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Should I go for 1.6- or 1.9-litre TDI Audi A3?

Hi,

I'm looking to buy an Audi A3 diesel, changing from a 2003 petrol Toyota Corolla. I would like to go up perhaps five to six years. There seems to be a lot more 1.9 TDI engines around than 1.6, which was what I had thought I would go for. Would you be able to tell me if there is much difference in mpg between them? I would do a good bit of driving per week and I want something that's more fuel efficient.

Jacinta Woods (Ennis)

Apr 2014 Filed under: diesel

Expert answer

Hi Jacinta,

Essentially the old 1.9 TDI Pump Düse engine is just a bit less sophisticated than the newer, cleaner 1.6 TDI common rail engine. That said it's still pretty economical and while you could potentially get 60mpg from the 1.6 you should pretty easily get low-fifties-mpg from the 1.9.


Ford Mondeo or Volkswagen Passat for an auto diesel?

Hi,

I'm currently looking to purchase either a Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Powershift or a Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDI DSG. Looking at year ranges from 2007-10. Can you please advise on both cars in terms of smoothness of gear change and fuel economy? Also, If I do purchase a 2008 or above model can you tell me the road tax based on emissions for both cars?

Thanks

Rory Roden (Cork)

Apr 2014 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Rory,

Both cars use dual clutch semi-automatic gearboxes, which are pretty slick-shifting, but Volkswagen's DSG transmission just edges it for smoothness and quickness. 

On the emissions front it's rather bad news I'm afraid. If you're buying 2008 model year cars then you're looking at emissions of 189g/km for the Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Powershift and 175g/km for the Passat 2.0 TDI DSG. That means tax of €750 a year.

It gets a bit better if you can spool forward to 2010 when the Passat's emissions drop to 158g/km so that means a tax bill of €570 a year. 

Just for reference, the Mondeo 2.0 diesel auto gets an official 39mpg while the 2010 Passat with DSG gets 47mpg.

To be honest, if you can live without an automatic gearbox you would be better to go for the 1.6-litre diesel versions of either car. Both have decent performance and much better economy and emissions. For instance, a 1.6 BlueMotion Technologies Passat gets 62mpg and has emissions of just 118g/km so tax of €200 a year.


I'm thinking of buying an early Kia Rio.

I'm thinking of buying a 2004 Kia Rio 1.3 petrol for €2,250. Are they reliable and economical? Any issues to look out for?

Ger Glynn (Clare)

Apr 2014 Filed under: reliability

Expert answer

Hi Ger,

To be honest, I would just avoid that generation of Rio at all costs. They're not especially reliable (engines, suspension and ventilation systems all give trouble) and the 1.3-litre petrol engine is quite underpowered, meaning you have to thrash it hard to keep up with the flow of traffic, which wrecks the fuel economy. On top of which the cabin is small, narrow and made of some staggeringly cheap and nasty plastic and they're basically awful to drive.

That generation of Rio was really the last of the truly bad Kias, before the company started to make some really good cars. Go, if you can, for a second generation Rio, made from 2006 onwards in both hatchback and saloon form. They're much more reliable, quite nice to drive and decently economical.

Hope that helps


How reliable is the Land Rover Range Rover?

How reliable is the Land Rover Range Rover?

Jim Murphy (Dublin)

Apr 2014 Filed under: reliability

Expert answer

Hi Jim,

How long is a piece of string? Sorry, but it is actually a tricky question to answer because it kind of involves asking 'which Range Rover?' That is to say that Land Rover's build quality, while it has consistently been improving over the past decade, can still be a touch variable. Many Range Rovers will get through big mileages with no trouble, while others simply won't.

The good news is (and I'm talking about post-2002 models here) that generally Range Rover unreliability has gone from trouble with major items such as brakes and suspension to minor niggles involving electrical components. Basically, if you're buying a Rangie make sure all the buttons work as they should and then budget a substantial amount of money to fix them when they don't. Engines, gearboxes and other bits are generally fine as long as the car has been serviced fully and has history to back that up. You won't get the flawless reliability that you'd get from a Toyota Land Cruiser for instance, but Rangies are certainly more solid than some of the rumours would have it.


I'm new to Ireland - how does car tax work?

Hi, I am new in Ireland. I am looking to buy a second hand five-door automatic car. Can you please suggest one? Also I want it to be reliable and economical. My max budget is €5,000. I noticed that cars around 2005 have high road tax and require frequent NCT test.

