Reports

Time to separate fact from outright BS. These are the top 10 contemporary motoring myths.

My BMW 325i 2008 model - Purchased from BMW dealership in Sydney and regularly serviced and maintained by BMW and is now out of the 3 yrs warranty period. Present reading 88,000km. I recently had trouble with the engine and I have now been told by BMW that the four pistons will have to be replaced at a cost of $9500. 

Hi John, I highly respect your opinion on anything relating to cars. A fellow who has an original owner's manual for an EH Holden says it recommends to use an SAE 20 or a 10W30 engine oil. My local auto accessories store owner who has a number of classic and vintage vehicles says 10W30 oils weren't around then so I don't know who to believe. He has suggested I go with Penrite's HPR30 (20W60). Penrite's lube guide recommend the 20W60 oil, Valvoline recommend a 10W30, Castrol recommend a 15W40 or a 20W50, Nulon recommend a 15W40 and Chief Oil recommend a 10W30. Penrite seem to be at odds with the others, it's a very thick oil but it is full zinc. I'd be interested to know your opinion and what way you'd go. Thanks, Chris

I need to buy new grey retractable cargo cover for my 2007 Toyota RAV4. They are very expensive in Australia. Would the cargo covers make in America be the exact same size as the one I can buy from Toyota in Australia? My cover won't retract any more and I don't know of anywhere that may be able to fix it. 

Hi John, I have recently driven two Skoda Octavias, the 103kW and the 132kW - both have the 7 speed automatice DSG gearbox. The main criticism is that when you planted the foot the car was sluggish for the first few seconds. I did a little research and it has been explained as an issue with the DSG. In all other respects I enjoy this car but I shouldn't have to manage the gearbox manually from a stop to avoid this 'lag'. Am I overreacting/over critical?

G'day John, my son has just turned 15. We are now preparing him for his path to obtaining his NSW Learners Drivers Licence. We have the Handbook. I wonder John is there a NSW road rules app? Or even better a NSW road rules quizz app? I think an app like this would be great for new drivers like my son and old school drivers who need to refresh and/or sharpen up their knowledge. I would love to know if there is anything like this.

With reference to motorists over the age of 60 allegedly driving dangerous older cars, Mr Cadogan this is age discriminatory and frankly in many instances it is untrue - many more young drivers drive old cars - however to say that new cars are safe is rubbish - because they crumple say you. Mr. Cadogan - I have a hardy 1985 Subaru Leone which because of its build save me from a severe accident. So please be more careful when you use age - it is a reportable discriminatory comment.

I'm also looking at moving on from my current car (Alfa Giulietta QV) to something a bit bigger, and I'd love to know what your recommendations are for something similarly exciting that'll fit 2 kids plus a baby seat across the back for around $50k-ish. I did want to hang on for the forthcoming Alfa Giulia, but that doesn't seem to be coming any time soon. 

How can I tell if my car can safely use e10 unleaded petrol?

I have been reading your answers to many questions about cars. I just want to ask what are thoughts about CVT vs Sports Automatic.

I have done 265,000km in my 2002 Mazda 323 SP20. Someone said if I change the injectors and fix the wheel bearings it should keep going OK. I need a reliable car as I drive from Menai to Wollongong (65km) four days and week. Rego is due in July. If I spend $20,000 to $25,000 max on a new car would you recommend a Hyundai Veloster, Hyundai i30, Volkswagen Golf or Mazda3?

Ford, Holden and Toyota blame everyone and everything (except themselves) for the demise of local car making. The Federal government blames the opposition, and vice-versa. And the Victorian and South Australian premiers blame the feds. It’s all political buck-passing. Here’s what really killed car-making Down Under:

Should BMW rotate my tyres during service?

Only elite racing drivers get to experience - routinely - three or four Gs. The rest of us can only dream … or maybe not. The video above is - quite possibly - insane. Pathalogically. Crazy. But cool. But definitely crazy. It’s one of the most profoundly comfort-zone obliterating experiences you’ll ever have.

It's very hard to know where any car is really made. It's easy to presume, and be dead wrong. In practise, the car industry does not want you to know. And yeah; it matters. We've got allegedly German cars built in South Africa, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic and Spain. So-called Japanese cars that come from 'Straya, the UK, India and Thailand.We’ve got notionally American cars coming from Mexico and Canada, and allegedly South Korean cars coming from the Czech Republic and India. There are even French cars coming from South Korea, and Italian cars from Poland. It’s a multi-cultural motoring mish-mash, and the car industry really doesn't want you to think too hard about it. Not on the cusp of writing that big, fat cheque. Especially ze Chermans.

Mercedes-Benz took a potshot at free-market competition recently, firing a gravity bomb into insurers, but what they’re really doing is trying to engineer a monopoly, so they can rip you off, with impunity, until the end of time. Mercedes-Benz even calls them "counterfeit" parts - framing the debate conveniently as if alternative suppliers of parts are in some way criminals, or perhaps black marketeers. In fact, what they are, are direct marketplace competitors.

I want to make use of the EOFY sales and want to buy a Toyota Kluger GXL. It advertises the full drive away price (12 month rego and ctp) as around $55k. How much do you think I can realistically haggle it down to?