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How reliable is a new Renault (or Dacia), Fiat or even Citroen?

How reliable is a new Renault (or Dacia), Fiat or even Citroen?

Ok, not going to be many problems in first year or two, but I typically like to keep my cars for most of their life cycle, I feel I get most value for my investment that way. I know eight years ago (when I bought my last car) I was told stay away, as once a few years old all the electrical gremilins come out to play. I'm not brand loyal, in fact the more options I have the more likely I am to get a deal that suits me. But I do like trouble free motoring and currently drive a 2007 Toyota Avensis and it has never put a foot wrong.

Should I stick to the old reliables (i.e. Mazda, Toyota etc.) or are the new generation of Renault, Citroen and even Fix It Again Tony (Fiat) likely to be properly reliable over seven or more years? Also contemplating Kia (seven-year warranty sounds good to me).

Thanks for your time.

John Walsh (Waterford)

Feb 2015 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi John,

OK, there's good news and bad news here. The good news is that the four marques of which you've spoken have all really lifted their quality and reliability games. Renault especially has come on a long way since the dark, unreliable days of the early 2000s. While electrical gremlins are pretty much guaranteed further down the line, that's something you could equally say of any Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Audi.

Dacia tend also to make very reliable cars, in no small part because they're so simple and lacking in the sort of high-end electronics that festoon other models. The brand regularly features very high up in the European JD Power customer satisfaction rankings.

Fiat tends to do less well in those rankings, but much of that is down to a dealer network that's still trying to get its head around modern customer service requirements. The fact is that Fiats these days are no more or less well made or reliable than any other brand (mostly - more on that in a tic). Certainly, we know of many Fiat customers who've had trouble-free motoring for many, many years.

Citroen too has really lifted its game and the latest generations, such as the C4 Picasso and C4 Cactus are really well put together. Long term reliability is still an unknown of course for these new models, but in general, longevity seems to be on the up.

However, just as these Franco-Italian brands have improved, so too have the Japanese and Koreans. There is still a distinct gap in overall solidity between the Japanese brands (Honda especially) and everyone else. It's still the case that if you want genuinely trouble-free motoring, the Japanese are still kings, with the Koreans and Skoda hot on their heels.

That said, I reckon if you bought any Fiat, looked after it properly and made sure it was fully serviced to schedule, you wouldn't have any major problems.


Will a diesel Nissan Qashqai be suitable for low mileage?

I want to buy a 2011 Nissan Qashqai 1.5 diesel, but I only do short journrys. Can these newer diesels handle the short journeys?

Aisling Finnegan (Kildare)

Feb 2015 Filed under: petrol vs. diesel

Expert answer

Hi Aisling,

Yes they can, but they may not be the most cost-effective. If you're worrying about the diesel particulate filter in the exhaust getting clogged with soot and causing an expensive failure (and that can happen) then don't worry - a quick spin up and back the nearest motorway in a low-ish gear will heat the system up enough to let it burn off the soot and all will be well. Do it once a week for 30 minutes or so and you'll be fine.

The other issue is simple one of cost though. You will spend more money to buy a diesel car than you will a petrol and when you're only doing low mileage it's hard to generate the savings from fuel burn to make up the extra you've spent up front. That's why petrol makes so much sense for lower mileage drivers.

The thing is that the Qashqai can be had with a petrol engine, but it suffers much harsher depreciation when you buy it - so you're in a bit of a catch 22. Petrol is better for your driving profile, but worse for retaining value in this particular model. You may need to expand your search out to some other cars to make your sums add up.


Why is my Toyota Yaris losing power?

I have a 2007 Toyota Yaris. I thought a coil was gone but it's not a coil or spark plugs and it's losing power; what could it be?

Geraldine Smith (Ireland)

Feb 2015 Filed under: fault

Expert answer

Hi Geraldine,

It's always difficult to assess cars from afar, so we'd recommend bringing your car to a mechanic. Nonetheless, other things to check include the HT leads to the spark plugs, the cleansiness of the air filter and perhaps the fuel delivery system - the injectors or fuel pump.

Best of luck with it


What year did Irish dealers start selling new cars fully registered?

What year did Irish motor dealers start selling new cars fully registered with plates fitted?

