I need a newer car with lower running costs. Help!
Hi,
I am currently driving a 2002 Peugeot 307 three-door 1.6 petrol with 63,000 miles on the clock. Having a son now makes the three doors pretty impractical and the car is expensive to run. I was taken in by Renault's recent ad campaign for the 'Carculator'. It compares all your outgoings on your car with the costs of running a brand new Renault. The problem is, although I could probably purchase say a new Mégane for about the same money per month as my current outgoings on the Peugeot, this involves a deposit of about €6-7k. The Peugeot is only worth about €1,500-2k at best in trade in and I don't have that much extra cash to throw at it.
This got me thinking though, I should be able to purchase a 2-3 year-old car that is substantially cheaper to run and still be able to make repayments on a loan. My current costs on the Peugeot are €514 on tax, about €900 on petrol to cover 4,500 miles annually, approx €600 on servicing plus it needs two new tyres at €130, and €55 on NCT. This comes in at €2,200 for the year. This is where I would like your help. I am sure there are cars that would cost €800-900 a year to run including all these costs, which leaves me with €1,300-1,400 to cover loan repayments for the year.
Can you suggest a car with low tax, far better fuel efficiency, low servicing costs that won't need an NCT for a few years and that with a €2k trade-in, will have relatively low monthly repayments over say five years? I know it's asking a lot but with your knowledge of the market, I hope there might be some possibilities for me.
Thanks,
Rowland (Dublin 5)
Rowland Crawte (Raheny)Mar 2014 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Rowland,
OK, there are a lot of parameters to go with here, but the basics are that you need a car that's cheap to buy (so it can't, sadly be too new), has affordable running costs and won't break down every time it rains. I reckon that gives you a choice of three or four key models: Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla or Auris, Kia cee'd or Hyundai i30.
Have a shop around and you should be able to find several of those all well within your purchase price range, while they all have efficient engines and excellent reliability records. In the case of the Kia and the Hyundai, they also have lengthy warranties, which, even if there's none left on the one you buy, at least means that they're more likely to have been looked after. My personal choice would be the Honda. Track down a nice 1.4 petrol Civic and I don't think you'll look back.
Let us know how you get on
What is the 2008 Range Rover Vogue like for reliability?
What is the 2008 Range Rover Vogue like for reliability?
Joe Sparkes (Naas)Mar 2014 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Joe,
Not half so bad as their reputation would have you believe. Keep a close eye on the gearbox (mostly fine but occasionally prone to being fragile) and carefully check to make sure that everything electric works as it should. Any doubts in that area and walk away - even minor electrical glitches can be wearingly expensive to fix. Engines, especially the BMW-sourced 3.0-litre straight-six diesel, are usually fine, as is Land Rover's own 3.6-litre V8 diesel, but make utterly sure that the car has a full and comprehensive service and maintenance history. Anything less than a full set of stamps should trigger a walk-away.
Is it worth changing the engine in my Audi to a diesel one?
Can I change my 2005 petrol 1.8T Audi engine to a diesel?
Dermot Gorman (Dublin)Feb 2014 Filed under: diesel
Expert answer
Hi Dermot,
If you mean actually physically swapping out the engine and plumbing in a diesel then I wouldn't recommend it. Diesel engines are much heavier than their petrol counterparts and most car makers tweak the suspension, brakes and steering to allow for that fact. Putting a diesel lump in where a petrol one was could upset that delicate balance. Also, it's an enormous amount of expense and hassle to do so, when you could just trade in for a similar model with a factory-fit diesel.
What hatchback should I buy and should I stick with a petrol car?
Looking to upgrade my trusty 2000 petrol Toyota Corolla Liftback. I am considering the new model Toyota Auris or Hyundai i30 or a similar hatchback. My annual mileage is 10,000 miles with mostly short runs ranging in distances of between less than 10 miles and 2 miles urban and town driving with longer spins at the weekend. Which engine type should I go for? Also considering that at weekends I will be carrying two adults and two teenagers.
Dan Lyons (Cork)Feb 2014 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Dan,
Hmmm. Generally for your mileage I would recommend a petrol car, but the bad news is that in your size bracket, petrol engines are a little thin on the ground. You could go for either a straight replacement for your Corolla by getting a Toyota Auris 1.4 D-4D, which is a very fine car, or you could, as you suggest, branch out and snap up a Hyundai i30 1.6 diesel - again a very fine car and with that five-year warranty, a very tempting buy.
But, with your mileage profile, I would suggest taking a good long look at petrol alternatives. The Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost is a terrific car with a great engine and well worth a look. That said it's a little tight in the back seats for two teenagers so I'd say the best all round bet is a Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI. It's more affordable than the diesel version, damn near as economical and has a big boot and lots of space in the back seats for those teenager-filled weekend runs. Great quality and reliability too.
