Which new exec diesel auto saloon to go for?
What compact exec would you choose in a diesel auto as a private buyer? BMW 320d M Sport, Audi A4 S tronic, Jaguar XE Portfolio or Mercedes-Benz C-Class? Or would you go with something cheaper like a Volkswagen Passat Highline DSG 190?
Andrew Kelly (Limerick)Jan 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Andrew,
Well, of the posh-badge brigade, my personal favourite is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class - it's supremely comfy, beautifully made and really satisfying to drive, but, to be honest, you couldn't go wrong with any of those cars, it really is down to personal taste.
Your other question is an interesting one though. If you can live without the posh badge, and aren't quite so worried about driving dynamics, then a Skoda Superb is pretty much unbeatable. Same mechanical make up as the Audi but far bigger and way better value. Try a Ford Mondeo or Mazda6 if you want something with a keen chassis or a Toyota Avensis if you never, ever want it to break.
Some relevant reviews for you:
Any advice on 2007 Volkswagen Touareg?
Any advice when looking at a 2007 3.0-litre auto diesel Volkswagen Toureg with 150,000 miles on the clock?
Dan Haslam (Coleraine)Nov 2015 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Dan,
How best to import my car from the UK?
Hi, I'm an EU citizen, I lived 10 years in London, UK. I have my own car on GB plates, a 15 year-old Ford Mondeo 2.5 V6 automatic. I have a long MOT on this car. I have owned this car about four months, I have previous insurance, history, etc. What is the best way to register the car in Ireland? Will the MOT be accepted if I have 11 months left?
Thanks,
Laszlo
Laszlo Szabo (Clonbur)Nov 2015 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Laszlo,
I'm afraid not. When you import the car into Ireland it will have to pass through an NCT (National Car Test - our equivalent of the MOT) before it can be legally registered here. That shouldn't be a problem though - any car that can pass an MOT should also pass an NCT. The problem is that because you have owned the car for less than six months, you'll get caught for Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) when you bring it in to the country - and on a 2.5-litre V6 engine that's going to be 36 per cent of what the Revenue Commissioners judge the vehicle's market value to be. This could get very expensive and you might be better off selling the car before you move and buying something new here.
How much is a Toyota Aygo auto worth?
How much would a 2007 Toyota Aygo automatic cost now? NCT until 2017 and tax until September 2016.
Gheorghe Gritunic (Dublin)Oct 2015 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Gheorghe,
Around €3,500 to buy. Probably worth about €2,000 as a trade in.
Tell me more about the 151 Renault Clio.
What is the price of 151 Renault Clio and does it have power steering? Do you have to turn on the lights manually?
Grace Griffin (Co. Dublin)Oct 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Grace,
Clio prices start from €15,730 and yes, they all have power steering. All models come with daytime running lights, which illuminate automatically, but if you want automatic, dusk-sensing headlights you'll have to upgrade to a €17,230 Dynamique Nav model.
What can I do about my faulty i30?
Hi, I am Prince from Wicklow,
I bought a new Hyundai i30 1.6 diesel two months ago. Now the car has an engine noise, abnormal pulling and an air conditioning problem. It was admitted to dealer garrage for repair it twice within two months. That took a week each time, but it is still not perfect.
Now it is running forward without pressing the accelerator in second, third and fourth gear and does not slow down immidiately when going down a gear. And there is also some problem with the auto stop and start system. Plus its fuel economy is only 47mpg.
What should I do? Can I ask my dealer to replace this faulty car, and what are my rights?
Thank you
Prince
Prince Francis (Bray)Oct 2015 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Prince,
That’s a tricky one. In terms of your consumer rights, you are most certainly entitled to a replacement car if this one is not up to scratch and the dealership has not been able to repair it to your satisfaction.
However, you’ll need to establish that there is a specific fault or faults with the car first. I’d recommend getting it inspected by an independent motor vehicle assessor (you can find them via a quick Google search) and get them to give you a full report on it. Then you need to bring that report to the dealer and demand that either the car is fully repaired (it’s still well within its original five-year warranty after all) or give you a replacement.
