Expert answer

Hi Mike,

The only reason you would specifically buy the efficient dynamics version of the BMW 520d is if you want to pay €104 in road tax, you want the best possible fuel economy and you don't mind changing gears yourself. I'd always prefer by luxury saloon car to come with an automatic transmission and in general, the used car market prefers if you do to. 

We could of course, give our opinions as to what is the best of these cars - but the fact is that they are all in and around the same price, they are all very good and they all offer different things. The BMW is regarded as the drivers car amongst the group although increasingly this is being matched by the excellent new Audi A6. The Mercedes is without doubt the most comfortable of these three cars so if have a very relaxed style of driving then the Mercedes might suit best. 

It does really come down to personal choice. The BMW is the best-seller and that probably won't change for some time. Also you have left out the excellent Jaguar XF, and now with a 2.2-litre diesel it is excellent value. That needs to be considered too. 

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Hi Sean,

This is a well known issue with the Mazda RX-8. The level sensor in the overflow bottle starts to go. Check the coolant level when the car is stone cold and if it's down then top it up. Some people find that sorts out the light. If not, you could try to clean the sensor, but this might not do anything. I believe it's integral to the tank so you'd have to take it all out.

Because it's integral to the tank it'll be pricey to replace. Don't use a second-hand one, as they tend to go after a while regardless.

You can stop the light coming on by disconnecting the wiring to the sensor. Most people don't have a coolant level light anyway so just keep an eye on the level for yourself.

Hope that helps

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Hi Adi,

Our usual point of reference is the Euro NCAP safety tests, but the G-Wagen has not been subjected to them. Our second source of data would be the US NHTSA tests, but again it looks like the Merc was not tested by that organisation.

The latest version of the G-Wagen comes with plenty of electronic driving aids to help with stability and traction, plus airbags, but it's not at the cutting edge of safety in terms of construction.

Sorry to not be able to give a more definitive answer.

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The arguement for petrol is growing Brendan. While everyone is fixated on diesel the petrol engines are getting cleaner and will come back into fashion. When it comes to fuel economy the gap between petrol and diesel is getting closer and in a lot of cases there is little difference between the road tax.

The 1.4-litre petrol engine in the Passat is more than good enough. So if you want a Passat then you could go for it. There could and perhaps will be less value in the petrol model later on, but if you keep it long enough suddenly this won't become that much of an issue and since you go low mileage then you could keep it for 5 or more years. 

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Hi Paddy,

This really sounds like a clutch failure. Many cars have hydraulic clutch mechanisms, which is why you may still get the feeling that the clutch is ok. However, it could be that a driveshaft or a part of the gearbox has failed. It's highly likely it's 'just' the clutch though.

Bring the car along to a mechanic to get it checked out.

Expert answer

Hi Brendan,

Having just come out of a Volkswagen Golf long-term test car I feel like I can speak with some authority on the car. For a start, it really depends on where you are driving and how far, when it comes to your engine choice.

The 1.6-litre TDi diesel is really good, but it probably isn't worth the extra cost unless you commute is quite long. Otherwise the 1.2 TSi is fine and while it isn't a rocket, it is perky enough. In terms of the the car being big enough, well yes it is. The Golf is fine for one baby and the boot is big enough to take the truly obnoxious buggy I put into it. 

With your budget of €20,000, you would really have your choice of petrol or diesel models so it is really down to what you prefer. I really like this one. And although it is over your budget you would probably come in under as a cash buyer. 

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Hi Paul,

I really would find it hard to look past the new BMW 520d and you could perhaps get into one for your budget, but you might have to wait until January. A low mileage one is just outside your budget.

BMW 520d 

Now having said that, if you made a firm offer of €35,000 you might be successful, but the new car is so much better than the old one then you would need to get into it. The Audi A4 and Mazda6 are very different cars. The Mazda6 is very nice and you could get into a new one with your budget with a high spec. The Audi A4 is also good value now, but with a new model around the corner it might be best to hold off.

My advice Paul would be to hold on a few months if you can. I'd wait until January and see what happens to prices of 520d and if we have a new Audi A4 by then we will know whether that is worth looking at. For now anyway, hold on!

I hope this helps!

Expert answer

Hi Jason,

We've come across these symptoms before and they usually mean a camshaft or crankshaft sensor is faulty. The issue is that they work fine when cold, but when they warm up the fault creeps in. Bring your car to a garage when warm and get them to put it on a diagnostics machine to confirm.

Hope that helps.

Expert answer

Hi Yvonne,

This is very low mileage for a catalytic converter to fail, but it is likely to be due to the kind of driving the car has been used for. Has it been driven mainly in an urban setting for short journeys? If so that could cause it to fail quicker.

The cost of the part sounds about right, but the labour sounds very expensive. It may be worth asking the MINI dealer to confirm how many hours that is for so you can see their rate. Also, as the car is out of warranty anyway, it's worth popping into an exhaust specialist to find out how much they'd charge to do the work.

Hope all that helps.

Expert answer

Hi Sinead,

Without hesitation I would advise you go for the 2011 5 Series over the older BMW X5. The new 5 Series is an absolute gem of a car and if you can stretch to the Touring estate model then it'll be even more spacious. The 520d is far better on fuel than the X5 and will cost you less in road tax too. On top of that, being newer, the 5 Series will have more of its warranty intact.

However, I urge you to go to a dealer and drive both, as the 5 Series is much lower down than the X5 and, while that's not important to me personally, it may be to you. Only one way to find out!

Let us know how you get on.