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."
What's causing the whining noise in my Landcruiser?
I recently purchased a 3.0-litre Toyota Landcruiser in Northern Ireland and have noticed some rust in the chassis and exhaust, but more worrying is a whining noise it has developed in first, second and third gears at around 2,000rpm - the noise dissipates at about 2,300rpm. Have you any idea what the problem could be? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Neville Case (Wicklow)Jul 2011 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Neville,
While the Landcruiser is generally quite robust many large four-wheel drives give trouble with their gearboxes. They're more complicated than your average car's. It's not possible to diagnose your particular problem through email, but it could be as simple as a bearing in the gearbox. I'm afraid you need to bring the car to a mechanic to have it looked at before you'll know what the problem is.
Good luck with it.
Will I have Freelander problems?
Hi,
I am thinking of buy a second hand 2007 Freelander 2 with 90k miles. I would be grateful for your insights on 2 questions: 1. What major service issues should i check should have been done already by 90k (e.g. timing belt changes, etc) and what major works / replacements do you think will need doing in the future ? 2. I have read that Freelanders can develop signficant problems (more the old version than this one). Do you think that if this Freelander 2 has not developed such problems by 90k that it is likely that most problems in the future will be related to mileage undertaken ? (i.e. if such problems have not surfaced by 90k they are not likely to) I am not absolutely committed to buy a Freelander 2 so if you warn me to stay away from Freelanders i wont be disappointed!
Regards and thank you in advance, Ciaran.
Ciaran Browne (Dublin)Jul 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Ciaran,
Sorry for the delay in coming back to you on this. Let me honest first and foremost and put my cards on the table and say that I probably wouldn't buy a second-hand Land Rover Freelander at all and especially one with 90,000 miles on the clock. You are right in what you say that the second one has proven to be more reliable than the first one but it still has been a little bit problematic. There aren't major reports of problems on the second version, but to be honest if I was looking at a vehicle a few years old and in SUV form I'd be looking at something from Japan or Korea.
If you are going to get one and you have your heart totally set on it then only buy from a main dealer with a full service history and get the longest warranty you can find.
For me though, I'd still be looking at something like Toyota RAV4, Nissan Qashqai or Hyundai ix35 to get something that will be reasonably headache free.
I hope this helps.
Can I get a discount on a new BMW 520d?
Hi, I would like to know if it's possible to get a discount on a new BMW 520d from a BMW dealer. I have seen on the internet that it seems to be common practice in other countries but have not heard anything about what happens in Ireland. Thanks.
Sarah Jones (Limerick)Jul 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Sarah,
As a cash buyer you can sometimes get a discount on a new car. Often this depends on how popular the car is though and the 520d is in massive demand at the moment, so I would suspect that discounts are likely to be pretty thin on the ground. It is worth a try, but I think aside from a small discount you would have to pay list price on this popular car.
I hope this helps
Will I buy the Saab I have always wanted?
Hi,
I'm considering buying a 04/05 Saab 9-3 petrol with about 80,000 miles on the clock. I have always like this car but are they reliable? And are they expensive to repair? My heart is telling me to get the saab and my head is telling me to get an Avensis/Mondeo type car..Help!
Thanks Ray
Ray Murphy (Dublin)Jul 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Ray, do you know what? I am like you. I would always go for the older, more interesting car rather than the brand new snooze-box. I won't lie to you though, the Saab could be a pain if you compare it to something like an Avensis (sorry, I nodded off there). Look, a few things might end up going wrong, but it is a way cooler car than the ones that you mentioned. Repairs won't be too bad as most Opel dealers can cope with them pretty well. I'd say go for it, but don't expect it to be as trouble free as an Avensis.
Can I do PCP on a second-hand car?
Is it possible to do a PCP on a second-hand car from a garage or does it have to be new? I was considering doing this with a F10 BMW 5 Series and taking the worry out of depreciation etc. I would have a sizeable deposit.
Paul Byrne (Drogheda)Jun 2011 Filed under: finance
Expert answer
Hi Paul,
We asked our friends over in Motorcheck.ie about this. Unfortunately you can only do a PCP on a brand new car. Sorry about that.
When is the seven-speed auto Mercedes E-Class coming?
Any idea when the new revised Mercedes-Benz E-Class with the seven-speed automatic and lower emissions will be released and if prices will be reduced in line with lower VRT rates?
Thanks,
Andrew
Andrew Kelly (Drogheda)Jun 2011 Filed under: new car ordering
Expert answer
Hi Andrew,
According to Ciaran Allen, Sales Manager of Mercedes-Benz, "Stop/start is the main factor in reducing CO2 and is available now on manual models. We are not expecting full availability on stop/start including seven-speed auto until August production - September arrival. Because of our market seasonality August and September are not big production months for us, so while it will be available we really consider E-Class seven-speed as a 2012 car. The model price won't be reduced but the auto road tax will go from band C to band B."
Hope that answers your question?