Expert answer

Hi Frank

The dual manual you refer to is I am guessing a DSG or double-clutch gearbox and we are certainly fans of them here at CompleteCar.ie. They have been around for quite some time now and therefore most of the major problems appear to have been ironed out. They offer a smoother auto change than a standard automatic transmission, plus they will behave like a manual (without the clutch obviously) if you want them to.

Something like this would be a lovely car.

Expert answer

Hi Paul,

It's not too difficult, but you need to access it from underneath the car, behind the bumper.

Enjoy!

Expert answer

Hi Frank,

We would expect the new Audi A3 saloon to come to Europe. Aside from retailing stretched versions of the Audi A6 in China, we are pretty sure that Audi always give Europe all of their cars. We could probably expect to get more details on this later in the year, most likely at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Like any car evolution, the A3 will undoubtedly get bigger!

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Hi Paul,

Firstly Renault tell us that "All aftersales operations must be performed under very clean conditions and that work should ony be carried out by quailified person/s."
 
The Fuel filter is located behind the wheel arch liner on the driver's side.
 
1/To gain access, remove the driver's front wheel.
 
2/remove the wheel arch liner.
 
Depending on the vehicle,
 
DRAIN THE WATER IN THE FUEL FILTER - Drain the water in the fuel filter periodically

1/For filters without a water presence sensor: open the drain plug, let the water flow out, close the plug.

2/ For filters with a water presence sensor: disconnect the water presence sensor offset connector, unclip the water presense sensor connector, loosen the water presence sensor by one turn, let the water flow out,tighten the water presence sensor.

I hope this helps. If in doubt, seek the help of a trained service technician.

Expert answer

Hi Jim,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, but I was checking this out and there certainly seems to be something of a difficulty with the diesel particulate filter in the Mazda6 although in general Mazda cars are really very good. There is ancedotal evidence of problems with the DPF and we have had questions on the site from owners relating to this, who were seeking to remove it altogether. With any used car it is pretty impossible to predict if the issue will occur so perhaps it might be worth considering another model, which is a shame, because the Mazda6 is a really good car otherwise.

Here is some more info, from a Mazda6 forum.

Expert answer

Hello Ailis,

Well for a start you have forgotten about the new Mazda5, which could be right up your street and it comes in €2,000 less than the Ford C-Max . It is a really impressive car and has a 1.6-litre diesel engine, which is frugal and puts it into Motor Tax Band B. It isn't quite as engaging as the C-Max to drive but it is well equipped and feels like a very high quality product. Here it is:

€24,995 will get you the entry-point into the Mazda5 and we think it is a really good car and would seem to suit your needs. 

While it doesn't have sliding doors, you simply must try the Peugeot 5008 because it is so good. Click on the link to read our full review. That would make a great buy.

With regards to the Ford Grand C-Max you need €26,995 to get into the 1.6-litre Activ model. 

Out of all of these, Ailis, I think you should really consider the Mazda5.

Hope that helps!

Expert answer

Hi Declan,

The Passat is a lot of car for a 1.6-litre engine to pull along, so depending on how and where you are driving it then your fuel economy might not be super. Is the car brand new? In the running-in phase economy can be a bit down on post run-in performance but perhaps have a look at your driving style and eliminate that as a possible problem first.

It is possible on the Passat to look at the instantaneous consumption so keep an eye on that and make a note of it and the average values. 

I've been through enough fuel economy challenges at this stage to know that it can be often down to our own driving (and I include myself) in this. Nobody really needs to 'drive' a tonne-and-a-half car down a hill and being a little more delicate with your right foot can make a massive difference (110- vs. 130km/h on a motorway for example). 

Aside from all that, keep a note of the car's performance over 2-3 days then make a conscious effort to change your driving for the next few and if there is no massive difference then perhaps see about getting the car checked over. 

Come back to us with actual figures, mileage of the car and how it is used and we'll try to give you more assistance.

Expert answer

Hi John,

It was developed in-house by the Hyundai-Kia Group for fitment in a wide range of future vehicles. It is a six-speed unit. The driver can choose from two operating modes - fully automatic or ‘Sport’.  For city driving, fully automatic mode is ideal, while ‘Sport’ mode allows for clutch-less manual gear changes for greater driver involvement - either using the centre console selector lever or the new steering wheel-mounted ‘paddles’ (standard on all automatic models). 

The paddles  enable the driver to change gear without taking his/her hands off the steering wheel.  Pulling the right-hand paddle towards the driver changes ‘up’, while pulling the left-hand paddle changes ‘down’.

Although the six-speed transmission is a regular ‘torque converter’ automatic, it incorporates a unique ‘flat’ torque converter, with three planetary gear sets and four pinion differentials - ensuring, according to Hyundai, ultra-fast, smooth and precise gearshifts throughout the engine speed range - and it weighs just 78kg - 20 kg more than the manual gearbox.

Its layout makes this transmission the most compact six-speed unit currently available anywhere in the world according to Hyundai.  It is 54 mm shorter and weighs 12kg less than a regular five-speed unit and boosts fuel economy by up to 12 per cent.  Like the i40’s six-speed manual, the automatic is a ‘filled for life’ maintenance-free unit. 

Automatic transmission-equipped i40s will feature cruise control and Hyundai’s ‘Active Eco System‘ economy indicator to assist with fuel-efficient driving.

Hope that's enough information?

Expert answer

Hi Caroline,

Paddy here. Given your budget, I would say that you need something that is going to be easy to live with, cheap to run and reliable. 

The Suzuki Swift is a really easy car to own. It is reliable, spacious, cheap to run (tax, fuel, insurance) and good value too. This one I have picked out because it has really low miles (10,000km) and is about half way up your budget: Suzuki Swift

Another decent buy would be a Ford Focus 1.4 - which is a really good larger family hatchback with a big boot. This one we found has just 34,000km on the clock, comes from a good dealership and the price is good: Ford Focus

At the upper end of your budget would be a Volkswagen Golf. They are really good investments because they hold their value well. This one again has really low mileage: Volkswagen Golf

I hope some of these are of interest. I think the Swift would be a super choice for you guys though. 

Come back to us if you need more advice though.

Expert answer

Hi Steve, 

From what we can tell, no there isn't any SUV with 4x4 in Band B, as yet. There are lots of SUVs and crossovers in Band B with front-wheel drive. You'll find the likes of the Skoda Yeti, VW Tiguan, Nissan Qashqai all have versions with frugal diesel engines. 

When it comes to 4x4, the best you can probably do at the moment is Band C. The Skoda Yeti 4x4 sits in Band C, as does the new BMW X3, which is selling well with good reason.

The Lexus RX Hybrid sits in Band C, as do the Hyundai ix35 2.0 CRDi 4wd and the Volvo XC60 AWD.

Hope that gives you something to think about