Let us know how you get on
When will Volkswagen Ireland launch Apple Car Play?
When will Volkswagen Ireland launch Apple Car Play on Composition Media stereo across its range? I have a Mk7 Golf with the second version of Composition Media and it says I need an activation code. I asked Volkswagen Ireland for a part number and the price is €250 including VAT, but it can't be ordered as it's not available in Ireland yet.
Is there any other way to find out a launch date for this feature?
Riccardo Macari (Drogheda)Oct 2015 Filed under: aftermarket
Expert answer
Hi Riccardo,
We checked with Volkswagen Ireland and the official response was this: "CarPlay and Android Auto will not be available in Ireland until late 2015 or early 2016 at the earliest in combination with third party apps (e.g. Spotify, Facebook, etc.). This is currently being tested in combination with third party apps for the UK and other larger European markets but there is no set release date for Ireland yet."
What's wrong with my Opel Vectra?
My Opel Vectra is very sluggish when in first and second gear; could it be timing belt? No engine fault light shows up.
Brian Colman (Dublin )Sep 2015 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Brian,
That doesn't sound related to a timing belt problem. A timing belt can either break altogether (potentially causing very expensive engine damage), in which case the engine would not run at all, or it could slip causing the engine to, at best, run poorly all of the time.
Best bet is to bring your car to a good mechanic for a look but it could be as simple as a dirty air filter or bad fuel, neither of which would automatically cause a warning light to come on.
Let us know how you get on
Which MPV will I replace our BMW 3 Series with?
Hi Shane & team,
We're looking at trading in again. You helped us source our last car four years ago. We really like our curent 2006 BMW 318, but for the last nine months to a year we've been pouring money into for what feels like constant repairs and the car tax is crippling too. We've now come to the realisation that we need to move to seven-seat territory for these and family reasons. Today we saw and drove both of these cars:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/renault/grand-scenic/used-2010-renault-grand-scenic-1-dublin-fpa-200914374138165780 http://www.cbg.ie/citroen-c4-grand-picasso-1.6-2008-dublin-diesel-silver-mpv
The Renault felt more car like to drive and I wasn't wild about the delay in the Citroen semi-automatic gearbox. For the Renault they've said the cost to change is €6,500 and just under €7,000 for the Citroen. The Renault, being a 2010 model, is almost seems too good to be true. Can you give me any advice on these? Is the Renault a good buy? Is it reliable or will it swallow money on repairs as our current car is? Are there any others you would recommend? We really don't want to spend more than €6k-ish.
Thanks
Enda
Enda Lowry (Dublin)Sep 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Enda,
I'd tread carefully here. If you don't like the semi-auto box on the Citroen then just let it go - it's not going to get any better and it'll bug you for the rest of your time with the car.
As for the Renault, I'm just not confident predicting reliability. Generally, Renaults are now a lot better built than they used to be, but long-term they can still be a bit shaky. Also, the reason it's a high-spec 2010 model for such a small price is because Renaults depreciate faster than snow in summer.
So, I think you might need to shop around a bit and buy something on the basis of reliability and condition rather than year. Have a look at the likes of a Ford S-Max, Toyota Verso, Volkswagen Touran or, if six seats rather than seven will do the trick, a Honda FR-V. You might need to go back to a 2008 or 2009 model to get one within budget, but buy with a full service history and keep the maintenance up and any of those should give you long and hopefully reliable service.
Last, but not least, Shane, our Editor, is in the same position as you right now and he has homed in on the Mazda5, which has an exceptional reliability record.
Why does my Peugeot 308's radio cut out?
Why does the radio in my 2012 Peugeot 308 cut out? Is it a fault in the radio or aerial or what?
Padraig Devaney (Galway )Aug 2015 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Padraig,
I'm afraid that's not an easy one to answer from afar. It could be a problem with the stereo unit or its connections, including the aerial's, it could be the speaker system too or of course it could be the radio signal in your area.
Best bet is to bring the car to a good local mechanic or auto electrician.
Hope you get to the bottom of it