Expert answer

Hi Cormac,

We drove the new Lancer recently here and as we pointed out, the performance is better than nearly all of its rivals at the same price. It drives really well, and will be reliable, but we felt that the interior felt a little bit dated. The Octavia is, as you will have figured out from your roadtest, very good too. I can't see where there would be a massive difference between the running costs, aside from the fact that the Lancer might have €156 road tax per year compared to the €104 in the Octavia.

Mitsubishi Lancer Diesel

They would have reasonably similar residual values and have similar warranties too. So, Cormac, I have to sound flippant, but I would really say that if I were you I would pick whichever car feels right for you. If you do mega mileage I might go for the Octavia, but the Lancer is so well-equipped for the money and the engine is really good.

Skoda Octavia

The only thing I would say is that time is running out on the scrappage scheme, so you would need to sort out your new car soon and there is a bit of a shortage on Octavias, so you need to act soon!

Expert answer

Hi Ally,

That really isn't an easy choice, but what we would say from the start is that you have chosen well. These are three fantastic cars and to be honest, any of them will tick the most basic of boxes for you in that they will be reliable, will be comfortable and look good and offer decent value for money. Mazda offer by far the best value when it comes to the scrappage scheme, so if you are watching your budget then this might be the way to go. You can check out the full details of the Mazda3 scrappage offers here. But the most you will pay is €19,495 for a fully specced Mazda3 under scrappage and that is superb value. 

Mazda3

Ford Focus (left) & Volkswagen Golf (right)

The two cars you see above are the new Ford Focus (left) and the Volkswagen Golf (right) and choosing between these two would be a bit like asking a parent to choose one of their kids. They both have their individual traits and as such it is hard to pick between them. The new Focus is very good, but I have the hatchback this week and had the saloon last week and actually preferred the saloon. The hatchback has poor visibility out the rear and you do have to pay a lot to get some of the fancy extras that are advertised. Having said that, you will get things like alloy wheels and air conditioning in the models you have chosen. The Golf is superb. We are running a long-term Volkswagen Golf Bluemotion and the fuel economy is great. I prefer the seating position in the Golf. I find that I can get more comfortable in the Golf and the fuel economy is outstanding. It isn't as exciting as the Ford inside, but you know that it will hold its value really well.

Really Ally, all of these cars will suit your needs perfectly. If I was tight on bugdet I would probably buy the Mazda3. If you are very concerned about residual value you have to buy the Golf, while the Focus is the newest car and probably feels the most upmarket.

My favourite of these would be the Golf, but whichever one you pick you will have done well. Again I would say that you need to move pretty fast, because if you want a specific new car it can take a few weeks and there aren't many weeks left in the scrappage scheme.

Expert answer

Hi Linda,

It certainly does sound like an injector issue - assuming the coil and plugs are fine. We'd suggest that the injectors are tested before hastily replacing them. Any decent garage will do that for you - it doesn't have to be a main dealer. From the information you've given us about the car, we don't believe you can re-program the injectors. It may be possible to refurbish them, but in most cases it's probably better just to replace it.

If that's what is needed, the cost of the part itself is well over €100, but no garage should charge you more than an hour of labour for replacing it, as it's a relatively easy job.

Hope that helps and you get sorted.

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!

Expert answer

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.