Expert answer

Hi Sandra,

That really is an infuriating problem. It's amazing how many modern cars suffer from it and it's not always easy to trace the reason for it. We'd advise you bring it to a car alarm specialist for a check-up.

Hopefully that'll sort it out.

Expert answer

Hi Ally,

That really isn't an easy choice, but what we would say from the start is that you have chosen well. These are three fantastic cars and to be honest, any of them will tick the most basic of boxes for you in that they will be reliable, will be comfortable and look good and offer decent value for money. Mazda offer by far the best value when it comes to the scrappage scheme, so if you are watching your budget then this might be the way to go. You can check out the full details of the Mazda3 scrappage offers here. But the most you will pay is €19,495 for a fully specced Mazda3 under scrappage and that is superb value. 

Mazda3

Ford Focus (left) & Volkswagen Golf (right)

The two cars you see above are the new Ford Focus (left) and the Volkswagen Golf (right) and choosing between these two would be a bit like asking a parent to choose one of their kids. They both have their individual traits and as such it is hard to pick between them. The new Focus is very good, but I have the hatchback this week and had the saloon last week and actually preferred the saloon. The hatchback has poor visibility out the rear and you do have to pay a lot to get some of the fancy extras that are advertised. Having said that, you will get things like alloy wheels and air conditioning in the models you have chosen. The Golf is superb. We are running a long-term Volkswagen Golf Bluemotion and the fuel economy is great. I prefer the seating position in the Golf. I find that I can get more comfortable in the Golf and the fuel economy is outstanding. It isn't as exciting as the Ford inside, but you know that it will hold its value really well.

Really Ally, all of these cars will suit your needs perfectly. If I was tight on bugdet I would probably buy the Mazda3. If you are very concerned about residual value you have to buy the Golf, while the Focus is the newest car and probably feels the most upmarket.

My favourite of these would be the Golf, but whichever one you pick you will have done well. Again I would say that you need to move pretty fast, because if you want a specific new car it can take a few weeks and there aren't many weeks left in the scrappage scheme.

Expert answer

Hi Frank

The dual manual you refer to is I am guessing a DSG or double-clutch gearbox and we are certainly fans of them here at CompleteCar.ie. They have been around for quite some time now and therefore most of the major problems appear to have been ironed out. They offer a smoother auto change than a standard automatic transmission, plus they will behave like a manual (without the clutch obviously) if you want them to.

Something like this would be a lovely car.

Expert answer

Hi Frank,

We would expect the new Audi A3 saloon to come to Europe. Aside from retailing stretched versions of the Audi A6 in China, we are pretty sure that Audi always give Europe all of their cars. We could probably expect to get more details on this later in the year, most likely at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Like any car evolution, the A3 will undoubtedly get bigger!

Expert answer

Hi Jim,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, but I was checking this out and there certainly seems to be something of a difficulty with the diesel particulate filter in the Mazda6 although in general Mazda cars are really very good. There is ancedotal evidence of problems with the DPF and we have had questions on the site from owners relating to this, who were seeking to remove it altogether. With any used car it is pretty impossible to predict if the issue will occur so perhaps it might be worth considering another model, which is a shame, because the Mazda6 is a really good car otherwise.

Here is some more info, from a Mazda6 forum.

Expert answer

Hello Ailis,

Well for a start you have forgotten about the new Mazda5, which could be right up your street and it comes in €2,000 less than the Ford C-Max . It is a really impressive car and has a 1.6-litre diesel engine, which is frugal and puts it into Motor Tax Band B. It isn't quite as engaging as the C-Max to drive but it is well equipped and feels like a very high quality product. Here it is:

€24,995 will get you the entry-point into the Mazda5 and we think it is a really good car and would seem to suit your needs. 

While it doesn't have sliding doors, you simply must try the Peugeot 5008 because it is so good. Click on the link to read our full review. That would make a great buy.

With regards to the Ford Grand C-Max you need €26,995 to get into the 1.6-litre Activ model. 

Out of all of these, Ailis, I think you should really consider the Mazda5.

Hope that helps!

Expert answer

Hi Steve, 

Here's an answer to a similar question:

http://www.completecar.ie/askusanything/question/397/Are-there-any-Band-B-4x4s

Depending on your budget, I think the new BMW X3 would be ideal. Perhaps the Skoda Yeti 4x4 would work if you are working off a smaller budget. Bear in mind that the most either of those cars can legally tow is 2,000kg (dependant on model), so whether they are suitable really depends on the weight of your horsebox - and horses of course...

Some versions of the Volkswagen Tiguan have a 2,500kg towing limit, but they fall into higher tax bands.

If you give us an actual weight to work with we can advise you further, but there certainly are not many four-wheel drive SUVs on the market that can tow more than 2,000kg and still be in Band A or Band B.

Expert answer

Hi Caroline,

Paddy here. Given your budget, I would say that you need something that is going to be easy to live with, cheap to run and reliable. 

The Suzuki Swift is a really easy car to own. It is reliable, spacious, cheap to run (tax, fuel, insurance) and good value too. This one I have picked out because it has really low miles (10,000km) and is about half way up your budget: Suzuki Swift

Another decent buy would be a Ford Focus 1.4 - which is a really good larger family hatchback with a big boot. This one we found has just 34,000km on the clock, comes from a good dealership and the price is good: Ford Focus

At the upper end of your budget would be a Volkswagen Golf. They are really good investments because they hold their value well. This one again has really low mileage: Volkswagen Golf

I hope some of these are of interest. I think the Swift would be a super choice for you guys though. 

Come back to us if you need more advice though.

Expert answer

Hi Niamh,

We spoke by e-mail and now I have a better idea of your budgets there are a few good ideas. I think the Ford S-Max is probably my favourite car of this bunch. I quite like this one. It is diesel, looks great and has low mileage. We reckon you could get them down in price a little too. 

In relation to the choice between manual and auto in the C4 Picasso, that really is down to personal choice. It isn't the greatest auto ever but it isn't the worst either. You really should try it and see. The EGS box is a little jerky. Personally I wouldn't really fancy it but you should be the judge. This one is quite nice and has really low mileage. 

I wouldn't say not to consider Renaults, but they weren't a good vintage at the time, so personally I don't think I would be spending money on a 2007/2008 Scenic. They have got a lot better since then though. 

Lastly, you could try a VW Touran. It isn't that exciting but they hold their value really well and are nicely built. 

Anyway Niamh, if it were my money, I'd have the Ford S-Max.

I hope this helps.

Expert answer

Hi Linda,

I can totally understand your concerns. Anyway, to start, here are all the EuroNCAP reports on the cars you were looking at so you can have a good look at them.

Ford S Max / VW Touran / Citroen C4 Picasso 

The placement of ISOFIX seats often dictates where child seats should go and in a lot of MPVs there is still only two and these are usually in the outer two seats of the second row. We answered a question on this recently. 

This article by JD Power and Associates is good. As regards the rear row, the information is a little unclear on whether there is a greater danger to be in the rear seats in a rear impact, but it is something that we will investigate further. The strength of the modern MPV at the rear is pretty impressive though and as long as the child is front facing they are well protected.