Expert answer

Hi Gerry,

I'm afraid we've not driven the X3 sDrive. For those not in the know, that's the rear-wheel drive version of the BMW. It's offered in Ireland in '18d' format only, which means a 143hp 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine. It comes in manual and automatic guises and in SE or M Sport trim levels with on-the-road prices starting from €43,690.

Non-quattro Audi Q5s are powered by a 143hp 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine as well. While there are more trim levels offered (base, SE and S Line) this car can not be specified with an automatic transmission. On-the-road prices start from €41,760.

For the record, with a manual gearbox, both cars are in Band B2 for tax purposes though the X3 uses marginally less fuel on the combined consumption cycle (5.1- vs. 5.4 litres/100km) and it's a second quicker accelerating to 100km/h at 9.9 seconds.

Hope that helps in some way

Expert answer

Hi Alex,

Literally none. If it’s coming with a full service history we’d bet the heating money on it, to be honest. Honda makes massively reliable cars, so as long as this one’s been looked after and you look after it yourself, you should expect no major problems. 

Expert answer

Hi Cathy,

We understand your fears about ex-hire cars, as they have a reputation of not being looked after by hire car customers. However, so long as it has been serviced according to the manufacturer's schedule and it's in good condition there's not much to worry about. Have the body work and underneath looked at by a mechanic and closely look for kerbed alloys etc.

With regards to the mileage, for peace of mind you can get an inexpensive history check through Cartell.ie. That will reveal if there are any discrepancies.

Let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Joe,

This Range Rover is one of the better built cars from Land Rover in a while actually. Some early examples had issues with the automatic gearbox and water leaks, though these should have been well cured by 2005. Electrics and the sophisticated suspension system seem to be the biggest worries, and of course they're expensive to repair.

If you're serious about one, insist on a full, detailed service history, and invest in a professional inspection too.

Hope that helps.

Expert answer

Hi Teresa,

The Tucson is a reliable car in general, if low on refinement. Make sure it has been serviced according to the manufacturer's schedule though.

We've not heard of any widespread clutch problems with these cars, but make sure you test any car you're interested in for as long as possible.

If you'd like help looking at a specific car please do get in touch.

Expert answer

Hi Eddie,

You've not told us how old the cars are that you're looking at, nor whether they are petrol or diesel, but it's pretty much the same answer in both cases. They share the same basic six-cylinder, 3.0-litre engine, but in different states of tune. The 525 has less power and torque effectively. It usually has a different emissions rating too so come back to us with more details and we'll give you the full picture.

Note: this is not the case with the current BMW 525d and 530d. The former now uses a twin-turbocharged four-cylinder 2.0-litre engine, while the 530d sticks with the 3.0-litre unit.

Hope that helps in any case

Expert answer

Hi Fintan,

OK, well you’re kind of cutting across class boundaries there — a Focus and a Mondeo are really quite different cars, with the Focus being smaller, cheaper and arguably more fun to drive, and the Mondeo being more expensive, but bigger, comfier and more refined. That goes pretty much the same for the Opel Astra and Insignia, or the Volkswagen Golf or Passat. So the first thing you need to work out is what you want, and what you need, and whether or not you need the bigger car, or if something more compact will do.

Of the brands you’ve mentioned, the VWs will probably do the best in reliability terms, with Ford being the most enjoyable to drive, and Opel falling somewhere in the middle, but you should also be considering the likes of the Toyota Auris and Avensis (best for reliability), the Peugeot 308 and 508 (stylish, good to drive) and the Mazda3 and Mazda6 (reliable and both very good to drive). 

Expert answer

Hi Caroline,

As discussed via email, the new Auris is more refined and a little more economical than the Mazda, as it has a 1.4-litre diesel engine to the Mazda's 1.6-litre unit.

However, as you've discovered, you're likely to get a better deal on trade-in with a Mazda dealer and that is likely to decide things.

By all means test drive both and shop around with different Toyota and Mazda dealers. By any normal measure both cars are incredibly fuel efficient.

Let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Alan,

There are widespread problems with the MMT semi-automatic gearbox and it's sometimes expensive to fix so we'd advise buyers to stay away from cars with that transmission. Somewhat surprisingly we've heard of isolated problems with the manual gearbox too, though they're few and far between.

Hope that's of help.

Expert answer

Hi Daniel,

Sorry to hear about the Scirocco - that 2.0 TDI version is great.

A quick browse of Carzone.ie with your budget and needs in mind brought up a few interesting options:

- Audi A3 2.0 TDI 140 - in Sport or S Line guises for maximum style - loads around
- BMW 118d M Sport - quite rare, but great to drive
- BMW 320d Coupé - you'd have to go pre-2008 with your budget, but current style at least
- Honda Civic Type S - 2.2 diesel is great and post-2008 is taxed according to emissions
- MINI Cooper D - loads around in all different colours at your budget

I've picked out the cars I reckon you'll like and I've left out things like the Volkswagen Golf and regular Ford Focus (among others).

What do you think?

Come back to us and let us know if we're on the right track.