Should I choose petrol or diesel?
Hi guys,
My question has two parts. Firstly I am changing car and always drove a diesel but am wondering about improved economy of modern petrol engines, e.g. VW Jetta 1.4 TSI vs. VW Jetta TDI. Maybe you can advise what criteria I should consider?
Also, as my mileage is difficult to predict, I am concerned that if I am not doing enough miles I will have problems with the particulate filter on a diesel. What do you think?
Expert answer
Hi Peter,
Diesel cars are now outselling petrol cars by 3 to 1 and of the petrol models that are selling, they are mainly small runabouts. The fact is that the majority of people are being drawn to the lowest possible road tax and in some cases, oddly, this means that they are actually spending more on the car then they really should have. There seems little sense to spend €2,000 - €3,000 more on a diesel car if you are saving €50 a year in road tax and your mileage is low, but that is the way it seems to be happening right now.
The problem with this is that buyers are missing out on on some really good petrol cars. Fiat and Volkswagen in particular have some smart new petrol engines. Take for example the Jetta, which you mentioned: the new one is out now, but in the older model there was a 105hp 1.2-litre TSI petrol engine and most people baulked at this because they thought it would be too weedy for the car. The same is true of the 1.4-litre TSI, while both are more than capable of adequate performance.
In terms of fuel economy, sure enough the diesel will usually trump the petrol, but this will only really start to make monetary sense when you do a lot of mileage. It you intend on high mileage, then you are probably better off sticking with the diesel car - Volkswagens are generally quite good at mega mileage, as are Skodas.
We've been getting quite a few queries about DPFs (diesel particulate filters) here in CompleteCar.ie but Mazda appears to be the only brand showing up faults. The Passat though has not been without its troubles and, to be honest, I am not sure if I would be buying a used one with a lot of kilometres on the clock if big mileage is likely.
You mentioned the Jetta, well this one we found would be a top buy. It has just 14,000 miles on the clock, the right 2.0-litre diesel engine and is within your budget. This would be a good buy.
How much is my S-Max worth and should I keep it?
Hi guys,
I have a one-owner 2008 Ford S-Max 2.0 TDCi 140 Auto Titanium spec with 75,000km on the clock and wonder at approximate trade-in value? I see a wide variation in asking prices on the web. I am wondering if I should look to change it this year or next, or should hold on as it is a good car but don't want to be left with something worthless in a few years time.
Thanks,
Andrew
Andrew Kelly (Limerick)May 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Andrew,
That is quite an unusual spec S-Max that you have and as such it is reasonably difficult to price it because there are lots of basic spec 1.8-litre diesels around with manual transmissions. If you were selling that privately I think you would want around €18,500 for it though you'd probably get around €17,000-€17,500 if you traded it in.
Once that car starts to creep towards 100,000km the value will drop quite a lot, so bear that in mind. But the thing is, what would you be replacing it with anyway? I would probably think of upgrading to a newer one if you are in that frame of mind and can afford to do so, because it is probably at its most valuable now as the mileage is reasonable.
It is a lovely car though and it will be costly to get another at that spec. I guess you need to sit down with the calculator and figure out what you can afford. You might need about €14,000 along with your own to get into something similar in a demo model 2011 car.
I hope this helps!
Opel Astra CD/battery problem
Hi guys.
Do you know anything about a "known" problem with 2005 model Opel Astras whereby the motor in the console mounted CD player stays on when the ignition is off and eventually drains the battery? I know two family members suffering the same problem. Do you know if there is anything that can be done to fix it?
The only option Opel gave is to replace the whole console, but the problem will eventually happen again. Both cars are out of warranty so Opel dealers don't want to know and have only offered to replace the console at huge cost. Any ideas lads?
Love the site by the way.
Tom
Thomas Leonard (Laytown)May 2011 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Tom,
This is something that we have heard of before, but what we were told is that it was the radio at fault, as it switched itself on randomly and therefore drained the battery that way.
We found a UK thread on the topic
Let us contact Opel on your behalf and see if they have a solution and we will come back to you on it.
VW Passat or Ford Mondeo for taxi?
New Volkswagen Passat 1.6-litre diesel or new Ford Mondeo 1.6-litre diesel, cannot decide which is better for used as a taxi in Dublin.
Paul Mc Mahon (Dublin)May 2011 Filed under: taxi
Expert answer
Hi Paul,
These cars are really very similar and it can be difficult to seperate them when you compare them in almost every category. You didn't mention the Skoda Octavia or Superb here which is surprising since they are rated so highly by the taxi industry and they are also ultra reliable. The Passat hasn't always been that reliable while there appear to be fewer problems with the Mondeo. Having said that, both engines are really very good though and will be super frugal.
