all new, it had new looks, the cabin was new, the suspension was

Well, you can do something about it and it's easy; shop around and compare the servicing costs of dealers and independent service agents. Using a reputable independent mechanic can save you 30 per cent or even more on the bill you'd get from a dealer for the same service.Start by reading the invoice from your dealer, don't simply throw it in the rubbish bin, go through it item by item and understand what it is you're paying for.And it's not just the glitzy brands that charge like the proverbial wounded buffalo, the brands thought more modest can also rack up the charges when it comes to servicing your car.It needs to be understood that dealers make a lot of their money in the workshop out the back. We've heard of one dealer selling one of our top-selling brands that charges almost $150 per hour for labour in their workshop.A reputable independent service mechanic who works on the same brand charges only a little more than half that for labour. It's a similar story with parts where dealers often charge much more for the same parts.And don't think you're protected from the big bills by the so-called "capped price" servicing some carmakers are now offering. Independent mechanics can often undercut these charges as well, so it's still well worth shopping around.Study the invoice you receive and ask the dealer to explain any charge you don't understand. We've heard of charges for environmentally disposing of the engine oil removed from your car, something that most independent mechanics do as a matter of course.Same for workshop expenses, which means you're paying for rags and other incidentals the mechanic might use when working on your car. And whom do you think pays for the coffee and biscuits the dealer offers you while you wait in their service department? You can bet you life it's not the dealer. 

Mention Alfa Romeo in conversation and you're sure to get a mixed response. The Italian brand has plenty of admirers willing to wax lyrical about its sensuous styling and fabulous handling, but there are probably as many who would happily condemn it for poor build quality and dodgy reliability. There's no question

Graham Smith reviews the used Kia Cerato and Koup 2009-2013, their fine points and flaws and what to watch for when you are buying them.

Toyota largely built its enviable reputation for toughness and reliability on big, lusty four-wheel drives like the Prado. Regarded as the LandCruiser's little brother, the Prado is a big wagon that is able to cope with life in town. New It can accommodate up to seven in reasonable comfort, with some space left over