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Hi Tony,

Well, it would certainly be worth trying to track down a petrol-engined 3 Series Touring estate, but as you rightly point out these are rarer than hens’ molars at the moment. Same story for the Audi A4 Avant and Mercedes C-Class Estate too, I’m afraid. Would you consider a VW Passat Estate? Or a Skoda Superb? A bit of a step down in class terms, I’ll grant you, but good, solid cars and you can track them down with the 1.4 TSI turbo petrol engine. 

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Hi Catherine,

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Hi Bijo,

Yes, we’ve heard that the automatic gearbox on this generation of Colt can be troublesome, in some cases losing drive altogether. I’d be very wary of one and would suggest that, unless you really, really need the auto, you’d be better off going for the manual gearbox version, which should be solidly reliable.

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Hi Pat,

The Countryman is in the Revenue VRT calculator, but it’s in an odd position. You have to select Cooper, One, or First, then pick Hatchback as the body style and then once you’ve selected the usual petrol or diesel, manual or auto functions, you should find the Countryman models in there.

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Hi Kate,

Well, the Fiesta has always been a good car, and 2014 models were post-facelift versions, so they look a little sharper on the outside and the interior got a boost in quality. Plus there was the option of the EcoBoost engine. Values run from around €8,000 to around €12,000,  but, just at the moment, we can’t find a single automatic version for sale…

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Hi Alan,

We checked with the good folk at MINI HQ about this, and the response is that “At the time, the automatic start-stop function was not available with the optional automatic six-speed gearbox.”

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Hi Kathleen,

I think your best bet would be a MINI Cooper. Have a shop around and you’ll definitely find one with the auto gearbox, the panoramic roof and the leather seats option and you can, of course, now buy a MINI with five doors if you fancy. Not cheap, but they’re well made, reliable and fun to drive too. Here's a relevant review:

MINI five-door review

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Hi Kev,

It should be perfect for your work and that 3.0-litre engine is pretty solid. Watch for turbo trouble though and keep an eye on the electrics. If it has a full service history it should be fine. 

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Hi Dwayne,

It will depend on the dealer and the small print in their 'scrappage' deal. The current deals actually aren't scrappage at all, as in the car being traded in isn't usually actually scrapped, so they tend to be a touch more fussy about condition. Usually, the car has to be taxed, insured and driven onto the forecourt under its own power, but have a chat with the dealer in question first and see what they can do for you. 

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Hi Donal,

Yup, Alfa is definitely offering some very sharp value deals on the Giulia at the moment, especially when you consider that you can effectively get a mid-spec car for the same price as a basic model. It’s a car we really like — it’s gorgeous, terrific to drive, practical and Alfa seems at last to have gotten on top of its quality issues. Two caveats, really — the infotainment system is not as sophisticated as you’d find in rival models, and to see the Giulia at its best, you really need to avoid the 2.2 diesel and go instead for the 200hp turbo petrol, although obviously that may not suit your needs.

Read our Alfa Romeo Giulia review here