Holden Barina Problems

The advice you have received from your mechanic is bad; ABS is an important safety system and should be repaired to proper working order as soon as possible. Definitely do not have it disconnected. A regular mechanic should be able to find the fault and repair it, but I would recommend you take it to a Holden dealer, despite your fears about the cost.

HOLDEN recommended 91 RON regular unleaded for the SB Barina GSi, so it would run satisfactorily on E10. The main issues are regular servicing and hard driving.

BEFORE the introduction of the Opel-sourced Barina in 1994 the Barinas were rebadged Suzukis. They are generally a good engine and the compression numbers are about right. Make sure it's not rattling or blowing smoke from the exhaust. If it is in good condition it's well priced and should be a reliable little car.

APPLY some soapy water or some other form of lubrication to the seal the hatch closes on and see if that affects the noise. From your description it sounds as if the door might be moving on the rubber seal and causing the noise.

HAVE you switched fuel recently? A change of fuel can have the effect you complain of. Of course, it's worth checking the basics to make sure the engine management system is doing what it's meant to be doing, particularly during the cold phase.

WHY are you having your car serviced before you need to? Why 39,900km instead of 45,000km? Generally, modern cars consume pads and discs at a faster rate than older cars do, and European cars generally consume them at a faster rate than locally produced cars. It's largely to do with braking performance, as well as the switch away from pad materials containing asbestos, which are outlawed for health reasons. Ask to see the discs and have the dealer show you that they need to be replaced, including having him measure the discs in front of you. I would be sceptical about claims they're worn out at such low mileage.

IT IS possible the clunk will go away. I don't think you're doing damage, but if it's still there when you take it back for the first service, mention it again to your dealer.

Have you noticed how well your car stops compared with those you were probably running around in 20 years or more ago? That stopping power has come courtesy of a number of improvements, including greater friction between the rotors and pads, and that has been achieved by softer pads and softer rotors. That unfortunately comes at a cost of increased brake wear in general and the need to replace rotors on a regular basis where we once almost never needed to.

Some AM stations don't have a very strong signal and that, in combination with the tiny roof-mounted antenna on the Barina, leads to problems. The longer the antenna the better the reception, but modern cars don't have long antennas that would solve your problem. It would be worth checking the antenna connections and mountings again to make sure water hasn't got in. And check the signal amplifier at the base of the antenna. Finally, unscrew the antenna, insert a coat hanger in its place and check the reception with that. If it improves the problem is with the antenna, so see if you can find a longer antenna.