Expert answer

Hi Fergal,

The first one that comes to mind is the Skoda Superb. A new generation of this massive car was launched last year and it’s a great option. It’s bigger than the Mondeo and can be had with a 2.0 TDI diesel engine.

A lovely car is the Peugeot 508, which can be had with a 1.5-litre diesel, but you might find it small inside in comparison to your Mondeo. Worth a look anyway.

There really aren’t many others if you’re sticking with a diesel saloon, unless you go for one of the premium brands - both Audi and Mercedes sell diesel engines still in the A5 and C-Class, respectively.

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Hi Shane,

When you're taxing a commercial vehicle for private use then the rate goes by the engine size. 

The Wildtrak can be had with 2.0 or 3.0-litre diesel engines, while the Ranger can be had with a 2.0-litre diesel or 3.0-litre petrol option. The 2.0-litre engines cost €710 a year to tax and the 3.0-litre units (doesn't matter what fuels them) are €1,494 per annum.

Read our Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained feature for full details.

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Hi John,

There really won't be much to choose between them. Both manufacturers have good reputations for the reliability of their petrol engines. In your position I'd go with the car I prefer and not worry about the reliability. 

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Hi Robert,

The 1.5 and 1.6 EcoBoost engines in the 2015 Kuga use "dry" belts, not "wet" ones.

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Hi Damien,

First up, the BMW i3 is a great option for your needs based on what you told us. It's a cracking compact car that will cost you nothing to run and is an idea runabout. And yes, I'd agree that the fully electric version is the best one, especially when you have access to other cars in the household for longer journeys. 

I really like the 4 Series Gran Coupe as well, but understand the reticence to trust the diesel engines. Would you consider a petrol one instead perhaps? The NOx levy on the diesel on importation can be expensive as well. Because of potential engine issues I'd be inclined to stick with a local BMW dealer and get as good a warranty as you can.

Obviously electric cars don't emit any NOx or CO₂, so it's a bit bizarre if Revenue's site can't deal with that... There is a VRT exemption up to €5,000 and anyway, it's only 7 per cent of the Open Market Selling Price (OMSP).

If you're looking to buy in the North, just make sure the car has been registered and used by a private individual in the North for at least three months before you import it, and that must be verified by documentation. Then no VAT or import duty should be due, just VRT - and the NOx levy if applicable. 

Hopefully all that helps, but come back to us with other specific questions if you need more assistance of course.

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Hi Adam,

First up, while this job isn't the most intricate, we would still recommend you get a qualified mechanic to do the work as a few things can go wrong that could lead to more expense - such as damaging the wiring, or even the gearbox itself.

With all that in mind, the sensor should be accessible from the engine bay, half way along the length of the gearbox itself at the top. It's a congested part of the engine bay of course so it won't be easy to access and may even require removal of other components to get at it.

Disconnect the wire (checking for faults in that before you assume the sensor is faulty) and then use an appropriately sized socket to unscrew the sensor from the gearbox. Make sure nothing falls into that hole and reverse the procedure with the new sensor, ensuring you don't over-tighten it and damage the threads.

Unless you have done plenty of work on car engines, I would again urge you to employ a mechanic to do this job.

Expert answer

Hi Priscilla,

Actually, we would not expect any warranty on the engine in that situation. Before you buy the engine there may be a chance to negotiate such a thing, but it's not the norm as the engines come from dismantled cars and the dismantler usually knows very little about their history etc. Hence they're far cheaper to buy than new or properly reconditioned engines. 

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Hi Sergiu,

All the HDI engines (there were 1.6, 2.0, 2.2 and 2.7-litre diesels in 2006 in the 407) use timing belts.

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Hi Robert,

The €1,250 rate is for cars registered in Ireland before 1 January 2021, with CO₂ emissions of 191-225g/km. 

The €750 rate has been upped to €790, but it applies to cars registered in Ireland before 1 January 2021, with CO₂ emissions of 171-190g/km. 

So there appears to be a reason that your car is in the higher bracket. Larger wheels can do that, or maybe it's the difference between the weights of the three- and five-door body styles.

Expert answer

Hi Philip,

The answer is yes — kind of. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is currently going through a public consultation on this very process, and it hopes to start rolling out the first grants to support apartment-block chargers by October of this year.

The plan, as it currently stands, has two levels — a grant of between 50-80 per cent for landlords, management companies and other apartment block owners who want to invest in the wiring and infrastructural installation for charging points, and a second level that gives the same €600 grant to private residents who want to install a charger, where possible. The SEAI is currently seeking public submissions on the plan, so head over to the SEAI website if you’d like to get your views across.