What recalls were the Volvo S80 subject to?
Thank you for your advice re Volvo S80 (see this question). Could you let me know what are the faults that you refer to? Also, I am consious that the BMW is rear-wheel drive and couldn't locate a four-wheel drive 520d. I can get a 2007 Volvo S80 D5 AWD Tiptronic for the same price as a BMW 520d SE auto. Thanks for all your help.
Justin Mc Elwee (Sligo)Mar 2011 Filed under: recall
Expert answer
Hi Justin,
BMW does sell four-wheel drive versions of the 5 Series in mainland Europe, but we don't believe that any have been made in right-hand drive.
With regards to the Volvo S80, it's not unusual for any car to have a few recalls. Those affecting the S80 include issues with the wipers, an air leak causing an engine malfunction warning, an ECU problem indicated by reduced power, faulty engine mounting bracket screws leading to stalling and finally a short circuit in the heating system.
Please note that not all of these recalls would have affected all versions of the S80, but we'd advise you to call your local dealer with the chassis number of the car to ascertain if any have been missed on the car you're thinking of buying.
Hope that all helps.
What do you think of the Volvo S80?
What do you think of a 2007 Volvo S80 AWD D5 Geartronic? Is it as safe and reliable and economical as others in its sector? I have had Volvos and BMWs (530d and 520d) and found the Volvo better for comfort, safety reliability and the BMW better as a driver's car with great engines...
Justin Mc Elwee (Sligo)Mar 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Justin,
Overall, that's a nice, comfortable, quick car, which isn't too bad on fuel. The four-wheel drive and automatic gearbox make it less economical than a manual, front-wheel drive car, but you probably want those things so that's irrelevant. The equivalent BMW will be more economical and in our opinions better to drive.
However, the Volvo excels at being comfortable and spacious and of course it's crammed with safety equipment. The 2007 D5 engine is powerful, but a little louder than those in rival cars.
In terms of reliability, this generation of S80 was subject to a few relatively minor recalls, though the issues would annoy you so make sure any car you look at buying has had these rectified.
If you'd like to know anything else specific, just get in touch.
Mitsubishi Colt or Toyota Yaris?
Just looking for advice on which is the best small automatic car. My wife is looking at a Mitsubishi Colt versus a Toyota Yaris. I've heard some bad reports on the Yaris automatic and I am wondering if these are unfounded. She currently has a Nissan Micra 1.2 Auto.
Tom Brady (Drogheda)Mar 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Tom,
Is this a new or used car you would be buying? A new Toyota Yaris comes with the MultiMode transmission and a 1.3-litre VVTi petrol engine, which will cost you €18,285.
A Mitsubishi Colt automatic with a 1.3-litre engine will cost you €15,450 and that is quite a bit less.
A Ford Fiesta 1.4 Style Auto would come in at €18,735 and this would be a really nice car.
The best bet for us would be a Hyundai i20 1.4 Deluxe Auto, which comes in at €16,995 and that is a super little car. If it is a straight choice between the Yaris and Colt I think I'd save the €2,835 and have the Colt.
Come back to us if you're buying second-hand, as the story may be a different one.
Who can sort my Mazda6 problem?
I currently drive a 2006 Mazda6 TD Sport with 260,000km on the clock - I'm a taxi driver so I do big mileage: over 200,000km in two and a half years. Needless to say I've had problems with the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and had to have it regenerated six or seven times. Now the DPF has run it's course and can no longer be regenerated. The price is very prohibitive to get a new DPF, as it costs about €2,500 before fitting.
I couldn't afford to go for this option so decided to have the DPF removed and get the ECU remapped. This has worked to a certain extent, economy has improved and power has been increased. Only problem is that the DPF light is still flashing and engine management light is on.
Would you be able to recomend somebody who can sort this problem for me?
