Expert answer

Hi Rowland,

Sadly no, the two offers are generally mutually exclusive. On top of which, the zero per cent finance offers are generally only on PCP (or Personal Contract Purchase) plans. Being as those run on a three-year replacement cycle and you’ve kept your Peugeot for 14 years, I’d suggest that they may not be the ideal way to buy a car for you. I reckon you’d be better off with either a Hire Purchase plan or a bank loan and taking full advantage of the ‘scrappage’ discount.

Expert answer

Hi Mike,

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

Dealer seal isn't really worth it in my opinion because for most of the year Irish roads aren't gritted and salted. I know they are this week, but a regular trip to the car wash will do just as good a job as 'dealer seal.' Protect coating is pretty similar. You'd be better off just keeping the car in good condition and taking care of stone chips etc as and when they occur. Step back protection is like any form of payment protection insurance - it has its uses, but buy carefully and make sure you study the small print with great care. 

Expert answer

Hi Anne,

Actually, it’s not far off. I’d say, with a bit of practice, you should be able to beat 60-65mpg on a regular basis with that Polo, and to be honest you’re not going to get much better than that from any car. There are plenty of cars with official economy figures up in the 70s and 80s mpg, but those are laboratory figures and damned near impossible to reach in real world driving. If economy is your priority, then I’d stick with that Polo.

Expert answer

Hi Dave,

If you find the overall aesthetics of a car matter to you then the Kuga ST Line is the best version of the new line-up to go for. It looks especially good in darker colours. We’re also fans of the Volkswagen Tiguan, though it is at the more expensive end of the market. A similarly good looking car, and more affordable, is the SEAT Ateca. Here are our reviews to help you decide:

Ford Kuga ST Line review

Ford Kuga Vignale review

Volkswagen Tiguan review

SEAT Ateca review

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

There are certainly no concrete plans that we’ve heard of. There was some discussion of the subject, back in 2014 when the UK did away with paper tax discs, that Ireland might move to a similar system, and the abolition of being able to carry over unused vehicle tax from one owner to another is kind of the first step on that road. Dublin City Council this year suggested that we should start moving towards paperless tax but plans haven’t gone any farther than that for now.

Expert answer

Hi Philip,

Volkswagen and its associated brands are currently working their way through the lists of cars to be recalled and modified to enable them to reach the required standards for emissions at all times, and not just on the official test, as was revealed by the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal. The original plan was to have all cars recalled and modified by the end of this year, but that schedule has slipped significantly.

If your car is one of those due for work, you will get a letter in the post in due course advising you to book an appointment at your nearest Skoda dealer.

As for compensation? Unlike American Volkswagen owners, European owners as yet are not being offered any, primarily because the laws are rather different on this side of the Atlantic, but owners (via the courts), national governments and the EU are all pressing Volkswagen on the issue of compensation payments so there may yet be something in the offing.

Expert answer

Hi there, 

Assuming that’s the 2.4-litre petrol engined version of the Honda RE4 (better known to us as the third-generation CR-V), you’re looking at around 32mpg overall. We can’t give you more accurate data than that as the model was never homologated for European sales, so that number is extrapolated from the figure given for Australian market cars.

Expert answer

Hi Clare,

Well, if I gave the impression that I wasn’t too impressed, then that’s not quite right as we haven’t yet driven a new Citroen model equipped with the new Advanced Comfort suspension system. It won’t go into production until next year (2017). We have just driven the new Citroen C3, which has a very impressive ride quality on standard springs and dampers, so the omens for the new system are good.

Expert answer

Hi Fergal,

In a purely objective sense? No, there’s nothing. Will you get an interior that looks and feels a bit classier? Yes. Will you get a badge that has a bit more appeal? Yes. Do these things really matter? Not to everyone. If you’ve got a Mondeo then you already have a well-made, comfortable car that’s good to drive. So upgrading to an Audi or BMW will get you… a shinier badge. If you want something that feels as good as the premium stuff but costs less, have a look at a Volkswagen Passat or Mazda6 as a potential replacement. The only area in which the German cars are quantifiably better is in resale value.