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Hi Liam,

Wow, you're 24 and thinking of a Honda Accord? I thought all you young 'uns wanted Citroen Saxos or Civics? Well, frankly, I don't think I can recommend a better car than the Accord. They're comfy, refined, spacious and utterly reliable. Just watch the insurance rating as the smallest possible engine is 1.8-litre and that could really crank up your premium.

Again, the Lexus IS is a good choice with solid reliability and a playful rear-drive chassis thrown into the bargain. €15,000 gets you into the current model (just about to be replaced actually) easily enough, and the 2.2-litre diesel engine is the one to go for - it's punchy and frugal.

Let us know if you'd like other suggestions.

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Hi there,

We're surprised to hear you say this, as we've driven several versions of the new Golf on different wheels etc. without an issue. Even the sportier GTI model rides well.

Please come back to us with a few more details, such as the size of wheel, the tyres fitted and a description as best you can on where the rattle is coming from.

Of course, if it's a fault you should be talking directly to your dealer.

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Hi Niall,

There are two answers to this question. There's the right answer and then there's the answer that you can afford. The correct answer is the Land Rover Discovery; still the only car we've driven that can climb Everest yet carry seven fully grown adults in luxury car comfort. Trouble is, they're expensive as heck to buy and run. 

So, assuming you need the sixth and seventh seats for only occasional, child-transporting duties, there's the Hyundai Santa Fe. It's big, comfy, surprisingly good to drive and with excellent reliability. Circa €8k should get you into a 2006 model.

How does that sound?

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Hi James,

Actually, you mentioned the Ford C-Max there and, while we criticised it when new for not being exciting enough, it's a pretty canny secondhand buy, with good build quality and excellent economy as long as you go for the 1.6 TDCi diesel.

If it's a full-size seven-seater you want then your €8k budget will easily get you into a SEAT Alhambra seven-seater. It's the old shape model, so you won't get fold-flat rear seats, but the 1.9-litre TDI diesel engine is both frugal and largely unburstable.

Finally there's the good old Opel Zafira. Ever popular, it's not the most refined or sophisticated but the 1.9 CDTi diesel engine is frugal and the interior is hugely flexible and adaptable.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Sean,

Well, generally we'd say that the only problem with the Almera is that it's just about the dullest car ever made. And that's not just our view; Nissan itself basically admitted as much when it decided that a conventional five-door hatch was just not good enough anymore and replaced it with the Qashqai.

Still, the Almera is a spacious, comfy five-or-four-door family car and I guess there's nothing wrong with that. There are a few reported problems though. The headlights can mist up and stop working, so check them for condensation. The rocker cover gaskets can leak oil and the radiators are occasionally leaky and clog-prone. Timing chains need to be tightened at 9,000-mile intervals or the engine develops a misfire. Faulty oxygen sensors can lead to engine management issues and are a surprisingly expensive fix. Front brakes can wear unevenly and the handbrake mechanism can cause the rear handbrake calipers to get sticky.

That's about it though. Almeras have a rep for being pretty reliable.

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Hi Pippa,

The short, glib answer is 'not much'. The trickier answer requires a bit of effort on your part, but mostly over the phone. Get on the blower with any car dismantlers in your area and see what they bid you. It might not be much, but it might be enough to kick start your next purchase. Equally, you might be surprised what a dealer would bid you on a trade in. I personally traded in an utter junker of an old Renault late last year and got more that I thought I would, and that was with a franchised dealer.

Let us know how you get on.

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Hi Greg,

No, it will be valid from the point where the car should have had its NCT done, based on when it was first registered. 

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Hi Ed,

Do you mean a Jaguar XF? The XK was the fast V8 coupe, and never had a diesel engine. If it is the XF, then they’re pretty solid cars. The diesel engine needs careful checking to make sure that the diesel particulate filter is working properly, and that the cam belt has been changed every 160,000km. Also listen for clonking suspension and check for cracked alloys, and make sure all the electrics are working properly. If it has a full service, then it should be fine.

As for the Merc, that generation of E-Class was very badly built, and you need to check and make sure that it’s been back in for all its ‘service recalls.’ Check for leaks from the transmission and the radiator, and the air mass sensor often triggers an engine warning light. Electronics are deeply suspect, and if the car vibrates under acceleration, the gearbox could need replacing.

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Hi Jason,

I would imagine that the simplest thing to do would be to contact your nearest Renault dealer and ask if they can update or upgrade the software in your Megane. There is a faint possibility that the system might not be compatible with newer phones, but I think a call to the service department should get things moving.

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Hi Lisa,

It depends on how the conversion was done originally to turn it from a passenger car into a commercial, but to be honest, we wouldn’t recommend it. Removing and then replacing things like rear seat mounts, seatbelt points etc, not to mention cutting out the floor of the rear of the car to get at the structure, just seems to be asking for possible safety trouble.