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What's the 2011 Hyundai i10 like?

Just looking at a 2011 Hyundai i10 petrol priced at €7,750. Price seems ok just that I don't know anything about these cars!

Anthony Ryan (Cork)

Oct 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Anthony,

Don't worry - cracking car. Not quite as nice as the current-model i10 but still reliable, solid, nice to drive and should do you for a good while. Just make sure it's been serviced properly (preferably with a Hyundai dealer). 


Is there any downside to buying a new car?

I have money to buy a new car. Is there any downside to this?

Selvamani Ramasamy (Dublin)

Oct 2015 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Selvamani,

Not really. Lots of good cars, and good deals, out there. If you've got money in your pocket (as opposed to needing finance) then the world is your oyster. Obviously you need to choose one that won't lose its value too quickly.


How to choose between age, mileage, condition and history?

I'm going to buy a used car. There are two cars, same make and model, that I'm considering. One is 2013 with 51,000km and the other 2011 with 41,000km. Is it better to go for the car with the lower mileage or the newer car? There's only €250 price difference (2013 is dearer). Both dealers claim the cars are in immaculate condition.

Breda Trimble (Dublin)

Sep 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Breda,

The golden rule is never buy on year or mileage but on condition and history. As you say, both cars are in immaculate condition but I'll bet that one or the other has a better and more complete service history, and that's the one to go for.


Is the Audi A3 Saloon affected by the Volkswagen scandal?

Hi, great site.

Is the 2014 model year 1.6 TDI Audi A3 Saloon affected by the Volkswagen fallout?

Thank you.

Charles O'Donovan (Parteen)

Sep 2015 Filed under: fuel economy and emissions

Expert answer

Hi Charles,

I assume you mean this Volkswagen story. At this stage we have been told that it only affects certain cars powered by the 2.0-litre TDI engine, but not all of them. So, going by current information, the 2014 model year 1.6 TDI Audi A3 Saloon is not effected. Keep an eye on our news page and social media feeds however, as we expect more news to emerge in the coming days.

Kind regards


How best to trade in our old SEATs?

Hi,

We have a 2005 SEAT Toledo with 150,000km on the clock, costing regularly with repairs, and a 2011 SEAT Ibiza ST with 100,000km on the clock. We want to get a new relatively spacious but cheap car and a 2006+ Audi or BMW. Which of our two cars should we trade in for which of our two planned buys to get the most value and for the purchases to cost us least?

Joan Cleary (Parteen)

Sep 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Joan,

It's a bit of a quandary to be honest. You'll get more for the Ibiza - probably around €7-8k as a trade in. But with the Toledo costing you money, your best bet might just be to keep the Ibiza and use that as your small car, chop the Toledo in for whatever you can get for it (€2k max and that's with a following wind).

Actually, better yet, why not avail of one of the scrappage schemes still being offered by some car makers? Opel, for instance, has a good one going - up to €4,500 - and you could then trade in your Toledo against a new Insignia; far more affordable than a BMW or Audi, and with a shiny new warranty to boot. Reliable and nice to drive too. Nissan also has a similar offer (potentially €4k against a nice new Qashqai perhaps?), or potentially €3k scrappage off a Hyundai ix35?

Lots of good options out there.


Petrol or diesel for a Ford Fiesta?

Which is a better car to buy: 2009 Ford Fiesta 1.25 with 64,000km or 2010 Ford Fiesta 1.4 diesel Zetec with 94,000 miles?

Lorraine Kelly (Ferbane )

Sep 2015 Filed under: petrol vs. diesel

Expert answer

Hi Lorraine,

It depends on the condition and history. If one has a full service history, has obviously been cared for and is in great condition - and the other isn't - go for the one in better nick. That overrides any question about diesel versus petrol. 

However, assuming the two cars are in similar condition and both have decent histories, petrol versus diesel comes down to mileage. If you're doing more than 15,000- to 20,000km per year, then you need to be thinking about diesel. Below that threshold petrol is the better option, unless of course that low mileage is all at high speed on the motorway.

Hope that helps


I want a fast car for under €20,000!

Could you suggest the best car for under €20,000 that is less than 10 years old AND can do 0-100km/h in less than six seconds?

John Walsh (Dublin)

Sep 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi John,

The critical question here is how much road tax and insurance pain are you willing to take? An early 2000s Porsche 911 will crack 5.3 seconds 0-100km/h all day long but you'll pay through the nose for tax, disc and servicing. And never, ever buy one without a full Porsche or Porsche Specialist service history.

Most Mercedes-AMG models from the same era will do similar but again the same caveats on servicing and running costs apply.

