COVERAGE CONCERNS

IAIN CURRY GETS ANSWERS WRITE TO MOTORING AT CARS@NEWS.COM.AU OR PO BOX 2808, GPO SYDNEY, 2001

In 2018 I bought a new Honda CR-V from a dealer in Lismore with seven-year warranty, roadside assist and fixed-price servicing. Honda has recently reduced its dealerships and my dealer has gone. Apparently my next closest would involve a two-hour trip for servicing. This action by Honda reeks to me like a midnight skip. In their departing information letter nothing was mentioned on how my warranty or servicing would be maintained.

Richard Carpendale, email

Honda says there is a new Honda Centre in Lismore, although you tell me there’s not yet signage up to indicate this. The brand says your seven-year warranty and roadside assistance “remain with the vehicle and is covered by Honda Australia”. To that end, they are extending a complimentary service as a “a gesture of goodwill”. A great result.

DUAL CAB MENACE

Newly-licensed P-platers of old often drove modified Commodores and Falcons: lowered, loud exhausts and aftermarket alloys. Nowadays, they’re all into tricked-up and jacked-up 4x4s, mainly utes. Sedans of old at least handled reasonably and had highway tyres, but these utes have a high centre of gravity and tyres better suited to muddy mountains. The news article on a HiLuxdriving P-plater caught at 173km/h bears witness to my concerns. What’s being done to alert P-platers to the error of their ways? Michael Cemm, email

It’s a good point, but let’s not sugar coat the past. Those modified sedans often found themselves wrapped around trees or posts with terrible outcomes. They still do. But you’re right to be concerned about inexperienced drivers in giant, heavy 4WDs on all-terrain tyres. They are a handful at higher speeds and take longer to pull up compared to passenger cars. Wet roads exacerbate these problems. It’s a free country so we should all drive the cars we want, but education is key. Should giant dual-cab utes be subject to the same P-plate restrictions now 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 Sorry, your thoughts are out of date.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 Aussie-built 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 pressures at least every month.