Expert answer

Hi Michael,

New Audi prices may be the same across all its dealers, but each and every one of them will do deals differently, especially when there's a trade-in involved. No harm shopping around.

We know that Audi has an extended warranty, and it's briefly mentioned on Audi Ireland's website, but there's no further information about its cost that we can see. We've sent a message to our contact there to get an answer on that one for you. We'd certainly advocate for extended warranties on high-end cars.

Finally, only you can decide on which of the A6 Sportback e-trons you like, but do you need to absolutely max out the range you can get from the car? Enough to live without the reassurance of quattro four-wheel drive? If so, then perhaps invest in a set of winter tyres and wheels to use when you need them.

I'd just go for the quattro and accept it won't be quite as efficient.

Expert answer

Hi Alex,

Offline you mentioned you'd like something stylish as well as solid and spacious. One of the first cars that comes to mind is the Audi Q3, which is decently practical, has a premium badge and is plentiful for your budget of about €20,000. I'd urge you to stick with petrol power given your annual mileage of no more than 15,000km.

The BMW X1 would do the same job, but it's very difficult to find one that isn't diesel. Same story with the Audi A6 Avant and BMW 5 Series Touring estates, both of which we'd prefer over an SUV. And same thing for the excellent Volkswagen Arteon.

A hybrid-powered Lexus NX would be a good option for you, as would the Mazda CX-5, though neither are as common in the classifieds as the Audi above.

Have a look at some of those and test drive as many cars as you can.

Come back to us if you'd like us to help narrow down your search.

Expert answer

Hi Padraig,

Though there's likely to be very little difference between the two cars in terms of reliability and safety (assuming other things like age, mileage, condition and service history are equal), you're most likely correct in terms of more expensive servicing and parts for the Audi. 

And make sure you get an insurance quote before you commit to any car.

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Hi Jeremy,

That engine has a timing belt.

Expert answer

Hi Seamus,

Yes it should. Do an image search on Google for "2008 Audi TT centre console" and you'll find plenty of examples of how it should look.

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Hi Joe,

No they're not. The Matrix LED lights have extra functionality - new or old.

Expert answer

Hi Cathal,

The Audi Q3 is a bit smaller than the Kia and Hyundai mentioned so make sure you try one out for size if you're serious about that. The equivalent Skoda (to the Sportage and Tucson) is the Karoq, though the larger Kodiaq would also be in budget.

I'd have a little more confidence in the Kia and Hyundai in terms of reliability in comparison to the Audi and Skoda, but only a little as all of these are decent cars. The Hyundai is the most common by far, which means you could afford to be picky in terms of mileage, condition and specification. The Sportage and Tucson are effectively identical under the skin, though the Sportage may come with more of the original warranty in tact, which is another consideration.

In terms of alternatives, we've always liked the Mazda CX-5 for how it drives and, if you're not set on diesel, then the Toyota RAV4 hybrid shouldn't be ignored, either.

Feel free to come back to us if you need further help narrowing things down.

Let us know how many in the family and on which car seats if applicable, plus your annual mileage.

Expert answer

Hi Charles,

You've not mentioned which engine or which version of the car as the CO₂ emissions vary considerably. It could be as low as €210 per annum if the emissions are under 140g/km in a model with the 2.0 TDI engine, for example, while the plug-in hybrid models are only €140 a year to tax.

Expert answer

Hi Adam,

That doesn't seem like very high mileage for the year, so maybe get a history check on the car to look into that, and ask for as detailed a service history as possible as well.

Our top tip for buying used cars is to test drive as many examples of the car from other sellers as possible so you get a feel for which is a good one.  

As with any used car, check it drives well, there are no warning lights on when it is up and running and try to get a look underneath to make sure there's nothing drastically wrong. 

Ideally a mechanic you trust would take a look at it for you, but I guess you can't expect perfection from a 2007 car.

The price sounds ok rather than amazing, but if the condition and history are good then it's probably worth it.

Expert answer

Hi John,

There's no way to know for sure the exact VRT due until the car is brought for inspection at an NCT centre after importing it. Even if the car appears on Revenue's site, there are disclaimers on there indicating that it's an estimate only.

To make your own estimate, you'll need to have the CO₂ figure of the specific car you're looking at and you'll need to guess what Revenue will say the Open Market Selling Price (OMSP) is for that car.

The latter is the figure Revenue believes the car to be worth as an Irish car selling on the open market today. It's not easy to estimate for a relatively rare model such as the A3 Cabriolet. We found one from 2014 listed on Carzone for about €16,000, which is probably as good a starting point as any.

Watch out with the CO₂ figure. The official figure for a 2014 car is likely to be according to the old “NEDC” system and unless a WLTP figure is available Revenue will use its “uplifting” formula to bring the CO₂ up. You'll find that formula in our Guide to Importing Cars from the UK page (it applies no matter where the car is coming from).

Once you have your CO₂ figure you can look up the VRT band and percentage on our How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland? page. The VRT due will then be that percentage of the OMSP.

The NOx levy is separate to this calculation – though payable at the same time. It's not so easy to look the NOx emissions up and hopefully the car in question has a certificate of conformity with the information on it. There's a bit about that on the Guide to Importing Cars from the UK page mentioned above that again applies no matter where the car is coming from.

Hopefully that all helps. If you want us to assist with the calculations, come back to us with as much detail as possible on the car in question.