Expert answer

Hi Denise,

Go for the Avensis, by a country mile. Both cars are solidly reliable but the Avensis is bigger and comfier. The Tiida's only advantage is that it came with standard Bluetooth, but that's easily remedied with an aftermarket kit for the Avensis.

Let us know what you do

Expert answer

Hi Aideen,

Wow. That's a request, and frankly, space and time simply don't permit. So I'll boil it down to the two best options for pre-and-post 2008. Pre: Toyota Corolla Verso. Spacious, simple and very reliable. A very hard car to beat.

Post 2008? Ford C-Max (the current model). Perhaps not as utterly reliable as the Toyota, but solidly built, spacious and with an excellent and efficient 1.6 litre diesel. Good cars, both.

Is that enough information for now?

Expert answer

Hi Catherine,

Of the two, I'd go for the Focus. Bigger, much better to drive and barely any less economical in day-to-day driving. That generation Corsa was pretty crude, really - noisy and not especially nice to drive.

They're both pretty robust though, which is good, although you should check the Focus carefully for underbody rust as some early cars had very poor weather sealing.

Let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Paul,

Of the two cars mentioned the Kia cee'd SW is undoubtedly the better looking car and it does come with the famous seven-year Kia warranty, but when it comes to taxis we would probably take the consensus of other taxi drivers.

While the Toyota Avensis is top dog in the segment at the moment it is being pushed by the Skoda Octavia with the 1.6 TDI being the engine of choice for its fuel efficiency. When Global Taxis took delivery of 110 Octavias it reckoned each car would offer a fuel saving of €1,400 a year over the old fleet, money that will go into your pocket instead.

As well as that the Octavia offers a huge a mount of space (both passenger and boot wise) for the money, important considerations when you are moving up from The Kesh to pick up a fare at Dublin Airport.

Hope that all helps

Expert answer

Hi John,

To say that the RX-8 is a bit of a mixed bag is to venture into the grassy uplands of dramatic understatement. Brilliant to drive, sexy to look at and surprisingly practical, if you love rotary engines, then it's a must-buy at some stage.

But boy does it have its problems. In the RX-8's defence most of the engine's problems are down to maintenance, but the problem is that we've become accustomed to cars working faultlessly without us checking on them like spoiled kids every few minutes. An RX-8 isn't like that; it needs constant care and attention. Mostly this is to do with the oil. Rotarys get through a lot of it, so you've got to check it regularly (like, every week) and keep it topped up with high-grade stuff. No cheap oil here. Failure to do so will mean the early wear of the rotor tips and that's when the engine is on the slippery road to oblivion. Cared for properly, an RX-8 engine can rack up massive mileage mostly faultlessly. But let it slip and we've heard of engines having to be replaced after as little as 40,000 miles.

Tread carefully.

Expert answer

Hi Phillip,

Cars registered in 2007 (assuming this Freelander is classified as a passenger vehicle, not a commercial vehicle) are taxed according to their engine size. The Freelander's 2.2-litre engine is actually 2,179cc, so it falls into the 2,101- to 2,200cc category, which, since January 2013, costs €951 per annum.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Alanna,

Anything pre-2008 with a petrol engine is pretty hard to shift on these days, sadly, so I'd reckon you're looking at a value of possibly as little as €5,500 for the Mazda3 at the moment. To get the best from it, I'd suggest staying within the Mazda family (a Mazda dealer will usually give you a better trade-in on a Mazda than will another dealer) and trade up to a Mazda6 Estate. Loads of space, brilliant to drive, reliable and, with the 2.2-litre 129hp diesel, very economical too. SUV? Do you live up a mountain or at the far end of a rutted dirt road? No? Then you don't need one - stick to the family car market and the Mazda6 size class (which also includes cars like the Toyota Avensis, Ford Mondeo, Volkswagen Passat and Opel Insignia) is  where you'll get the best bang for your buck.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Mary,

At just 1,500km per year it's highly likely that a petrol car would be better suited to your needs. Diesel cars are usually more expensive to buy in the first place, and new petrol cars are much closer to their diesel counterparts than ever before in terms of fuel economy and tax so in your case the balance tips in favour of petrol. On top of that, diesel cars are designed to be driven at higher speed regularly and they don't take well to a life in town.

Recently we did a piece of research in conjunction with Cartell.ie looking into this very thing. Read the results of the research here.

Expert answer

Hi Dorothy,

OK, the official schedule for changing the timing belt is 60,000 miles so if the one you're looking at hasn't had it done, it's on serious borrowed time. Other than that, they're very reliable, one of the most solidly built cars you can buy. We've heard reports of intermittent issues with the electric sliding side doors and some problems with the infotainment system, but the main mechanical package is pretty tough. In 2010, the Carnival got upgraded to the full Kia seven-year warranty, so that just shows you the faith Kia has in it.

Expert answer

Hi John,

Yes, but with one small caveat. The Prius has always been one of Toyota's best, and indeed best-built cars. It's essentially a flagship model, particularly for Toyota's eco-friendly ambitions. There have been a few recalls (for malfunctioning brake lights, airbags, steering and brake issues, as well as the infamous sticky-throttle-pedal one), but generally Prius are solidly reliable and there have thus far been no reports of fading or failing battery performance. We've heard one or two reports of rust breaking out, but they're probably most likely down to unattended panel damage exposing bare metal.

The caveat? It depends how and where you drive as to whether or not it's worth buying a Prius. Yes, you'll get cheap road tax, but to get even vaguely close to Toyota's quoted 65mpg fuel economy figures, you're going to have to drive with the reticence of a trappist monk. Get anywhere in the neighbourhood of enthusiastic driving and you're going to see the fuel economy plummet, ditto for undertaking any long motorway journeys. But, if you spend most of your time in town, where the Prius' electric motor and stop-start systems can best bring their armament to bear, then the economy should pick up, and you'll have one of the most comfortable, reliable and relaxing cars in which to hustle your way through city traffic.