Don’t lose your shirt
I’m after a new SUV with good fuel efficiency and solid resale. I’ve been comparing the Chery Omoda 5 GT as it’s got high specification and the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid for fuel economy, although I’m concerned about hybrid battery life. Shane Macdonald, email
Resale-wise you’ve got polar opposites here. Due to demand, used RAV4 Hybrids have retained almost all their value, even after several years. New Chery Omoda 5s are currently being sold with a $3000 factory discount and ex-demo/near new ones are listed well below retail price. These are all poor outlooks for retained value. We tested the Omoda 5 last year, praising its styling, performance, high specification and seven-year warranty, but criticising its build quality, poor driver assist, sub-par roadholding and thirsty engine. For your criteria, the Toyota’s the easy choice – its 4.7L/100km is superb and almost attainable, while real world driving had the Chery at more than 10L/100km.
AT YOUR SERVICE Your reviews include prices for servicing. Are these set by the manufacturer and enforceable, or can the dealer charge what they like? Jim Malone, email
Capped price servicing is now commonplace for mainstream brands, giving car owners transparency about the maximum cost of each scheduled service. The dealer cannot charge what they like, although they’ll charge extra for work required outside logbook servicing – brake pads, etc. Capped prices tend to increase annually but you can mitigate this by buying three- or fiveyear service plans upfront.
MINEFIELD OUT THERE I’m helping my 19 year-old nephew buy a second-hand car. Where would you suggest looking for a trustworthy one? We’ve tried Facebook Marketplace but I worry about this. He wants a manual that’s fuel efficient. I’ve seen some 2014 Mazdas but he’s concerned about price. Belinda Eames, email
Marketplace has countless backyard car dealers masquerading as private sellers to avoid trading laws. Make sure the seller’s owned the vehicle for a couple of years. Don’t risk buying from auction sites either, as there are no warranties or returns. Nothing’s risk-free, but my ideal would be a private seller who has owned the car for years, has proof of scheduled services and provides a roadworthy certificate. A post-2014 Mazda2 is a good bet, as are newer Suzuki Swifts or Kia Picantos.
MYSTERY UNSOLVED
My 2022 BMW 1 Series has recurring creaking around the sunroof. It’s been back to BMW three times, fixed under warranty, but then the creak returns 6-8 weeks later. It may sound a minor issue, but it’s driving me nuts and is getting louder. The people at BMW have been great to deal with, but they’re not sure what the problem is and
I’m tired of temporary fixes. What can I do? Peter Maryska, email
BMW-owner forums show creaking sunroofs are oft-reported. Solutions have included greasing, new clips, tightening bolts, additional padding and lubricating rubber seals – hopefully your BMW dealer has tried these, as it’s clearly a known issue. This creaking is what the ACCC would consider a “minor failure” and you’re entitled to have it repaired within a “reasonable amount of time”. As you’ve had to return on three occasions and there’s no permanent fix, you’re entitled to find an alternative repairer and bill BMW for the work. Discuss this with your BMW dealer, as clearly both parties want a time-saving solution.
HYBRID WINNER
We want to upgrade from our 2018 Hyundai Tucson diesel – budget about $55-60,000 – for a mid-size SUV. I’ve recently retired so my annual kilometres are a lot lower, but we do regular trips around Victoria and plan some interstate ones. We’re unsure about the longterm prospects of petrol and diesel,
so should we consider hybrids?
Phil and Inese Abourizk, email Modern hybrid medium SUVs can about match a turbo-diesel’s economy on long journeys, and are much less thirsty in town. A diesel’s particulate filter (DPF) is prone to clogging with too much urban use, so a hybrid’s your smart target. A Toyota RAV4 Hybrid’s almost a default choice – it’s a great economical allrounder but is getting old and the waiting list remains too long. Test the Honda CR-V Hybrid ($59,900 drive away), or slightly smaller, funkier Honda ZR-V Hybrid ($54,900 drive away) – they’re currently offered with eight-year warranty and cheap servicing costs. Also try the Nissan XTrail Ti hybrid (about $59,000 driveaway), and new Hyundai Kona Premium hybrid at about $48,000 drive-away.
SEEING IS BELIEVING
Re: advising Michael Chapman to get an independent pre-purchase inspection on a 10 year-old car, I’d echo this to confirm the ad’s not a scam or false advertising. I know an east coaster who bought a car from a WA dealer. It was guaranteed in good condition, but on arrival it was rubbish.
Trevor Trewin, Point Cook
A pre-purchase inspection is a nobrainer when buying sight unseen. A thorough, guaranteed inspection isn’t cheap (roughly $300), but a wise investment to prevent what happened above – it’s not easy returning a used car thousands of kilometres away.