CompleteCar
Search Ask Us Anything
Showing 1131 - 1140 results (out of a total of 1212) found for "Cars" in Ask Us Anything

Should I get the Santa Fe with fog lights?

I am looking at the new 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe in the "Classic" spec but am worried that this spec does not come with front fog lights as standard and I am told that these cannot be retro fitted after purchase. 

I cover around 40k km per year and need to know if this will be a issue in the winter especially?

Noel Slater (Limerick)

Nov 2010 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Noel

There is quite a small amount of money between the Classic and the Deluxe model (€1,500) and as well as the fog lights that you mention, you get things like Climate Control over manual air conditioning, a leather steering wheel and gear knob and cruise control. 

These are all pretty necessary things in the Santa Fe, so I would do my best if I were you to strike a deal up on the Deluxe model. I don't know if you are restricted budget-wise but you would be surprised how much you could get off if you negotiate. 

In relation to the front fog lights, they aren't hugely essential, but are 'handy' when the weather is really bad. Once you have them on the rear, which you will, then other cars will at least see you. I wouldn't not buy the car because they weren't there but do your best to shop around for the Deluxe model. I would be confident you could get that Deluxe for the right price. 


Should I buy an Alfa Brera?

Hey Paddy,

One of the lads in the office has a pal that's looking at this Alfa Brera.

What do you reckon?

Runner or not?

Gavan O'Brien (Kildare)

Nov 2010 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Gavan,

That is a lot of car for very little money. There are a few things to consider here. It is a V6 model, so it is one of the lesser sold Breras. Yes, it is the best one, but it will also be pretty difficult to sell on again and 2-3 years down the line it could be pretty worthless. 

On the plus side though it has bags of character and that V6 is lovely and the Brera has been reasonably headache free.

With this car, it is entirely a heart purchase, the head doesn't come into it. Do all the relevant background checks, be surgical about how the service history is examined and have an Alfa expert run their eye over it and you could have a very nice car that makes the German clones look dull as dishwater. 


Can the Opel Insignia compare to the Ford Mondeo?

I was considering a new Mondeo, but Ford is only putting the 163hp 2.0 diesel in the Titanium Spec at about €34k, where as an Opel Insignia has a 160hp 2.0 diesel available at about €30k. However, I have heard the 130hp Insignia is more drivable.

Any comment?

Michael Morrissey (Kilkenny)

Nov 2010 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Michael,

Is there a specific reason you want the highest engine power in either car? In the case of both the Mondeo (140hp) and Insignia (130hp), high specification models of these can be had in and around the €30,000 mark. Granted the highest power output models in these are very potent, but the torque figure is equally important in diesel cars and the middle range Insignia has 300Nm of torque and the Mondeo has 340Nm, which is pretty much on par with that offered by the 160hp Insignia.

If I was to advise, I would say you should look at the Zetec Mondeo 140hp Diesel, which has performance to match the 160hp Insignia and in Zetec trim is pretty well equipped too. You can see the spec here.

I hope this helps,


What is the value of my Mazda5?

Hi guys,

What would be the approximate trade-in value of a 2008 Mazda5 diesel with 56,000 on the clock?

Tim Hehir (Cork)

Nov 2010 Filed under: used car values

Expert answer

Hi Tim,

I am presuming this is 56,000km and that the car is in good condition. You are likely to get offered around €16,000 - €17,000 for this car as a trade-in. But you might get a little more depending on what you are trading in against.

You can buy an example with about half as many miles as yours for about €19,000 as you see here. Generally the dealer will offer a little less because they have to service and prep the car before they sell it. 

Keep our estimate in mind as somewhere to start really. And also, don't to get fixated on what is being offered for your car, but rather the cost to change. And remember to shop around! 

I hope this helps,


Should I buy now or wait until the New Year?

Hi guys,

Is there any point in changing my car this side of Christmas? I am going from a 2006 Opel Vectra to a 2008 Mazda6.

Thanks Mick

Michael Mulvey (Ashbourne)

Oct 2010 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Mick,

If you talk to the trade at the moment, they will say that there is something of a shortage of good used cars around. Generally as people buy in the early parts of the year then you will get a lot of second-hand cars floating around so there is a case for waiting. On the other hand, your 2006 Vectra is regarded as another year older. If you can get the right deal why not do it now? 

The only thing to worry about is a shortage of diesel Mazda6 models from that year. You didn't specify if you wanted petrol or diesel, but there are twice as many petrol examples available. Having said that, I really like this diesel model here, but it is a little on the pricey side. You would pay significantly less for a petrol model with lower mileage, such as this one

What I would say is that you will get more attention in the dealerships now, or at least you should do. It can be frustrating going into the dealers in January when they are busy, so bear that in mind. 


What small diesel car can you recommend?

Can you recommend a few small diesel-engined cars that qualify for the scrappage scheme? Value for money is important. It must be a five-seater, must have four doors and reliability is important. I'm considering a Ford Fiesta or similar-sized car.

