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.
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
Peugeot 407, VW Passat or Mazda6?
Hi lads,
Any thoughts on the Peugeot 407 1.6-litre diesel? Seems to be great value. Looking at that or either a 2007 Volkswagen Passat or Mazda6.
I have heard mixed reports on all at this stage. Budget is tight so swaying to the 407 as seems to be a lot of spec etc.
Thanks,
Mick
Michael Mulvey (Ashbourne)Jul 2010 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
Having contacted you by e-mail since we have a better idea of your budget and we know that you are trading in a 2006 Opel Vectra 1.6-litre petrol with 40k on the clock. You could get offered around €7,500 for your Vectra (depending on condition) and add your budget of €6,000 to this, so you'll have €13,500 or so to spend.
Of the cars that you mentioned the Peugeot 407 will no doubt offer the best value for money, quite easily in fact, with something like this 2007 model likely to end up within your budget. The 407 diesel is great for economy. The quality isn't bad either. You might get the odd electrical fault, but by and large these cars are capable of quite high mileage. I'd be more inclined to spend a little less if I was buying one.
The other cars you mentioned are the VW Passat and Mazda6. There are lots of Passats about so this means that there is lots of choice and the prices are pretty competitive too. A diesel one would put up with high mileage pretty well, like this example, which would be a nice car, feeling more upmarket than the Peugeot. They aren't without their faults though and the Passat has had issues with the handbrake and some other items.
Lastly is the Mazda6, which is a grossly under rated car and you could have a fully loaded 2.0-litre diesel version with low mileage and loaded with kit for €13,950. Of all these I would probably buy the Mazda, as it should be ultra reliable and there aren't too many reported faults with it.
I hope this helps, if there are any other questions then do come back to us.
Reliability issues with Passat?
I am thinking of a 05/06 diesel Passat, but am worried about reliability issues. I have heard about clutch problems and bulbs blowing constantly on these cars. What is your opinion? Also is there any other car you would recommend in this category? Mondeo, Octavia, A4?
Cyril Cleere (Kilkenny)Jun 2010 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Cyril,
The Passat has had more than its fair share of reliability issues. There have been a total of seven recalls on the current model since 2005, but they were over different builds and won't have affected all cars. You can get full details of all of these from the VOSA website in the UK. There appears to be a recall for the clutch on later models, but we have also heard of reports of there being problems with the automatic handbrake and the power steering, while clutch judder on cars over 70,000 miles is not uncommon.
This is certainly a car that has had issues, but it would not put me off buying one. There are lots of alternatives, but it depends on what you want. There are lots of good used Audi A4s around, though it is quite a bit smaller than the Passat; and obviously as they get older the repairs can get more expensive. I'm not sure if you would prefer petrol or diesel, but here is a low mileage 1.6-litre example at a SIMI dealer for €15,995.
Something like this full-spec Mondeo X Diesel for €16,900 would be great. This is a gorgeous car and while quite discreet, would be great to drive.
I quite like this Mazda6 too. This is a very underrated car and the diesel model is a cracker. Let us know a little more about your budget and your needs and we can give you more considered advice. Just pop the details in the comment box below.
Mazda6 or Passat to replace my Vectra?
I am looking closely at buying a 2008 Mazda6, but I am not sure whether to go for diesel or petrol. The petrol is 1.8 and I am wondering how thirsty it would be. I do approx 12,000 miles per year on mainly good roads. Was looking at putting about €10,000 with my own car. I have a 2006 Opel Vectra with 38,000 miles on it. It is a 1.6-litre petrol.
Was also looking at a 2007 Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDI, but heard a lot of mixed reports. Looking for something comfortable and reliable mainly.
Michael Mulvey (Ashbourne)May 2010 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
We found an identical car to yours with the same mileage for sale for €8,950. You probably won't get offered that much as a trade in, but you could have an overall budget of about €17,000.
In terms of the Mazda6, that is a really good car and there weren't too many of the diesel models sold initially. The petrol models sold in higher numbers initially because they were cheaper than the diesel ones at the time.
