Holden Problems

As with all cars of this type, the value comes down to its condition and I can only go by what you've told me. The Brougham was the predecessor of the Statesman; it was Holden's first try at competing with Ford's very successful Fairlane. It wasn't very successful. It was really a regular sedan with a big boot, the wheelbase wasn't stretched as was the Fairlane's, so there was no extra room for rear-seat passengers. It's a collectable car, but the value depends very much on the condition of the body and paint, and you say those need restoring. I'd suggest it's worth $8000-$10,000.

Many things can affect fuel consumption and you need to keep on top of them to make sure you're getting the best economy possible.

We are keen to hear from readers with abnormal tyre wear in Captivas, because Holden knows enough to fit suspension-adjusting bolts in later cars.

Yours is the first report we've had of a problem with the seatbelts in the Cruze. Persist until Holden fixes the problem to your satisfaction.

Two types of systems are available for the Commodore V6, an older-technology mixer system and a later vapour-injection system. The mixer system is like a carburettor on a petrol engine; the vapour-injection system can be compared with fuel-injection. The latter is preferable. It offers less loss of performance, better driveability, smoother idling and less risk of backfiring. But it is more expensive, so it will take longer to recoup the cost of installing it. Many brands offer both systems. The best way to make sure you have no significant problems down the track is to choose a respected brand and have it installed by an accredited, experienced installer.

Though it's not the most sought-after model, being a six-cylinder it's still a very attractive and desirable car. Warwick yellow is a popular colour, it's a GTS and, from the photo supplied, looks to be in nice original condition. I would start by asking $40,000-$50,000.

Adding a third seat to wagons was once quite common, and carmakers have even offered a third seat option in the past. But with the availability of so many seven-seater SUVs and people-movers now, it's not so popular. The demands for compliance to Australian design rules have also made it more difficult. I would suggest you look at people-movers such as the Honda Odyssey and the compact VW Caddy Life, which is a Golf-sized vehicle able to seat seven.

Two years is a long time. I'd be tempted to sell it, even though you will suffer a substantial slug of depreciation. Leaving a car to sit unused for two years will adversely affect it, no matter what you do.  But if you do store it and you can have someone drive it regularly, I would simply cover it and leave it. If that's not possible, put it up on blocks and disconnect the battery. The fuel tank shouldn't be left empty but there should be no more than about a quarter of a tank of fuel left in it. Lightly smear some lubricant over the door and boot seals to prevent them from sticking, and cover it to stop dust building up on the paint.

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.

The paint would only be covered by the warranty if was defective in some way from the factory, normal wear and tear wouldn't be covered. But to have it visibly fading after just two years is not acceptable and I would certainly press the dealer, and Holden, to repair it. For the dealer to say it's expected is even more unacceptable. We've approached Holden for their view and will print it when we get it.