Expert answer

Hi Katie,

The Volkswagen Group is offering a PCP scheme in Ireland at the moment. It trialled the scheme last year with the Volkswagen Polo, but a number of offers across the range will be in place soon. Audi also has an offer on several of its cars, such as the A1. 

Hope that's of some help.

Expert answer

Hi Barbara,

It is always hard to give a proper price estimate on a car without knowing the mileage and condition but you should expect to be offered around €12,000 for the Avensis depending on the condition and the dealer you go to.

The RAV4 would probably be worth around €14,500 as a trade-in. It is not unheard of for two cars to be traded-in, but you generally have to find a pretty understanding dealer or one who really wants the cars you have to trade-in. Remember that a dealer has to service your trade-in, perhaps put new tyres on it and add a warranty, so this all adds cost. 

I hope this helps. 

Expert answer

Hi Noel,

Two new models have been launched in the Skoda Yeti range and these make up part of a strong model line-up for 2011, which will include a new 4.9 per cent finance offering on Yeti models. Skoda, as part of the Volkswagen Group, will offer finance through its own bank.

The two new models in the Skoda Yeti range are a 1.6-litre TDI Greenline that has 105hp and replaces the 2.0-litre 100hp diesel. It has emissions of 119g/km, which means it sits in motor tax band A.

The car features stop-start technology, low-rolling resistance tyres and brake energy recuperation. Prices start at €23,165 for the Greenline Active, €24,125 for the Ambition model and €26,035 for the Experience.

Also on offer for the first time is the 4x4 version. It comes with a 2.0-litre diesel engine putting out 170hp and with emissions of 155g/km it sits in motor tax band C.

There are Ambition and Experience specifications available for this model and prices are €29,545 for the Ambition and €31,480 for the Experience.

Skoda sold 775,000 cars worldwide in 2010, but has ambitions to sell 1.5 million by 2015. It will launch several new models to the line-up between now and then.

A small A-segment car that will take on the Ford Ka and Toyota iQ will go on sale in 2013, followed by a replacement to the Skoda Octavia that same year. A new version of the Skoda Roomster comes in 2014 and that same year a new version of the Fabia will arrive.

The new Yeti models are now in dealerships. 

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Peadar,

Firstly it is hardly a surprise that your Saab has served you so well. Those cars are so well-built that they can go on for what seems like forever. I'm sure you realise that you probably won't get much for your Saab, unless of course you were prepared to opt for a new car and avail of the Government Scrappage Scheme, but since you mentioned 2008 cars we will deal with those first. 

My first choice for you would be a 2008 Saab 9-3 Diesel. Since you have enjoyed your previous Saab so much and it has served you so well, I thought that this would be the best place to start. You can have a 2008 model, in Linear Sport spec, with just 44,000km on the clock from a SIMI-approved Saab dealer for €19,950. The emissions are 147g/km so it sits in motor tax Band C, so will cost just €302 per year in road tax. This car is really nicely specced too. Plus, you will most certainly get the best price for your own Saab from here.

Another fantastic car that might not have considered is the Subaru Legacy diesel, a personal favourite of mine. This car has a brilliant engine, is beautifully balanced on the road and nicely equipped too. You would pay around €20,000 for a 2008 model. They don't come up for sale very often and can be hard to find but they are super cars. 

The same sort of money would get you a Volvo S40, although my only issue with this car is that it might feel a little small compared to the others. The S40 1.6-litre diesel has low emissions however, so you will pay just €156 per year on road tax. This car is okay, but I don't think it's anywhere near your best choice here. 

The Avensis is a good solid choice and should be reliable and comfortable, but after having quite an interesting car in the shape of the Saab, you might feel a little bit like you sold your soul with the Toyota. You will save some money though. A 2008 model from a Toyota dealer will cost you under €18,000. Sure this car will be a safe choice, but I think it might bore you a little. 

You will save even more money with a 2008 Skoda Octavia Diesel, which will cost you under €16,000 and just €156 in road tax. They are nicely built too. Or in the case of a Volkswagen Passat, you should best avoid the 1.9-litre diesel and get a 2.0-litre one instead - the 1.9-litre diesel is noisy. So this 2.0-litre diesel with 140hp will cost you €18,500 and will still just cost you €302 per year in road tax. 

Another one to consider, and a very under-rated car, is the Citroen C5. The newer model is really good and comfortable and you could have a 2008 version for around €17,500. Here is one.

If you ask me which of this lot you should buy, I would say the Saab or the Subaru. The rest are fine, but if you loved your Saab then those two will be the most interesting for you. 

I hope this helps! 

Expert answer

Hi Molly,

The ruling is quite clear: "The car being scrapped must have a valid NCT certificate or one that has expired no more than 90 days before the scrappage date. Cars that fail an NCT in the six months before scrappage can also apply."

Our full scrappage guide is online here.

