How can I protect my Volkswagen Golf?
I have a 2012 Volkswagen Golf 1.6 diesel R edition. Was broken into Saturday night. Thieves popped the locks electronically. Gardaí attended from Whitehall station. Said it was the second Golf that night in the area had been robbed. They even relocked the car setting the factory fitted alarm.
Contacted Volkswagen Ireland this morning asked if they can do anything like upgrade the software on the car transponders to use a different set of codes. Got a sharp 'nothing we can do'.
Are you folks aware of any such stories of other Golfs being broken into this way?
Brian Forristal
Brian Forristal (Kildare)Sep 2015 Filed under: car theft
Expert answer
Hi Brian,
To be fair to Volkswagen, there's not a lot it can do. The problem is that car thieves are becoming far more sophisticated and are using some very clever boxes of electronic tricks that can break down a car's security systems in minutes, and make it think that the proper key and immobiliser is being used. There's not a lot can be done about it at the moment and in fact police both here and the UK are now advising drivers (not just drivers of Golfs, but of any car) to start using the old-fashioned crime prevention techniques - steering wheel and gearshift locks and driveway posts.
Secondhand Honda CR-V or Nissan X-Trail?
I am looking for a reliable, spacious secondhand SUV that won't cost me the earth to run. I have a budget of €9,000 - €10,000. Will be used privately most of the time (12,000 miles per year, two kids and a dog), but need it for off road on a farm/laneways for cutting down trees and towing a trailer full of firewood every couple of weeks.
I am undecided between a 2008 Honda CR-V 2.2d AWD or a 2008 Nissan X-Trail 2.0d 4wd. I like the space in the X-trail but would the Honda give me less trouble? Also I see that the X-Trail comes in 150 and 175hp guises. What would best suit my needs and would there be much of a difference in running cost/fuel economy?
Any advice would be grateful!
K C (Cork)Sep 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Keith,
Both are excellent cars and the 175hp X-Trail's extra grunt could be very useful when hauling trees and trailers. That said, the Honda is still plenty grunty and a bit more plush inside than the Nissan. Actually this is a hard one to choose - I know from personal experience that the Honda is close to indestructible, but I also happen to think that the X-Trail is a really underrated car.
Coin toss so - go for the Honda.
Can I swap engines in my Renault Laguna?
Would a 2003 Renault Laguna 1.6 petrol engine fit in place of the 1.9-litre turbodiesel?
Tom Corcoran (Carlow)Sep 2015 Filed under: petrol vs. diesel
Expert answer
Hi Tom,
There's no doubt that the 1.6-litre petrol engine would fit in the Laguna's engine bay, but it could be a world of pain getting everything to work, from the fuel system to the electronics and sensors. We wouldn't recommend such a project.
When will the Ford Edge arrive in Ireland?
When will the Ford Edge arrive in Ireland? Also is there going to be a update for the Ford Kuga soon?
Martin (Meath)Aug 2015 Filed under: future cars
Expert answer
Hi Martin,
There's no imminent update for the Kuga - it was only launched in 2013, so you can probably expect to see a mild mid-life refresh by mid-2016 or thereabouts. The Edge is due to arrive in Europe by the end of the year, but will realistically be an early 2016 car for the Irish market.
Why does my Peugeot 308's radio cut out?
Why does the radio in my 2012 Peugeot 308 cut out? Is it a fault in the radio or aerial or what?
Padraig Devaney (Galway )Aug 2015 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Padraig,
I'm afraid that's not an easy one to answer from afar. It could be a problem with the stereo unit or its connections, including the aerial's, it could be the speaker system too or of course it could be the radio signal in your area.
Best bet is to bring the car to a good local mechanic or auto electrician.
Hope you get to the bottom of it
Honda Accord, Passat or Mondeo?
Hi,
Two weeks ago I was down to three choices for looking at secondhand 2011-2013 saloon cars: Honda Accord i-DTEC 2.2-litre diesel (150hp), Volkswagen Passat TDI 2.0-litre diesel (140hp) and Ford Mondeo TDCi 2.0-litre diesel (163hp). But on Saturday I test drove a very nice 2012 Vauxhall Insignia 2.0-litre diesel (160hp), which was very nice to drive.
Just wondering how would this compare to the three above in terms of reliability, handling and resale value. Which would you choose between these four?
Best regards
Barry
Barry Gilbert (Dublin)Aug 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Barry,
The Insignia's really nice and I do have something of a soft spot for it. A car that feels more sophisticated and more engaging the more you drive it. The Passat and Mondeo are nice choices too, but to be honest, the one I'd go for out of all of them would be the Accord. Comfy, smooth, frugal, nice to drive and above all it will almost certainly never break down. There's nothing quite so nice as the feeling you get from driving an utterly indestructible car.
Is the new Volkswagen 1.6-litre TDI diesel engine ok?
Are the new Volkswagen 1.6-litre diesel engines as good for long distance mileage as the old 1.9 version was?
Thomas Gahan (Wexford)Aug 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Thomas,
Yes, in fact they're much better because they're smoother (thanks to direct fuel injection instead of the old Pump Düse system) and have much more sophisticated electronics to monitor their health. They don't seem to suffer from the old air mass sensor issues that plagued the 1.9 either. It's also a much more economical engine - figure on getting high-fifties mpg, rather than the high-forties of the old engine.
What's the top automatic Renault Kadjar?
What will the top of the range automatic Renault Kadjar cost?
John Robertson (Abbeyleix )Aug 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi John,
At the time of writing, the Renault Kadjar pricing ranges from €24,990 to €33,990, the latter for the top-of-the range Kadjar Signature Nav powered by the 130hp 1.6-litre dCi diesel engine featuring four-wheel drive.
It's not currently possible to pair an automatic gearbox with that 1.6-litre engine though, so the most expensive automatic Kadjar is the Signature Nav powered by the 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine with 110hp. That costs €32,290.
Does it still make sense to import cars from the UK?
Do you still think it makes sense to import cars from UK given the high VRT charges?
Paul Jones (Louth)Aug 2015 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Paul,
Sometimes it can, actually. It's all a matter of doing your sums carefully. Yes, the drop in the value of the Euro has made things much more marginal, but the fact is that UK cars are often still good value compared to Irish equivalents. Just do your homework, don't forget to include travel and accommodation costs in your calculations and keep your fingers crossed come VRT inspection time.
Should the garage change my Ford Focus timing belt?
Hi, I very recently bought a 2008 Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi with 94k miles on the clock. I asked the garage where i purchased it from about the timing belt and for them to replace it. They said I had "30k or 40k miles left" before it needs doing and wouldn't entertain my request to get it changed. Can you give me some information about when it needs doing or about what mileage I should get it checked out at?
Thanks in advance.
Therese Norton (Offaly)Aug 2015 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Therese,
Ford's official guidelines for that car are 125,000 miles or 10 years, so the garage is perfectly in its rights to refuse to do the work. Personally speaking, I'd get it done a little earlier than the manufacturer says, say 115,000 miles or so.
Hope that helps