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Swapping my Passat for an Insignia - thoughts?

Hi what would I get for a Volkswagen Passat 2.0-litre FSI Comfortline with 109,000 kilometres on the clock in excellent condition and with a full service history - against an Opel insignia 2011/12 (is it a good car?). Any advice greatly appreciated.

Eddie

Eddie Conroy (Dublin)

Aug 2014 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Eddie,

The Insignia is a fine car but you'll find it's not as spacious as your old Passat. Still, it's arguably more handsome and sharper to drive, but you have to make sure all the electrical bits are working properly.

As for the value of your Passat, you haven't given me a specific year but I'm going to guess it's around 2006-2007 in which case you're looking at around €5,000 as a trade in, but don't be surprised if you get offered less - cars with big petrol engines (even efficient ones) are forecourt poison right now.

Let us know how you get on


When did ISOFIX become standard fit?

In what year did ISOFIX become standard in European cars? Baby on the way and have been given a car seat that is ISOFIX compatible, but have a 2000 Toyota Yaris that does not have it fitted.

David Mullen (Leopardstown Valley)

Aug 2014 Filed under: child or baby seats

Expert answer

Hi David,

Sadly it was only quite recently that ISOFIX became a required fitting. According to the EU, "Under the current UN/ECE R14, all new vehicles produced since February 2013 are required to have ISOFIX lower anchorages and top tether attachments."  

Bonus trivia fact: ISOFIX was originally jointly developed by child seat maker Britax and Volkswagen. That probably doesn't help your search for a car that has it though. What I would suggest is to look up the website of the maker of the seat. Many seat makers (such as Maxi-Cosi, here: http://www.maxi-cosi.com/ie-en/service/car-fitting.aspx) provide a matching service to help you determine which cars your seat will fit in. 

Otherwise, get in touch with a seat expert such as Mothercare or Tony Kelly's who will be able to help you out.


Merc B-Class, MINI Countryman or Nissan Qashqai?

How do the following cars rank in terms of ground clearance (to behave safely on bumpy broken roads): Mercedes-Benz B-Class (old model), MINI One Diesel Countryman (current model) and Nissan Qashqai (current model)?

Thanks, Bruno

Tasselli Bruno (Florence, Italy)

Aug 2014 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Bruno,

Hands up, we cannot find ground clearance data for the first gen Mercedes-Benz B-Class, but it's a lower-slung car in general than either of the other two, and with that sandwich floor construction, we'd guess it would be quite low riding. Mind you, it's worth pointing out that ride height is not the be all and end all when it comes to tackling rough roads - suspension design, layout and stiffness have a major, potentially larger part to play.

Nonetheless, of the other two, it's the Nissan that has the slightly higher ride height, 188mm plays the MINI Countryman's 163mm. Given that we've nothing but praise for the new Qashqai's brilliant twin-chamber shock absorbers and silky-smooth suspension, we'd say it's probably the best bet for what you need.

Let us know how you get on


Will my new petrol Audi A3 be worth less than a diesel one?

I've just bought a new Audi A3 Saloon 1.4 (petrol) as I do very low annual mileage and mainly urban driving. Will I still take a hit at trade-in time in the next three years or so, due to petrol engine rather than diesel?

John Slevin (Limerick)

Aug 2014 Filed under: resale value

Expert answer

Hi John,

To be honest, it's a little hard to tell. The A3 Saloon hasn't been out long enough for us to get a solid handle on its resale values but we can work from a couple of basic assumptions:

 1. Yes, diesel is currently more highly valued than petrol.

2. That won't always be the case - now that the mad post-2008 scramble for diesel has subsided buyers are starting to get wise to the value of petrol power again, helped by improved engine tech.

3. An Audi, any Audi, will likely have stronger residual values than most other marques so you're already ahead of the game.

So I guess the answer is yes, your depreciation will be a little sharper on petrol than on diesel but I suspect it won't be by very much. Fret not and just enjoy owning one of our favourite current cars. 

 


What will I do with my two Volkswagen Golf diesels?

We have two cars at present: a 2008 Volkswagen Golf Estate 1.9 TDI diesel (low tax, 90,000 miles, does approx. 10k miles per year), which is a family car doing town trips and three days a week motorway driving 74 miles round trip on the M1 and M50. The other is a 2007 Golf Plus 1.9 TDI with 110,000 miles on the clock doing approx. 20,000 miles per year (mainly round trips of 74km per day seven days per week on the motorway). Very happy with both cars and not giving any problems, but have been told that both cars will need the dual mass flywheel changed at some point as this is often a problem with these Golfs.

