Ford Territory Problems

The two most likely culprits are diff bushes or shocks, and as you've replaced the bushes it comes down to the shock absorbers. Have Pedders check them.

The main one is worn front suspension ball joints. You would expect that it has had the ball joints replaced once in that time, but you can expect to have to do them regularly, at intervals of between 40,000 and 80,000 km for the rest of the car’s life. Another to look for is worn diff mounting bushes. Early Territorys like yours also had issues with rust in the engine bay, around the fuel filler, and around the rear windows, which was due to poor painting.

We aren't aware of any websites that list the real world fuel economy of cars, and we'd be reluctant to give you any figures as they might not apply to your situation in any case. Working out the time required to recoup the extra cost of the diesel engine is difficult because it depends on the cost of both petrol and diesel at any given time and the relative reduction in fuel consumption from using diesel. Based on your annual mileage, and the fact that it is predominantly suburban, I would suggest petrol as the way to go. If you were doing a lot of highway driving, and a lot of towing, then diesel could be a better bet for you.

Subaru Australia spokesman David Rowley says: "The tow ratings are set in cooperation with the factory to meet Australian standards, including for the down load rating. The current ratings do not preclude revisions in future model years as technical refinements are always ongoing, but there is no time frame for any possible change, especially given that the new models are only now being introduced."

If you like the Territory it would be a good move on a tight second-hand budget, but ensure it has had the necessary suspension updates and be wary of the fuel economy.

I can well understand why you would want to get out of the BMW and into something more reliable. I would urge you to avoid the Territory; the early models have problems with suspensions that will be ongoing for the life of the vehicle. I would certainly go for the Falcon, but would again urge you to go for a BF Series II, which is a much better car than the BF. If you wanted another car to look at I would suggest a Subaru Liberty wagon.

The Territory should work fine, but ensure it's had the suspension updates. Diesel will be better for towing, especially fuel economy, although I generally advise petrol if you're doing less than 30,000km a year.

The Territory was good at first but has been completely overtaken by a range of rivals. Your decision to buy Australian is great but you're in a very small minority and the Territory is no longer a CarsGuide choice for quality or long-term ownership.

On seven-seaters, the Territory runs last, the Kluger is fine and reasonable value and the Audi is definitely the car to reward yourself, but the Q7 could get very expensive if anything goes wrong.