Toyota Problems

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 early Prius was a bit dozy from the lights but before you defect you should try the new model, which is more lively.

The LandCruiser is bulletproof and the top choice for towing and outback travel. That also means you have to spend more to get one.

It's a different situation as the FJ is a global model but you should probably move even more quickly as Toyota Australia will have to confirm soon on its final orders. FJ owners generally have made an emotional choice so it's unlikely the used-car values will be dropping soon.

They flip up to the side to allow more stuff to be carried, but they’re not designed to be taken out completely. It is possible to remove them, of course, but we understand that it’s a bit of a chore to reinstall them.

It's what's called "seasoning" of the catalytic converter, basically as it burns in during early use. In a lot of cars, especially in the early days of converters, there was a rotten-egg smell from the exhaust gases. So, in my experience, nothing to worry about.

Market values are a guide only, and they sold used that way. The value of a car comes down to condition, kilometres travelled, service history, and accessories and options fitted. Start with the guiding values given on websites like Redbook and Glass's and go from there. It's usually better to deal privately because a private vendor doesn't have an expensive car yard to pay for, doesn't have to offer you a warranty, and isn't under as much pressure to achieve a price that would represent a profit. A dealer has all of those things to consider when setting his prices. There isn't a rule of thumb when it comes to negotiating, it's best to go in with a figure you're prepared to pay for a particular car and try and negotiate with the dealer to get it.

Years ago when you owned your Torana it was considered something of a performance car, as the Clubsport, SSV and Calais are today, but there are many other ways of getting your driving thrills today without having to go for a V8. Some of the hot hatches now available would give you all the thrills, and more, than the big-bangers of old. Take a test drive in a VW Golf GTi or one of the fast Ford Focuses and I'm sure you'd rethink your choice. All the cars you mention, the Clubsport, SSV and Calais are good cars with plenty of grunt, the V8 sound, and the comfort of a big car. For mine though I'd be going for a hot hatch.

The Camry is a good choice, it's well-built and reliable, and won't cost the Earth to service. Another to consider would be the Mazda 6, also a well-built and reliable car of about the same size as the Camry.