Expert answer

Hi Steven,

In my opinion this is NOT a good buy for the price and not suitable for your needs. The car looks in acceptable condition, but it already has quite high mileage, and you plan on adding over 45,000 kilometres a year to it. There are a lot of cars around for the same €4,500 with much lower mileage.

Come back to us if you'd like help finding something more suitable.

Expert answer

Hi Rosie,

It really depends on the condition, which engine it has and how many kilometres are on the clock. A quick look on Carzone.ie shows 2006 diesel Toyota Corolla hatchbacks going from €6,000 to €11,000.

Come back to us with more details if you want and we'll take a look.

Expert answer

Hi Sean,

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to such things. That looks like a good, desirable car so I wouldn't expect the dealer to have too much difficulty selling it. Hence, they're not likely to discount by very much, perhaps a fraction under €15,000. Still, go in there with an offer of about €14,000 to get the ball rolling. Don't mention you're a cash buyer until the next stage of the negotiation!

Let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Lukas,

There are many different models of diesel Opel Astra, even for 2007. There were 1.3-, 1.7- and 1.9-litre CDTi engines that year, plus three-door GTC hatch, five-door hatchback and estate. Not to mention different mileages and trim levels.

The latest selection from Carzone.ie suggest a price variation of between €5,000 and €11,000.

Let us know specifics if you'd like us to help some more.

Expert answer

Hi Barry,

Thanks for confirming via email that the total budget including trade-in is about €15,000.

One car that immediately comes to mind is the Honda Jazz. They're utterly reliable, easy to drive and park and are available with a decent enough CVT (continuously variable transmission) automatic gearbox. Here's an example on Carzone.ie. Emissions are in Band B so annual road tax is €225. The seating position is more upright in the Jazz than in most small cars so it's easier to get in and out of.

Another option is the Nissan Note. The automatic version's engine is 1.6-litre in size so emissions are higher, putting it into Band D for tax - costing €481 per annum. Otherwise it compares well with the Jazz, with easy access and good reliability in a compact package. Here's an example on Carzone.ie.

The Nissan Qashqai may also fit the bill, though it's a larger car overall, which I suspect is not what you're looking for.

If you need help narrowing the search down further come back to us - and let us know what you go for.

Expert answer

Hi Rob,

For that budget we are assuming you are looking for a second-hand car. The Honda CR-V springs to mind, but the tax could be a little high for you as your budget will get you a pre-2008 version, which came with 2.0- and 2.2-litre engines. How about a five-door version of the Honda HR-V instead? We found this example on Carzone.ie and it looks the part. The 1.6-litre engine means it's not too much to tax either.

There are loads of Hyundai Santa Fes and the smaller Tucson around at that price too, though again their age and engine size might rule them out for you in terms of tax costs. Same story with the previous generation Kia Sportage.

Don't be tempted by older Land Rover Freelanders.

Another good option is the Suzuki Grand Vitara. A quick search showed that there are several 1.6-litre petrol versions with four-wheel drive within your budget, though most seem to be the less practical three-door body style, so you may need to look around to find a five-door example that suits your needs.

The Toyota RAV4 would be a great option, but keeping your tax bill down on a four-wheel drive version with five doors might be tricky. Recommeded though.

Hope all that helps. If you narrow down your search a little come back to us and we'll help you choose!

Expert answer

Hi there,

There's no black and white answer to that one I'm afraid. It takes a little research and some experience of the industry. Even so, it's never a factual figure, as different buyers or dealers will offer you different amounts for your car.

Have a good look through Carzone.ie and other car classifieds sites for cars that closely match yours in terms of specification, model year and mileage and make a note of average prices. Bear in mind that the prices advertised (especially those from the trade) are not what you'll receive for your car, so knock a few grand off for relatively new (up to five years old or so) models. Take that figure from your original purchase price to work out the depreciation.

It's an inexact science, but this method should give you a good gauge anyway.

Expert answer

Hi Andrew,

The key point you make here is 'properly maintained' and to be honest if you really take care of it and are prepared to invest money into it then you could expect 200,000+. It isn't all that unusual to see Focus diesels with mega mileage. See this one on sale in a dealership in Carlow with 190,000 miles on the clock. So it is really up to the owner. I wouldn't expect it to last much over 200,000 though, before it would become uneconomic to own it. 

Expert answer

Hello Mary,

You will probably get offered in and around the €15,000 mark for your S40 Flex Fuel model, but this could stretch to €16,000 if you traded it in against a new car. You didn't mention if you wanted a new or a used small automatic to replace your Volvo, but I will assume that you want a new car. 

I am not sure how small you want to go, but there are a few decent small automatic cars around, but not that many. The best of them would probably be the automatic Ford Fiesta, which is a really great little car for the money. We quite like the Hyundai i20 1.4 Deluxe Auto too. This is a fine little car. My top choice and the one I would buy is the Skoda Fabia 1.2 TSI Sportline with the excellent DSG gearbox, which is simply superb. 

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi there JP,

Have you thought about changing your missus? (Kidding).  It is a shame that you have to get rid of your 320d M Sport, because that is a pretty cool car, but I would have thought the decision was an easy one. 

Just click here, call them and buy it!