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Need a mid-sized saloon for up to €9,000.

My wife and I are looking for a second hand saloon, mid-size (1.5 to 1.8-litre), primarily for her use, with a budget of maybe €8,000 to €9,000. Possibilites we've spotted include a 2008 Mazda6, a 2008 Toyota Avensis and a 2007 Skoda Octavia. The car would be doing 15,000 to 18,000 miles per year, so we're trying to find something that doesn't have excessively high mileage already. Might be a tall order, but any advice on the ones I've mentioned, or are there any suggestions on any other makes and models that might fit the bill?

Many thanks.

Is the 2004 Kia Carens a reliable MPV?

Hi there,

I'm planning to buy a car for our aupair. I saw a cheap Kia Carens (2004) I could buy from a dealer for €2,350. I'm wondering how economical and reliable this car is. I'm not sure Kia would have been as reliable then as it is now.

Tell me about the Toyota Auris 1.2...

Hi,

My friend is considering buying a new Toyota Auris 1.2 Turbo petrol and was asking me for some advice. Is this engine the same as the Puretech one made by Peugeot, as I know Toyota and PSA share some engines, etc? Or is it made by Toyota themselves or is it a BMW engine? I would almost rather if it was much the same as the PSA Puretech one, but is this so?

Kieran, Waterford.

Petrol or diesel Mazda CX-5 for 2018?

Hi there.

I have a 161 Mazda CX-5 diesel and I am hoping to change it next year. As I don't do much mileage, approx. 12,000km per year,  I was thinking of changing to the petrol model. Do you have any opinion on the CX-5 petrol model good or bad? Or should I stick to the diesel? Apart from anything the petrol is cheaper to buy. I would very much appreciate any advice you could give me.

Many thanks

Gerard. Dundalk, Co. Louth

Which premium estate for up to €14,000?

Hi.

I'm in a top spec '07 BMW 3 Series 2.0 petrol auto with only 60k miles. I love the car but need more space. Any recommendations you have would be greatly appreciated. My overall budget is max €14k (€10k plus €4k that I hope to get by selling privately, as dealers are only offering me €3k). I would like to stick to a premium brand, and would buy a used estate version of my current car, except they're all diesel and I don't do enough mileage to warrant a diesel engine.

Many thanks and best regards

Tony, Dublin