Ford Problems

At 148,000 km it would be worth servicing the ’box, particularly if the car has been doing any towing. I would also check with your Ford dealer to see if Ford has released any software updates for the transmission.

The CX-3 is the best in the baby class and gets The Tick. It’s not great for value and could be a bit small. You should also check the latest Subaru Forester, which is much improved.

The recall was to inspect the front-end on the Territory when it became obvious there was a widespread problem with the front lower balljoints wearing out prematurely. It related to the early models, which included yours. It was an inspection and some balljoints that were worn were replaced, but it didn't fix the problem. The balljoints still wear and as a rule require replacement every 75,000 km or so for the rest of the car's life. There was change to the design of the Territory front-end in in 2010 and that fixed the problem. I doubt you'll have any joy getting Ford to replace the joints for you free of charge; your car is now 11 years old and well out of warranty.

Great to have a real-world explanation from an LPG veteran.

I doubt that leaving the window open in the rain is responsible for your problem, and I doubt that it's fuse problem. If you want to check the fuses you could see which relates to which part of the circuit in the owner's manual. The best course of action is to take it to a Ford dealer or auto electrician and have it checked.

I would think your chances are good, if you can show that you bought it believing it to be RWD. From what you have told us the car was incorrectly described in the advertisement and in the paperwork, so you should be entitled to get you money back on the basis that the dealer misrepresented the car to you. Go and talk to him and try to work out a satisfactory resolution.

There’s good reason why you should buy the original fitment tyres, after all they were developed by Ford’s engineers to deliver the best compromise of ride and handling for the FG. Against that, some would say that Ford used the cheapest tyre they could find that gave them the ride and handling they wanted. But you know what the original fitment tyres were like; if you buy other tyres you don’t know what you’re going to get.

There are some limited-edition cars in the pipeline and I'd go for one of those with the special equipment. But keep in touch with a friendly dealer and don't delay, as they are likely to sell out and — as we've seen with the rundown of Falcon production — the factory numbers have to be set early.

Suzuki is a classy brand and the Grand Vitara gets The Tick, even if I'm not a fan of the constantly variable transmission.