Expert answer

Hi Debbie,

This really sounds like the coolant temperature sender unit/sensor is playing up. As well as sending a signal to the temperature gauge it gives a reading to the engine's computer, which affects how it runs. It's usually not too difficult or expensive to replace.

Hope that helps.

Expert answer

Hi Kieran,

Nice position to be in! We're a little puzzled at the shortlist, but each to their own. I'm sure you know that the Beetle won't be a patch on the Boxster in terms of driving thrills and the Porsche trumps the SLK on that front too.

However, if your priorities are ease of repair, etc. then the Beetle seems to be the obvious choice, as there are loads of Volkswagen dealers around and a new car won't need much doing to it anyway.

Saying that, the Mercedes and Porsche are quite reliable and you have a choice of Mercedes-Benz service centres. While there are no official Porsche service outlets in Cork that we know of, as resale value is not of importance to you I'd suggest you get the number of a recommended mechanic. They'll do just as good a job with a more personal service. Get in touch if you need help on that.

Personally, I'd have the Boxster. Though of course I can understand the lure of the new car. The SLK is a distant third place.

Let us know how you decide - and if you need anything else.

Expert answer

Hi Ciaran,

You can't go too far wrong with a good Nissan Micra or Volkswagen Polo, even at that price. They are reasonable to insure, pretty reliable and the Micra in particular is great on fuel. We'd stay away from the Daewoo Lanos and though the Fiat Cinquecento is bursting with character they can be troublesome. Others to consider are the Suzuki Swift and Volkswagen Lupo.

Come back to us with a shortlist if you want and we can help further.

Expert answer

Hi Meenesh,

It's highly likely that this points to a fairly minor issue, though it's impossible to diagnose from here. You most definitely should not buy this car until the reason for the light being on is found and the problem fixed. Most decent mechanics and garages will have diagnostic equipment to hook up to the car, which will tell them what's causing the light to come on. 

Insist that the seller does that before you commit to anything. If they do get it sorted out, make sure the engine check light still comes on when the ignition is turned on, but then goes out when the car is started, as an unscrupulous seller could just remove the bulb!

Best of luck

Expert answer

Hi Rosie,

It really depends on the condition, which engine it has and how many kilometres are on the clock. A quick look on Carzone.ie shows 2006 diesel Toyota Corolla hatchbacks going from €6,000 to €11,000.

Come back to us with more details if you want and we'll take a look.

Expert answer

Hi Neil,

We're surprised we don't get this one more often to be honest! The simple solution would of course be to go for a car with three rows of seats - or something wide like the Fiat Multipla. I realise that might not suit though. It appears from our research that somebody has sensed a gap in the market and created a solution in the guise of www.multimac.co.uk.

Essentially the system is bolted to you existing car (with your rear seats still in place) and thanks to the narrower child seats can fit up to four children across the rear bench. The system is not cheap, coming in at over €2,000 by the time you add the required accessories, but it is likely to be cheaper than buying a new car.

We hope this helps.

Expert answer

Hi Sean,

With those options in front of us and no clue to each car's mileage and condition then we'd say there's a strong case for the Mazda6. It's significantly more spacious than all the other cars you listed for a start. That 2.0-litre diesel engine has plenty of grunt and is relatively economical, while the Mazda6 has a great reputation for reliability.

Hope that's of help

Expert answer

Hi Andrew,

First of all, the relatively straightforward stuff. There are less Titanium models around than LX and Zetec so it's worth a little more. Autos are quite rare as well so it's not easy to accurately predict the value. However, we reckon you could advertise it for €16,999 as a private sale (and accept a little less) and expect an offer as low as €13,000 in trade-in. Bear in mind though that you should focus on the cost to change if you're going down the trade-in route.

Your car is already at the high end of the mileage range for S-MAXs of that age and if you plan on continuing at the same rate then it may well make sense to change now before the car loses all appeal for dealers - as you've pointed out. 

Hope all that helps.

Expert answer

Hi Justin,

I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that the lower mileage car you can find, the better. All three models mentioned are suitable for the job, though there's a reason so many taxis are the Toyota Avensis. It's the one we'd veer towards. The BMW would be a nicer car than either the Passat or the Toyota, but once you start racking up high mileage its maintenance could get expensive.

Hope that helps.

Expert answer

Hi Piotr,

On the mechanical front the Volvo XC90 has been subject to a number of manufacturer recalls over the course of its life. Depending on what year car you are looking at some of these will not apply but it is worth questioning the dealer about the most recent recalls to ensure that all work has been done.

To deal with the specific car you are looking at, we would suggest have it checked by a competent mechanic before purchasing. If you do not have a friendly mechanic to hand Cartell.ie offers a 'Four star check', which in addition to the detailed history report also includes a full check by an automotive engineer. At €295 it offers great peace of mind, especially when dealing with a high-end car like the Volvo XC90.

Hope that helps.