Holden Barina Problems

No. It ran perfectly for five or six years before giving trouble, so I don't think you can blame Holden. Has the coolant been changed in the time since it left the factory, has it been overheated at any time, they're questions I would want answered before trying to find someone to blame.

It's great that your dealer was able to find the cause of your problem and fix it. It's difficult to find a problem when it doesn't manifest itself when the car is with the dealer, he's then fishing around in the dark hoping to stumble on it. Anyone whose car is suffering from an intermittent problem should take heart from your report and persist in trying to get it solved.

The car is under warranty, so the dealer and Holden is obliged to fix it if it has a problem. Their obligation, in fact, doesn't end when the warranty runs out; they are still required to fix the car under consumer laws. The problem sounds like one of those frustrating intermittent ones that never seem to occur with the dealer or mechanic is there to witness it. The first diagnosis that it is a problem with a sensor sounds like the correct one to me. You should persist with the dealer and Holden to get it fixed.

You certainly shouldn't need to recondition the cylinder head after such a short time. I would be checking for reasons the valves might be sticking. As the fuel injectors gave trouble shortly afterwards I would be looking to the fuel side of the engine. First, I would change fuel brands, definitely not use E10, perhaps use a higher-octane fuel, and regularly run fuel system cleaner through the car.

Normally you wouldn't need a new engine if the head gasket is leaking, you would replace the head gasket and machine the head, but if there is more damage it is possible you might need a replacement engine.

Tyre fitters will often recommend higher tyre pressures as it can improve the handling, but 36 psi would seem too high, particularly in a little car like the Barina. I would run them at 30-32 psi front and rear.

There really isn’t much option, if you don’t spend the money to repair it you’re left with a car that is worthless and you are faced with spending more to buy another car. As you say it is in good condition otherwise I would recommend you went ahead and repaired it. If it does have a blown head gasket, as you have been told, there is no other way of repairing other than replacing the head gasket, and there’s no way of reducing the cost of the job. To minimize the chances of being ripped off use a reputable mechanic, perhaps one who is well known and respected in your local area, take a friend or relative with a knowledge of mechanics with you when talking to the mechanic, and get two or three quotes for the job.