Holden Captiva Problems

All of them would be good choices, but I would prefer the Mazda CX-5 or the Kia Sportage. Either would be fine.

It’s a high price compared to the average, which would be $9000 to $10,000, and with only a month of rego, but to compensate the kilometres are lower than average. The cost of maintenance is no higher than other, similar cars, so that’s not a problem. If you’re not sure about it have it checked by a mechanic, or the RACQ.

The starting problem could be the result of an alternator that's not charging the battery. Have an auto electrician check it.

Trying to find the cause of the engine warning lights coming on is a tough one.

If they are on all the time then take it to a dealer or a mechanic with diagnostic gear to check the system. It must be either a wiring problem or a sensor malfunction.

It won't be a leak of visible damage; it does sound like an internal gearbox problem. It could be a worn bearing. Get another mechanic to check it for you.

No, I wouldn't, the kilometres are too high for comfort. The car is nearing the end of the road, and you're likely to have problems with it going forward.

The used Captiva does appear to be great value, but their shaky reputation for reliability would lead me to consider other options. The Territory would be a better bet, but they are known to have electrical and front suspension issues in the long-term.  If you're after an SUV, a seven-seat 2006-12 Mitsubishi Outlander is smart buying at the moment, but if you're just after the seven seats, I highly recommend taking a look at a 2008-13 Kia Rondo. These represent excellent value at the moment. Hope that helps, and keep us posted with your progress.

Go back to the dealer and ask to see the results of the test, so you know what they are, and whether or not they reflect the results you get. The average you are measuring is crazily high if it's correct. It's not at all normal, which suggests there is a problem, possibly with the engine management system, which needs further investigation.

It's annoying that this should happen, but I doubt that Holden would cover it. It's one of those things that can happen with age.

You don't say what your typical driving day is, so I can only guess on that front, but driving short distances without regularly getting out on the highway for a reasonable drive at higher speeds is a DPF killer. If that's the sort of driving you do then that could be the underlying cause of the problem. You can't fix that. To resolve the problem take it back to Holden and ask them to tell you what they think is causing it and try and work out a plan of action. You would appear to have a good case to put to them to fix the car.

I'm afraid I can't say with any certainty that Holden has solved the Captiva's reliability issues.

Also worth considering is that even in 2015 the Captiva was a very old design, and well behind its competition in most areas.

If you're after a value buy of that vintage, I'd be looking at the Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-Trail as two key options.