Expert answer

Hi Priscilla,

If it's either the 1.6 petrol or the 1.5 diesel then yes, it's an engine shared with the Nissan Qashqai (and sundry other Nissans and Renaults) and is generally pretty solidly built and reliable. 

With Renaults, it's the peripheral systems you have to watch. Major items like the engine and gearbox usually go on just fine but electric components (especially windows in the past), exhaust systems, cabin trim and such like can all be fragile. Check carefully and make sure there's a full service history.

Best of luck

Expert answer

Hi Paul,

Of the two cars mentioned the Kia cee'd SW is undoubtedly the better looking car and it does come with the famous seven-year Kia warranty, but when it comes to taxis we would probably take the consensus of other taxi drivers.

While the Toyota Avensis is top dog in the segment at the moment it is being pushed by the Skoda Octavia with the 1.6 TDI being the engine of choice for its fuel efficiency. When Global Taxis took delivery of 110 Octavias it reckoned each car would offer a fuel saving of €1,400 a year over the old fleet, money that will go into your pocket instead.

As well as that the Octavia offers a huge a mount of space (both passenger and boot wise) for the money, important considerations when you are moving up from The Kesh to pick up a fare at Dublin Airport.

Hope that all helps

Expert answer

Hi Brian,

BMW quotes a combined cycle economy figure of 35.8mpg (7.9 litres/100km) for the new 740i. Depending on your usage and driving style we'd expect a little worse than that, around 30mpg (9.4 litres/100km).

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Austin,

They're pretty tough, those Mondeos actually. Handbrakes give trouble and were the subject of a recall so make sure that's been done. Windscreens are a touch fragile when it comes to cracks and chips and rear suspension bushes can wear out, which means replacing the whole rear subframe. Other than that, at that kind of mileage, just check for the usual major maintenance items like timing belts, brakes etc.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi William,

We'd be tempted to say that you should be grand - Hyundais in general, and the old Sonata in particular, are built like tanks. That said, with that kind of mileage, you need to make sure that the service history is complete and that all the major replacement jobs (clutch, brake pads and discs, timing belt) have been done. The Sonata has also always been a popular car with taxi drivers so check it carefully for signs of heavy use and abuse. If it all checks out though, and the service history is there, then you should be fine.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi John,

I'd say on a trade-in you'd probably get about €2,500 to €3,000 for it. But make sure you do your sums carefully when changing. The cost of change can often outweigh what you're spending on petrol. Maybe practice some seriously economical driving techniques? Take any excess weight out of the car by emptying the boot etc. And get the engine properly serviced and tuned, with fresh filters and new oil.  Check the tyres for condition and correct pressure. You'd be surprised what a difference things like that can make to your fuel consumption.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Ossie,

I'm afraid that's a tricky one to analyse from afar. We'd recommend you get it plugged into a diagnostic machine/tool to get the error codes.

Let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Phillip,

Cars registered in 2007 (assuming this Freelander is classified as a passenger vehicle, not a commercial vehicle) are taxed according to their engine size. The Freelander's 2.2-litre engine is actually 2,179cc, so it falls into the 2,101- to 2,200cc category, which, since January 2013, costs €951 per annum.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Ian,

There are a couple of alternatives to the Q7 alright. The Land Rover Discovery is probably the best all-round seven-seat SUV on the market and easily matches the Q7 for driver appeal, cabin space and premium image. The only problem is that Land Rover is still working its way up from a low point in terms of reliability, and while the current Disco is certainly very well built, we'd reckon that a Q7 would be a little bit better in terms of reliability when you're talking about a car that's already a few years old.

In fact, we know of only two issues with the Q7. One, it's apparently quite hard on tyres and two, if it's got an electric tailgate, it can open or close with a mind of its own sometimes, although that should have been fixed in a recall by now.

You could go for a BMW X5 with seven seats, but there's not as much space in the third row in the BMW, so it depends on what you need those extra chairs for. If it's only for occasional use, for kids etc, then the X5 is well worth a look and is a fantastic car to drive. If you need to put adults back there, stick with the Audi. You could downsize to a Hyundai Santa Fe seven-seater of course, which is a reliable, affordable choice but lacking both third row space and the cachet of the Audi.

Or you could steer away from the SUV world altogether and get a Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate with the extra rear-facing seats in the boot. Bit of an unsung hero that one, and much cheaper to run than a big 4x4. Or, of course, you could do the whole off-roader thing properly and get a long wheelbase Land Rover Defender, but you'll need ear plugs for long journeys.

Choosing between a 2007 or a 2008 Audi Q7 is all down to the price and the individual car. There was a facelift in 2009 that brought some engine updates and cabin and styling changes, but if you can find a good 2007 one, with a full Audi service history, you could be looking at paying as little as €20k. A Q7 for the price of a new Ford Focus? Not bad...

Let us know which way you go

Expert answer

Hi Brian,

To be honest, it’s not something that we’ve heard of, but then again that is a ten-year-old car so who knows what kind of abuse and punishment it’s been through? Generally speaking, Kias  are well made and reliable, and we certainly haven’t heard any horror stories of peeling paint, but at the very least it’s a reminder to very carefully inspect and check any potential used car buy, especially at that age.