Holden Problems

It comes down to the age of the car. A 2010 VE SV6 could be bought for less than $20,000 and it will do everything you want. If you want a later model then perhaps look for a less expensive model. A regular Commodore will do everything you want, it just won’t have the badges.

The dreaded Cruze transmission problem strikes again. If you bought the car new go to Holden and seek their agreement to fix it, which I would expect them to do. If you bought it secondhand you can also ask them to fix it, but it will come down to how generous they are feeling.

There have been some gearbox troubles with the Cruze so keep an eye on that. Otherwise it should be fine, particularly with the whole-of-life service package now from Holden.

You should contact Holden and request their assistance in covering the cost of the new transmission. Even though the factory warranty has expired Holden still has responsibilities under statutory warranty laws, and this is a well-known and common problem with the Cruze.

I wouldn't think so. The fact that all four doors are affected suggests it hasn’t been in a crash. If it were one or two doors, then you might be more suspicious. If you’re concerned about it having been in a crash look for overspray in the surrounding areas, on the seals, in the door openings etc. A check of the write-off register at your registration authority would tell you if it has been written-off.

I have a friend who swears by Toyo tyres. Perhaps not as much grip but smooth and quiet, and remember any low-profile tyre will be harsh and prone to noise on coarse-surface roads.

You're on difficult ground having bought the car secondhand. If you'd bought it new you would be well entitled to expect it to be repaired by Holden free of charge. Unfortunately, being secondhand, the normal warranties don't apply and you're effectively on your own. Still, I would persist with getting Holden to come to the party with at least part of the cost of repairs. After all, it is a known problem that has affected lots of Cruzes.

The relative complexity of today’s cars means that sometimes things happen that are difficult to explain, particularly if error codes aren’t showing up. It’s then a question of changing things until the cause is found, which it seems is what the dealer is doing.

Holden spokesman, Sean Poppit, has good news and says: "If it's as described, we'll fix it under warranty no problems."

A Hyundai i20 for the daughter, because it's cheap and reliable; a Mazda3 for the mother, because its a great secondhand buy and ideal for her needs; and Holden Commodore for the father, because it's a great drive and the V6 is surprisingly economical.