Ronan Laverty (Bettystown )Mar 2011 Filed under: taxi
Expert answer
Hi Ronan,
We asked Ciaran Lowe, a former service manager for Nissan Ireland, to answer this one. He told us. "I can understand your reasoning for removing the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) because of the excessive cost of replacement. However, the DPF on diesel vehicles plays an important roll in reducing vehicle emissions. In fact these filters can reduce diesel soot emissions by up to 80 percent, so by removing the DPF it is interfering with the emissions on your vehicle. By re-mapping the ECU it is only tricking the engine management system to see emissions within spec regarding the DPF system. However even with the ECM re-mapped the vehicle will still fail any future emissions tests. The fact your light is on indicates the system has identified out of range emissions."
I'm afraid the best solution all-round is to seek a used DPF filter.
We've talked to a few people in the industry and short of messing with the actual lights in the dashboard there is no way around this. We can't recommend this route, but it could be done by any auto electrician.
Help me choose a commercial vehicle with extra seats.
Hi,
Can you help me choose a van with a second row of seating (for a child seat mainly) and a seperate payload area? I need a diesel vehicle that I can tax as a commerical and something that is not too ugly or uncomfortable. Budget is approximately €5-10,000.
Gerard Allister (Dublin 20)Feb 2011 Filed under: commercial vehicle
Expert answer
Hi Gerard,
That is a bit of a hard one. To be honest I would probably be looking in the direction of a pick-up truck and a Mitsubishi L200 would be the one I would go for with your budget. You would have to add a cover or find one with one, but something like this could really work.
Or if you needed a van, then this Renault Master could be ideal. It is within your budget and has lots of seats!
How does the 1.4 TSI DSG Golf perform?
How does the 1.4 TSI DSG auto perform in the new Golf? And what are the economy figures? Thinking of buying one next year.
Eoin S (Dublin)Nov 2010 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Eoin,
We are always very pleasantly surprised by that 1.4 TSI engine in the Golf or indeed the Passat. On paper it looks like it could be a bit weedy but it really is good. Now, it doesn't feel fast as such, but it isn't sluggish.
It is a seven-speed DSG in the 1.4 with 122hp. Fuel consumption is 5.9 l/100km (or 47.1mpg).
The Golf has better fuel economy with the DSG gearbox than with a manual and there is no penalty in terms of performance figures: 0-100km/h takes 9.5 seconds and they both have a top speed of 199km/h.
I love the DSG gearbox, though it isn't cheap to buy.
BMW 520d auto versus manual?
Can you give me a rough idea what the mpg difference would be between a BMW 520d automatic and 520d SE manual version for mainly suburban driving.
I know that for resale automatic is better, but ecomony is important to me.
Also, the suspension for M Sport version is stiffer and firmer; I am not into fast driving, but do like the sport styling. Can you tell me is the ride comfort difference noticable?
William Neale (Dublin)Expert answer
Hi William,
The official fuel economy figures for the 520d manual and automatic are as follows. The first figure in each case is for the manual model and the number in brackets is when fitted with the eight-speed automatic with Steptronic.
Fuel Consumption in EU Cycle
Urban:
5.9 (6.4) l/100km
47.8 (44.1) mpg
Extra-urban:
4.3 (4.5) l/100km
65.6 (62.7) mpg
Combined:
4.9 (5.2) l/100km
57.6 (54) mpg
CO2
129 (137) g/km
As you can see there is very little difference. As regards the M Sport model, we don't know how the new version of the 5 Series M Sport rides as yet, but I collect one this Tuesday so I will come back to you on how it drives then.
I hope this helps,
A new estate with a diesel engine and four-wheel drive?
I want to buy a new station wagon with a diesel engine, automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. There seem to be very few options, e.g the Volvo XC70, which is too expensive. Can you recommend any alternatives?
Pat Norris (Clonakilty)Oct 2010 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Pat,
This is a very particular car that you are looking for, but thankfully there are some options for you without spending the sort of money that you would need for a Volvo XC70. For a start you could choose something from the Audi range, which has some Avant models with quattro all-wheel drive. You could have an Audi A4 allroad quattro, which could be just about right for what you need as it has a good 2.0-litre diesel engine and has an elevated ride height so it can cope with the odd muddy field. It is a handsome thing too. This starts at €45,400 and while it isn't very well known it is a cracking car.
