Matt Greenop: Good advice on cars better from an expert

Car advice is a dangerous game - get it right and you're a hero (until it breaks down), get it wrong and you'll never hear the end of it. Photo / Thinkstock

Good advice on cars better from an expert

Ask anyone who writes about cars, sells cars or is faintly involved in the industry, and they'll have dozens of tales of mates, acquaintances and, heaven forbid, family members, who have come asking for advice on what to buy.

This is a dangerous game - if the cars you suggest aren't exactly what the person wants (whether they've explained their needs to you properly or not), you will never, ever hear the end of it.

Guys asking about cars are quite often just after a bit of reassurance over something they've already bought, and if you come up with anything other than what they've bought, you're going to get it in the ear : 'Yeah, Darryl, you couldn't have got a better buy than $14K for an AU Falcon, repainted in calf poo brown, what a fantastic deal.'

Women usually ask better questions, and therefore get better answers.

There's a lot of detail needed to make an informed buying decision - how many seats; how you like to drive; if you go offroad, do the kids tend to wreck stuff easily; save the planet, or just drive on it; go fast or go quietly; and of course, how much do you want to spend?

The list of questions is endless, and that's why we like to pass the buck on to our resident guru of gear Jack Biddle.

Despite his youthful good looks, Jack's been testing cars since most of us were testing baby bottles.

If you want to know what the best vehicle for you is, just write to Jack at driven@apn.co.nz and he'll give you some straightforward advice.

As long as you're not mates, mates of mates, or family.