William Neale (Dublin)

Oct 2010 Filed under: scrappage

Expert answer

Hi William,

The first thing I would say is, do you really need a diesel? The diesel version of small cars tend to cost more and if you aren't really doing excessive mileage then you might not reap the benefits of owning one. For example a diesel Ford Fiesta costs €1,000 more than a petrol model and the annual road tax on the petrol model is only €156 - just €52 more per year than the diesel option. Often, in a small car, a petrol engine is really the best option.

The first car that you mention, the Fiesta, has been one of the real stars of the scrappage scheme and one of the best-selling cars in 2010 and for us, it is still the best supermini in the class. It is well built, drives really well and has pretty styling. The offers on the Fiesta for scrappage are very tempting and you can shop around to get the best deal, but you will find that there are greater discounts on the petrol models.

A car we rate here at CompleteCar.ie is the Volkswagen Polo and the 1.2-litre TDI BlueMotion model in particular is excellent offering outstanding fuel economy and ultra-low emissions. The Polo is the sort of car that you would like holding on to for four to five years as they age well.

There are obviously some incredible offers in the Renault range, as the company is offering by far the most generous discounts when it comes to new cars. You could have a petrol Clio from €8,990 under scrappage. There is a diesel version available too and with all the discounting this would come out as one of the cheapest five-door diesel superminis around.

I think if you are intent on diesel then perhaps you should look in value terms at a slightly larger car. I would be very tempted by a Hyundai i30 1.6-litre diesel. You can have one of these, which has five doors, is going to be very reliable and will cost you from €14,995 under scrappage, which is really excellent value.

However a car that has really impressed us of late is the new Nissan Juke. Here you are getting lots of car for the money. The diesel Juke starts at €20,195 (full price list here) and this car would qualify for scrappage as it has Band B emissions. 

That's a few for you to consider but do come back to us if you have more questions!


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


I need a bigger car, but I have a small budget.

Hi,

I have a 2005 three-door Mitsubishi Colt and need a bigger car: I have a three-year old and baby on the way... Don't have much cash  (€1,000 max); what sort of car could I get with my car as a trade in? I have looked at Mitsubishi Spacestar and Mercedes-Benz A-Class. I want a reliable car and want to keep engine size down to save on tax and insurance.. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Also, have you any ideas of anyone who would pay cash for my car? Tried all the cash-for-cars places and got no answers.

Thanks

Sarah Morgan (Dublin)

Oct 2010 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Sarah,

First of all you need to be aware that the cash-for-car places are usually going to give you a deal that is at the lower end of the scale so it can sting a little. I think your best bet is likely to try and trade-in your Colt for something bigger. I can imagine that the three-door Colt is a bit of a nightmare with one child, and two will be even worse. 

Depending on the condition of your car - we are guessing it might look like this, then you may get offered around €4,500 as a trade-in against another car. Obviously you need something a little more spacious. I think the right car for you would be a Ford C-Max because it is spacious, safe and comfortable. We found one from a SIMI dealer in Westmeath that has 67,000 miles on the clock, is petrol-powered, but won't be too expensive to run if you aren't doing a lot of mileage. This car would be ideal for your needs and €4,900 is the the asking price. You can find the advert here.

I think this would be in ideal car because the Spacestar is getting on and isn't all that good and the early Mercedes -Benz A-Class has been notoriously troublesome.

Hope that helps.

 


2007 Toyota Yaris or 2007 Volkswagen Polo?

I am looking at a 2007 Toyota Yaris 1.0-litre Terra with 23,000km or a 2007 Volkswagen Polo 1.2 Comfortline with 20,000km. Both can be had for €8,000 cash. It is a first car for my daughter. Which one should I buy?

Chris Fox (Dublin)

Oct 2010 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Chris.

The price sounds about right for both cars at that mileage. You would pay quite a bit less if you got something with higher mileage. But that aside I would normally say that you should go for the Polo because it feels a little more substantial and might have a bit more street credibility for your daughter. However, with the Yaris you are still getting the current model, while there is a newer version of the Polo so for the time being it will hold its value a little better I'd expect. 

Obviously, safety will be an important consideration, and the Yaris scored higher in the Euro NCAP safety tests, achieving five stars compared to the Polo's four, so perhaps a reason to choose the Yaris. 

Toyota Yaris NCAP result

Volkswagen Polo NCAP result

Hope that helps.


I'd like something economical to replace my Focus.

Hi,

I have €10,000 plus a 2000 Ford Focus 1.8. I'm looking for an economical car to do 100km a day, every day. What kind of car should I be looking at? Was thinking of a 1.8 TDCi Focus. Is diesel a good choice?

 

Pete Tinsley (MACROOM)

Sep 2010 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Pete,

You don't mention the mileage or condition of your Focus, but the value to a dealer could be anything from €1,000 - €2,000 depending on those factors and what you are trading the car in against.

I think that with your 100km a day you are probably better off with a diesel car in terms of saving money on fuel. There are a few options in your price range. The Volkswagen Golf Diesel is one option. We like this 2006 model with really small mileage on it for €13,750.

But down in Cork there is probably a better buy in this 2007 Ford Focus 1.6-litre diesel (which is a better engine than the 1.8-litre unit) and this car has just 16,000 miles on the clock and is within your budget we would hope. If you liked your Focus before then I am sure you would love this newer model and at the price and mileage it would be hard to ignore.


-->