Mitsubishi Problems

IT'S NOT a problem mechanics are familiar with but they say one of the vent hoses on the tank may be blocked, cracked, or even dislodged.

EACH fuel company offers a 98 RON fuel above regular unleaded and each makes claims about the benefits of their particular fuel. They aren't the same so trying a different brand may work, but I would use regular unleaded in your Magna. I believe the benefits of using the higher-grade fuel are negligible, which your results suggest.

I HAVEN'T reviewed the model you are considering, but be careful about any car you look at. And have it inspected by an expert. Any car of that age will be showing high kilometres, and the TN Magna had troubles with its auto transmission when new. The engine will most likely have a noisy timing chain, and could be blowing smoke.

Your need for a 1998 or later model for $10,000 makes things difficult. I would recommend you try a Nissan Pulsar N15 which was introduced in 1995 -- it's well built, reliable and has good resale value.

There's no reason the Avalon should be any thirstier than the Camry. They're about the same weight and they share the same V6 engine and drivetrain. The Avalon is locally produced, not imported, so the parts are the same price as the Camry's. On the current market the Magna is the best buy in that its used values have slumped, the Camry and Avalon are standing up well, while the Commodore remains popular and hence has good resale value. In terms of mechanical reliability, it's hard to go past Toyota and I would probably prefer the Camry or the Avalon, but all four have good reliability and will do the job well.

The trade holds the Hilux up as the best of those you've mentioned. The Toyota turbo diesel is easily the best, but the downside is that you'll have to pay up to $3000 more to get behind the wheel of a Hilux. The others are OK, and all rated equally, but there are plenty of reports from the trade about problems with the Nissan turbo diesel so I'd recommend caution. If you were to consider a Navara, make sure it has an extended warranty for peace of mind.

Your Falcon would have tested about 13 litres/ 100km when new. For comparison purposes, the Commodore V6 would return about 11.5 litres/100km, the 3.5-litre V6 Magna about 10.5 and the Camry closer to 13. Clearly, on that basis the Magna is the car for you.

Checked with Mitsubishi experts Des & Grays Automotive in Ferntree Gully and they suggest you check the engine mounts. The Magna has a tendency to chop out the engine mounts, the front one in particular, and the engine is then able to move further until it's hard up against the mount. In such a case the exhaust can also be hard up against its mounts, and the result is a harshness transmitted through the body. That's the most likely cause, but it's also worth checking the transmission. You don't say if it's got an auto trans, but if it has it could be slipping in reverse.

Both are decent people movers. The Toyota Tarago was one of the first purpose-designed people movers, rather than a converted van, and as a result it had refined road manners more like a regular passenger car than a commercial vehicle. The Tarago's 2.4-litre, fuel-injected four-cylinder motor is adequate, but running it on LPG would take the edge off its performance. The Mitsubishi Starwagon also had decent road manners, but was based on a van. Its base engine was a 2.0-litre four and I would avoid that one. The optional 2.4-litre fuel-injected four is a better choice. My choice would be the Tarago, and you should be able to find a 1990-1994 model for $15,000.