Q: I have a Hyundai i30 N-Line which has done 60,000 kilometres. My recent service said I had to replace my fuel filter, which they said was part of a major service. Is this correct because I wasn’t given an option by two dealers? I looked it up after my service and it said that the filter should last the lifetime of the car.
I feel like I just got scammed.
Robert Vogl
A: If it’s not listed on the official service requirements then it didn’t need to be changed – unless an inspection at the dealership showed some blockage. You should go back go back to the dealership for a firm ‘please explain’ from the service manager. Also check what else might have been done that was not required. Report your complaint to customer service at Hyundai Australia.
Q: My mum is 75-years-old and wants to buy a new car. She is looking at the Alfa Romeo Tonale, Stelvio and the Mercedes-Benz GLC. She does lots of city driving as well as a few longer country trips monthly.
Milena Zanetti
A: Sadly for the Alfisti, the historic fans of the Italian brand, the current cars are nothing special and based on lesser contenders from elsewhere in the Stellantis group – usually in the USA. So your mum needs to avoid any emotion in the purchase. Both the Stelvio and Tonale SUVs are underwhelming and don’t even have the lovely engine noise of earlier generations. So it would be the compact Benz SUV, by a huge margin, for me.
Q: Will Toyota Australia deliver the 200-horsepower Toyota Corolla station wagon?
Peter Swan
A: Toyota does not sell the Corolla wagon in Australia. It was discontinued a long time ago because buyers in the compact class switched almost completely to SUVs. So the chance of a hottie Corolla wagon for fans like you is, sadly, a zero.
Q: I am thinking of buying a secondhand hand hot hatch for around $30,000. I would really appreciate your thoughts and any recommendation.
Dave
A: Many of the best hot hatches – Ford Focus RS, Renault Clio RS and others – have withered in showrooms like the baby wagons because people have shifted their choices to compact SUVs. The good news is that there are still the N cars from Hyundai, and an i30N would be just the tick for you with plenty of pre-owned choices.
Q: I am wanting some genuine advice regarding a first car for my daughter as you helped us many years ago in 2008 with advice for a Toyota HiLux for my husband which he proudly still owns. She is quite adamant in buying a Mazda3 or CX-3. In your opinion, what are your thoughts and advice? Any recalls or issues we should be aware of? What should we be looking for? She is quite fond of the CX-3, but which is better compared with the Mazda3? To be honest we are quite scared as early last year we purchased privately a Nissan Pulsar 2013 and we were not aware at the time that it had serious CVT issues and we had to sell it within a month. It was a terrible experience for the whole family especially my daughter. So now we are looking to purchase through a reputable car dealership.
Morena
A: To give the full picture, the CX-3 is based on the smaller Mazda2 and not the Mazda3. So, straight away the Mazda3 hatch is larger and more substantial, but it’s hard otherwise to mount an argument against the CX-3 when SUVs are so popular. If she’s going for a new car, then the CX-3 has had a recent update and is a good thing, but on the secondhand side the Mazda3 is the much better choice. In any case, and even from a dealer, get a proper pre-purchase inspection from your state’s motor club and do not just rely on a roadworthy certificate.
Q: My husband has always had company cars, but he’s about to start a new job that doesn’t include one, so we’re just beginning our research into what to buy. He’s not particularly interested in cars and would ideally like to spend as little as possible. We’re looking at either an EV or hybrid, with a budget of around $35,000. We noticed the new MG4 Urban and would really appreciate your thoughts on it. Is it something you would recommend, or are there any other small EVs or hybrids you think we should consider?
Annette Jebb
A: MG is a budget Chinese brand but if your husband only wants A-to-B transport then it will do the job. Be careful about your needs, as a battery-electric vehicle can be a challenge for longer distances and if it’s not just for short-haul commuting then a hybrid would be smarter. For comparison, the GAC Aion UT is surprisingly good despite coming from another of the unknown Chinese brands.
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