Can I bypass my interior heater?
Thanks for the last answer.
Could I take the heating pipes going through the bulkhead off and join them back to back with a bit of copper pipe? Wouldn't this bypass the radiator in the car and to hell with the heater as I think the dashboard has to come out to fit a new heater radiator. Or am I only looking for trouble?
Thanks again
Ruairi Mc Carthy (Mullagh Co Cavan)Jan 2011 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Ruairi,
While we'd always advise you to have it fixed properly, the workaround you're suggesting should work just fine. Though you'll be freezing! If you're doing this yourself, please ensure that you bleed the coolant system after it's all back together...
Good luck
What small car will I buy?
I'm in serious need of advice! I'm hoping to buy my own car (have full driver's licence and have insurance on home car). My first major dilemma is whether to get petrol or diesel.
I'm living in Dublin and will be commuting to work roughly about 30 mins away with M50. I would be travelling back to "home home" (about every second/third weekend) and that journey would be roughly six hours in total.
My second dilemma is what car to get. I want a good car but also for it to be reasonably small. I'm thinking Volkswagen Polo/SEAT Ibiza/Opel Corsa/Fiat Grande Punto - quite broad I know. My budget would be around €8,000 or €9,000.
Jane Flatley (Dublin)Jan 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Jane,
First things first. The petrol versus diesel debate. Everyone is very caught up on diesel cars right now and that makes a lot of sense when you are buying new because they have lower road tax, but since small cars tend not to use a lot of fuel, the road tax should be quite low anyway. The mileage you are likely to do might warrant a diesel, but the diesel small cars tend to be a lot more expensive, so in this case I would say that a petrol model would do you fine and still won't cost the earth to run.
The VW Polo is an excellent choice because it is really nicely built and holds its value well too. I did a search for ones with the lowest mileage within your budget from main SIMI dealers (so there is more security and better history checks on the car). A 2007 Volkswagen Polo with just 15,000km on the clock is within your budget and would be a really nice buy. It would be dead cheap to run too.
This 2008 Ford Fiesta is really nice too; with 11,000km on the clock so it is practically brand new. This is a five-door model so it might be a little more practical. It is at the upper end of your budget but you wouldn't pay the advertised price.
One I would love you to consider though is the Suzuki Swift. It is a smashing little car. It is really reliable, cute, nicely built and fun to drive. It's a 2008 model with low mileage for less than €9,000.
I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the Renault Clio (it was my wife's first car and it was great) and you could find another one with ridiculously low mileage for less than €9,000 too. Here is one I liked the look of.
You wouldn't really go wrong with any of these. Personally, I'd be really tempted by that low-mileage Polo as a long term investment because you will always get a good bit of your money back.
I hope all that helps
Does steam coming out the air vents indicate a problem?
Hello, I started my '99 Citroen Berlingo 1.9 diesel this morning for the first time in a year. It was topped up with fresh diesel, water and checked oil and all ok, but when I turned on the heater steam started coming out of the air vents. Am I in trouble?
Thank you
Ruairi Mc Carthy (Mullagh Co Cavan)Jan 2011 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Ruairi,
This isn't good news I'm afraid. Steam coming through the vents usually indicates a leak in the car's heater radiator somewhere. Getting at it is your biggest issue. Unless you know your way around these things we'd recommend bringing the car to a mechanic to sort out.
Hope that helps.
Can I scrap a car without the engine?
The question is in relation to my brother-in-law's car, which is being scrapped as part of the Government car scrappage scheme. Can he remove the perfectly running engine from this car and donate it to my brother before he sends it to be scrapped? My brother's engine gave up the ghost last week so it would save my brother the expense of having to buy a new engine. They both have the same make and model of car so it would be brilliant. I've been ringing the Revenue office but have not managed to make contact with anybody who seems to know anything and could find nothing on their website.
Zoe Stiles (Limerick)Jan 2011 Filed under: scrappage
Expert answer
Hi Zoe,
We spoke to Shane Teskey from Motorcheck.ie as he is a bit of an expert in this area and he told us that the rules state that the car "needs to be complete", but the thing is that the car doesn't need to get there under its own steam. I would say that if you spoke to your local authorised scrap yard then they might be of assistance on the matter. I would imagine that if you swapped the engines there would be no issue. They just won't allow parts of cars to be used to claim the discount on the scheme.
We will check out this a little more for you.
What estate to replace my Renault Laguna?
I own a Renault Leguna Estate and am looking into trading it in for a new car with a similar boot capacity and minimum 1,600cc. What would you suggest for the budget conscious buyer?
Ranald Milne (Dublin)Jan 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi there,
Well the obvious choice would be to go and get the latest Renault Laguna Sports Tourer, which could cost you as little as €23,090 under the scrappage scheme with a 2.0-litre diesel engine. This might be a bit over budget though.
You are almost certainly going to get the best deal from a Renault dealership. The Grand Mégane is another option, but this only comes with a 1.5-litre diesel or 1.6-litre petrol. I am not sure why you would need it to be over 1.6-litre because the modern smaller engines are really good and the 1.5-litre diesel in the Mégane is really very competent.
Hope that helps - if you need further advice please drop us a line in the comment box below
Is the Kia pro_cee'd reliable?
Is the Kia pro_cee'd a reliable car to buy from new?
Liam Kearney (Limerick)Jan 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Liam,
The short answer to your question is yes. Kias are really well put together these days and very reliable. The thing is though, that when you buy a new Kia you are getting a seven-year warranty so there is little to worry about anyway, but yes we would recommend this car.
I hope this helps!
Which car to replace my beloved Saab?
