Holden Problems

The Storm was a marketing package based on the SV6 and came with specific badging, front fog lamps, and sat nav.

You’re buying a used car, it’s not new, so you have to expect some wear-and-tear issues. The older the car, the greater the wear-and-tear, and the more likely it is to have suffered mechanical failures or even a crash. That means you have to thoroughly check the car before purchase, and you have to rely on the honesty of the vendor. If the car has had clutch problems it should be recorded in the service book. It’s the same with the others you’re looking at, check them thoroughly, and if you’re uncertain have an expert check them for you. Of the three others you are considering I would avoid the Passat as a potential money pit, and go for the i40 in preference to the Commodore.

It’s not possible to say that you won’t have any problems with the Colorado, and there are a lot of people who have had problems of all sorts with it. If you’re unsure, don’t buy it.

Take it to a Holden dealer and they should be able to get the code for you.

The offer you have been made is pretty standard one, and not a bad one given that your car is now eight years old. If you want to pursue Holden for the full amount it would be best to consult the state consumer affairs department in Perth and get their advice.

Earlier models were trouble, but the later ones appear to be reliable. I wouldn’t be concerned about signing up for it.

Of those choices the Mitsubishi Mirage would appear to be the best option. It is the newest, has the fewest kilometres, and is the cheapest. It’s also reliable and should give you good service. In order of preference I would suggest the Toyota Corolla and the Holden Cruze.

It is low for the discs to require machining, but the Astra is a European car and they tend to have a higher brake wear rate than cars from Asia.

Have the dealer/mechanic show you the measurements of thickness they took that demonstrates the need. With brakes being considered a wear and tear item it’s a long shot if you’re thinking Holden might come to the party with the cost of the machining.

It’s cars built around 2010/2011 that are the ones affected with the transmission problem, which is the most concerning one. You should be safe in buying the 2013 model, and you have done the right thing in checking the service history.

 Both have a 3500kg towing rating, so will tow most caravans with ease, but you also need to be aware of the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) and Gross Combination Mass (GCM) and make sure you don’t exceed them when loaded.