How much is the latest Polo to tax?
How much for annual car tax on 2014 Volkswagen Polo 1.2 and 1.4?
Claire DAug 2014 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Claire,
The revised Polo is now in Ireland, so we assume you mean that one. The 1.2-litre TSI petrol model is in Band A3, costing €190 to tax. That's the case whether it's manual or DSG automatic and for both three- and five-door body styles.
The only 1.4-litre Polo on the Volkswagen Ireland price list is the TDI diesel. It's available in 75- and 90hp guises, in both three- and five-door bodies and with a DSG automatic for the higher power unit. It doesn't matter which of all those you buy, they're all in Band A2, costing just €180 per year to tax.
Hope that helps, but please do check out our first drive of the revised Polo here as well.
With €10,000 what diesel auto saloon do you recommend?
What are best diesel options 2009 or 2010 for fuel efficiency? Must be automatic, mid-range, up to 2.0-litre. I had been considering the likes of the Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi, Volvo S60, Volkswagen Jetta or any of the Audis. Budget c€10,000.
Dan McInerney (Kildare Town)Aug 2014 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Dan,
Of all the ones you've mentioned there, I'd actually have a long, hard look at the Volkswagen Jetta. True, it's not the most exciting car of all, but with the 1.6 TDI diesel engine coupled to the DSG automatic gearbox, you should be able to squeeze terrific fuel economy out of it: 55mpg should be easily do-able, perhaps even the sunny side of 60mpg. It's sweeter to drive than you'd think too, really comfy and built like a tank.
What do you think?
What diesel auto car would suit by growing brood?
What options are out there for diesel auto car or SUV under 2.0 litres, that will take two bum boosters and an Isofix car seat? Without going for an MPV!
Mr D. Ryan, Limerick
Dee Ryan (Limerick)Jul 2014 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Dee,
Get yourself into a Skoda Yeti. Fab family car that. Three individual rear seats, which slide, tip, fold and remove. Should easily take your seating arrangement and they're brilliant to drive. 1.6 TDI is the best all round engine and it's available with the DSG automatic gearbox. Still a cracking car after all these years - reliable and high quality too.
What do you think?
How much is a 2006 Volkswagen Golf GTI worth?
Hi, how much would a 2006 Golf GTI with DSG, leather seats, sunroof, 17-inch alloys and 102,000 kilometres on the clock be worth?
Noel Reville (Dublin)Jul 2014 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Noel,
I'd say you're looking at a value of around €8-9,000 - less on a trade-in of course.
How much is a 2006 Volkswagen Golf GTI worth?
How much should I pay for a 2006 Golf GTI with DSG and 102k kilometers on the clock?
Tim Jones (Dublin)Jun 2014 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Tim,
I'd say about €8-9,000 depending on condition and history.
What do you think of the Volkswagen CC?
Hello, I'm thinking of buying a 131 Volkswagen CC 177 GT DSG; can you advise please? I have received a good trade in offer on my 2011 Skoda Octavia RS for the CC.
Thanks.
David Mc Kenna (Dublin)Jun 2014 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi David,
All I can say is go for it. The CC (I still always start to say Passat CC even though the Passat name has been dropped) is a fabulous car - smooth, comfy and good to drive and really quite devastatingly handsome. Problems are few and far between, but make sure that the service record is up to date (at only a year old it certainly should be) and check that the seals around the frameless door glass is in good nick and keeping out the rain. Other than that, I'd say you can't go wrong.
Ford Mondeo or Volkswagen Passat for an auto diesel?
Hi,
I'm currently looking to purchase either a Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Powershift or a Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDI DSG. Looking at year ranges from 2007-10. Can you please advise on both cars in terms of smoothness of gear change and fuel economy? Also, If I do purchase a 2008 or above model can you tell me the road tax based on emissions for both cars?
Thanks
Rory Roden (Cork)Apr 2014 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Rory,
Both cars use dual clutch semi-automatic gearboxes, which are pretty slick-shifting, but Volkswagen's DSG transmission just edges it for smoothness and quickness.
On the emissions front it's rather bad news I'm afraid. If you're buying 2008 model year cars then you're looking at emissions of 189g/km for the Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Powershift and 175g/km for the Passat 2.0 TDI DSG. That means tax of €750 a year.
It gets a bit better if you can spool forward to 2010 when the Passat's emissions drop to 158g/km so that means a tax bill of €570 a year.
Just for reference, the Mondeo 2.0 diesel auto gets an official 39mpg while the 2010 Passat with DSG gets 47mpg.
To be honest, if you can live without an automatic gearbox you would be better to go for the 1.6-litre diesel versions of either car. Both have decent performance and much better economy and emissions. For instance, a 1.6 BlueMotion Technologies Passat gets 62mpg and has emissions of just 118g/km so tax of €200 a year.
Any issue with the DSG gearbox in the 2009 Passat?
Hi, I have my eye on a 2009 Volkswagen Passat 1.4 TSI DSG. Are there any issues with these power units and DSG gear mechanisms before I proceed any further?
Kind regards,
Paddy
Patrick Barry (Dublin )Apr 2014 Filed under: gearbox
Expert answer
Hi Paddy,
There aren't any major reported problems on the 1.4 TSI petrol Passat, but just watch the fuel consumption; it's a big car with a small (albeit turbocharged) engine so you may need to work it harder than you think to keep up with traffic. The DSG gearbox can give some problems though. Take a test drive and make sure that the automatic changes are crisp and almost seamless. If not, suspect a dodgy box an walk away.
What is the best automatic crossover?
What is the best automatic SUV/CUV/crossover?
Mary O'Sullivan (Cork)Feb 2014 Filed under: automatic
Expert answer
Hi Mary,
You wouldn't go wrong with a Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI DSG. Cracking car, great gearbox.
I want to buy a new MPV in 2014.
I am looking at new MPVs for next year. I could not find the Sharan on the Volkswagen website. Has it dropped this model? What would you recommend to replace a Ford S-Max Titanium possibly with an auto box?
Andrew Kelly (Limerick)Oct 2013 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Andrew,
Hmmm. Well, spotted. The Sharan has indeed disappeared from Volkswagen price lists in Ireland (much as has the S-Max and the Galaxy from Ford's) and we're awaiting a call back from Volkswagen Towers as to its fate. The good news is that SEAT's definitely still selling the identical Alhambra, and that's a crackingly good car. You do need to go for the top spec Exclusive DSG model if you want to get an automatic version though.
Next year, Ford will be launching an all-new S-Max, which might be worth holding on for, while Renault's surprisingly still-good Espace (a touch old school but very, very comfy) is still just about on sale, and there's always the Chrysler Voyager. And then there's the Opel Zafira Tourer, a more direct rival to the S-Max than anything else. There's a 2.0-litre CDTi diesel automatic for €34,495 and it's almost as good as the S-Max to drive.
What do you think?
Update:
Just an addendum to this: Volkswagen Ireland has confirmed that the Sharan is no longer available, not even to individual order.
Presumably, if you really, really want one your local Volkswagen dealer could get hold of one for you, but why go to the hassle when the cheaper, better-equipped Alhambra is there?