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Hi Louise,

If you come back to us with your budget we can give a more precise answer, but all the premium marques sell good-quality executive saloons of similar size to the Lexus ES. For example the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class. And there are loads of different versions as well offering a range of performance options if your budget allows.

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Hi Peter,

All the various 2.0-litre engines (TDI diesel and FSI/TFSI petrol) in the 2004 Audi A3 used cam belts.

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Hi Christine,

The Symbioz uses a sophisticated transmission and hybrid system that couples and decouples the engine and alters the engine speed to best deliver the required performance or maximum economy at any moment. This depends on a variety of factors, and it can sometimes mean the engine becomes more audible. This characteristic is not uncommon in hybrids, but if you think there’s something out of the ordinary, do pay your Renault dealer a visit so they can put your mind at ease.

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Hi Fergal,

The first one that comes to mind is the Skoda Superb. A new generation of this massive car was launched last year and it’s a great option. It’s bigger than the Mondeo and can be had with a 2.0 TDI diesel engine.

A lovely car is the Peugeot 508, which can be had with a 1.5-litre diesel, but you might find it small inside in comparison to your Mondeo. Worth a look anyway.

There really aren’t many others if you’re sticking with a diesel saloon, unless you go for one of the premium brands - both Audi and Mercedes sell diesel engines still in the A5 and C-Class, respectively.

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Hi Anita,

We can't tell from your registration if the car had a DPF when new as in the 2006-2009 period some Audis had and some did not. It's highly likely that it did.

If you can't get someone to physically check if it has a DPF fitted then you should at least have a DPF warning light on the dashboard. When you turn the ignition key on, but not the engine, a series of warning lights illuminate in the instruments. They then go off when the engine is running if all is well. One of those would be for a DPF if it is fitted. It is usually an orange or yellow light showing a box with dots inside it, like these:

If the car has this warning light, then it has a DPF.

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Hi Martin,

There were several different versions of that engine in production that year, oddly, some with timing belts, some with timing chains. We’d need the engine code to be able to answer properly I’m afraid.

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Hi Nathy,

Generally, once a new car arrives at a dealership, the company’s administration department will begin processing the registration as soon as possible. I’m unsure that this is an automatic process, as in past experience, all of the customer’s details had to be manually inputted into the vehicle registration system.

However, as Audi will invoice the dealership for the car once it lands there, it is unlikely that the company will hold off or defer any registration process, as once it’s completed, it can include that car with its monthly sales/registration figures, which is important for targets, commissions etc. Unless specifically outlined and agreed ahead of time, it is unlikely that the dealership will defer this process. 

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Hi Stephen,

That sounds like great value despite the age, though be aware that it’ll cost significantly more than that to import it when you take into account VRT and the NOx levy.

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Hi Neil,

So long as the car was actually used by someone in the north other than a dealer since it was imported, and you can prove that, then no VAT should be payable.

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Hi Sarah,

In terms of long commutes, and assuming you are sticking with the regular 2.0-litre diesel options, then our experience suggests that the Audi is more efficient - with the caveat that how you drive has a large influence on that. Overall, the Audi should prove fractionally cheaper to service and maintain, too.

Comparing the reliability between the two is less clearcut and the newer versions you can afford the better. Both cars are mechanically sound and most issues come from electronics etc. They’re comparable in short.