choosing used car

Hi,

I am thinking of buy a second hand 2007 Freelander 2 with 90k miles. I would be grateful for your insights on 2 questions: 1. What major service issues should i check should have been done already by 90k (e.g. timing belt changes, etc) and what major works / replacements do you think will need doing in the future ? 2. I have read that Freelanders can develop signficant problems (more the old version than this one). Do you think that if this Freelander 2 has not developed such problems by 90k that it is likely that most problems in the future will be related to mileage undertaken ? (i.e. if such problems have not surfaced by 90k they are not likely to) I am not absolutely committed to buy a Freelander 2 so if you warn me to stay away from Freelanders i wont be disappointed!

Regards and thank you in advance, Ciaran.

Hi,

I'm considering buying a 04/05 Saab 9-3 petrol with about 80,000 miles on the clock. I have always like this car but are they reliable? And are they expensive to repair? My heart is telling me to get the saab and my head is telling me to get an Avensis/Mondeo type car..Help!

Thanks Ray

We are a family of five - Mom, Dad, three boys - and we are looking for an affordable car since I (mom) got into an accident and the other car is beyond repair. We are looking at a used Skoda 1.6-litre petrol. Are these good cars?

Great site. I have one myself so know the amount of work it takes to keep it running so well done.
 
I have a 2001 Audi A6 and want to replace it with an estate as I have a dog. I have about €20k to spend and am not worried about getting a car that is a few years old, as I do not do much mileage.

Thanks

Hi, I am looking for a reasonably stylish and fun-to-drive car that is practical enough to carry a couple of sets of golf clubs. I only drive about 3,000 miles a year as I live in city centre and walk most places. I therefore was thinking a petrol model would be a wiser choice than diesel.

I am less worried about upfront cost and more about cost of ownership such as depreciation, servicing, maintenance etc. I don't mind spending more for quality, but value and reliability are important. I am therefore thinking a couple years old maximum.

Cars I have considered are a 2008/9 Mazda6 Sport five-door with the 1.8-litre petrol engine (tough to find) and a 2009 Audi A5 with the 2.0 TFSI engine. This probably shows that I have a pretty broad range of things I would consider and I would be open to something completely different. What are your thoughts?

Apologies as I know its a fairly broad question but I figure you guys need a challenge every now and again.

Thanks for the great site, there really is no equal in Ireland.

Hi guys - I'm thinking of putting in an offer on a 2010 Skoda Octavia Elegance (1.6 TDI), which has been imported from the North. The dealer will allow me about €2k (although in reality I suspect a lot less) on my own 02 Octavia.

Should I seek some reduction in the quoted price on the basis that a) the car has a speedometer in mph and it would cost me to change this and b) it's currently in use by one of the sales people with all the evidence of normal family use over several months and c) it's beyond it's due service. I don't know how much below the initial asking price I should start my offer. Thanks.

I have roughly €10k to spend on a used car and I was hoping you might help with my choice. My requirements are: I drive 50,000 kilometers annually (work mainly) so a diesel would be essential; I have two children so a saloon sized car or bigger would be needed; and I really like a car with generous extras. Have you any ideas what might fit my need?

Thanks so much.

Why do car dealers make a farce of car advertising by continuing to advertise cars that have long been sold? I sent two emails to a Ford dealer in Cork expressing interest in a car. I got no answer. I telephoned and was told that the car was well gone and they muttered something about a problem with their emails as an excuse for not replying.

This particular ad is still on serveral sites including the dealer's own site. What is the point of following up and wasting time with chasing these cars?!

Is an 06 Subaru Impreza 1.5 AWD estate any good? Nice looking car, good size, but is it cheaper than its rivals for a reason?

Gentlemen - a 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 1.8-litre petrol or an Audi A6 2.0-litre diesel? Thank you