WIll I buy now to get the best deal on a Volkswagen Golf?
Hi Paddy,
I love the site and your reviews for the irishtimes. Just looking for some advice. I'm buying a new VW Golf for January delivery. First time buying a new car. I'm getting the Edition-R 1.2TSI 105bhp with some options like MFSW, privacy glass and auto lights/wipers. Have you any tips for haggling with dealers?
I've shopped around to about 5 of them and the price in Dublin is much the same - none of them would budge, cost to change for me is about €21k (though I have been offered a better trade in price outside the pale). Also, I was told that Volkswagen are holding a dealer conference in October where some changes are likely to be introduced to the range, and also that VW may increase their 5.9% finance rate - have you heard anything about this or know what kind of spec changes are coming for the Golf? Would I be better off ordering before then and getting the dealer to hold it for me?
Many Thanks, Eoin.
Eoin S (Dublin)Aug 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Eoin,
I'm glad you like the site. Firstly, let me congratulate you on choosing a nice car. I had a Golf Edition R recently and it was a really lovely car. The spec is really good on that car and you seem to have chosen a nice few options on the car.
There are a couple of things that you mention there and it is tricky to answer them. Volkswagen are unlikely to announce anything from their dealer conference until after their dealer conference. I'm not sure where you get your intelligence but we can certainly investigate. In terms of your deal, the usual advice applies - you need to focus on the cost to change and not how much your own car is worth, which you appear to be doing and given that you aren't changing your car until January it can be difficult for the car dealers to price your trade-in. My advice to you would be to put down your deposit, arrange your deal and make sure that your terms are agreed. If there is any change which would favour you then you can renegotiate, but at least if it turns out to be as you suspect, then at least you will have secured the best possible rate.
The other bit of advice I would give, is if your trade-in came from say, a Peugeot dealer, then go back to the Peugeot dealer and offer him the deal. Most dealers can buy in the car you want and they might offer you a better deal on your trade-in. That would be worth a try.
I hope this helps. Feel free to come back to us if you need more help, we are always here!!
Why is my car worth so little?
Please help! My local Ford garage offered €9,000 trade in for my 2-year old Fiesta 1.4 automatic, 17,000 miles against new 2 litre Focus Ghia automatic. . My friend was offered €11,000 for her 2 year old Focus 2 litre automatic 20,000 miles against new Focus Titanium. Both cars were originally bought in this garage.
Changeover date for both cars Feb. 2012. Can such apalling values for our cars be correct? We are going to shop around but we have no idea what figure we should be looking for. Please , please give us your opinion. Regards, Teresa
Teresa Joyce (Ennis, Co. Clare)Aug 2011 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Teresa,
As with any car exchange - you need to look at the cost to change, not the value of your trade in. At the moment there are lots of Ford Fiesta and Focus models on the used market so the values of them aren't great. The dealers are also pricing your cars as to what they will be worth in February 2012 when the cars arrive.
You said you are going to shop around and that is exactly what you should do. We could tell you that your cars are worth more, but unless a dealer is offering you this then it is not much use.
You need to shop around!
When is the timing belt due on a Peugeot 807?
When is timing belt due for change on peugeot 807 and what else has to be done with it?
Padraig Sinnott (Donard)Aug 2011 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Padraig,
We asked Peugeot Ireland about this and they told us - "For this vehicle with a 2 litre diesel engine we recommend 80000 km or 5 years with ever comes first."
Aside from that make sure to check on the diesel particulate filter.
I hope this helps
How much should a dent cost to fix?
How much would it be to repair a dented boot door from a small rear end accident? No paint damage, just a boot door dent across the width of a car bonnet.
Mark White (Kildare)Aug 2011 Filed under: paintwork
Expert answer
Hi Mark,
I'm afraid that's a very difficult question for us to answer remotely. Every car is different, as is every dent. We'd suggest you contact someone like www.dentmagic.ie or www.autodentsolutions.ie to have a look, as they provide a service that requires no painting, sanding or filling. Should work out far cheaper too.