To be honest, I would probably still go with the Passat as it looks and feels a little more upmarket and that would be good in your line of work.
Help! I'm confused by Almera models
What is the differance between the 2004 Nissan Almera saloon 1.5 and the Nissan Almera Tekna saloon 1.5?
Brendan Higgins (Dublin)May 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Brendan,
The Tekna is just a specification - like GL or GLX, so there would be no difference in engines or performance and running costs. It might have a slightly higher specification than a standard car, but the likelihood is that all cars around that time might be Tekna.
I hope this helps!
Buying my first car for €5,000
Hi, I want to buy my first car. My budget is €5,000. I will be driving it on country roads and returning to Dublin at the weekend. Can you recommend the best car for my needs. I have a full driving license for the past 5 years. I look forward to your reply.
Regards Hazel.
Julie Travers (Tallaght)May 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Hazel,
What you need is something that will be reliable, has low mileage, has a full service history from a SIMI dealer and that will be a little bit fun to drive. I had a look for you and there are several that match your criteria on sale at the moment. We found a great little Kia Picanto: it has only 30,000km on the clock and is a smashing wee thing that would cost you very little to run.
We really like the Fiat Panda too, as it is a straightforward car that is chic, charming and fun and you could get one with really low mileage that is within your budget. You can never really go wrong with a Ford Fiesta: this would be a super car to own although the mileage on is a little higher.
If you want something that is a little bigger, then this Nissan Primera would be a good car and this is a low-mileage example.
Out of all of these, that Picanto could be a super little buy.
Is the Toyota RAV4 a good buy?
Is a 2007 Toyota RAV4 2.0 Luna with 46,000 miles on the clock a good buy at €11,900?
John O'Brien (Waterford)May 2011 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi John,
Yes, that is a good price and very much at the lower end of the scale of how much you might expect to pay. Is it too cheap though? Is it from an SIMI dealer? Has it a full service history and have you done a Motorcheck report on it?
Are BMW swirl flaps a problem?
Hello I would like to know if swirl flaps are a problem in BMW cars please. I would also like to know at what stage should you look out for this.
Thanks.
Declan Reidy (Kerry)May 2011 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Declan,
I must admit that it wasn't a problem that I was aware of up until now, but there is quite a lot of literature about it on the internet. Here is a forum thread on the topic.
We also found a website that offers a cheap solution although we cannot verify its effectiveness. We will find out how bad the probem is in Ireland.
It would seem to be that there is no real way of checking for this in advance because it doesn't appear to be on the service check list, though we do know that an improvement was put in place post-2004.
How do I change my Renault Mégane's front bumper?
How do I change the front bumper on a 2001 Renault Mégane Fidji?
Sidney Black (Bottisham)May 2011 Filed under: miscellaneous
Expert answer
Hi Sidney,
Changing body work on cars is always fiddly. Without seeing the car in front of us we couldn't give you a detailed set-by-step guide, but generally you'll need to get access from underneath the car to start with. It's possible that there will be several unusual fixings that require special tools so make sure you have a good look at what's holding it on before you start work.
Taking a quick look at a picture of the 2001 Mégane, make sure you pop the bonnet when you're doing the work, as there may be fixings hidden under there, as there may be behind the headlights.
Systematically remove each of the fixings from underneath first and don't forget to disconnect wiring from the fog lights - if fitted.
Obviously do not leave the keys in the ignition when carrying out this work and, as always, we recommend that this kind of job is only carried out by an experienced person.
Good luck!
Why the delays on the Kia Sportage?
Have you heard anything about why it is taking so long for the new Kia Sportage to reach Irish showrooms? Is it just right hand drive cars for Ireland and UK that are slow to arrive or is it all over Europe?
Kevin Leonard (Rush Co Dublin)May 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Kevin,
Yes I recently had a conversation with the guys from Kia Ireland about this. There simply aren't enough of them being made and they can't make them quick enough. It is a problem that Kia have with the Sportage and Hyundai have with the ix35. Apparently they are going to add a new run on a different plant and this will help relieve the backlog, but we are being told that the delays are 'significant' and obviously with such a demand for them in right hand drive markets, especially in the UK, this is making the situation worse.
Kia Sportage - delays
There are a couple of unregistered ones around - so maybe these would be suitable if you are looking for one?