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Hi Philip,

Potentially, yes, as sometimes disconnecting the battery can cause a modern car to go into a total re-set, wiping any stored information. I think you have two options: one, buy a trickle-charger (available from any good motor factors) that will keep the battery topped up without disconnecting it, and two, have a word with the local Mercedes garage in Spain, who may be able to help you with the issue. Worth doing that second one either way.

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Hi Philip and thanks for this,

You make some good points here, but the main one I'd like to focus on is the uncertainty. It is, without a doubt, reducing car sales right now, as people don't know what to do, and all we can do is present the facts. They are this:

1 - There are many motorists in Ireland for which there is no economic alternative to a diesel car. Those that travel long distances day in, day out, could not use an electric car. Plug-in hybrids would be useless to them as well as they only return good economy when regularly charged up. The latest non plug-in hybrids are more economical than ever on a long run, but still not as cheap to fuel as a good diesel. And let's not forget, the majority of drivers are buying used, so there's very little choice in the used market for anything other than conventional diesel or petrol.

2 - For another large number of Irish motorists, petrol power would be perfectly fine. We've been saying for years that too many people have diesel cars because that became the default after 2008. Regardless of air quality and health issues, diesels come with higher maintenance costs, especially if they aren't used at higher speeds regularly.

3 - It seems to have been lost in the conversation that the diesel bans being discussed are not for all diesels, but for older diesels that emit much higher levels of NOx and other pollutants. 

4 - The Irish government needs to hurry up and let the country/industry know what it plans to do, for this uncertainty is killing the market full-stop, not just diesel power.

With all the above in mind, we will continue to help buyers choose a car based on their individual circumstances and for many that will still mean a diesel. For now.

I welcome thoughts and comments on this below. Would be great to get some feedback on what people think and whether they are holding off buying a car because of the uncertainty.

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Hi Andy,

All three are good cars (and reliable too, with the Octavia at the top of the pile in that respect, the Mondeo second and the Insignia third). The Mondeo is the best to drive, and has the most interior space, but the Octavia actually wouldn’t be far behind, and has good seats. If cabin space is your thing, the Insignia comes off worst — it’s quite small in there, unless you’re talking about the new-shape model, introduced in 2017, which is actually very roomy.

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Hi Mark,

Well, it is — in effect — impossible for us to say with any authority as to how the 1.0 TSI engine is going to perform in the longer term, as the engine hasn’t been around all that long. What we can say is that, so far, there have been no horror stories emerging of any major reliability issues, and that Skoda has (a) good quality control systems and (b) a good reputation for high quality and reliability. After all, when people ask about the most reliable cars, we generally say Japanese, Korean and Czech — in that order. As long as you keep it properly serviced, I don’t think you’ll have any major problems.

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Hi Emil,

As far as reliability and solidity go, there’s nothing to worry about. As long as it comes with a full service history and has been looked after by its previous owners, it should prove to be one of the most reliable cars you could possibly buy. Now, things to worry about — space; the CT 200h is very comfy and nice up front, but space in the back seats is quite poor and the boot is small, so bear that in mind. Secondly, economy. The CT 200h uses an older hybrid system, derived from the third generation Toyota Prius, and it’s quite tricky to get the best economy from it. As long as you drive gently, and mostly in town, you should be fine, but longer journeys, especially on the motorway, will seriously hit your fuel consumption figure.

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Hi Steven,

We’ve had a quick word with Ford about this, and it seems that there are two potential answers. One is that it’s possible that one of the cars was originally a UK model and there may be some spec differences there, and the other possibility is that one car was registered in 2016, but may have been a 2015-built car, which was taken from storage to be registered. If you can provide us with the car’s VIN number, we can do some more digging.

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Hi Brian,

The diesel question is a particularly thorny one, mostly because we don’t have any firm guidance from the Government on what is going to happen with the taxation system. If anti-diesel taxes are brought in, then that will definitely have a serious effect on diesel used prices. For now though, all we can reliably say is that diesel is still popular outside the major urban centres and, for the most part, it’s still the best choice for the long-distance driver. I say most part, because hybrids are improving all the time and such cars as the Kia Niro and Toyota Prius are well able to manage better than 60mpg even on long motorway hauls, while a Lexus GS 300h, for example, is every bit as frugal in daily driving as a rival diesel product.

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Hi Andy,

It’s not a waste, as such, but you do need to balance out whether or not it’s worth the extra cash to you. Yes, the 530d has a lot more power and torque, and is smoother than the four-cylinder 520d from a refinement point of view. Balanced against that, the 520d will easily beat the 55mpg mark every day, while the 530d will struggle to do better than around 45mpg, and you’ll be paying a bit more motor tax every year too. So, while we love the 530d, and its six-cylinder smoothness, the head clearly says buy a 520d.

Read our BMW 5 Series reviews to help you decide

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Hi Dan,

Yes, it absolutely will be. Diesel values have fallen in the UK, but much less so here, although there is a little ‘softening’ going on. However, if you’re buying another Toyota, there will be promotional activities around hybrid models (not least since Toyota recently announced that it’s going to stop making diesel-engined passenger cars) so I don’t think you’ll have any issues. 

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Hi Anne Marie,

Stop-start systems on cars will stop working for a variety of reasons, some of them outside your control, but if you think your SEAT still has a problem after looking through this list of possibilities, best bet is to get the car along to your nearest SEAT dealer to check it out:

- Ambient temperature too cold
- Ambient temperature too hot (unlikely in Ireland!)
- Battery in poor condition
- Driver's seat belt usually must be on
- Driver's door and bonnet usually must be closed
- Engine temperature is too low
- Climate control settings may force the engine to stay on

Hope that's of some help. This question by an Audi owner has proven very popular and is mostly applicable to your car too.