Your questions answered: Is my dealer ripping me off?

Capped-price servicing was supposed to take all the confusion out of getting your car serviced.

No longer would your eyeballs pop out of your head when presented with the invoice for your car’s latest scheduled service.

That was the theory, at least. As one owner has found, however, capped-price servicing is not always a story with a happy ending.

Question: I recently had my car serviced at 90,000km and received the dreaded phone call mid-morning with a small list of items not covered by the capped-price service. It was windscreen wiper blades at $50, a brake fluid flush at $220 and a battery at $350. On the 75,000km service they also flushed the brake fluid and, when questioned about the sudden need to flush the brake fluid after only 15,000 more, I was told that maybe the cap had come loose and allowed moisture in. Not happy with the response I called the service manager and was asked if I do a lot of towing. Is this unusual or is the dealership being opportunistic? Should I have my car checked out by a brake specialist? – Paul T

Answer: On the surface this sounds like opportunism from a dealer doing things a bit tough. The arrival of capped-price servicing means some operators are trying to pad the bill – with things like cleaning of pollen filters and replacement of half-worn tyres. Yours is a timely reminder to question every charge.

Question:

Answer: The Holden Acadia is not great, not horrible, but took too long to arrive from the USA and by then Holden was in terminal decline. Probably better to avoid because it is an orphan as a once-off Holden model. There are plenty of good Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento models in your price range that are a better bet.

Question:

Answer:  The Mazda2 is getting old. The Rio is a good little car and great value but you’re more likely to enjoy the much newer Kia Stonic, which is also from Kia but more flexible for more people with its SUV packaging and easier access.

Question: I’m in the market to upgrade my wife’s 2005 Volkswagen Touareg and there are two cars that I’m looking at at the moment. They are the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Carnival Platinum. We are only five in the family but seven seats is always good. I was wondering if you have any experience with these cars. – Riko P

Answer: The Hyundai Palisade has a more American feel that many people are liking, but the latest Kia Carnival is also great. This is a line-ball call but probably better to go with the fully loaded Carnival and also enjoy the slightly longer warranty.

Question:

Answer: At its core there appears to be a disconnect (figuratively) between Hyundai and Apple’s developers. Understandably, neither is keen to point the finger. Hyundai has confirmed the following: “Apple have been assisting Hyundai in resolving the issue with the platform. Trial of software continues with an anticipated release date of Q4 (TBC). Customers have seen improvements in performance in uploading the latest iOS versions – iOS 14.7.1 – minimum dropout – and iOS 15 will offer further refinement to the CarPlay platform, further negating the dropouts. The release timing of this software is, however, down to Apple. Believed to be Q4 this year.” This suggests to us the problem lies at the Apple end.

Question: I am 33, single with no dependents and looking at a Toyota Yaris Ascent auto from 2014 or 2015. It really is just to get from A to B, so I would also like it to be economical and easy enough to get parts if things go wrong. I don’t want anything brand-new, though not too old either. Also, an auto. I would like a rear camera if possible, and be able to use my phone hands-free; though neither of these things are 100 per cent necessary. In terms of price range, my upper limit is $15,000. – Tahnee D

Answer: A Yaris will cost more, just because it is a Toyota, when you get far better value with a Hyundai or Kia. So a Kia Cerato is a good place to start, but probably best of all is the Suzuki Swift, which is Yaris in size, just as reliable, but better value with a great long-term reputation.

Question: I have had your advice before and now I’m needing to choose again. So, should it be Toyota Yaris, Hyundai i30, Suzuki Swift or Kia Picanto? – Linda F

Answer: If you have the cash for a relatively new car, still with factory warranty, then the Hyundai i30 is the way to go as it is bigger than the others and is a very good car. Otherwise, the Suzuki Swift is probably best as the Picanto is tiny and only good for short suburban trips. The Toyota Yaris is not good value against your other contenders.

Question:

Answer: The Hyundai Venue is a good little car and you should have no problems, but based on my recent test drives the Kia Stonic is even better. It’s in the same size and price range, but a better car in almost every area.

Question:

Answer: Easy. Hyundai Kona. Every time. And it’s carsales’ Best Small SUV 2021.

Question: My partner and I are considering purchasing a new Peugeot 3008 GT diesel. The problem is there is not one in Australia and unlikely to be until April 2022, although the petrol model may be available sooner. Is it worth the wait? Should we consider the petrol model? What do you suggest as alternative(s)? – Matt S

Answer: Blunt but honest? I drove a Peugeot 3008 last month and was not impressed. Nothing special at all. In contrast, the Peugeot 2008 was funky and fun and gets a thumbs up from me. If the size is okay for you, I’d definitely recommend the 2008. If not, go to Kia. Okay, not the same ambiance as a Peugeot, or the design flair, but a better car than a 3008 at a good price.

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