Used cars to be careful with in New Zealand
The models carrying the most expensive documented faults in NZ, what those faults cost, and the exact check that tells you whether this car is one of the bad ones.
This is not a list of bad cars. Several of the models here are good to drive, well equipped and sensible buys when you get the right one. What they share is a documented fault severe enough that getting the wrong one costs more than the car is worth.
So treat this as a list of cars that need a harder look, with the specific thing to look at named for each. Every fault, year band and cost below comes from documented records rather than opinion.
Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento, petrol
The single most expensive documented fault in our catalogue for a mainstream family car.
- Santa Fe 2013 to 2018, Theta II connecting rod bearing failure leading to engine seizure. Documented as a common fault. Typical repair $8,000 to $18,000.
- Sorento 2009 to 2020, Theta II and Nu 2.4 rod bearing oil starvation failure, $5,000 to $14,000.
- Santa Fe 2020 onward, SmartStream 2.5 GDI rod bearing failure from cold start, $8,000 to $22,000.
- Sorento 2015 to 2020, Theta II GDI rod bearing failure described as catastrophic engine failure, $8,000 to $14,000.
The check: find out whether the engine has been replaced or inspected under the manufacturer campaign, and listen for a knock from cold at idle. Hyundai Santa Fe inspection guide and Kia Sorento inspection guide.
Nissan X-Trail, automatic
Six separate documented CVT faults across the generations, more than any other model in the catalogue.
- 2014 to 2022, Xtronic CVT judder and premature failure, logged as very common, $4,000 to $8,500.
- 2007 to 2013, T31 Jatco JF011E CVT shudder and thermal overload failure, $4,500 to $9,500.
- 2014 onward, CVT internal mechanical failure and total loss of drive, $4,000 to $9,000.
- 2001 to 2007, T30 rear subframe crossmember rust-through at the mounts, $1,800 to $5,500. Structural, not cosmetic.
The check: drive it from cold and hold a light steady throttle uphill for a minute. Any shudder, or revs that flare without the car accelerating, is the fault. Nissan X-Trail inspection guide.
Subaru Forester, 1997 to 2013 petrol
Five separate head gasket faults are documented across the EJ20 and EJ25 engines, all logged as very common, spanning nearly every year in that range. Typical repair $1,800 to $5,000.
The check: this is one where the right paperwork changes everything. A Forester with an invoice for a head gasket job already done is often a better buy than a lower-mileage one without. Ask for that specific invoice, and look for coolant staining down the back of the block. Subaru Forester inspection guide.
Holden Captiva
Cheap to get into for the size, which is most of why people end up in one. The catalogue holds 17 documented faults with a typical single repair running $900 to $4,200, which is high for a vehicle at this end of the market. The economics are the problem rather than any one dramatic failure: repairs cost the same as they do on more expensive cars, while the vehicle itself is worth much less. Holden Captiva inspection guide.
Mitsubishi Outlander, 2007 to 2015 petrol
The Jatco JF011E CVT is documented for primary pulley bearing failure at $3,500 to $8,500, and the 2006 to 2012 4B11 engine for balance shaft oil pump failure causing oil starvation at $1,800 to $6,500.
The check: same cold-drive gearbox test as the X-Trail, plus a look for any history of oil pressure warnings. Note that the plug-in hybrid Outlander is a completely different risk profile and is not covered by this. Mitsubishi Outlander inspection guide.
Nissan Navara and Ford Ranger diesels
Both are capable utes with genuinely severe documented engine faults, and on both the engine code decides the risk.
- Navara ZD30DDTi, 2001 to 2015, cracked pistons and head gasket failure, very common, $7,000 to $18,000.
- Navara YD25DDTi, 2005 to 2015, rear timing chain tensioner catastrophic failure, very common, $5,000 to $14,000.
- Ranger 2.0 EcoBlue, 2018 onward, CP4 high-pressure fuel pump catastrophic failure, $9,000 to $22,000.
- Ranger 3.2 TDCi, 2011 to 2018, high-pressure fuel pump metal contamination of the fuel system, very common, $4,500 to $15,000.
The check: get the engine code before anything else, then ask specifically about fuel system and timing chain work. Full detail in the best used utes guide, the Nissan Navara inspection guide and the Ford Ranger inspection guide.
The pattern worth taking away
- 1.Almost every catastrophic fault here is an engine or a gearbox. Everything else is negotiable money.
- 2.The engine code decides the risk more than the model or the year does. Two identical-looking utes can differ by $15,000 in worst case.
- 3.Most of these faults present when cold and hide when warm, which is why a seller who has already warmed the car up is worth asking about.
- 4.Where a manufacturer campaign exists, whether the work was done is the entire question. That is checkable by VIN and it is free.
- 5.A car being on this page is not a reason to walk. It is a reason to inspect properly and to price the risk into your offer.
Check before you buy, not after
Get a guided pre-purchase inspection, a market valuation, and the documented faults for that exact engine, turned into a negotiation figure. From $24.90.
Check the model before you view
Every documented fault for these models, with the years and engines each one applies to.
Frequently asked questions
What used cars should I avoid in New Zealand?
Rather than avoiding models outright, be careful with the ones carrying documented faults that cost more than the car. The clearest examples are petrol Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento models with the Theta II engine, where rod bearing failure is documented at $5,000 to $18,000, automatic Nissan X-Trails with the Xtronic CVT at $4,000 to $9,500, and Nissan Navara diesels at $5,000 to $18,000.
Is the Subaru Forester head gasket problem really that common?
Five separate head gasket faults are documented across the EJ20 and EJ25 engines from 1997 to 2013, and all five are logged as very common. Typical repair is $1,800 to $5,000. A Forester that has already had the work done, with an invoice to prove it, removes most of that risk.
Are CVT gearboxes reliable?
Some are and some are not, and the model matters enormously. The Nissan Xtronic CVT in the X-Trail and the Jatco JF011E in the 2007 to 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander are both documented for failures in the $3,500 to $9,500 range. Test any CVT car from cold under load before buying.
How do I check if an engine was replaced under a recall or campaign?
Manufacturer campaign work is recorded against the vehicle identification number, so a franchise dealer for that brand can tell you whether the work was done or is still outstanding. It is worth doing before you view rather than after, because on some of these models it is the single fact that decides the purchase.