Expert answer

Hi F D,

There does seem to be an issue with the turbo- and supercharged engines involving the timing chain and it seems to be because Volkswagen tried to stretch the service intervals too far. Now, your A3 may not have that particular engine, depending on the year and the engine power. The lower power 122hp version of the 1.4 TSI didn't have a supercharger, just a turbo so is simpler and doesn't seem to suffer the same issues. The more recent 150hp version also does without the supercharger, so the best thing to do is not panic - if you're concerned about the car, take it to your dealer, have it inspected and maybe insist on a more frequent oil change.

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Hi Charles,

I assume you mean this Volkswagen story. At this stage we have been told that it only affects certain cars powered by the 2.0-litre TDI engine, but not all of them. So, going by current information, the 2014 model year 1.6 TDI Audi A3 Saloon is not effected. Keep an eye on our news page and social media feeds however, as we expect more news to emerge in the coming days.

Kind regards

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Hi Joan,

It's a bit of a quandary to be honest. You'll get more for the Ibiza - probably around €7-8k as a trade in. But with the Toledo costing you money, your best bet might just be to keep the Ibiza and use that as your small car, chop the Toledo in for whatever you can get for it (€2k max and that's with a following wind).

Actually, better yet, why not avail of one of the scrappage schemes still being offered by some car makers? Opel, for instance, has a good one going - up to €4,500 - and you could then trade in your Toledo against a new Insignia; far more affordable than a BMW or Audi, and with a shiny new warranty to boot. Reliable and nice to drive too. Nissan also has a similar offer (potentially €4k against a nice new Qashqai perhaps?), or potentially €3k scrappage off a Hyundai ix35?

Lots of good options out there.

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Hi Christian,

I'd say you should get in and around the €27,000 mark for it.

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Hi F D,

The Audi Q2 won't actually be called the Q2, it'll be called the Q1. Why? Because Fiat owns the rights to the Q2 badge and won't let Audi play with its ball. So the Q1 will sit beneath the existing Q3, and will be based on the same MQB chassis system that currently underpins almost everything Volkswagen, from Golf to A3 to Passat to Superb. The next Q3 will get a little bigger too, to make some space for the Q1. Expect the Q1 to skew a little more towards an estate, crossover-y body style, leaving the Q3 to be taller and blockier and more SUV-ish.

We have no official word on engines yet but as it's MQB-based expect 1.4 turbo petrol and 1.6- and 2.0-litre TDI diesel, with an SQ1 sports variant using either a tweaked diesel or 230hp petrol turbo. It'll go on sale in 2016 and we'd expect to see a full production model at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

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Hi Pat,

Depends which model and engine you're talking about. The best TDI diesel front-wheel drive version officially returns 64.2mpg (4.4 litres/100km), while the petrol models (RS variant aside) use as much as 6.6 litres/100km (42.8mpg).

As always, few people will ever achieve the official figures, but it gives you something to compare the Q3 with its rivals.

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Hi Louise,

You don't necessarily need a 4x4 for that - a mid size estate car would do the job just as well. So, have a look at the following and see what you'd like: Mazda6 2.2d, Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi, Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI.

Or, if you really have to have a 4x4, check out the Hyundai Santa Fe, Audi Q5 or Nissan X-Trail.

Relevant reviews:

Mazda6 Tourer estate review

Skoda Superb Combi 4x4 review

Hyundai Santa Fe review

Audi Q5 review

Nissan X-Trail review

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Hi Caroline,

How hard? How long is a piece of string? You're pitching it about right, in terms of price, but to get rid of it quickly you just need to stick to some rules. Make sure the paperwork and history are all present and correct, make sure the service history is up to date, have the car professionally cleaned inside and out and then make sure you advertise it both nationally and locally, with good quality photos and a clear, simple description of the car. 

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Hi John,

I guess it's down to personal taste really. Keyless entry/ignition adds to the premium feel of a car and makes it a little easier to get in and out when your hands are full, but there are no other benefits that we can think of. Perhaps it'll help with selling the car on later?

Personally, I'd not pay extra for it and would put the money to use on something else. Keep in mind future resale when choosing and what extras are likely to grab attention.

Hope that helps you

Expert answer

Hi F D,

There is a very, very slight difference. The A3 1.4 TFSI 125hp accelerates from 0-100km/h in 9.4 seconds, while the 1.2 TFSI 110hp does the same job in 9.9 seconds. Half a second is a lifetime in F1, but if you can actually tell the difference in the road then I'd suggest you change your name to Raikkonen and give Ferrari a ring...