Ask Us Anything

I am thinking of purchasing a '06 or '07 Toyota Corolla Hatchback with all the extras. I have spotted one at an independent dealer that suits my requirements however the dealer is not a member of the SIMI.

Would i be better of purchashing from an SIMI dealer even if this car at the independent dealer checks out ok.? They have told me that the mileage/km will be warranted & that there able to offer the same level of service as any SIMI member. Should i trust this dealer or just avoid altogether ?

We are looking for a used Ford Galaxy and wondering if 80,000 miles is a lot on a 2007 1.8 diesel model? We do very low mileage so won't add much to whatever we buy but we want to keep it for a long time. Don't want to buy something that will soon cause trouble! Thanks

How much would it cost to have a head gasket replaced in a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe diesel?

Regards, John

When are the new Hyundai Santa Fe and Mitsubishi Outlander due to go on sale?

My question is: why are cars in Ireland a rip-off compared to the rest of the world? I live in the USA and just bought a 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe top-of-the-line model with leather, navigation, Onstar system and many more items for just $21,000.

Hyundai changes a few things on each of its models every year. The Santa Fe in Ireland has been the same since the model was realesed in 2007. Why are the specs so bad in Irish cars? And why are the people putting up with it? Who makes the decision to sell cars like that in Ireland?

The cars in the UK are much better spec wise. If you look at people carriers, the options in Ireland are so small and silly. Take a look at the new 2011 Toyota Sienna. It is a very nice car. Why can Irish people not get these kinds of cars?

Thanks, Raymond

Hi,

We're looking at changing my wife's car for something smaller as our daughter is learning to drive. The car is a 2002 Volvo S60 (2.0T petrol, tax €600) and from talking to dealers will be hard to sell privately or get over €2k trade-in.

We were thinking of going for a Skoda Combi (1.2T petrol, €105 tax), but are concerned with resale value. Other smaller cars (e.g. Ford Fiesta, VW Polo) are more expensive, offer less kit and space, but might have better resale values in five years. Any thoughts of suggestions on what to do, or go for?

I'm thinking of trading in my car for scrappage at the moment before some of the deals end and I am thinking of spending €25k - €30k.

I have been looking at the Renault Laguna and Opel Insignia for the scrappage instead of a second-hand car. I am looking for something with a decent boot and a bit of poke in it as I'm upgrading from a Corsa!

After thinking about it for a while I then thought about maybe going for a second-hand car for resale value and depreciation of a new car especially since it's coming close to the end of the year and it'll be a year old in a few months.

On the second-hand range I was considering maybe a BMW 5 Series, Audi A4 or A6 or something similiar in that range. Any suggestions or ideas on what to do or look for in a car to maximise the purchase and keep resale value? I am open to suggestions on other makes and models I may have skipped over. Thanks.

Hi there,

I need to buy a mid-sized family car that has to do me for about five years. Both my wife and I cycle to work so it would be in the driveway most of the time though I'd say we still clock up about 10,000 km a year.

My budget is between €9,000 and €10,000 and I was hoping to buy a 2007 car. I had been looking at the Ford Focus diesel estate as it is economical, roomy and decent to drive, but any out there in my price range tend to have a lot of miles on the clock.

I'm now looking at petrol Jettas, which are nice cars but the fuel economy concerns me as I know petrol cars are falling out of favour. Any advice?

Mark

I have owned Honda Civics for the last 19 years and at present I am on my second 1.8 saloon.

I am considering buying a new car in the new year (2011), but I am wary as the present model was introduced in January 2006. Do you know when this car is due for a revamp?

There is a squeaking noise every time I apply the brakes. The pads don't need to be replaced; what could be causing this noise?