Was going to change the Golf Plus for new family car worth approx. €17k - was going to get approx. €5-5.5k as trade in and a loan for €12K. Trying to justify changing car! Both cars are serviced at most 1,000km after service is due. How much is too many miles on these cars? Could I get high mileage on these cars without too much of an outlay on repairs or should I regularly update the car? If I'm to change I was going to look at a Volkswagen Passat, Skoda Octavia or a Toyota Avensis. Am I right in sticking to diesel?

Many thanks

Brian Byrne (Balbriggan, Dublin)

Aug 2014 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Brian,

Yeah, I think you're probably right to stick with diesel with those sorts of mileages. Mind you, it's worth pointing out that those two Volkswagens you have aren't on mega-miles yet and it could be more cost-effective to spend a little on getting them spruced up and fit for thousands more miles than chopping and changing.

That said, if you're in need of a good, reliable family car then I'd have a long look at a Toyota Avensis estate. The 2.0-litre D-4D diesel engine is a good 'un and cheap to tax, it's comfy, ideal for long motorway runs and if it's not the most exciting car in the world, then at least it's solidly reliable. Spacious too.

Probably the most cost-effective option is to replace the high-miler with something younger and fitter and then spend a little extra to keep the runaround Golf fresh.

 Let us know what you decide on.

 


Is the 2010 Volvo S40 a good buy?

Is a 2010 Volvo S40 with 91,000km on it good to buy?

Meeka Nimmons (Grovetown)

Aug 2014 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Meeka,

I personally bought a 2006 Volvo V50 1.6 diesel, which is the estate version of the S40 so I know a little about them. I'm assuming that S40 is 1.6 diesel as well, as most are from that year. The most important thing about this engine is that it is used regularly at motorway speed (to burn off deposits on the diesel particulate filter - DPF) and that oil changes are also regular, and done with the right oil. Insist on a full service history and the more reputable the garage the better.

Make sure the DPF warning light is present when the ignition is turned on and that it then goes out soon after the car is started up. If it's missing completely it means there's a reason someone removed it - walk away.

Other than that I found the car to be very well equipped for the price, making it much better value than a similarly priced Focus or Golf from the same year. It's also more spacious than those cars - though not by much.

Let us know how you get on


How reliable is the 2010 Ford Mondeo TDCi?

Looking to buy a 2010 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi: are there any major issues with these cars?

John Behan (Dublin)

Aug 2014 Filed under: reliability

Expert answer

Hi John,

Nothing major to worry about although there are a few electrical glitches - the keyless ignition system (if fitted) can give trouble, as can the hands-free locking and unlocking (again, it was an option). There have been isolated reports of the 2.0-litre diesel engine cutting out unexpectedly too. Check the interior trim carefully as well - Mondeos often rack up big mileage and while the mechanical bits are sold, the cabins can suffer from abuse - look for collapsing seats or disintegrating trim.


What saloon should I replace my Chevrolet Aveo with?

What is the best saloon car to drive? Thinking of purchasing a new or used car. I have a 2008 Chevrolet Aveo and would not want anything too expensive.

Richard

Richard O Leary (Cork)

Aug 2014 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Richard,

There is lots of good choice out there in the compact saloon world, whether you're buying new or used. The Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Jetta, Skoda Octavia, Ford Focus Saloon or Mazda3 Saloon all spring to mind and all make solid purchases. Just one thing - for pity's sake, don't buy another Aveo - not only is it cheap, nasty and bad to drive, but it was one of the worst-scoring cars ever on the EuroNCAP crash test.


Toyota Corolla or Volkswagen Polo?

Have two cars in mind to buy at the moment: a 1.4 2004 Toyota Corolla Terra or a 2007 1.2 Volkswagen Polo. I travel mostly around town with the odd motorway journey. Looking for the best combo of cheap tax and insurance and performance. The Polo will cost approx €800 more to buy.

Eoin Andrews (Tipperary)

Aug 2014 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Eoin,

Go for the Corolla. Its long term reliability prospects are better than those of the Polo, it'll be far more comfortable on the motorway and barely any more expensive to fuel and tax.


How reliable is the 2008 Kia Carnival/Sedona?

How reliable is the 2008 Kia Carnival/Sedona with manual transmission? This particular car has almost 80,000 miles on it, it's a diesel engine. What problems should I be aware of if I view it?

Brian Cooke (Tipperary)

Jul 2014 Filed under: reliability

Expert answer

Hi Brian,

Generally speaking, the Sedona should be as close to utterly reliable as is possible. A 2008 model will still have up to a year's warranty left on it, which is reassuring, and the only repetitive niggle we can find with them is that the electric sliding side doors can have a mind of their own and you will probably often have to resort to manual control. Kia dealers don't seem to be able to locate the source of the problem, for some reason. 

We have heard reports of a few 'Friday afternoon' cars that have had troubles with clutches, brakes, air conditioning and gearboxes, but these seem to be very rare indeed.


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