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Hi Darragh,

Well, there's both good news and bad news. The good news is that the W124 is from an era when Merc built its cars properly, so they're as rugged as the day is long. 

The downside is that this is now a very old car so literally anything can be wrong with it. Ignore any sewing-machine noises coming from the engine - that's just a classic Merc trait and nothing to worry about. Blue smoke from the exhaust is bad news though and could be the piston rings on the way out. If it's an auto then check to make sure there's no hesitation selecting a gear or kicking down. The cabin should stand up to wear and tear pretty well, and there's not much in the way of complex electronics to go wrong but check all the internal systems, like dials, air conditioning and electric windows, to make sure they're in good health. 

With an older car like this, it's always a good idea to get in touch with the owners' club who will be a font of advice and help.

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Hi Ann,

Yes, they should, but it's worth bearing in mind that the Alhambra and Touran are very different vehicles. The Alhambra we'd refer to as a 'full-size' MPV, with proper space inside for seven adults. The Touran is a more compact vehicle, based on the same architecture as the Volkswagen Golf, and the third row seats are much smaller, more suitable for kids than adults. Of the two, we'd go for the SEAT - it's one of the most impressive family cars around and SEAT has a terrific reputation for reliability.

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Hi Ciaran,

With a following wind, you might get €2,500 for your Mitsubishi, but that figure will drop significantly if you use it as a trade-in.

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Hi Michael,

Yes, it should be. OK, so we're talking about a 12-year old car so literally anything could go wrong, but that generation of Astra was sturdy, certainly compared to the rather poor previous generation. The 1.4 petrol (I'm assuming that's the model you are looking at) is robust and quite sporty to drive and because it was never especially loaded with equipment in the first place, there's less to go wrong now. Just tread carefully, make sure there's at least some evidence of previous servicing and if it looks damaged or abused, walk away.

We can't comment on specific cars without seeing them for ourselves and likewise if you need a history or finance check we recommend you go to Cartell.ie.

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Hi Willie,

Generally speaking, the S-Class rides imperiously over any concerns as meek as reliability issues. Which is another way of saying that they're very solidly built. But, they are hugely complex cars with more wiring and computer power than most space craft (that's not an exaggeration either) so make absolutely certain that every button and switch works properly. It's a mammoth task, so we'd recommend bringing some expert help along on the day, or buying a car that comes under Mercedes' own approved used programme.

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Hi Michael,

Many thanks for the compliment. You’re right on the trade-in aspect, although that does seem to be shifting now in the wake of the diesel issue, especially in urban areas. As for the servicing aspect, it’s a tough one for us to look at in a comparison sense, as all garages are different, have different charges and servicing is not a constant. All cars will need to be serviced differently, according to how they are driven.

We have done some diesel versus petrol comparison work in the past though. Have a look here.

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Hi Marc,

Well, both cars will be more or less equally economical over that kind of mileage, but you'll be filling the Skoda up more frequently as it has a smaller fuel tank. 

Even so, we'd say go for the Skoda. With kids (growing kids at that) you'll find the space in the back and the gargantuan boot are blessings from the car gods. The Audi may be slightly sharper to drive and certainly more handsome but as family wheels the Superb really is hard to beat.

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Hi Una,

We'd immediately suggest you go for the petrol car. The low mileage one will be fresher all-round, plus it's likely it'll last longer before you need to spend money on serious maintenance and repairs. The diesel model may be more economical theoretically, but diesel cars are not best suited to permanent use in an urban environment and we suspect it'd cost you more in the long run.

We conducted some research into this subject in conjunction with Cartell.ie recently if you're interested. Read that piece in full here.

Best of luck

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Hi Leo,

It depends on the year of the car you’ve bought. The 2002-2010 model E-Class (the one with the round lights) was pretty dreadful from a reliability point of view, so if it’s one of those then I hope you got a decent warranty with it. Post 2010 (square headlights) models are far, far better on the reliability and quality front, and are amongst the most comfortable and refined cars we have ever driven. A seriously good choice. If you mean a brand new E-Class, then you’ve quite simply bought the best car in its segment.

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Hi Stan,

OK, well currently (as of the end of September), the best selling cars in Ireland are, in descending order, the Hyundai Tucson, the Nissan Qashqai, the Volkswagen Golf, the Skoda Octavia, the Ford Focus, the Ford Fiesta, the Kia Sportage, the Toyota Yaris, the Toyota Corolla and the Volkswagen Tiguan. The biggest-selling market segment is the SUV/H1 segment (that’s the Qashqai-Tucson-Sportage mid-size SUVs) all of which cost between €24,000 and €40,000 depending on spec.