You would pay about €16,950 for a 1.8-litre petrol model like the one we found here at a SIMI dealer.
Here is another excellent one in Cork, for €16,900.
Diesel models cost quite a bit more, with a 2008 model at a SIMI dealer costing closer to €20,000.
For the mileage you do, you could get away with a petrol model without totally breaking the bank and you certainly won't save in fuel costs by spending the extra on the diesel model. Granted, road tax will be higher on the petrol.
You could probably get into a 2008 Passat BlueMotion with your budget and that too would be a good car. Yes, I've heard of some occasional issues with the latest Passat, such as a problem with the power steering and with the electric parking brake, but they have been pretty well dealt with by Volkswagen.
What will I replace my Corolla with for high mileage?
I'm driving a 2002 Toyota Corolla hatchback and I am thinking of changing it.
My budget is €25,000 + the trade in value. I do about 18,000 miles a year. Should I go for petrol or diesel? Also any suggestions (new or second-hand) on what car to go for?
Anthony Murphy (Tulla)May 2010 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Anthony,
Well we can't quite say exactly what you are likely to get offered for your Corolla, but let's presume that it is likely to be about €2,500 - €3,000 when traded in against something new. With a budget of €25,000 on top of this then there is a lot of choice available to you. You could have a wide variety of new cars and an even greater choice of used models.
In answer to your first question, with you doing 18,000 miles per year, you could do with a diesel engine to keep your fuel bills down.
Your choices in terms of a new car are massive, including a brand new Toyota Avensis, which would probably add up to the best deal in terms of your trade-in. The new Avensis is remarkably comfortable and for a car that you are likely to spend so long in, this would make a nice place to sit. The diesel engine in the Avensis is very good, and it will be cheap to run and Toyota residuals are superb.
A sum of €26,735 will get you the 125hp Avensis Strata saloon. Another great choice for comfort and residual value would be the Volkswagen Passat. You could have the 1.6 TDI Comfortline BlueMotion for €27,375 and that has the feel of an executive car and would be great for the high mileage you do.
Almost impossible to ignore is the Skoda Superb. It really is great. You could have a 2.0-litre 170hp Comfort model for €27,805. Granted you might not need all that rear space, but there are few more comfortable cars on the road.
A car we have just spent a few days in is the updated Mazda6. The new model has a much better diesel engine than before, and there are some changes to the spec of the car. This offers a good blend between comfort and sportiness. It is a good-looking car too and comes as a hatchback.
A car I really like is the Subaru Legacy diesel. This is one of the most underrated cars around and it is lovely to drive. A 2009 model would cost you about €23,000 so it would be under your budget by quite a degree:
However, the car I'd think about with your budget is the VW Passat CC, the more coupé-like version of the Passat. There is a stunning 2.0-litre TDI model on sale in Dublin for €29,950 and it is absolutely stunning:
What to do with Mazda6 problems?
I have recently had a problem with my Mazda6 that has now covered 17,000 miles. This concerns a shuddering at speed that starts around 60 and is noticable right past the legal limit. It does not feel like an out of balance wheeland it seems to have come on suddenly.
Additionally I have experienced a problem with the Bose car entertainment system losing the preset stations. Tthe last time this happened there was a noticable 'popping' sound and I thought it had blown up.
Do you know if the shuddering and problems with the stereo are commom problems? I am going to contact my dealer and obviously am concerned that they may try to pass this off as damage and charge me for the repair.
What do you recommend?
Tony Briggs (Newcastle)May 2010 Filed under: warranty
Expert answer
Hi Tony,
Based on your description of the shuddering problem our first thoughts would be wheel balancing, even if you think it doesn't feel like that. Obviously it's difficult to analyse such a problem over email. To be safe you really should get that looked at as soon as possible. Given that your car has such low mileage I assume it is still under warranty. In that case, book it in at your dealer right away and tell them about the stereo issue too.
We've asked Mazda to comment too. See below.