Expert answer

Hi Derek,

First up, don't read anything into the Irish Army changing vehicles. That goes through a rigorous tendering process and no doubt price is a big part of it.

You're right though, the Patrol is known to have head gasket and gearbox issues from 60,000 miles on. Check the service history on the model you're looking at. If neither have been done then be wary.

Best bet is to have a full mechanical inspection done by an expert.

Best of luck

Expert answer

Hi Andrew,

We spoke with someone from BMW and the official line is they were testing their system with rates that they've predicted. The figures were not due to stay live. However, you can be full sure they're close to the real thing! If you are truly interested in a price we can put you in touch with someone in BMW to discuss it with.

Following our discussion via email, best of luck with your new purchase. I hope the new VRT rate doesn't shaft you unduly...

Expert answer

Hi James,

It's not ideal to do this. It will change the outer circumference, which will alter your car's gearing and put the speedo out. It's not by a huge amount admittedly, but generally not recommended.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi James,

We're not fans of the Civic Hybrid in terms of how it drives, but that doesn't mean it's a bad car necessarily. The pool of cars in Ireland is quite small so we've not heard anything negative about them from a reliability perspective, but the American forums seem to be full of owners with issues so perhaps it's best to do some research there to ascertain if the problems are likely to affect Irish cars.

Come back to us if you want more detailed assistance.

Expert answer

Hi Mark,

Merc mechanicals from that era are generally sound. Rust, however, can be a big issue. Get the bodywork checked over thoroughly, as well as the chassis rails at the back. Look under the boot carpets etc.

We put your question to Lizzie Pope, the editor of Mercedes Enthusiast magazine and she echoed our views:

"Finding a good car in the first place can be a real issue; these are, sadly, very much on the wane.  Classic specialists might be your best bet, although, of course, you'll pay for it in the price.  But that is probably the best chance of buying a solid, useable and, possibly, appreciating classic.

We'd say that it is best to avoid cars that need a lot of work - unless you have a clear (and, crucially, realistic) view of what needs to be done and what it will set you back, because, generally, the cost of the work will be much more than the car is worth.  Steer clear of cars with rusty wheelarches and jacking points, rust on the the rear chassis legs and rust around the sunroof frame.  As ever, buy the best you can afford, taking condition and provenance above colour and spec."

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi there,

The original Audi guarantee will be long gone, unless the previous owner had paid to have it extended, and it would have to have been serviced at an Audi main dealer to still be under cover. The fact that you’re buying it from a Nissan dealer suggests that’s not the case. Nissan does offer a ‘Gold Standard’ used car programme, which comes with a one-year or 15,000km warranty on used sales, and which will have carried out a multi-point check on the car. You’d always be advised to get your own history and finance check done, but if it’s a main Nissan dealer, they’ll likely have already done that.

Expert answer

Hi Jackie,

We would expect a car's brakes to be thoroughly checked during a service for sure, though whether they warrant changing really is up to the mechanic doing the job. As that noise was not there when you bought the car it's fair to assume there was no issue with the brakes then - though clearly the pads didn't have much left on them. It's good that they're doing it now for you, even if the person you are dealing with is dismissive.

It's quite poor that the mechanic wouldn't find out what the code 82 was about, but there you go. The Insignia's engine management system monitors several parameters such as number of cold starts and engine speed and calculates when you need an oil change. If you use your car more frequent short journeys rather than longer ones then it may require changing earlier. Many people ignore this read out and just change their oil according to mileage or time, but the official word is to stick to what the engine management computer says. Just make sure the garage resets it again for you.

Last point: I wouldn't expect the garage to pay for this oil service. If they do, it's a bonus!

Hope that all helps put your mind at ease.

Expert answer

Hi Kevin,

The mk1 Ford Focus was offered with two different diesel engines over its lifespan: the direct injection TDDi and common rail TDCi. Both systems use glow plugs with reports suggesting that the more modern common-rail unit has marginally more issues particulairly relating to cold starts. 

We hope this answers your question. If you require any further information feel free to let us know. 

Expert answer

Hi Sean,

Nice choice of cars to be thinking about. Before we look at the stats of the cars, the driving experience in the 3 Series vs. the Audi A4 is quite different - and will be the deciding point for many, so please do try to get a test drive in examples of both. That's the case whether you go for the older 3 Series Coupé or the newer saloon.

Personally, I prefer the way a 3 Series of this age drives in comparison to an A4. It's more 'dynamic' and engaging thanks to the rear-wheel drive layout. However, not everyone likes that and I've heard non-enthusiastic drivers call the feeling 'skittish'. There is no doubt that a front-engined, front-wheel drive car like the Audi A4 will find more traction on snow and ice than a rear-wheel drive BMW (assuming neither has winter tyres), but our climate is too mild for that to be a serious car-buying priority.

In terms of running costs, the early versions of the E90 BMW 320d saloon and Audi A4 2.0 TDI 140 are very close and, as you'll be buying a car registered before 2008 with that budget then tax will be the same, as it's based on the engine size. The E46 320Cd coupé is a little heavier on fuel, but not much.

The 320d saloon has the most powerful engine of these three, though there's not much in it really.

Both saloons are generally quite reliable, though we'd recommend getting full service histories and getting mileage checks with Cartell.ie as each car has its own known issues that crop up from time to time - like turbo issues on the BMW and burning oil in the Audi. The E46 coupé is also reliable, though it's built on older architecture so won't be as modern in general.

One final thing to bear in mind. While the S line Audi specification is highly tempting, it comes with firmer suspension, which may not be to everyone's taste. Test drive it before committing. Likewise an M Sport version of the BMW 320d, though you may not find many of those within budget.

Now, whether you should consider petrol instead of diesel is a whole other story. The decision really should come down to your average mileage. The diesel models will definitely be far more economical on a long run or commute, but not in town. Likewise, you can get lower capacity engines in the petrol cars bringing your annual tax bill down.

If you want to discuss the latter point in more detail come back to us and we'll go through options.

Hope this all helps

Expert answer

Hi Adrian,

I'm afraid so. Quoting from the NCT manual:

"Ensure the malfunction indicators for Airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Electronic Braking System (EBS) / Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and Parking Brake malfunction indicator are in working order."

"ITEM: Malfunction Indicators for Airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS/Electronic Braking System (EBS) and Parking Brake."

"REASONS FOR FAILURE: Not working or indicates a defect in the relevant system."

You'll need to get that looked at I'm afraid.