Hi
I'm looking to replace our '99 Saab 9-3, which has been a great car - now with 206,000 miles on the clock. I'm looking for a safe, reliable family car - four- or five-door - with low tax. I'm contemplating 2008 models to reduce tax - we're currently paying €634. I'm looking at Skoda Octavia, Volvo S40, Volkswagen Passat, Saab 9-3 and Toyota Avensis. I want manual and probably diesel. Which would you advise or are there others to consider?
Peadar O'Callaghan (Donegal )Jan 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Peadar,
Firstly it is hardly a surprise that your Saab has served you so well. Those cars are so well-built that they can go on for what seems like forever. I'm sure you realise that you probably won't get much for your Saab, unless of course you were prepared to opt for a new car and avail of the Government Scrappage Scheme, but since you mentioned 2008 cars we will deal with those first.
My first choice for you would be a 2008 Saab 9-3 Diesel. Since you have enjoyed your previous Saab so much and it has served you so well, I thought that this would be the best place to start. You can have a 2008 model, in Linear Sport spec, with just 44,000km on the clock from a SIMI-approved Saab dealer for €19,950. The emissions are 147g/km so it sits in motor tax Band C, so will cost just €302 per year in road tax. This car is really nicely specced too. Plus, you will most certainly get the best price for your own Saab from here.
Another fantastic car that might not have considered is the Subaru Legacy diesel, a personal favourite of mine. This car has a brilliant engine, is beautifully balanced on the road and nicely equipped too. You would pay around €20,000 for a 2008 model. They don't come up for sale very often and can be hard to find but they are super cars.
The same sort of money would get you a Volvo S40, although my only issue with this car is that it might feel a little small compared to the others. The S40 1.6-litre diesel has low emissions however, so you will pay just €156 per year on road tax. This car is okay, but I don't think it's anywhere near your best choice here.
The Avensis is a good solid choice and should be reliable and comfortable, but after having quite an interesting car in the shape of the Saab, you might feel a little bit like you sold your soul with the Toyota. You will save some money though. A 2008 model from a Toyota dealer will cost you under €18,000. Sure this car will be a safe choice, but I think it might bore you a little.
You will save even more money with a 2008 Skoda Octavia Diesel, which will cost you under €16,000 and just €156 in road tax. They are nicely built too. Or in the case of a Volkswagen Passat, you should best avoid the 1.9-litre diesel and get a 2.0-litre one instead - the 1.9-litre diesel is noisy. So this 2.0-litre diesel with 140hp will cost you €18,500 and will still just cost you €302 per year in road tax.
Another one to consider, and a very under-rated car, is the Citroen C5. The newer model is really good and comfortable and you could have a 2008 version for around €17,500. Here is one.
If you ask me which of this lot you should buy, I would say the Saab or the Subaru. The rest are fine, but if you loved your Saab then those two will be the most interesting for you.
I hope this helps!
Does the car I'm scrapping need an NCT?
Does the scrappage vehicle have to have an NCT?
Molly Ryan (Limerick)Dec 2010 Filed under: scrappage
Expert answer
Hi Molly,
The ruling is quite clear: "The car being scrapped must have a valid NCT certificate or one that has expired no more than 90 days before the scrappage date. Cars that fail an NCT in the six months before scrappage can also apply."
Our full scrappage guide is online here.
Feel free to come back to us if you need more help.
Which would you choose? Renault Fluence or Mazda3?
Which is better: Renault Fluence or the new Mazda3?
Hany Saied (Limerick)Dec 2010 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Hany,
I guess this depends on you budget really and whether you can get the full scrappage allowance from Renault on your Fluence. If your car is ten years or older then obviously this car becomes very cheap and therefore very appealing.
If you are asking which is the best car of the two then I would say that the Mazda3 is a better car. It feels a little better built, has a better diesel engine and will almost certainly be worth more in three or four years time.
However at the moment, the Fluence is so much cheaper that it really is hard to ignore it, so all things being equal, at the moment the Fluence is probably a better buy. I hope this helps!
Which mid-size SUV for €20,000?
What would you recommend in terms of a mid-size 4X4/SUV? Diesel is the preferred option with a sensible tax band a major consideration as well as decent fuel economy. I have circa €20,000 to spend on straight cash deal.
Maurice Hannon (Galway)
Dec 2010 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Maurice,
If I were spending my own money on something like this I would probably narrow my search down to a few key models. I would also look at something that was pre-July 2008 as the road tax is a little easier to stomach. You didn't specify whether you need it to be a 4x4, because this does tend to make them a little harder on fuel.
The Toyota RAV4 isn't massive but it is seriously well put together and you could have a 2.2-litre 2007 model with low mileage for €17,950.
Here's an example on beepbeep.ie.
Road tax at €860 is still a lot though, so that might rule this out.
If you don't need 4x4, then a Nissan Qashqai is quite an obvious choice. You could have a 2009 model, with low mileage and road tax of a just €156 per year, for €20,495. These are popular for a reason, but forget about it if you need to go off-road.
Here's an example on beepbeep.ie.
Again, no four-wheel drive options for your budget, but you could have a Skoda Yeti, which is a great SUV with a decent 2.0-litre TDI engine for €22,750 - although I'd be pushing for closer to €20,000 in a cash deal.
You could have a Nissan X-Trail too, although they can be a little hard to find. They are really good value. Most are two-wheel drive but there are four-wheel drive ones about. This one is a two-wheel drive version, but at €18,500 for a 2008 model it is great value.
Finally, the latest Land Rover Freelander is much better than the model that went before it. You can have it with a 2.2-litre diesel engine and four-wheel drive and that would be in and around the right money.
Out of this lot, I'd be inclined to go for the Nissan X-Trail.
Hope that helps. Let us know what you end up going for.