A BMW M3 Evolution will do 5.5 seconds, but watch for ones that have been badly fiddled with or modified.

Probably better would be a Ford Focus RS or a Volkswagen Golf R or R32. Both are pretty rugged in the reliability stakes but again you have to be wary of cars that have been modified or altered from standard. 

However, possibly the best bet is a Honda S2000. As long as you don't need back seats it's a fantastic thing to drive, will do 6.0 seconds 0-100km/h and it's rock solid in reliability terms. Loads around well within your price band but again watch carefully for badly done modifications or cars that haven't been cared for.


Which MPV will I replace our BMW 3 Series with?

Hi Shane & team,

We're looking at trading in again. You helped us source our last car four years ago. We really like our curent 2006 BMW 318, but for the last nine months to a year we've been pouring money into for what feels like constant repairs and the car tax is crippling too. We've now come to the realisation that we need to move to seven-seat territory for these and family reasons. Today we saw and drove both of these cars:

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/renault/grand-scenic/used-2010-renault-grand-scenic-1-dublin-fpa-200914374138165780 http://www.cbg.ie/citroen-c4-grand-picasso-1.6-2008-dublin-diesel-silver-mpv

The Renault felt more car like to drive and I wasn't wild about the delay in the Citroen semi-automatic gearbox. For the Renault they've said the cost to change is €6,500 and just under €7,000 for the Citroen. The Renault, being a 2010 model, is almost seems too good to be true. Can you give me any advice on these? Is the Renault a good buy? Is it reliable or will it swallow money on repairs as our current car is? Are there any others you would recommend? We really don't want to spend more than €6k-ish.

Thanks

Enda

Enda Lowry (Dublin)

Sep 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Enda,

I'd tread carefully here. If you don't like the semi-auto box on the Citroen then just let it go - it's not going to get any better and it'll bug you for the rest of your time with the car. 

As for the Renault, I'm just not confident predicting reliability. Generally, Renaults are now a lot better built than they used to be, but long-term they can still be a bit shaky. Also, the reason it's a high-spec 2010 model for such a small price is because Renaults depreciate faster than snow in summer. 

So, I think you might need to shop around a bit and buy something on the basis of reliability and condition rather than year. Have a look at the likes of a Ford S-Max, Toyota Verso, Volkswagen Touran or, if six seats rather than seven will do the trick, a Honda FR-V. You might need to go back to a 2008 or 2009 model to get one within budget, but buy with a full service history and keep the maintenance up and any of those should give you long and hopefully reliable service.

Last, but not least, Shane, our Editor, is in the same position as you right now and he has homed in on the Mazda5, which has an exceptional reliability record.


Should I worry about a modified Toyota Auris?

Hi there,

I was just looking at a 2007 Toyota Auris for sale from a dealer. Looks good - 70,000 miles on clock, NCT until 2017. But my worry is that it has a spoiler and body kit stuff done from previous owner (boy racer alert!). Would it be a risk to buy this or am I being paranoid?

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Pearse Thornton (Dublin)

Sep 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Pearse,

I wouldn't be too worried. You have a couple of things in your favour, first and foremost of which is that the Auris is about as solid and dependable as cars get, so even if it has been thrashed a bit, it can take it. Secondly, it's a long way from being the favoured car of boy racers, and a 2007 version would in any case probably be too expensive a car for the sort of person who adds a three-foot rear wing and goes doing handbrake turns in McDonald's car park at night. Basically, go with your gut. If the car seems to have been cared for, comes with a full service history and the dealer is willing to give you a decent warranty (one year at least) then it should be fine.


Secondhand Honda CR-V or Nissan X-Trail?

I am looking for a reliable, spacious secondhand SUV that won't cost me the earth to run. I have a budget of €9,000 - €10,000. Will be used privately most of the time (12,000 miles per year, two kids and a dog), but need it for off road on a farm/laneways for cutting down trees and towing a trailer full of firewood every couple of weeks.

I am undecided between a 2008 Honda CR-V 2.2d AWD or a 2008 Nissan X-Trail 2.0d 4wd. I like the space in the X-trail but would the Honda give me less trouble? Also I see that the X-Trail comes in 150 and 175hp guises. What would best suit my needs and would there be much of a difference in running cost/fuel economy?

Any advice would be grateful!

K C (Cork)

Sep 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Keith,

Both are excellent cars and the 175hp X-Trail's extra grunt could be very useful when hauling trees and trailers. That said, the Honda is still plenty grunty and a bit more plush inside than the Nissan. Actually this is a hard one to choose - I know from personal experience that the Honda is close to indestructible, but I also happen to think that the X-Trail is a really underrated car.

Coin toss so - go for the Honda.


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