Expert answer

Hi Sinead,

Before tackling the diesel issue, the Nissan Qashqai is a fine car. It's a little bigger than the Golf and feels it because of the higher driving position and larger boot. In general it has proved to be a reliable car with only a few minor issues cropping up.

The 1.5 dCi diesel is a good choice of engine, though if you really do stick to Dublin and its environs it may be worth considering the cheaper 1.6-litre petrol instead. It's a shame Nissan doesn't currently have a smaller capacity turbocharged alternative, as that would be a great option. The diesel car will be more economical for sure.

Hope that helps.

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Hi Lisa,

You're better placed than us to answer that question, as it really depend on your driving style, the road conditions, how heavy traffic is, the type of road and how full the car is.

Saying all that, the official combined consumption figure for that car is 3.7 litres/100km (76.3mpg) and it has a 53-litre fuel tank. So that means 358 kilometres. The 'combined' figures can be a little misleading though, as they don't relate to the real world.

We'd estimate 250 kilometres on average for that car.

Hope that's of some help.

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Expert answer

Hi Suzie,

Others to consider include the Citroen C3 and Fiat 500, Mazda2, Nissan Micra, Opel Corsa, Peugeot 207, SEAT Ibiza, Skoda Fabia and Suzuki Swift. They're all good small cars. Given your low mileage you're definitely better off with a petrol model.

I assume you know that you could afford slightly larger cars in the Ford Focus class as well with that budget, but that you don't want one that big? They'd be far more comfortable on the motorway.

With all that in mind, and sticking to your small car demand, we reckon one of the three Volkswagen Group cars makes the most sense - that's the Skoda Fabia, SEAT Ibiza or the Polo. If you'd like help narrowing down your search further come back to us.

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Hi Jenny,

I'm a family man myself so I know well your needs! Before saying anything more though I assume you've looked at the pricing of the BMW and Merc and that's not a consideration? The X3 starts at about €47,000, while the M-Class costs from €71,000.

If price is not a problem then the answer has to be the Merc. It's a bigger, more luxurious car with more equipment. There's nothing at all wrong with the X3 (I'd consider owning one myself), but the Merc is in a different league - as it should be for that price difference.

Come back to me if we can help further.

Expert answer

Hi Sean,

It's always difficult to assess such problems remotely. It could be an issue with the power steering, a wheel bearing or something rubbing in the wheelarch.

On this occasion we'd have to advise you to bring the car to a mechanic to look at.

Expert answer

Hi Eoin,

We contacted Volkswagen in relation to your question and 'officially' there does not seem to be a simple solution.

Thankfully there is the unofficial way of doing things and this is something we have experience with having swapped the sports seats in a Mk IV Golf for Recaros from the GTI. A quick search of a certain well-known online auction site reveals that Alcantara sports seats are available, but the shipping costs can prove prohibitive - unless you live near the seller of course.

Our advice would be to contact a large car dismantlers like http://www.traynors.co.uk/ or http://www.eddietorrensinternational.com and see if they have the parts you require. The actual fitting of the seats is just a case of undoing a few bolts and clips with the only problem you might encounter being the possibility of the airbag wiring loom not matching up. This is a simple fix for any auto electrician though and should not cost much to rectify.

We hope this helps.

Expert answer

Hi Kieran,

Nice position to be in! We're a little puzzled at the shortlist, but each to their own. I'm sure you know that the Beetle won't be a patch on the Boxster in terms of driving thrills and the Porsche trumps the SLK on that front too.

However, if your priorities are ease of repair, etc. then the Beetle seems to be the obvious choice, as there are loads of Volkswagen dealers around and a new car won't need much doing to it anyway.

Saying that, the Mercedes and Porsche are quite reliable and you have a choice of Mercedes-Benz service centres. While there are no official Porsche service outlets in Cork that we know of, as resale value is not of importance to you I'd suggest you get the number of a recommended mechanic. They'll do just as good a job with a more personal service. Get in touch if you need help on that.

Personally, I'd have the Boxster. Though of course I can understand the lure of the new car. The SLK is a distant third place.

Let us know how you decide - and if you need anything else.

Expert answer

Hi Paula,

Despite appearances, the CrossPolo is less than 30mm taller than the regular Polo hatchback. We don't expect it to be significantly different to the Polo on the road.

We've not yet driven this car, though we're due to within weeks so keep an eye on the site and if anything changes we'll let you know.

Expert answer

Hi Rory,

I'm sure you're aware that your budget will get you any number of relatively new regular cars such as the Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus, along with bigger models like the Ford Mondeo and Toyota Avensis.

However, given your current choice of car I'd suspect that you'd like to retain the elevated driving position and your mileage dictates a diesel engine. Most cars can take a tow bar and you don't have heavy towing needs so that's not a major consideration. Likewise, all SUVs etc. will have room for your golf clubs.

So the logical choices based on all that include:

BMW X3: Good diesel engine, spacious, but your budget may only get you an older example.

Citroen C-Crosser: Great 2.2-litre diesel engine; rest of car built on Mitsubishi mechanicals.

Honda CR-V: Bomb-proof reliability, but again may have to settle for older example.

Hyundai Santa Fe: Big and comfortable, though running costs higher than smaller SUV.

Mitsubishi Outlander: Spacious, well made, ok diesel, if loud.

Nissan X-Trail: Strangely forgotten, but plenty around at this price.

Peugeot 4007: Shares its engine and underpinnings with the Citroen above.

Suzuki Grand Vitara: Very reliable.

Toyota RAV4: Another with impressive reliability. Possibly the choice of the lot at this price.

There are loads of older, bigger SUVs for sale at that price too, but they'll cost you more to run for no real benefit.

If you're willing to change body styles completely it's worth checking out something like a BMW 120d Coupé or a diesel 3 Series Coupé. There are also plenty of great estates on the market for that budget, including the Audi A4 Avant and BMW 3 Series Touring. I know you don't need that space for a family, but it's useful for a lot of other things.

Come back to us with more information and we'll help to narrow your search further.