Expert answer

Hi Patricia,

You're right, most seven-seat MPVs have tiny boots when all seven seats are in use. One car that springs to mind straightaway is the Renault Grand Espace. This has a little more luggage space than the regular Espace. We found one on beepbeep.ie for well under your budget: click here to have a look.

You mentioned that you don't like the idea of a minibus style car, but it's worth checking a few out. The Mercedes-Benz Viano can be had for your budget for instance.

Safety and reliability are your priorities. The Espace scored well in the Euro NCAP safety ratings when it was launched and though there were reliability issues early in its life, these seem to have been ironed out by now.

I realise that's a very limited response. It might be worth considering using a roof box. That would widen your choice a little.

Let me know if we can help any further and what you decide upon. You can reply by logging in and putting a comment in the box below.

Expert answer

Hi Frank,

You are likely to get up to €6,000 for your Grand Punto as a trade-in. Having spoken to you via e-mail we know that you have a budget of around €8,000 - €10,000 on top of this.

A car like the Mazda3 saloon with an automatic transmission would make a great choice, as it would be more than suitable for the small mileage your wife does and even though it is a petrol engine it won't cost a lot to run. Here is an example that should be well within budget.

If you wanted something that is a little bigger and more comfortable, then you could have a 2008 Volkswagen Passat automatic within budget. Here is a 2008 one on sale in Naas.

Another good choice would be a Honda Civic saloon automatic, which would be ultra reliable. This model would be well suited to your wife's needs.

I know that you didn't mention an SUV, but if your wife suffers from mobility problems, it can be a lot easier to get in and out of a higher vehicle and this Suzuki Vitara could be great, as it comes with an automatic transmission and has plenty of space for the grandkids too.

Out of all these, my hunch is that the Mazda3 would make the best buy for your needs. I hope this helps. Feel free to come back to us if we haven't quite hit the mark!

Expert answer

Hi Tonya,

Our advice on all used car purchases is that if something seems fishy then just walk away. A service history is important for peace of mind and of course we'd urge you to use a SIMI registered dealer when possible.

All that aside, the price seems quite low in comparison to others of similar age and mileage on the market. Especially when the mileage is so low.

Take a read through our guide to watching out for clocked cars here.

I understand your need to get value for money and if you're happy with the car perhaps get a mechanic to look it over, or a proper check by someone like the AA.

Finally, carry out a car history check. It's relatively cheap to do and gives you extra peace of mind. Just pop the car's registration into the box on the bottom left of this page.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

We spoke to Jane direct to find out a little more information. She currently lives in Northern Ireland and has a 2008 Nissan Qashqai Tekna to trade in. She wishes to downsize and will be moving to the Republic soon with her new car.

Initially Jane believed that she could bring a car to the south VRT-free so long as it was over six months old, but in fact the legislation states that she must have owned the car herself outside the state for six months before importing it.

Jane fancied changing to a Nissan Note, but was unsure of its reliability. We confirmed that the Note has had no major problems and so Jane is going ahead with a swap for a six-month old Note Tekna with only 4,000 miles on the clock. This is a highly specced version with satnav, alloys, Bluetooth etc.

Expert answer

Hi Mark,

It's not always easy to tell if a car's clock has been tampered with, even for an expert. Reputable dealers can just as easily get caught out as the rest of us so they cannot guarantee the mileage for you.

However, there are plenty of things you can do to reduce the chances of getting caught out.

1 - If a car has been clocked by a real amateur they may leave some telltale signs behind, such as scratched trim around the fixings of the dashboard or misaligned numbers on the clock itself. Bear in mind of course that there may be a genuine reason for these things too.

2 - Don't just skim through the service history. Check it in detail and note the dates of any service stamps and the corresponding mileages. If a pattern is strangely broken it may suggest something awry. Obviously not all cars will have a full service history, but the more documentation available the better. That includes things like old NCTs.

3 - Double check the mileage when you actually come to collect the car. A sneaky trick is to wind back to clock for initial viewings and then, just before the buyer collects the car, wind it forward again.

4 - Look for wear and tear on the seats, steering wheel, carpets and pedals. If any of these are badly worn it means that many kilometres have passed under the wheels. It's a good idea to look at as many examples of the same car as possible so you get a feel for the average condition.

5 - If you're serious about a specific model it could pay dividends to do a full history check. On the left-hand side of this page is a link to MotorCheck.ie, which provides a comprehensive check for a modest fee.

6 - Never be afraid to walk away. If something doesn't feel right, then look elsewhere.

Hope that helps.

Expert answer

Hello Dan, here is one just like yours with similar mileage and it is retailing at €31,000, so you might offered a little less than this as a trade-in, perhaps around €29,000. This is our best guess. 

Expert answer

There is no denying that the Fluence is a lot of car for the money. The TomTom edition you mention is €23,500 and it comes with all the bells and whistles and depending on your car and how old it is it could end up costing you just €19,000. This Renault is loaded with kit and the multimedia system in it is really good.

The Astra will cost you €24,155 in SRi spec so you are starting off at a higher price and the Fluence will still have better equipment levels than the Astra.

These are two quite different cars. The Astra will be much more sporty and will feel more agile, while the Renault is aimed more at comfort and space. You are likely to get a better offer on your Corsa from the Opel dealer, but a greater discount from the Renault dealer.

It really would depend on the driving you intend to do and how long you will keep this car. If I were up and down a motorway all day and in the car a lot, I would have the Renault. If I was a keen driver and enjoyed the odd back road blast I'd probably have the Opel. In terms of value, the Renault has the edge, but the Opel might be worth more in three years time.

This is a case where you really just have to drive both cars and trust your feeling on them.

Up to you from here. Let us know in the comment box below how you get on.

Expert answer

Yes, your car is eligible for the scrappage scheme. The best car you could get, if your budget stretches, is the Renault Fluence, which would cost €15,800 under the scrappage scheme. 

Renault also has a special option for taxi drivers:

"Renault has a specific extended warranty programme of up to 5 years with unlimited mileage for taxis.

Renault Ireland is the first car company on the Irish market to offer very high mileage customers like taxi drivers who purchase a Renault, this extended warranty programme. Drivers can opt for a 4^th year or 5^th year extended warranty with unlimited mileage from €529.00."

Hope that helps.

Expert answer

I am going to refer your question to someone who has spent time in both models and get back to you as soon as possible. Jarlath Sweeney is Editor of Fleet Magazine and he has spent time in both cars. Here is what he has to say about the Rangers:

"The differences between old and new Rangers are chalk and cheese - everything about the present one is improved from driveline to handling - we did Malin to Mizin twice over 3 days 2 years ago and could not complain. It is important to have a little load in the rear to aid stability however. There is a facelifted version due soon"

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Sinead,

Well your car does qualify for the scrappage scheme, which ends on December 31^st this year. All dealers who have cars that qualify for scrappage (new cars with emissions of 140g/km or less, Band A and B cars) are partaking in the scheme - at this stage most mainstream brands have some cars that qualify.

Renault is offering the best deals when it comes to the scrappage scheme and although you might not have considered a new car, it would probably make the most cost effective way of getting into another car as you will get the most money for your current Clio and the most money off a new one.

For example, if you were to trade-in your current Clio against a new version under the scrappage scheme it would cost you just €8,990 for a new one, so essentially, along with the Government allowance, you are getting a total of €5,050 off the price of a new car, and you certainly won't get this off a used one. You might, at best, hope for €1,000 off a used car for your 1999 model, so you might just get a 2008 Clio with your budget.

In summary, if your budget allows, go and get a new Clio under the scheme.