Which is the most comfy car on Irish roads?
1) Which is the most comfortable car on Irish roads considering seating, seat height, and road bumps (mainly interested in medium/large cars)?
2) Have you any reports on the Toyota Prius?
Pat Walsh (Claremorris, Mayo)Sep 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Pat,
Here’s our review of the new Toyota Prius.
And as you’ve mentioned Toyota, you could do worse than start with a current Auris or Avensis if you’re looking for something with a comfortable ride on Irish roads. Other good options are the Citroen C4 Picasso or, if you fancy something a little more premium, a Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
How reliable is the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso?
How reliable is a the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso?
David Geoghegan (Mullingar)Sep 2016 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi David,
They’re not bad actually. The only major mechanical items that cause regular bother are the engine’s exhaust gas recirculation valve (if the engine is down on power or putting out lots of smoke, suspect this…) and the fragile water pump on the 1.6 HDi diesel. That 1.6 also needs a steady diet of high grade oil at service time. The only other issues are minor electrical niggles, such as the electronic parking brake, sticking fuel filler flaps and the like. Buy one with a full service history and keep it serviced and you should be fine.
Citroen C5, Mazda6 or SEAT Exeo diesel?
Which would be the best buy, all 2009: Citroen C5 diesel, Mazda6 diesel or SEAT Exeo diesel?
John Byrne (Wexford)Sep 2016 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi John,
The Mazda6 - it's the best to drive and the most reliable.
I need a huge car for my dogs and kids please!
Hi,
I'm looking for a recommendation. I have six big dogs (four labradors, two St Bernard) that need to fit in. A van is no good as I need seats for my two kids too. Currently driving an old Volvo 740 estate, but is getting too old/problematic now. Budget of max €15,000, fuel efficient diesel preferred as I average 700km a week. Two of the dogs are getting old so high up (off roaders) not really suitable. New Volvo V70 just not big enough.
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Jennifer Rafter
Jennifer Rafter (Dublin 16)Aug 2016 Filed under: family car
Expert answer
Hi Jennifer,
You could try a Skoda Superb Combi, but I think that many big dogs would overwhelm even that car’s massive boot. Perhaps you need to go down the road of a van-based MPV. Maybe try a Citroen Berlingo or Volkswagen Caddy Life? Seats for the kids and (hopefully) enough space for the dogs, plus their tailgates aren’t too high off the ground so the older dogs shouldn’t have too much trouble getting in and out.
Looking for a spacious diesel car for €15,000.
Hi,
I'm looking for a diesel saloon as I do a lot of travelling. I bring quite a lot of equipment so it needs to have a large boot or it could be a car van? What would you recommend that's reliable and economical and reasonably smart looking? I have a budget of €15,000.
Thanks
Aiden Toomey (Dublin 12)Aug 2016 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Aiden,
That’s a good-sized budget so you should be able to get a good-sized car. In terms of car-vans, the best ones are the Citroen Berlingo and the Volkswagen Caddy Life, but both are noisier than a conventional car, and less comfortable over long distances. With that in mind, I reckon you need an estate – have a look for a Mazda6 Tourer, Ford Mondeo Estate or Volkswagen Passat Estate – or keep an eye out for the best of breed, the Skoda Superb Combi. All are comfortable, roomy and have frugal diesel options.
I'm looking for information on this reg...
Looking for info on 10 D *****
Barry O'Donoghue (Naas)Jul 2016 Filed under: miscellaneous
Expert answer
Hi Barry,
We've blanked out the registration for the owner's privacy, but using the quick free check on Cartell.ie I can tell you it's a 2010 Citroen C5 VTR+ powered by the 1.6-litre (1,560cc) HDi diesel engine making 110hp. This car costs €280 a year to tax.
If you need to know the history of the car then you'll need to pay Cartell.ie for one of their more in depth reports.
Hope that's of help.
How much VRT on a Citroen Dispatch van?
How much VRT is on a Citroen Dispatch three-seater 1.6 HDi van?
George O Connor (Waterford )Jul 2016 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi George,
It would depend on the year, but as a commercial vehicle it will be 13.3 per cent of what Revenue thinks the Irish market value is.
Is the Kia cee'd estate a good buy?
I've found a 2012 Kia cee'd 1.6 diesel estate for sale for €10,000. It's an import and has about 90,000 miles on the clock. I had a Citroen Berlingo but need to switch to a car now. Do you thimk this would be a good buy? I'm mainly looking for something economical and reliable with plenty of room.
Thanks
Emer Holmes (Mayo)May 2016 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Emer,
The cee'd is just about perfect for you, so. Reliable, comfy and actually pretty good to drive, plus the boot is massive on the estate. Just make sure it has a full service history and that it has always been serviced by a Kia main dealer so that the warranty is still active.
Which compact MPV suits us best?
Hi,
My wife, daughter Daisy (four years old) and myself are thinking of updating our 2005 Ford Focus C-Max 1.6 with 105,000km in the next few months. We recently test drove a 2012 C-Max 1.6 diesel Titanium with about 40,000km on the clock. It was a nice car at €17,500 with a €2,000 trade in for our own so really €15,500. I said we were paying cash, but we could not get more discount. Do you think that’s a fair offer or do you think I could haggle more, as most websites say Ford will barter with you?
Second question. The Ford B-Max seems to be cheaper than the C-Max. Apart from the sliding doors and height of the cabin on the B-Max, is there any other difference? To a layman they both offer the same inside and out. I have read and seen reviews for both cars and there are no major negatives there.
Third Question. We are thinking of trading up and not spending more than €15,000. What is the best option realistically for us in your opinion? Should we consider a different vehicle altogether? We like the higher ride in these cars because it's easier for both adult and child to get in.
Regards,
Ben O’Connor
Ben O Connor (Dundrum, Dublin)Apr 2016 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Ben,
Well, you can always haggle more and if the dealer isn’t budging, then simply shop around. There are plenty of examples of the C-Max out there to choose from, so don’t get hung up on just the one car if you feel like you’re not getting a good deal. While that does seem like a fair enough price, €17k is top end for a 2012 C-Max, so it had better (a) be perfect, (b) have a full service history and (c) come with a decent warranty.
As for the B-Max, yes there’s quite a big difference. The B-Maxis based on the Fiesta, the C-Max on the Focus so you can see from just that fact that the levels of space on the inside and in the boot are significantly different. Plus the C-Max is a far more comfortable car on a long journey than the B-Max, which can also be sluggish to drive as those sliding doors are actually pretty heavy for such a small car.
As for other cars worth looking at (and I’m assuming you mean against the five-seat C-Max, not the seven-seat Grand C-Max), the Volkswagen Golf Plus offers lots of space and plenty of comfort, as does the five-seat version of the Citroen C4 Picasso.
Here are a few reviews to help you decide:
Citroen Berlingo Multispace: good for dogs?
Is the Citroen Berlingo Multispace a reliable car? What are its weaknesses? I'm involved with training dogs for a charity and ease of cleaning is one of the issues.
Thank you,
Mike
Michael Ho (Dublin)Mar 2016 Filed under: commercial vehicle
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
Yes, the Berlingo is generally excellent. It is occasionally prone to electrical issues, but they tend to be minor and the engines and gearboxes are long-lived and hard-wearing. As long as you buy one with a full service history, you should be fine. The cabins can be a little fragile at times, but being van-based, it should be easy to clean out after the dogs.