Holden Problems

Holden does have a responsibility to support its products with parts and service for a reasonable time, particularly for a car like the VE, which is relatively new. Consult the people at Consumer Affairs about your concern and ask them to approach Holden on your behalf.

It's not an unusual requirement with a diesel with a DPF. The DPF normally cleans itself automatically without you even knowing, you don't have to do anything. But if you don't do the sort of driving that invokes the automatic regeneration you then have to take action as recommended by Holdens to do it. Diesels don't work at their best when tooling around the ‘burbs at low speed, and anyone buying one with that sort of driving routine should ask their dealer about the suitability of the vehicle for them.

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.

It's probably easier to eliminate those that don't stack up, those being the VW Golf, Holden Cruze and Ford Focus.

All have transmission questions over them.

The best options would be the Mazda 3 and the Hyundai i30.

If only we had a crystal ball. Unfortunately it's impossible to say with any certainty if the foreign variants of the Monaro will become classics. If any do I would guess it would be the Pontiac with its connections to the GTO, Vauxhall's image in Australia is one of a cardigan wearing, pipe-puffing old timer, and the Chevrolet Lumina doesn't get the pulse racing.

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.

By your description it's a ute or a van rather than a Statesman or Caprice, but you don't tell us anything about its condition. Is it a good original jigger, an old clunker, or a fully restored beauty? The value would vary enormously on the condition, anything from $2000 to $10,000. You're best to contact an insurance company for a valuation.

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