Patrick Mcnally (Mayo)

Feb 2015 Filed under: registration

Expert answer

Hi Patrick,

Ah, you mean the old days of cars rolling home with 'For Reg' scrawled front and rear with marker pen? 1993 was the last year this was allowed and after that the Vehicle Registration Act was introduced and, as the wording of the act goes, "An authorised person shall not deliver, send out or otherwise make available for use a vehicle which, but for compliance with this subsection, would be unregistered, to a person who is not an authorised person without first - (a) declaring the prescribed details of the vehicle to the Commissioners in accordance with section 131, and (aa) ensuring that the identification mark assigned to it under section 131(5) is displayed on the vehicle in the prescribed manner, and (b) paying vehicle registration tax in respect of the registration of the vehicle."


Nissan Qashqai or Hyundai Tucson?

1.5-litre diesel 2008 Nissan Qashqai or 2.0-litre diesel Hyundai Tuscon?

http://www.carenthusiast.com/nissan/nissan_qashqai2007_001.jpg

Eva Nash (Tallaght)

Feb 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Eva,

Actually, these are two quite different cars - the Tucson is a heftier vehicle. If we were comparing new Hyundai ix35 with new Qashqai then I'd have to give the nod to the Qashqai, but in the case of these older versions, I think the Hyundai just might shade it. It's bigger inside, with more space in the back seats and boot than the first generation Qashqai.

http://www.carenthusiast.com/hyundai/hyundai_tucson2004_01.jpg


What is average mileage in Ireland?

What is average mileage in Ireland?

Dave Sinclair (Dublin)

Feb 2015 Filed under: mileage

Expert answer

Hi Dave,

Average annual mileage for petrol cars in Ireland is around the 17,000km mark. It's about 24,000km for diesel.


What rate of VRT do we pay on new cars?

What rate of V.R.T. is levelled at new Irish cars in Ireland?

Shay Rafter (Dublin)

Feb 2015 Filed under: VRT

Expert answer

Hi Shay,

Just as with motor tax, Vehicle Registration Tax is calculated based on the CO2 emissions of the car in question. It starts at 14 per cent of the wholesale price of the car (inclusive of options) for cars in the lowest tax band, 0- to 80g/km of CO2 rising to a maximum of 36 per cent for the highest band, for cars emitting more than 225g/km of CO2.

The most common bands are Bands A2 to A4 and B1 and B2, which run from 15 per cent to 19 per cent.


Looking to change to a Skoda Octavia. Thoughts?

Hi,

I'm going to change my car this year to a Skoda Octavia 08/09 model, but I was wondering if you could recommend any other reliable lower end road tax and economical diesel family cars. Been driving 2002 Volkswagen Passat for last 10 years.

http://www.carenthusiast.com/skoda/skoda_octavia_2009_002.jpg

Aisling Mc Bride (Dublin)

Feb 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Aisling,

You won't go far wrong with the Octavia. Get the 1.6 TDI and you've got a potential 55mpg car with lots of space and terrific build quality and reliability. If you're looking for alternatives, then there's always the Volkswagen Golf (mechanically the same as the Skoda but less spacious inside) or the Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi (terrific to drive and good value but poor standard equipment and they're tight in the back).


MINI One or Volvo C30?

I don't drive a lot and am trying to decide between a Volvo C30 1.8 petrol and a MINI One 1.6 petrol. The Volvo has been heavily discounted, but the annual tax is €750 vs €514 for the MINI. I've read that the Volvo is heavier on fuel costs and servicing vs the MINI. My heart would probably opt for the MINI for its looks alone, but the small size concerns me and I wonder how well it handles. I took it for a test drive, but it's hard to tell on such a short drive.

Declan O'Mahony (Dublin)

Feb 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Declan,

Don't worry about the handling - MINIs are terrific to drive. Great fun. The C30 is perhaps a bit less so and Volvo parts and servicing have always been on the pricey side, but it's a much more practical car than the MINI, which is seriously short on space. Both are fine cars though, reliable too so it's a question of what you value more - space and comfort (Volvo) or driving fun (MINI).


What are the resale values of Japanese imports like?

What are the resale values of Japanese imports like?

Laurence Ball (Drogheda)

Feb 2015 Filed under: importing

Expert answer

Hi Laurence,

It varies hugely depending on the model. The closer in mechanical terms to the original Irish and European model it is, the better its value will be simply because it will be simpler and easier to maintain with locally sourced parts. 

The more esoteric and unusual the car, and basically the more parcels of parts you need to order from Japan, the lower the value will be. 

That's not necessarily a hard and fast rule though - some cars, such as the Toyota/Lexus Soarer and the Nissan Figaro, are well catered for here and in the UK with strong parts backup. Like I say - it varies wildly from model to model.


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