Volkswagen Problems

An Alfa always looks good but the Volkswagen is the one that will get The Tick from me. The A3 is the same under the skin as the Golf but only go that way if you like the look and want the badge.

The Octavia is a ripper thing, and great value. It gets The Tick from me.

Historically you are correct but the current situation is that Audi mostly uses “tool boxes" of platforms and parts developed by parent company Volkswagen. It dresses them up nicely and adds quality but it's still a fact that an Audi A1 is a VW Polo under the skin and that an A3 is a Golf.

Wear is only one aspect of braking a carmaker has to consider, there is also the performance and things such as the effect of the pad material used on the environment. You tell us that the non-genuine pads wear better than the factory ones, but you make no mention of the braking performance or the environmental suitability of the material. I agree that the brake pad life today is poor and it would be great of carmakers would do something about improving it.

The latest VW Polo, which gets The Tick from me, has a drive-away price of $15,990 for a very classy little car. It will be a huge leap ahead of your old Pulsar.

There are plenty of cars that allow you to left-foot brake, with the advantages of smoother driving and a swifter response for emergency braking. In fact, one of the few exceptions is the Volkswagen Group (VW-Audi-Skoda) - if you hit both pedals at once, the engine returns to idling revs.

The Ranger gets The Tick and is a clear winner from the Amarok. The all-new Navara is not even close. But we're expecting a new Mitsubishi Triton and Toyota HiLux in the first half of 2015, so check back nearer then.

Are you unhappy with the ride or handling? If not, my advice is to leave it alone.

If it was my mum it would be a no-brainer. The Polo is a cut above the 500, even though the Fiat looks cute.

Test drive the Cerato, see how it compares with your Jetta and then decide if you can make the change.