Honda Problems

Yes, I think the dealer is doing the appropriate thing. It’s not unusual for a whole door to be replaced; it’s easier and quicker to do that than repair the door panel. For you the end result is almost certainly better doing it that way. There’s no reason or justification to replace the car.

Try wiggling the steering wheel while you’re trying to turn the key; that might release it. But the ignition switch is probably worn and needs to be replaced.

No doubt there are 4WDs available for $3100, but they will be old, worn out, and probably unroadworthy. Try something like a 2000-2001 Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Nissan X-Trail, Subaru Forester, or Suzuki Grand Vitara, and buy the best one you can find.

By buying a new HR-V you’re getting the benefits of driving a car that no one has driven before you, you know its history, so it’s a know quantity. By buying a used car you are gambling that it has been looked after, it hasn’t been crashed or damaged in any major way. You’re also buying a car that will have done upwards of 100,000 km, so its usable life going forward is reduced compared to a new car. As long as the HR-V fits your needs and wants it’s probably the best way to go.

So many things affect road noise, which makes it difficult to fix. There’s the road surface itself, the tyres, and the noise insulation in the vehicle. The Honda CR-V might well be quieter, but could still be noisy on the roads you drive on. If the road noise is the thing that is making you switch vehicles, then it might be worth talking to a tyre dealer about a tyre that might be quieter than the ones on your Kluger. If you want to go down that road, you could try a Mazda CX-5 or CX-7, a Kia Sorento or Sportage, Toyota RAV4.

A guide to the price being asked by private sellers is $1400 to $3200, as a trade-in it would be less.

Honda hasn’t sold a 3.0-litre Odyssey here since 2004, it has used a 2.4-litre engine since then. If you really want a 3.0-litre one your $15,000 will buy the best one on the market and leave you with a pocket full of change.

The best times to buy are usually the end of the financial year, or at model run-out times, that's when the specials are on. The CVT and dual-clutch autos are both still unknowns in terms of long-term reliability, but either should be ok over the five years you plan to keep the car. Any of the cars you list, and the list is a long one, would be ok. It really comes down to what you like.

In general Hondas are well designed and built to a high standard, so they generally outdo the Holden Captiva on most counts.

There doesn’t appear to be anything in your regular driving routine that is out of the ordinary, nothing that would demand more frequent oil changes. I would question the advice you have been given by the dealer and Honda, and I would ask that the oil monitoring system be checked to see that it isn’t giving false readings.