Hope that helps.
Should I swap my Volvo S80 for a Mondeo or Citroen C5?
Howaya.
I have a 2007 Volvo S80 D5 and it's giving me 7 litres per 100km. I'm thinking of exchanging it for either a Ford Mondeo 1.8 TDCi or a Citroen C5 1.6 - both 2008. Which car is better from economy, reliability and safety point of view or should I change at all?
Thanks
Justin McElwee (Galway)Aug 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Justin,
I can't imagine why you would want to come down from a Volvo S8- into a Mondeo or Citroen C5, which are going to both feel inferior to what you have. Are you just simply bored with the car you have and want a change? Both the Mondeo and C5 are 'okay' but their diesel engines aren't as good as the Volvos.
Without fully knowing your circumstances, I would say that if you did want to get something else, then you should perhaps look at a Subaru Legacy Diesel, which for me is the best in its class around that era.
Here is one:
Otherwise, stick with what you have, because both the Mondeo and C5 will feel inferior to your S80.
I hope this helps!
How do I know if my head gasket is gone?
Hi. I just wanted to know how would I find out if my car's head gasket is gone. When I start the car heaps of water comes out of the exhaust, but I'm not that sure if it is the gasket. Can you help me?
Thanks
Mohammed Sid (Palmerston North)Aug 2011 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Mohammed,
It's quite normal for water to come out of an exhaust when a car starts up from cold. Water vapour can easily get trapped in the exhaust system when you stop the car and this condenses to liquid when it cools down. Symptoms of a head gasket gone would include overheating, steam in the exhaust under hard acceleration and bubbles in the coolant when the engine is running.
If you have any doubts you should bring the car to a qualified mechanic to check over.
Hope that helps.
Is Its4women car insurance ok?
Hello, I am looking around for quotes to renew my car insurance and I would like to know if Its4women is an ok company, as I was thinking of getting insurance from them as they have given the best quote. This includes my no claims bonus of six years fully protected. Thanks.
Pauline Murphy (Cork)Aug 2011 Filed under: insurance
Expert answer
Hi Pauline,
We've not used them ourselves, but the credentials on the website seem to suggest it's a legit operation.
As with all insurance quotes make sure you read the small print before committing.
Hope that helps
What do I do about a leaking radiator?
My Toyota Camry suddenly started leaking coolant from the radiator and the engine stopped. Any ideas why?
Nilofar Majumdar (Yanboo)Jul 2011 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Nilofar,
We presume that this was a very large leak rather than a trickle if the engine stopped. If an engine loses its coolant it will overheat, the cylinder block and head could warp and it will seize up and stop. If the engine ran for a long period with little or no coolant it could be a complete write-off. You need to get your car to a garage to have it looked at by an expert as soon as possible. Do not attempt to drive it there.
As to what caused this, the radiator itself may have been holed by road debris, or a hose could have worked loose. There are other possibilities of course, but these sound like the most likely causes.
Hopefully it doesn't cost you a fortune to repair and get back on the road.
Can I change the county registration?
Hi, I heard from a mate recently that its now possible to change the county of the car reg eg Dublin to cork. Is this correct.
Jim O'Sullivan (Co.Cork.)Jul 2011 Filed under: registration
Expert answer
Hi Jim,
There was some discussion on this before. SIMI were proposing it and we covered it here -
But it was only a suggestion and nothing has yet come of it, so no, currently you cannot change your registration.
I hope this helps
Should I buy all-weather tyres ?
Expert answer
Hi John,
We asked Colm Conygham from Bridgestone tyres to explain the benefits. "Yes, all-weather tyres are a good option for Irish motorists as our weather remains unpredictable with temperatures fluctuating above and below seven degrees even in the coldest months. All-weather tyres give the benefits of a summer tyre above 7 degrees but will perform well as low as -15 degrees. Bridgestone offer the A001 all-weather tyre in selected sizes. They can be purchased from First Stop Tyre Centres and key Bridgestone dealers nationwide."