Holden Astra Problems

IT SHOULD be more than 112,000km, that's for sure, but you won't know it's a stretched timing chain until you check it. To do that, you need to take it to a Holden dealer, otherwise Holden will not have anything to do with it. If you have your mechanic pull it down and repair it, you will wear the cost.

Flooding is one of the worst things that can happen to a car; it’s often a cause of a car being written off. You really need to check all electrical connections to make sure they are dry and not corroded, check the computer to make sure it hasn’t had any water in it, and check the engine sensors for water damage. I’d be checking the crank angle sensor in particular.

If the paint is original it could be that the car didn’t get enough paint when it was painted in the factory. The best course of action is to consult a paint specialist who can assess it for you and advise you on what can be done to fix it. Contact Graeme Cuthbert on 0422 444 335.

Holden claims the Berlina will average 9.3 L/100 km so I would say yours is in the ballpark, but bearing in mind that is just two weeks old it should get a little better once it's run-in. As for the speedo, if it is showing a lower speed than the actual speed then it is illegal and you should take it back to the dealer to be fixed. The law allows the speedo to read as much as 10 per cent over the actual speed, but it can't read lower than the actual speed.

FOR a stylish drive there's the VW Beetle cabriolet and the Mini cabriolet. Both look smart and are fun to drive, and you will be able to get them for about $40,000. Another way to go is to buy a coupe/convertible -- one that has a folding metal roof instead of a soft-top. That way you get the security and refinement of a coupe and the fun of a convertible. The VW Eos is a good one, as is the Holden Astra Twin-Top, but they will set you back about $50,000. For a sportier ride there is the Mazda MX-5 coupe/convertible, which is more fun but is only a two-seater. All those cars will be reliable and all represent good value.

The first time you brake the pads are cold. After that they have some heat in them and there is no problem. It's possibly a material issue, but it could be fixed by chamfering the leading edge of the pads. Contact Howard Reynolds of Race Brakes (ph: 9687 7222) for help.

CARS are sometimes damaged in transit, but it's the responsibility of the dealer to ensure the car is handed over to you in new condition. Your best course of action is to let them repair it again, but this time don't take delivery of it until you are satisfied with the repairs.

It's hard to be sure without driving it for a time and observing for the leak. Before taking delivery check the paperwork to see that the dealer has attended to the problem, and keep a copy of the vehicle inspection report for later reference if needed. It's not unusual for cars to develop oil leaks, most do.

A four-cylinder car is the way to go when you're learning; toomany young drivers buy turbos, V6s and V8s and often get into troublewhen they outdrive their skill and experience. The Astra is one ofthe cars I would certainly consider, but you need to be aware of thecam timing belt problems they had with that model. To avoid breaking the belt, and causing massive internal damage to the engine, the beltneeds to be replaced every 60,000 km. With that in mind it'simportant to makesure that any car you consider has had the beltchanged according to that schedule, and be aware that he will have toreplace it every 60,000 km in the future. A 10-year-old Astra willset you back $8000-$9000. Others to consider are the Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Pulsar, Mazda 323 and Toyota Corolla.

There are several issues here. First, the timing belt problem is well known so your mechanic should have looked deeper into the cause of the noise and not taken the word of whoever said it would be ok. The timing belt change interval has moved a couple of times, down to 60,000 km and then out to 90,000 km, but it's such a potentially devastating failure that a "she'll be right" approach simply isn't good enough. Second, your claim would have been stronger against Holden if you were still having your car dealer serviced. Third, Holden will possibly cover part of the repair cost, which is a normal industry practice, so go ahead and have it inspected as they suggest.