A cheaper option but along the same lines would be the Skoda Octavia Scout, which has a 140hp diesel engine, a decent 4x4 system and loads of luggage space. The emissions are a little high though, at 173g/km, which makes it Band E in terms of road tax.
Another really good choice would be the Subaru Outback, which comes with a superb 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine and all-wheel drive. Subaru is really talented at making this sort of vehicle and I've driven this car and really rate it. It has 150hp, 350Nm of torque and it still comes with reasonable emissions of 156g/km, putting it in motor tax Band D. There is no automatic option for this car though, so that perhaps rules it out for you.
If you could cope without an automatic transmission then the Subaru would be the best buy, but I guess the Audi with quattro in an A4 Avant is your best choice. However, you are going to have difficulty with the A4 allroad in terms of you cannot have an automatic in the 2.0-litre TDI it seems, only in the 2.0-litre FSI petrol or the 3.0-litre TDI.
Hope that helps anyway
Should I buy new or second-hand with up to €30k?
I'm thinking of trading in my car for scrappage at the moment before some of the deals end and I am thinking of spending €25k - €30k.
I have been looking at the Renault Laguna and Opel Insignia for the scrappage instead of a second-hand car. I am looking for something with a decent boot and a bit of poke in it as I'm upgrading from a Corsa!
After thinking about it for a while I then thought about maybe going for a second-hand car for resale value and depreciation of a new car especially since it's coming close to the end of the year and it'll be a year old in a few months.
On the second-hand range I was considering maybe a BMW 5 Series, Audi A4 or A6 or something similiar in that range. Any suggestions or ideas on what to do or look for in a car to maximise the purchase and keep resale value? I am open to suggestions on other makes and models I may have skipped over. Thanks.
Alan Crookes (Portmarnock)Aug 2010 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Alan
The scrappage scheme has been good news and as you might have seen today SIMI is calling for an extension of this. Unless this happens, there would be no point in you getting a new car at the end of the year under scrappage because the €1,500 that you would get off this in the case of something like an Insignia would not be as much as you could lose eventually by buying a car later in the year.
Sure enough, you could buy the Laguna and get €3,000 off. It isn't an awful car, but there really isn't anything remarkable about it and I personally wouldn't spend over €20,000 on one. I actually think the Renault Fluence is a better buy than the Laguna and it costs much less. It is a fine big car and really well equipped.
However, with your budget we could do a whole lot better. Supposing that you get at least €1,000 for your Corsa, then you still have a generous budget. There is always the temptation to look at the German cars and as long as you realise that these can get pricey to service and run as they get older, they can be a great buy.
You have a staggering amount of choice. For sheer ease of ownership I have noticed that Lexus IS models are really good value now. You can get a 2008 IS 220d for under €25k and that would be a pretty nice car to own. Here is an example.
If you were buying new or almost new, this 2010 Subaru Legacy diesel is also within your budget.
However, you could go a little larger and get yourself a 2007 BMW 520d. This example is from a main dealer and has tiny mileage and would be a really nice car to own. It has done just 20,000km and is an automatic too with a nice spec for just €28,000. I would find it very hard to pass up on this car to be honest. You could opt for one with a manual gearbox and get lower road tax, but to be honest, this is where my money would go.
I hope this helps
Why is the gear change so jerky on the Auris MMT?
Why is the gear change so jerky on the Toyota Auris MMT in the e-mode?
Stephen Fahey (Lemybrien)Aug 2010 Filed under: automatic
Expert answer
Hi Stephen,
As you may already know, the Auris MMT isn't a standard automatic but is a manual with an electronic clutch. This has an economy advantage over a standard automatic car thanks to the lack of an inefficient torque converter. However, this gearbox has been criticised for its jerkiness.
Driving it in traffic, if can often select first gear where you would normally move off in second with a standard manual transmission. An automated manual like the MMT will not be as smooth as a standard auto or CVT as the car still has a clutch and a manual gearbox.
You can reduce the jerkiness between gears by easing off the throttle as you would in a regular manual car.