Your questions answered: Am I wrong to buy this car?

We are not always rational. We occasionally make emotional choices – especially buying a car that we really, really want.

The vehicle may be one with a reputation – good or bad. It could be from a brand that has strong support from its fans – less so from the general motoring public.

So, if the ownership experience of others agrees with your gut, does that make 'expert opinion' out of date?

Question: I am in need of a completely unbiased opinion as to why I shouldn't buy the last of the diesel Jeep Grand Cherokees. I have a 3.0-tonne caravan that I tow with a 4.2-litre Nissan Patrol, which is getting on. It has been a really good vehicle but as I am not a petrol fan so I can't upgrade to a new Nissan.

Every time I mention buying a Cherokee, I am told how unreliable these things are. But over a period of three months I have been talking with owners and I have not been able to find a single person that has had anything but great things to say about their vehicle. Your advice would be welcome as I want to get into one before the new model arrives. – David B

Answer: A change of management at Jeep in Australia has made a massive difference to customer service and the previous flood of complaints has reduced to a trickle. They are also being chased down and fixed – quickly.

As long as you do the appropriate due diligence on the actual car you are considering, there is no reason now that you should not buy the car you obviously want.

Question: My 24-year-old daughter wants to buy a Nissan QASHQAI, probably a demo with low kilometres, but I was wondering if a QASHQAI is a good car? What would you recommend in that class of vehicle? My daughter also mentioned Kia Seltos or a Mazda CX-5. – Gary L

Answer: The QASHQAI is a fine, not great, car and places third behind the Seltos and CX-5 in my view. The Mazda is a bit bigger and aimed at families, so the Kia will likely be the best one for her.

Question: Is the Hyundai ix35 Elite a good used car to buy, or does it have problems? It’s the only small SUV that I really like. I have also looked at the Hyundai Tucson, but I think it’s a bit big for me. My budget is approximately $21,000. – Regina H

Answer: The ix35 is a good, solid choice. But it’s ironic that you don’t like the Tucson, because that is the (slightly) larger and better successor to the ix35.

Question: My husband and I are in our 60s and are looking at the Mazda CX-30. If you recommend this car, which model is the best one to look at? Would you have any other recommendations of other similar makes that we should consider? – Andrena M

Answer: The CX-30 definitely gets The Tick from me. But, just to be sure, take a comparison drive from the Skoda showroom before you commit. The Czech brand, part of the VW Group, does some truly excellent and good-value SUVs.

Question: I'm 21 and looking to buy my first car and I've got about $10,000 but have no idea what to go for. I’m looking for a sedan or hatchback and something that is going to be reliable, so what would you suggest?

The car will be used to commute to and from work – a desk job – so I don't need to hold tools, and it would be able to go on road trips into the country so something that is comfortable on longer trips would be nice. – Mick B

Answer: There are a strong group of contenders, so you need to do some comparison driving and also look to see which cars you find attractive. Used car prices are booming at the moment but for $10K you’ll still get a good Asian small car – think Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Hyundai i30 – with less than 200,00km and 10 years under its belt (make sure it has electronic stability control, which was mandated in 2011).

Question: I currently own a Hyundai ix35 2010 model that I want to trade for a newer mid-sized SUV. I have narrowed my choices down to the Skoda Karoq TSI110 model or an MG Essence, which now apparently only has the XT model available. What are your thoughts on these two, please? – Rebecca P

Answer: The MG is a good-value choice but the Karoq is in a different league and is the one that gets The Tick from me. If the price works, it’s definitely a win for Skoda over MG.

Question: What are your thoughts on a 2015 Volkswagen CC 130TDI auto? I’m looking at a dealer vehicle with 87,000km and priced at $23,990 drive-away. – Eli

Answer: The CC is a very classy prestige car, but never got much of a welcome in Australia because no-one understood its strengths. Provided it is in good condition, which you should confirm with an impartial test by a state motor club or RedBook Inspect, it should be a very good purchase.

Question: We own a 2015 Nissan Pathfinder and it has developed some fan noise when the air-conditioning is engaged. We have sent it to the local Nissan dealership in Victoria and they informed us that the fan assembly would need replacement, as there was a real chance of severely damaging the engine.

The mechanics admitted that this is a known issue with the Pathfinder models and the estimated repair cost is around $2000. Neither I nor the mechanic could understand why this would not be under a recall or similar as it had the potential to cause major damage to the engine. I’d like to know your thoughts on the situation please. – Jason H

Answer: If it’s not a safety hazard, a car company is not compelled to do a recall. If it’s a known problem, there will be a service advice bulletin to dealerships. If you have been servicing regularly at the Nissan dealership you should request a ‘loyalty contribution’ from Nissan Australia to assist with the cost of repairs.

But if you’re outside the official network then a ‘known issue’ could just be gossip and you need to contact Nissan HQ to get things straight.

Question: I would appreciate your opinion on an issue I have with my 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan R model 162 E888 engine. The dealership has advised that the car has a slow leak from the water pump and the service department needs to replace the water pump and thermostat.

The car has only done 48,000km and has been fully serviced by them. They have reduced costs from the original price by offering to cover 70 per cent, so do you think it is a fair amount for me to pay? Also, I understand there was a class action on this issue in the USA with a similar motor that VW then paid for this repair. – Scott O

Answer: After the warranty period, a 70 per cent contribution is a good result from most companies, including Volkswagen. Do not rely on news out of America, as the situation is usually very different to Australia.

Question: I am the very proud owner of a 2017 Mitsubishi Pajero and I love my car, but for a couple of issues. I just can't seem to get the radio voices clear, no matter what I do. My favourite station is 3AW in Melbourne and it's so frustrating that I'm not hearing clearly. We also have a car fridge and when it is plugged in there is nothing but static on the AM band, although FM is all right. – Helen G

Answer: Your problem is that AM radio is an outdated technology – like cassettes and CDs – and car companies and makers of infotainment systems do not make any effort to improve AM radio reception (or suppression of electrical interference with the signal).

The best idea would be to stream your AM favourite from a smartphone app or on digital radio, even if it means changing the ‘head’ unit in the Pajero. You will spend a lot of time and effort on AM reception with no result.

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