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Hi Mech,

There are few drawbacks to be honest. If you're importing the car from the UK then there is no drawback at all, other than the extra bit of legwork and travel needed to find and bring the car home. And of course you should consider potential difficulties with warranty, financing and trading in your current car.

If you're importing a Japanese model there can be a few issues to look at. Some parts are different, which can make repair and maintenance work a little tricker (and occasionally more expensive) and Japanese emissions laws are different too, so the car may need a tweak to the engine management system to pass the NCT emissions check. Helpfully, there are still several companies in Ireland that specialise in the importing of Japanese market cars and they'd be able to help you out with any of that.

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Hi Chelsea,

This is not all that unusual on modern cars and is usually nothing to worry about. Take the oil dipstick out, clean it and put it back in. Then take it out again and inspect. If that has anything other than clean oil on it then walk away.

With a car that new you'd hope the dealer will throw in a warranty in any case so ask about that too.

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Hi William,

Ford is swearing blind that the all-new Mondeo (which has already been on sale for two years in the US as the Ford Fusion) is finally coming to these shores in the autumn of this year. The delay is being explained by the need to move the Mondeo's production line from the Ford factory in Ghenk, Belgium (which is being closed down) to Valencia in Spain.

Many of us car critics have pondered though whether or not Ford is simply stalling to try and let the European passenger car market recover before it introduces such a significant new model. If so, job done it would seem.

The new Passat is a little further away, but should be here by mid-2015 at the latest. Prototypes of the new car are already pounding the roads and test tracks of Europe racking up mileage and it's likely that we'll get a first look at the new car (which will be based on the same MQB chassis system as the current Golf) at the Paris Motor Show this September.

In the meantime, it's worth pointing out that the current Mondeo and Passat are still cars operating at the very top of their game and with new models on the way, it's likely you could argue yourself a decent deal on one.

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Hi David,

Oh yes. In fact, I couldn't recommend it highly enough. Smooth, powerful, terrific to drive and yet decently economical too. Aside from a touch too much road noise, the Octavia RS TDI is one of the most accomplished all-round performance cars we've ever driven.

Here's our full road test of the Combi estate version

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Hi Francis,

I reckon you should be looking at a Kia cee'd Sportwagon. Handsome to look at, excellent 1.6-litre diesel engine, lots of space, massive boot and, even if you're buying nearly new, a long, loooooong warranty. A tough package to beat and it's more enjoyable to drive than you might expect. Does it fall foul of your 'not boring' requirement?

OK so, one man's meat etc. How about a Skoda Yeti? Not as practical or big in the boot department, but funky and fun to drive and if you get a 4x4 version, a proper off-roader too.

What do you think?

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Hi Jason,

Perhaps predictably, the DS5 has been a slow seller for Citroen, primarily because as soon as you put the words 'French' and 'premium' into the same sentence, most buyers tend to look for the exit. We are very, very wedded to our German premium cars in this country. 

The DS5 isn't a bad car at all, but to be honest, neither is it a very good one. It looks absolutely stunning, inside and out and as a piece of automotive sculpture, it's hard to beat. It comes with some excellent diesel engines too and generally its build quality and reliability seems to be up with the best.

The problem comes when you actually drive it and realise that it has steel girders for suspension. It rides terribly, clonking and clattering over bumps in a way that should be utterly alien to any French luxury car. A BMW 5 Series on 20-inch wheels rides better than this... Then there's the problem that the cabin is actually quite cramped, even in the front. It's a car we want to love, but there are just too many fundamental issues with it for us to do so.

Read our full road test of the Citroen DS5 here

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Hi Bernadette,

I'd say between €7,000 and €8,000 on a trade-in, depending on what you're trading it in against.

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Hi Vincent,

Yup, very good indeed. Handsome, well made, cracking cabin and good to drive. It is a bit smaller than the Santa Fe though, comparable in size to Hyundai's own ix35 (they're built on the same chassis) so you'll have to compromise on interior space and boot volume. Reliability isn't a major worry (a 2010 or 2011 model will still be under Kia's seven-year warranty anyway), but it's worth pointing out that the rarely-seen four-wheel drive version is significantly more sure footed, even on smooth tarmac, than the front-drive model.

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Hi Alanna,

I reckon the Qashqai +2 might be the best one to go for. The extra seats are pretty small but the boot on the +2 is simply massive when they're folded flat, so that's helpful when you're lugging around two small ones and their various chattels. Don't worry about running costs too much - the Qashqai looks like an SUV but it's really a hatchback with attitude and the 1.5 diesel engine is reliable, economical and has reasonably low emissions too.

That Toyota 1.4 diesel you mentioned would indeed be much less powerful than your Mazda's engine - it's about 20hp down and noticeably so. Volkswagen Jettas are indeed reliable, but I reckon that the Nissan would be slightly more so, so make that your first choice.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Michael,

As long as the repair is carried out by an accredited main dealer, and you keep all the receipts, any effect on the value of the car should be negligible. A few photos (before and after) and perhaps a letter from the garage itemising all of the work done and parts replaced probably wouldn't do any harm either. As with any car, the more paperwork you can show a potential buyer that demonstrates you've been taking care of the car, the better.