COVERAGE CONCERNS
applied to performance cars? An interesting one for discussion.
HANDLED BADLY
Re Richard Blackburn’s “Family Freighters” article, he said the Mazda CX-5’s roadholding was impressive. Sorry, your thoughts are out of date. I owned a 2015 CX-5 Akera which had excellent road manners, but we replaced this with a 2019 CX-5 Akera which was like a blancmange and wallowed and swayed. Roadholding is now very unimpressive. We sold it for an Audi Q2.
John Aldersey, email
We must report as we find and personally, my test of the CX-5 Akera said “It behaves itself in corners, feel safe, well balanced, nice to steer and grips well.” Your experience appears very unusual.
NOSTALGIA PAYDAY
I own a 1995 Ford EF XR6 Wagon manual – the
last of the Tickfords, I’ve been told. It’s in perfect condition, but as I’m getting a bit long in the tooth I’m thinking of selling. How much should I ask for it?
David McMullen, email
Pick a number, basically. You’re in no rush to sell, it’s rare and there’s valuable nostalgia in Aussiebuilt cars. An EF XR6 won’t win any beauty contests, but there’ll be someone who’ll have a soft spot. An immaculate EF XR6 sedan auto is in the classifieds at $49,950, but that seems crazy. I’d list yours for half that and gauge interest. Alternatively, show it on a Falcon enthusiast forum on Facebook or the internet and ask for offers. Nothing to lose.
HEART OVER HEAD?
What’s your opinion on a 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia? Not the monster QV, but an entry level or Super version? I hear many conflicting stories, as is customary with Alfas. My passion
is my Alfa Romeo 159 but I feel it’s time to move on. Stan Tsaridis, email
Most car enthusiasts have a soft spot for Alfas. In the aesthetically-blessed Giulia’s case, deep down you know a BMW 3 Series or Mercedes C-Class is probably the better choice, but the Alfa’s soul, beauty and Italian-ness sprinkle magic. There’s no bad angle style-wise and it drives and handles sweetly, but the engine could use more verve and the interior feels cheap in places. If you can find one with some of its three-year warranty intact, go for it. Then cross your fingers.
UNDER PRESSURE
I recently had new tyres fitted to my Honda CR-V. The tyre shop set pressures to 40 psi, even though Honda’s recommendation is 30 psi. I questioned it, and they said I’d get better wear at 40 psi. But general advice is not to over- or under-inflate tyres. The maximum pressure for my tyres is 44 psi, which I suspect could be breached on a long hot trip when cold tyre pressure is 40 psi.
Rob Lochran, email
This is a bit of a curly one. There are variables like types of road and driving style to consider, but safety is key. Too much or too little pressure reduces a tyre’s contact patch with the road, accelerating wear in certain places and reducing cornering ability and braking grip. My tyre expert said he always adds about 2-3psi more than recommended, or sometimes 5 psi if he’s seen your previous tyre sides wearing unevenly. That 40 psi is too high, will quickly wear the middle of your tyre and ruin ride comfort. Some tyre shops over-inflate so your Tyre Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) warning light doesn’t come on as tyre pressure inevitably drops. For your Honda, he said try 33 psi and check at least every month.