Any suggestion would be great.

Thanks

Master Boy (Dublin)

Apr 2014 Filed under: automatic

Expert answer

Hi there,

Welcome to Ireland! I'd suggest you have a look for a Honda Civic 1.4 petrol automatic. That's probably the best balance between reliability (Civics are very reliable), economy and sticking within your budget. The higher road tax comes from the changeover to a carbon emissions based system in 2008. Prior to that cars were taxed according to their engine size, but the Civic's 1.4-litre petrol engine should keep your tax bills down to a reasonable level. Sadly, there's nothing you can do to change the NCT test - every car requires one every two years once it's more than four years old, and every year once it's more than ten years old. Again, the Honda will help here - they're really well built so less likely to develop problems that would cause you to fail an NCT test, as long as you look after it and keep it serviced.


What's wrong with my Ford Focus Estate?

I have a 2006 Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Estate. When the car goes it struggles up to 2000rpm and it seems as if the turbo is not kicking in. The car does not smoke; it just seems as if it has no turbo. Then when I leave it overnight it will turn over but won't start. I'm wondering whether to spend a lot on the car or part exchange it as it has done 143,000 miles.

Brian Stokes (Swansea)

Apr 2014 Filed under: fault

Expert answer

Hi Brian,

First up, 143,000 miles isn't much for the 1.8 TDCi engine so don't focus on that. This sounds like the car has gone into 'limp home' mode, which could be for a variety of reasons from a faulty sensor to a blocked diesel particulate filter (DPF). You really need the car hooked up to a diagnostic computer at a garage to get to the bottom of the problem quickly.

Let us know how you get on.


How do I sell a car with outstanding finance?

When selling a car and finance is owed on the vehicle, how should seller proceed with a genuine car sale so as to tell prospective clients appropriately and yet not turn them off?

Breda Hand (Athlone)

Apr 2014 Filed under: finance

Expert answer

Hi Breda,

Just be honest and up front. Tell them whether or not you plan to pay off the outstanding loan (I'm presuming you do...) and see if they're prepared to trust you. You could of course enter into a written contract, drawn up and witnessed by a solicitor, but that could add endless extra expense.

Let us know how you get on


Would you recommend an SUV for my commute?

I am looking for a car and am considering the Hyundai ix35, Citroen C4 Aircross and Peugeot 4008. Which do you recommend? I travel 70km every day and I need a car that will not consume a lot of fuel.

Kindly advise.

Bertha Tefu (Polokwane)

Apr 2014 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Bertha,

To be honest, 70km a day is not an especially large mileage and buying an SUV for that kind of journey is simply not going to be good from a fuel consumption point of view. Neither the Citroen C4 AirCross nor the Peugeot 4008 are sold in Ireland so they're off the list. As you've suggested a Hyundai though, can I suggest in return an i30 or i40 estate? Both will give you the space and practicality of an SUV but at a much lower level of purchase and running costs.


What should I look out for on E60 BMW 5 Series?

Looking for info on second hand BMW 5 Series M Sport (E60): what should I look for fault wise?

Keith, Dublin

Keith Lestrange (Polokwane)

Apr 2014 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Keith,

The areas you have to check carefully on an E60 5 Series are the suspension and electrics. If there are any nasty noises coming from underneath, or if the steering feels anything less than precise and solid, you've got possible trouble. The run-flat tyres can also cause trouble, suffering from little air leaks that play havoc with the tyre pressure monitoring system. The iDrive infotainment system can also be wayward, sometimes taking as long as 20 minutes to boot up, but apparently post-2005 cars are far better in this regard. Finally, check all the electrical and electronic systems to make absolutely sure that everything is working as it should be, and don't even consider a car that doesn't have a full service history.


How do I repair the mirrors in my Honda FR-V?

Hi, I have purchased a Honda FR-V. Annoyingly, neither electric wing mirror is functioning properly. One won't tilt side to side and the other up and down... Is it possible to just replace the motors? FR-V parts aren't abundant - would another Honda part do the trick? Don't want to relace the whole mirror if possible as very expensive!

Garry Albon (Polokwane)

Apr 2014 Filed under: electrics

Expert answer

Hi Garry,

Without having the car in front of us it's hard to tell, but it really sounds like the issue could be with the switch itself rather than the mirrors or their motors. It seems too coincidental that they'd both fail.

That could save you rather a lot of money if so - let us know how you get on.


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