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Hi Rob,

I'm afraid there's nothing for it but to start ringing around and working your way through the websites of Irish insurers. There are no specific restrictions on drivers using international driving licences, but I think you can expect that your insurance costs will be significantly higher than if you had a full Irish licence.

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Hi Willy,

Lots. Want something compact? Track down a Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI 4x4. Surprisingly good off road, that one.

A little bigger you say? Well, I've got a big soft spot for the Subaru Forester, both the current and previous models. Permanent four-wheel drive, a peachy flat-four diesel and they're virtually indestructible. 

There is also the fleetingly rare Nissan Qashqai 4WD but good luck finding one if you're buying second hand.

Have a yen for something luxurious? Try a Volvo XC70. 

Of course, with all of these cars, and especially when buying second hand, make sure they're actually equipped with four-wheel drive. Most of them are sold with front-drive and a great many owners simply don't know or can't tell the difference.

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Hi Kirsty,

I'm afraid it's a classic case of how long is a piece of string? Insurance quotes are often plucked out of thin air and the only way to get the best value is to get on the internet and get on the phone and start looking. Now, based on the details you gave (and a bit of creative accountancy on our part - you do work in a call centre for an accounting firm and live in Skerries in Co. Dublin, right?) the best quote we were able to find for you came from AXA and it was €1,778 - that's for third party, fire and theft.

Obviously, having just third party would be a bit cheaper but it might be worth paying slightly extra this year and getting yourself a more solid insurance record. It's also well worth finding a good insurance broker and seeing what kind of deal they can swing for you. Brokers can often access deals that mere mortals cannot.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Kieran,

Not massive. There's a tiny 1mpg gap between them in terms of fuel economy (the Toyota gets 59mpg, the Ford 60mpg), but in everyday driving , they'll probably work out pretty much the same.

Overall, the Toyota will probably be slightly more reliable, and the Ford slightly cheaper to service and repair if anything does go wrong. The Toyota will probably be a little cheaper to insure too, and its road tax will be slightly lower.

On balance then, the Toyota is likely to be fractionally cheaper to run, but there's precious little in it.

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Hi John,

Yes, I'd say you're onto a good one there. Obviously, a well used 14-year old Astra isn't going to come with a bundle of trade-in value attached, so I think the price looks pretty fair for the Octavia, especially given the low mileage. Honestly - we see press cars with higher miles than that!

As for the petrol/diesel side of things, I think you'll be fine in the 1.2 TSI. At 11,000 miles a year you're well within the bracket to keep burning petrol rather than switching to more expensive diesel (more expensive to buy the car, not the fuel of course) and the good news is that the 1.2 TSI engine is exceptionally frugal. In fact, I once drove one for 200km before I realised that it wasn't diesel, so slow moving was the fuel gauge. In my defence, it was late and I was tired...

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Hi John,

It's OK but tread very warily. Renault build quality was pretty shaky in the early 2000s and by 2006 the problem was only beginning to get sorted out. The upside is that the Clio is mechanically pretty simple, so there's a bit less to go wrong, but make sure everything electrical is free from gremlins and pay particular attention to the suspension - the Clio can be pretty fragile in that department so listen for untoward noises from under the car (creaks, bumps, banging etc) and check the top of the suspension mounts for any signs of damage or repair.

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Hi Alice,

First off, yes - the Superb really lives up to its name and it's a car we can recommend without reservation. As for buying privately, it's always a bit riskier than buying from a (good) dealer, but if you tread carefully, you should be OK. Don't accept anything without a full service history, get a history check from the likes of Cartell.ie and potentially get an AA check too.

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Hi Rasti,

I'd say that kind of mileage puts you just over the tipping point for diesel, but if you must insist on petrol then go for the 1.6 - that 1.4 is so underpowered that you have to work it hard to get any performance out of it, and that really hurts the fuel consumption. As for buying privately, just keep your wits about you. The Octavia is a solidly reliable and well made car, which lowers the risk, but don't accept anything without immaculate paperwork and a proper, fully-stamped service history. None of this my-brother's-a-mechanic-and-he-looked-after-it rubbish. Worth getting a history check (from the likes of Cartell.ie) and maybe an AA inspection too. Be especially wary of cars with outstanding finance still owing on them.

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Hi Liam,

Here's the latest Opel Insignia review on the site - from the end of 2013.

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Hi Paul,

You'd think it'd be a simple and straightforward process, wouldn't you? Sadly, sometimes it is not. That's because it relies on what Revenue refers to as the Open Market Selling Price (OMSP), which is, let's face it, entirely subjective. The best place to start is Revenue's own VRT calculator, though it's not the easiest thing to use at times and confusingly seems to have several versions of what appear to be the same car. Hopefully you'll manage to find your car there, but if you can't, please do come back to us.

Oh, and make sure you check out our guide to importing cars from the UK too.

All the best