Mazda 3 2009 Problems

A CARS such as the Corolla, Mazda3 and Honda Civic will tow a small box trailer comfortably without overstressing the engine, and will be more economical than your Commodores were. But because you have found getting in and out of the Corolla difficult you need to try other cars to see how they stack up. Alternatively, try a compact SUV such as a Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester. They are higher, which may make them easier to get in and out. You should be able to get a two or three-year-old model within your budget.

BUY a small car with a four-cylinder engine, and if you stick to the well-respected brands, such as Toyota Corolla or Echo, Nissan Pulsar, Mazda2 or 3, Hyundai Getz, or Honda Civic he should be a winner. Buy the car with the lowest odometer reading and in the best condition that fits his budget.

Good point. In my view the marketing people are driving it. They seem to think it's a way of impressing owners and prospective owners with the performance of their cars. Also, manufacturers should take a long, hard look at the graphics on instruments. Some are very hard to read in daylight.

UNFORTUNATELY Daewoo's image is on the nose, rightly or wrongly, and you'll have trouble getting a decent trade-in value on it, particularly given the present state of the used car market. The Daewoo badge sends shivers down the spines of used car dealers -- even a Daewoo as good as your seems to be. I would think you would get about $10,000 trading in on the Mazda.