I’d love to know what a “certain distance” is. That would give me a much better chance of offering a sensible answer. If we’re talking 100km before the car loses drive, I’d be thinking that it’s something electrical perhaps or something to do with the on-board computer.

But if the loss of drive happens within the first 10 kilometres or so of each drive, then I’d be suspecting the transmission itself. Have you checked the level of the transmission fluid? Too much or not enough fluid in the gearbox can cause it to run hot enough to lose drive. Perhaps it’s the transmission cooler not behaving properly and maintaining things at the correct temperature.

Automatic gearboxes hate high temperatures and if you continue to drive it like this, there’s a good chance you’ll cook something.

The crank angle sensor was prone to giving trouble on Vectras, so I would check that to make sure it was doing what it should. You could also check the electrical system generally as it too was prone to the odd gremlin.

TO get ABS, a driver's airbag and remote central locking on the 1999/2001 Camry four, you will need to move up the model range and look at a CS-X. You'll pay $15,000-$20,000 and for that you'll get a safe, reliable and well-built car. The JS and JSII Vectras were similarly equipped with driver's airbag, ABS and central locking, and will be slightly less expensive at $16,000 to $18,000. The Vectra is basically sound and has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 104kW. The Camry is a similarly sized four with 94kW -- power and price advantage to the Holden.