Are 1.2-litre diesel engines economical?
Hi there,
What would be a typical mpg from a 2009 Polo 1.4 TDI if you're a steady and careful driver? What do you think about the 1.2 TDI engines? Are they too small to get good mpg? All the websites that deal with cars' mpg show 1.6 as being the most economical. Is this changing at all?
Regards David
David Taylor (Ennis)Expert answer
Hi David,
Depends on your driving style, but 55mpg should be a gimme, 60mpg if you're a bit careful and 70mpg if you're driving with baby kittens under the accelerator pedal.
You're quite right about 1.2 engines, at least for now. They usually have to be worked too hard to drive at normal speeds to get the best economy and, for now, 1.6 seems to be a displacement sweet spot. That will change though - just check out the economy you can get (with some effort) from Volkswagen's 1.2 TSI petrol unit.
What brand makes the quietest cars?
Hi there. What common brands of cars are the quietest inside? In this country and with modern car engines, that means mainly mitigation of and insulation from road noise, I suppose.
Regards David
David Taylor (Ennis)Feb 2014 Filed under: miscellaneous
Expert answer
Hi David,
Volkswagens tend to be very good for refinement, especially the new Golf, but if it's serious cabin silence you're looking for, check out a Lexus. True, they're pricey new but a secondhand IS or GS would be a bargain piece of interior cosiness.
Should I stay away from the Espace and this older Discovery?
I need a second hand seven seater. Have seen a 2005 Renault Grand Espace automatic petrol, 95k miles, leather priced at €3,850. Fallen in love with a 2004 Land Rover Discovery 2.5-litre, auto, diesel, leather, 150k miles too. Price €5,250. Would I be crazy to go for Land Rover? Difference in tax isn't too big. Two trustworthy mechanics told me Renault give expensive problems but didn't ask about Land Rover!
Susan Ryan (Dublin IRL)Feb 2014 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Susan,
Wow, you're a glutton for punishment aren't you? You pretty much couldn't have picked two less reliable cars. The Discovery is best avoided. If you could afford to trade up to a third-generation model I'd say that's worth a go, as Land Rover was starting to get on top of its quality issues by then, but the old Series II is just bad news. Gearboxes go, electrics go and even the suspension can fail. I know what you mean about falling in love - it's happened to me too with old Land Rovers, but you're looking at a very high-maintenance partner there.
The Espace is a little better, but not by much. The diesel engines are very fragile - check for smoke, check for oil levels and if there are any signs of overheating, run don't walk away. Check anything with an electrical wire coming out the back of it too as it can all go wrong, although the electronic parking brake and electric windows are especially prone to wrongness. Also, keep an eye on the tyres. Espaces go through them like butter and 20,000km is about as much as you'll get out of a set.
If you really want a seven-seater that works properly, can I suggest either a Mitsubishi Pajero or Toyota Land Cruiser? Not as cool as the Discovery, but they won't let you down.
What's the 2.0-litre TDCi Mondeo like?
I'm thinking of buying a 2010 Ford Mondeo 2.0-litre diesel with 69,000 miles on the clock. I need to know are they good engines and troublefree?
Thanks, Noel
Noel Power (Foulksmills)Feb 2014 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Noel,
Nothing too serious to worry about it. That 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engine does suffer occasionally from cutting out unexpectedly, but it's usually just a software fault and the ECU can be easily updated by a dealer. Other than that keep an eye out for issues with the keyless entry and ignition system (a rarely-seen option anyway) and keep an eye on the cabin - creaky trim is common and apparently the seat bolsters can collapse even on surprisingly low mileage cars.
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What is the trade-in value of a 2006 Volvo S60 with two owners, 140,000km on the clock?
Eamonn Maguire (Dublin)Feb 2014 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Eamonn,
I'd say about €3,500. A little more if it's the D5 diesel version, but it's not the most beloved Volvo model and was unfashionable at the time because it was stuck with engines of 2.0-litre capacity and more.
Is the Rover 75 a car to be avoided?
Is the Rover 75 a car to be avoided? Looking at a 2005 1.8 with 117,000 miles on the clock. Is the head gasket failure a big issue on all 1.8 Rover engines?
Gerard Hutchinson (Drogheda)Jan 2014 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Gerard,
Sadly the answers are yes and yes. I always quite liked the 75 (and its sporty offshoot the MG ZT) but the sad fact is that reliability is not their strong point.
While the 75 was probably the best built Rover ever that's not saying much and quality was always an issue. The head gasket issue is linked to the intake manifold, which warps as it ages and causes gasket leaks and failures.
Sorry to say but it's probably best left well alone.