BMW Problems

The X3 would be fine but you should also - perhaps surprisingly - consider a Volvo XC60 which I rate as slightly better than the BMW as a secondhand choice.

The GLA is actually my favourite of all the baby Mercedes-Benz models and I reckon it should suit her fine. It gets The Tick from me.

Yes, you can, as long as you can open the door using the key it should be ok. It's wise to tell the buyer about the situation so they know and there's not likely to be any comeback. I'd be tempted to fix it before you sell it; it's likely to be easier to sell without the locking problem.

You should never consider a car as an investment, just a depreciating asset, unless you're lucky enough to have a rare classic Porsche or Ferrari in the garage. The V10-engined M5 is definitely a favourite with driving enthusiasts but it's unlikely to become a serious investment because of the number built.

If you haven’t had any direct contact with BMW to this point you now should make contact with the company’s head office and talk directly to the customer assistance people. Unfortunately you assume that it was inclusions in the glass that caused the window to “self explode”, but there’s no hard evidence to say that is what caused it. Same with the cable, which you believe was caused by something done by the mechanics when they worked on your car. Again it’s not possible to saw for sure that it was the mechanic’s work that did it. You need to clear your head and sit down with the dealer in the first instance and also BMW to seek a resolution for your troubles. The offer of 10 percent of the cost of parts and labour is a pretty miserable one; I would go for at least 50 percent.

It sounds as if you want a sporty SUV and, with that budget, I’d be advising a late-model BMW X5.