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2011 Audi A6 TDI or BMW 520d?

Hello, could you tell me what you think of the Audi A6 2.0-litre TDI and the BMW 520d - both 2011 models please?

Sinead Dowling (Dublin)

May 2011 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Sinead,

They are both around the same price and both really excellent cars. The new A6 is very refined, feeling now more like a small Audi A8 and the 2.0-litre diesel is powerful and relatively quiet. I did a short video on the car which you can view here.

The BMW 5 Series is selling really well because it offers so much car for a really good price.

Comparing them, I would say that the Audi has a fractionally better interior than the BMW, but for me in every other regard the BMW would be my preference because it looks better and drives better.

The two cars are really very close, so to be honest Sinead I would say that whichever one takes your fancy will be a good buy. They even have the same levels of standard equipment. It really is down to a Coke vs Pepsi arguement here: just down to personal taste.


How can I stop my Mazda's alarm going off?

The alarm keeps going off for no apparent reason on my 2008 Mazda6. What could be the problem?

Sandra Murphy (Galway)

May 2011 Filed under:

Expert answer

Hi Sandra,

That really is an infuriating problem. It's amazing how many modern cars suffer from it and it's not always easy to trace the reason for it. We'd advise you bring it to a car alarm specialist for a check-up.

Hopefully that'll sort it out.


Is the new Audi A3 saloon coming to Europe?

Will Audi bring their saloon version of the next generation A3 to the Europe and market. I understand that the new A3 will be a size between the A4 and the present A3 .

Frank D (Dublin)

May 2011 Filed under: future cars

Expert answer

Hi Frank,

We would expect the new Audi A3 saloon to come to Europe. Aside from retailing stretched versions of the Audi A6 in China, we are pretty sure that Audi always give Europe all of their cars. We could probably expect to get more details on this later in the year, most likely at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Like any car evolution, the A3 will undoubtedly get bigger!


Should I buy a Mazda6 Diesel Estate?

Hi Paddy, I'm still on the look for a diesel family estate and have found a 2006 Mazda 6 TS 2.0d (121) 82k FSH. But after doing some googling there is a lot of negative threads about Mazda 6 diesels, DPF, Clutch failure, oil consumption etc. Would you have any inside Mazda info? My general impressions of Mazda were very good. Should this model dsl 6 be avoided or are they a good buy.

Jim O'Sullivan (Co.Cork.)

May 2011 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Jim,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, but I was checking this out and there certainly seems to be something of a difficulty with the diesel particulate filter in the Mazda6 although in general Mazda cars are really very good. There is ancedotal evidence of problems with the DPF and we have had questions on the site from owners relating to this, who were seeking to remove it altogether. With any used car it is pretty impossible to predict if the issue will occur so perhaps it might be worth considering another model, which is a shame, because the Mazda6 is a really good car otherwise.

Here is some more info, from a Mazda6 forum.


What's causing my Mazda6 gearbox problems?

I have a 2003 Mazda6. When I put the car into first, second and reverse gear and press the accelerator I hear a creaking sound. Can't hear it when I'm cruising, only when I accelerate. What could it be?

Ed Kavanagh

Edmund Kavanagh (Galway)

Mar 2011 Filed under: gearbox

Expert answer

Hi Ed,

We contacted Mazda on your behalf and they advised us that you should contact a Mazda dealer to have this looked at. It might be something simple, but it really needs to be diagnosed in person rather then through a description.

Sorry to not be of more help this time.


Who can sort my Mazda6 problem?

I currently drive a 2006 Mazda6 TD Sport with 260,000km on the clock - I'm a taxi driver so I do big mileage: over 200,000km in two and a half years. Needless to say I've had problems with the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and had to have it regenerated six or seven times. Now the DPF has run it's course and can no longer be regenerated. The price is very prohibitive to get a new DPF, as it costs about €2,500 before fitting.

I couldn't afford to go for this option so decided to have the DPF removed and get the ECU remapped. This has worked to a certain extent, economy has improved and power has been increased. Only problem is that the DPF light is still flashing and engine management light is on.

Would you be able to recomend somebody who can sort this problem for me?

