Toyota Problems

You’ve got a limited budget, which will determine the car you can buy. It will be a relatively old car, so buy one in the best condition you can find, with the lowest odometer reading, a good service history, and the best safety rating. Try a Mazda3, Toyota Corolla, Kia Rio, and Hyundai i30 from 2008/2009.

It would have been made in Japan. You can check the build plate, which should be in the engine bay, and will show where it was built.

It could any number of things and the dealer should be able to identify and rectify the cause for you. It could be as simple as a faulty solenoid in the transmission, a problem with the car’s computer, or a dodgy electrical connection.

Go for a car from a well-respected brand, such as a Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3 or Hyundai i30. All will give you economical motoring, low maintenance, and should hold their value quite well for the next couple of years or so.

The car you want will need to have a towing rating of 3500 kg, which cuts the field down considerably. Your best bet is probably a used Toyota Landcruiser, it would tow your caravan, and parts are readily available in most parts of the country.

A number of vehicles of your vintage using that engine suffered from a lack of oil pressure due to accumulated contamination on the oil pickup. Remove the oil drain plug and inspect the oil pickup and make sure it isn’t clogged up with accumulated crud that could affect the oil pressure.

The Aurion has the V6 engine, which has a timing chain, so there’s no call for routine replacement as there would be if it had a belt.

The passenger seat is not height adjustable on the new RAV4. You’d need to consult an authorised engineer about modifying the seat so it’s height adjustable. Contact the Roads and Marine Services people for advice. There is lots of information and road tests etc. on hybrids on Carsguide, or you could consult relevant dealers for product info.

You’ll struggle to find a diesel 4WD dual-cab HiLux less than 10 years old for $15,000. Any you find will be around the 10-year-old mark and will probably have high odometer readings.