Expert answer

Hi Ed,

€20k should get you into the best one - a 520d with the optional M Sport pack. Fab car, that.

Expert answer

Hi Ian,

There are a couple of alternatives to the Q7 alright. The Land Rover Discovery is probably the best all-round seven-seat SUV on the market and easily matches the Q7 for driver appeal, cabin space and premium image. The only problem is that Land Rover is still working its way up from a low point in terms of reliability, and while the current Disco is certainly very well built, we'd reckon that a Q7 would be a little bit better in terms of reliability when you're talking about a car that's already a few years old.

In fact, we know of only two issues with the Q7. One, it's apparently quite hard on tyres and two, if it's got an electric tailgate, it can open or close with a mind of its own sometimes, although that should have been fixed in a recall by now.

You could go for a BMW X5 with seven seats, but there's not as much space in the third row in the BMW, so it depends on what you need those extra chairs for. If it's only for occasional use, for kids etc, then the X5 is well worth a look and is a fantastic car to drive. If you need to put adults back there, stick with the Audi. You could downsize to a Hyundai Santa Fe seven-seater of course, which is a reliable, affordable choice but lacking both third row space and the cachet of the Audi.

Or you could steer away from the SUV world altogether and get a Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate with the extra rear-facing seats in the boot. Bit of an unsung hero that one, and much cheaper to run than a big 4x4. Or, of course, you could do the whole off-roader thing properly and get a long wheelbase Land Rover Defender, but you'll need ear plugs for long journeys.

Choosing between a 2007 or a 2008 Audi Q7 is all down to the price and the individual car. There was a facelift in 2009 that brought some engine updates and cabin and styling changes, but if you can find a good 2007 one, with a full Audi service history, you could be looking at paying as little as €20k. A Q7 for the price of a new Ford Focus? Not bad...

Let us know which way you go

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Hi David,

It's a pretty solidly built car the A4 Cab, but just avoid the 1.8T petrol engine as apparently it gives no end of trouble, and watch for clogging fuel fillers on the diesel models if you're doing low mileages. Clutch problems are also not unheard of, and check carefully for any signs of oil leaks in the engine bay. The good news is that because it has a folding cloth (not steel) roof there are no reported problems with an overly-complicated roof mechanism.

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Hi Jim,

Well, the rule is never buy on mileage or even age, but only on condition and history. If the higher mileage car has been better cared for, and has a fully-stamped up service history, then it could well be just as good as the older but lower mileage one. Basically, take both for a thorough test drive and see which one 'feels younger.' If one has had a hard life, and the other an easy one, it should be pretty apparent which is the better purchase. 

Same goes for the 5 Series, but try not to get the less desirable manual. You may pay more for an auto now but it will be worth it come resale time.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Patrick,

With that kind of criteria, and if you’ve driven your wife’s Prius and liked it, I’m minded to recommend the Lexus. The hybrid systems are related (although of course the Lexus is considerably more powerful and sporty), it’s well-equipped (most of what you want is on the standard equipment list) and with mileage of 10,000km a year, it should be just about ideal. Plus, it’s unbreakably reliable.

Here are a few reviews that might interest you:

Lexus IS 300h review

BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo review

Volvo V40 review

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Hi Sandra,

Yes, the N47 diesel certainly had its share of troubles with that timing chain, and sadly it’s not as simple as getting it changed at a specific mileage. It’s an engine-out job to change, and they can go without warning.

Because of that, if nothing else, we’d steer you to the 520d with the older engine, but also that’s a genuinely fantastic car, especially with the M Sport body kit - and hugely entertaining to drive. Plus it’s more practical and comfortable than the 3 Series Coupe. Just make certain that it comes with a full service history.

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Hi James,

I’m tempted to say yes, simply because the car is going to be worth very little if you go to sell it or trade it in without that work being done. True, the cost of repair in this case is probably about what the car is worth, but if you still love it (and it sounds as if you do) then I think it’s worth having a go at maintaining it.

True, there’s always the danger of more trouble down the line and it’s impossible for us to quantify how likely that is, but put it this way — the €1,200 you’ll spend on it now will be a fraction of the cost of chopping it in for something new, so if there are bigger problems in a year’s time, you won’t have cost yourself too much. 

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Hi Patsy,

BMW offers three different diesel engines with xDrive four-wheel drive in the X3, the xDrive20d, xDrive30d and xDrive35d. The xDrive20d can be had with a manual or automatic gearbox and the official figure is 50.4mpg (5.6 litres/100km) no matter which transmission is fitted. The xDrive30d and xDrive35d are only available with automatic gearboxes and the official fuel economy figures are 47.1mpg and 46.3mpg respectively (6.0- and 6.1 litres/100km).

Those figures won't be obtainable in the real-world, obviously! We spent time with the xDrive20d during snowy conditions a few years back (read the full review here) and averaged 34mpg (8.3 litres/100km), though in normal conditions it should do a lot better than that. We also tested the xDrive30d (read that full review here), though apologies, but I didn't record the average fuel consumption figure at the time...

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Hi Martin,

You're in an enviable position and, before going into more detail, we'd be very happy with any of those cars as an ownership proposition.

Personally, I'd be sorely tempted by the Evoque. There are plenty of colour and wheel options to change its appearance to your liking, it's much more of an occasion inside and it drives like a hot hatch (the chassis is very much road-biased, though it does well enough off-road when needed). Admittedly, certain versions of the BMW and Audi may be more economical, but I'd look at it very closely.

When the current BMW X3 came out it really took a leap forward from its predecessor in terms of comfort, quality and refinement, but between that and the Audi Q5 I may too be swayed by the fact that the Audi has had a more recent update. I also prefer how the Q5 looks. There's very little between them depending on which engines you're looking at.

The best advice is to go test drive each car for as long as possible, paying close attention to the specifications of the test cars.

In terms of automatic gearboxes, unless you're looking at a petrol Q5 (which I doubt!) or the high-performance SQ5 TDI model (fantastic) then the only option is the dual-clutch S-Tronic unit. This helps with efficiency and allows the driver more control when he wants it, but is not as smooth as a traditional torque converter gearbox, as fitted to the Evoque and BMW. They're both smooth systems, but the eight-speed item in the BMW is the most impressive, managing to minimise fuel consumption increases.

Hopefully that's of help, but come back to us if you need more

Expert answer

Hi James,

Mostly that generation Sorento is pretty well built, and the fact that it was a bit old-fashioned, even when new, means that there's generally less in the way of fiddly electronics to give trouble. Do watch for an issue with a seizing alternator pulley and an automatic gearbox that lets the car roll forward when in park, both of which should have been fixed under a recall. As always with a heavy car that may have been used for towing, keep an eye on the condition of the clutch (watch for slipping in gear on the manual model) and turbos (any blue smoke means it's on the way out).