Ronan Laverty (Bettystown )

Mar 2011 Filed under: taxi

Expert answer

Hi Ronan,

We asked Ciaran Lowe, a former service manager for Nissan Ireland, to answer this one. He told us. "I can understand your reasoning for removing the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) because of the excessive cost of replacement. However, the DPF on diesel vehicles plays an important roll in reducing vehicle emissions. In fact these filters can reduce diesel soot emissions by up to 80 percent, so by removing the DPF it is interfering with the emissions on your vehicle. By re-mapping the ECU it is only tricking the engine management  system to see emissions within spec regarding the DPF system. However even with the ECM re-mapped the vehicle will still fail any future emissions tests. The fact your light is on indicates the system has identified out of range emissions."

I'm afraid the best solution all-round is to seek a used DPF filter.

We've talked to a few people in the industry and short of messing with the actual lights in the dashboard there is no way around this. We can't recommend this route, but it could be done by any auto electrician.


Has the new Audi A6 got offset pedals?

If you've driven the new Audi A6, does it have the horrible off-set clutch pedal like the A4 / A5? 

T Charles (Dublin)

Feb 2011 Filed under: gearbox

Expert answer

Hi there,

We only drove one Audi A6 with a manual gearbox on the launch event and I didn't particularly notice that the pedals were offset. However, the cars that we drove were left-hand drive, so it could be that the car's pedals are offset when in right-hand drive. I can't say that it was anything that ever bothered me in the A4 or A5 before. 

Click here to read our First Drive of the 2011 Audi A6.


When is the new Audi A6 arriving?

When is the new Audi A6 due?

Tom Weafer (Dublin)

Nov 2010 Filed under: future cars

Expert answer

Hi Tom,

As it turns out, Audi will reveal the new A6 to us in just a couple of weeks!

Stay tuned...


Should I buy now or wait until the New Year?

Hi guys,

Is there any point in changing my car this side of Christmas? I am going from a 2006 Opel Vectra to a 2008 Mazda6.

Thanks Mick

Michael Mulvey (Ashbourne)

Oct 2010 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Mick,

If you talk to the trade at the moment, they will say that there is something of a shortage of good used cars around. Generally as people buy in the early parts of the year then you will get a lot of second-hand cars floating around so there is a case for waiting. On the other hand, your 2006 Vectra is regarded as another year older. If you can get the right deal why not do it now? 

The only thing to worry about is a shortage of diesel Mazda6 models from that year. You didn't specify if you wanted petrol or diesel, but there are twice as many petrol examples available. Having said that, I really like this diesel model here, but it is a little on the pricey side. You would pay significantly less for a petrol model with lower mileage, such as this one

What I would say is that you will get more attention in the dealerships now, or at least you should do. It can be frustrating going into the dealers in January when they are busy, so bear that in mind. 


Should I buy new or second-hand with up to €30k?

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.

Alan Crookes (Portmarnock)

Aug 2010 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Alan

The scrappage scheme has been good news and as you might have seen today SIMI is calling for an extension of this. Unless this happens, there would be no point in you getting a new car at the end of the year under scrappage because the €1,500 that you would get off this in the case of something like an Insignia would not be as much as you could lose eventually by buying a car later in the year. 

Sure enough, you could buy the Laguna and get €3,000 off. It isn't an awful car, but there really isn't anything remarkable about it and I personally wouldn't spend over €20,000 on one. I actually think the Renault Fluence is a better buy than the Laguna and it costs much less. It is a fine big car and really well equipped. 

However, with your budget we could do a whole lot better. Supposing that you get at least €1,000 for your Corsa, then you still have a generous budget. There is always the temptation to look at the German cars and as long as you realise that these can get pricey to service and run as they get older, they can be a great buy. 

You have a staggering amount of choice. For sheer ease of ownership I have noticed that Lexus IS models are really good value now. You can get a 2008 IS 220d for under €25k and that would be a pretty nice car to own. Here is an example. 

If you were buying new or almost new, this 2010 Subaru Legacy diesel is also within your budget. 

However, you could go a little larger and get yourself a 2007 BMW 520d. This example is from a main dealer and has tiny mileage and would be a really nice car to own. It has done just 20,000km and is an automatic too with a nice spec for just €28,000. I would find it very hard to pass up on this car to be honest. You could opt for one with a manual gearbox and get lower road tax, but to be honest, this is where my money would go.

I hope this helps


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