Nissan Problems

Good advice but some CVTs are beyond such a fix, as the problems seem to be in the core programming.

There could be a number of reasons the steering is rattling and you really need a mechanic to listen to it so the cause can be isolated. It could be from the top of the column, the bottom of the column, the steering joints, or if it's down under the front of the car it could be the steering rack. Before you fix it you need to know where the rattle is coming from. The lights coming on could be an electrical connection problem.

The CVT oil should be changed every 100,000km. As for the fuel consumption it's best to do a check yourself by measuring how much fuel it is actually using. Judging the consumption by how far the gauge falls is very inaccurate, and I wouldn't stake my life on the fuel consumption gauges in the car. Do an actual measurement and you will know exactly what the consumption is. Nissan claims an average of 9.1L/100km, 7.7L/100km on country driving, and 11.5L/100km on city use. I would expect your car would fall somewhere between 9.1 and 11.5L/100km.

The Navara and HiLux would be out, for me, because they are utes and you shouldn't be buying a truck just because it can tow well. The Grand Cherokee is a great drive but I also hear lots of complaints, so the Everest — engineered in Australia and based on the classy Ford Ranger ute — would be my pick as the smart choice.

The Tucson gets The Tick from me and rates above the X-Trail, but my first choice is the all-new Kia Sportage.

If you don’t want a convertible, which rules out the MX-5 as my easy first pick, then the 86 is the car for driving enjoyment on a reasonable budget. But don’t overlook its Subaru twin, the BRZ, which is my choice of the two. Both get The Tick, having shared our Car of the Year award.

We aren't getting reports of problems with the latest model, the reports we have had relate to 2010 models or so. That said, I would be wary of buying the Cruze, the best thing about them is the cabin size. I would go for the Lancer first and Pulsar second, the Cruze a long last.

It would be nice to think that carmakers would own up to problems with their cars, but they always seem reluctant to do so, and our consumer laws are so pathetic that there's no incentive for them to do so. I would take the car to one of the diesel mechanics you refer to and have it repaired by them. I would expect they would be less expensive than the dealer.