Holden Problems

The recommended fuel for the 1.8-litre AH model Astra is 91-octane regular unleaded.

Owners complain about many things, most of them relate to build quality, but one problem hat stands out relates to the automatic transmission. I would be cautious about buying one, but you'll get a good picture of all Captiva issues on our Captiva problems page.

In general Hondas are well designed and built to a high standard, so they generally outdo the Holden Captiva on most counts.

I’d say it’s got the dreaded Cruze automatic transmission disease. It’s common in that model and it’s likely the transmission will have to be replaced. Contact Holden Customer Care on 1800 033 349 and see if they do.

Are you trading simply because the nearest Ford dealership is two hours away? If that is the case, I would suggest you look at other service options locally, and think about having it serviced closer to home. It is five years old after all, so sticking with the dealer is not as important as it would be if the car were newer. If you are determined to trade I would suggest, in order, the Toyota, Nissan, Kia and Holden. All build cars of a similar quality and reliability to the Ford.

Yes, the VE Commodore is a sound car and with just 155,000 km on the clock there should be plenty of life left in it. The value ranges from $8000 to $9500.

The Holden Trailblazer is built in the General Motors Rayong facility in Thailand.

The Chevrolet Trailblazer has a ground clearance of 231mm, while the Holden Trailblazer has 213mm of ground clearance.

The Holden Trailblazer carries a maximum tow rating capacity of 750kg of unbraked trailer, or up to 3000kg if the trailer has brakes.

Try wriggling the steering wheel; that can often free it. If it is really stuck or broken you are probably going to have to replace it.