Feel free to come back to us if you need more help.

Expert answer

Hi Keith,

There are some really good independent dealers around these days, because there are so many people who bought high-end cars during the boom years and they find that they now want to spend less on servicing. With a 2001 Jaguar X-Type I wouldn't be rushing to a Jaguar dealership to get it serviced. These guys GTi Direct have a good reputation for servicing high-end cars at a good price, so maybe they would be worth checking out.

I hope this helps. 

Expert answer

Hi Maurice,

If I were spending my own money on something like this I would probably narrow my search down to a few key models. I would also look at something that was pre-July 2008 as the road tax is a little easier to stomach.  You didn't specify whether you need it to be a 4x4, because this does tend to make them a little harder on fuel.

The Toyota RAV4 isn't massive but it is seriously well put together and you could have a 2.2-litre 2007 model with low mileage for €17,950.

Here's an example on beepbeep.ie.

Road tax at €860 is still a lot though, so that might rule this out.

If you don't need 4x4, then a Nissan Qashqai is quite an obvious choice. You could have a 2009 model, with low mileage and road tax of a just €156 per year, for €20,495. These are popular for a reason, but forget about it if you need to go off-road.

Here's an example on beepbeep.ie.

Again, no four-wheel drive options for your budget, but you could have a Skoda Yeti, which is a great SUV with a decent 2.0-litre TDI engine for €22,750 - although I'd be pushing for closer to €20,000 in a cash deal.

You could have a Nissan X-Trail too, although they can be a little hard to find. They are really good value. Most are two-wheel drive but there are four-wheel drive ones about. This one is a two-wheel drive version, but at €18,500 for a 2008 model it is great value.

Finally, the latest Land Rover Freelander is much better than the model that went before it. You can have it with a 2.2-litre diesel engine and four-wheel drive and that would be in and around the right money.

Here's an example.

Out of this lot, I'd be inclined to go for the Nissan X-Trail.

Hope that helps. Let us know what you end up going for.

Expert answer

Hi Paul,

I am not sure if you want a new car or a used car. In terms of a new car, there aren't all that many seven seat estates anymore. First up is the Peugeot 308 SW, which is available with a third row of seats. However, it doesn't seem to be offered on Peugeot's online price list anymore - since the 3008 arrived it doesn't really have a large audience. We did contact Peugeot though and if you do want a 308 SW with seven seats the car is available on special order. A 1.6 HDi 308 SW seven seater will cost from €25,725 plus delivery and a 2.0 HDi will cost from €28,150.

But you can have a 2008 307 SW model for very little money. This one is just €9,990 for a 1.6-litre diesel. 

Mercedes-Benz still does a seven-seat option for the E-Class Estate, but the third row is best suited to kids. That range starts at €46,500 before you start putting in optional extras. 

Here is a quite nice 2004 model though: low mileage, a nice 2.7-litre diesel engine and it is a decent price too. 

Add more detail in the comment box below if you'd like to know more.

Thanks a lot.

Expert answer

Hi William,

We'd be only too happy to help you choose a new car if that's the route you want to go down, but one suggestion we'd have that could save you the cost of changing cars is to change the tyres on your Santa Fe to winter tyres.

Many people think that winter tyres are only of use in snow and ice, but that's far from the case. Regular tyres begin to go hard (and hence lose grip) at just seven degrees Celsius. That's regardless of how wet or dry the road surface is. Winter tyres, however, do not go hard at these temperatures and hence retain much higher levels of grip.

It's often said that a two-wheel drive car on winter tyres is better in slippery conditions than a four-wheel drive car on regular tyres.

I have first-hand experience of using winter tyres over the past week and I can confirm that they really make a huge difference. Bear in mind that they help with braking and turning, as well as traction.

You may have heard people say that winter tyres wear out quicker, but actually that's not the case at this time of year. When the temperatures are low, regular tyres wear quicker than winter tyres.

Admittedly, winter tyres wear quicker and their braking performance isn't as impressive as a regular tyre's in warm weather.

There's no doubt that winter tyres are more expensive to buy, but it'd be cheaper than changing your car.

If, however, you want to change your car regardless, come back to us and we'll help you through it.

Expert answer

Hi Sean,

The answer really depends on the type of four-wheel drive you have. Most road-biased SUVs and crossovers with four-wheel drive apportion the engine output to the wheels with the most grip. Some won't use four-wheel drive unless slip is detected anyway. In those cars it makes sense to leave the car in four-wheel drive mode all the time, certainly in the snowy weather we have right now. Best to not get stuck rather than turning on the four-wheel drive when you might already be having an issue.

Some four-wheel drives have a 'differential lock', which makes sure that all the wheels receive equal amounts of power. That should only be used in really tricky conditions, as the car won't be very responsive to turning and the tyres would wear out quicker on a normal road in that mode.

Hope that helps, but feel free to ask us more.