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Hi Frank,

It's a totally different car - the Auris is a size bigger than either Fiesta or Polo, and much more spacious and refined than either. More expensive to buy, of course, as a result, but a good choice for those looking for pain-free, reliable motoring.

Relevant reviews:

Ford Fiesta review

Volkswagen Polo review

Toyota Auris review

Expert answer

Hi Gerard,

Not the most exciting car in the world, but they're pretty solidly built. Be careful of electrical gremlins and any clonking noises from the suspension means a car is to be avoided. The diesel engines can burn rather a lot of oil so check the levels and beware of any rough running. The 1.8 petrol is adequate but 1.6 is underpowered and consequently very thirsty.

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Hi Jerome,

If the car is taxed according to engine size (pre July 2008), then the annual tax cost for a 1,801- to 1,900cc car is €673. For 1,901- to 2,000cc it's €710.

However, later models are taxed according to CO₂ emissions and we can't guess that from the engine size so come back to us if you need more help, with more information.

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Hi Tara,

Tough call, to be fair. I've been running a 2009 MINI Clubman for the last two years and it's been solidly reliable. That said, at the last service it would have set me back €3,000 for new bits and work had it not been covered by a warranty. 

Now, Qashqais aren't as perfectly reliable as you might think. Clutches, rear suspension and windscreen seals are all fragile. However, on average a Nissan would generally be more reliable than a MINI and slightly cheaper to service so if that's your priority, go with the Qashqai.

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Hi Jack,

I'm afraid it's very difficult to assess such a problem from afar. If the car is under warranty and the dealer is fobbing you off by saying they can't sort it out, then you need to make a firm stance and say they have to. If that's not the situation, then bring the car to an independent mechanic who won't solely rely on a diagnostic machine to tell them what's wrong. Sometimes a more experienced mechanic will be better at getting to the root of a problem than a computer!

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Keith,

It's a long way from the most exciting car out there but actually I think the Jetta is a bit underrated. I ran one for a few months on a long-term test and it was comfy, frugal, spacious, practical and pretty decent to drive too. If you're being offered one at a sharp price, snap it up.

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Hi Brendan,

We've spoken to Kia on this and apparently prices for an aftermarket spare wheel vary from €210 to €270. The advice we were given is to ring around a couple of your nearest Kia dealers to get the best possible price.

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Hi Patrick,

SIMI only starting receiving that information from 1995 onwards so Revenue holds the data, which might make it difficult to access. The best bet is to get a history check with Cartell.ie, as that will show if the bike has been imported.

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Hi Patrick,

Ah, you mean the old days of cars rolling home with 'For Reg' scrawled front and rear with marker pen? 1993 was the last year this was allowed and after that the Vehicle Registration Act was introduced and, as the wording of the act goes, "An authorised person shall not deliver, send out or otherwise make available for use a vehicle which, but for compliance with this subsection, would be unregistered, to a person who is not an authorised person without first - (a) declaring the prescribed details of the vehicle to the Commissioners in accordance with section 131, and (aa) ensuring that the identification mark assigned to it under section 131(5) is displayed on the vehicle in the prescribed manner, and (b) paying vehicle registration tax in respect of the registration of the vehicle."

Expert answer

Hi Shay,

Just as with motor tax, Vehicle Registration Tax is calculated based on the CO₂ emissions of the car in question. It starts at 14 per cent of the wholesale price of the car (inclusive of options) for cars in the lowest tax band, 0- to 80g/km of CO₂ rising to a maximum of 36 per cent for the highest band, for cars emitting more than 225g/km of CO₂.

The most common bands are Bands A2 to A4 and B1 and B2, which run from 15 per cent to 19 per cent.