Holden Captiva Problems

It's got nothing to do with the fuel you're using; the Captiva is fine to run on regular unleaded. You need to have a mechanic experienced in diagnosing problems with modern engines check it out for you. Clearly the dealer's mechanics are not up to the task.

The negatives are in comparison with its classy rivals, including the Kia Sportage and Hyundai ix35 that - as with the Captiva - come from Korea. I've had readers complaining about quality and mechanical problems but the main shortcoming is basically its performance against the rivals.

I wouldn't recommend the Captiva but the Dualis gets The Tick and is good value. 

We compare vehicles against their class rivals and the Captiva is well behind its direct competitors in quality, driving and resale value. It is likely to be more costly than a Dualis — now called Qashqai — because, particularly as a Captiva 7, it is bigger and heavier.

Moving out of a Statesman you will probably want some luxury, so that's definitely not a Captiva. I'd suggest you test drive a CX-5 and a Subaru Forester, both of which get The Tick, and choose between them.

It needs to go to a mechanic who can properly diagnose it. It sounds like it could be a sensor problem, which should show up on a diagnostic check.

I wouldn't recommend a Captiva. The quality is not great, neither is the driving or fuel economy, and the Holden warranty does not come close to Korean-badged cars. If she's against a "cheap Korean car" point out that the Captiva is actually a Daewoo, from Korea.

We have heard of issues with diesel engines in recent weeks, which are thought to have been caused by contaminated diesel fuel. Insiders are saying the fuel has been contaminated by a fungus during shipping, but little more is known at this stage. We are attempting to find out more.

I think you're being a bit harsh. I'm not a fan of the Captiva, but at least the dealer fixed it outside of the 100,000km warranty period.