Expert answer

Hi David,

Our information is that your car's engine – 2.0 TDCi diesel – has a timing belt, not a chain. The belt should be changed at least every 200,000km or 10 years, whichever comes first. If that has never been done then I strongly recommend you get it replaced as soon as possible, along with the water pump and auxiliary belts.

It's also recommended that the coolant system is flushed out every 120,000km and the antifreeze replaced. Same story with the cabin odour filter.

Aside from all that, obviously replace the oil and filter regularly, too.

Expert answer

Hi Chris,

First up, if the NI car has already been imported into Ireland and has an Irish registration on it then it is no different to buying any other used car.

However, if the car has a Northern Irish registration still, and has not gone through the importation process, then you need to be careful when buying it from someone in Ireland. By the letter of the law, they should complete the importation process before selling the car on here.

Aside from that, whether VAT is then payable (and import/customs duty) depends on the car's history. If it can be proven to have been in use in Northern Ireland for, as Revenue puts it, “a reasonable amount of time”, then VAT and import duty are unlikely to be payable. Essentially, so long as the car was not just brought to NI from the rest of the UK to be sold on immediately, then VAT and import duty shouldn't be charged. You would be responsible for proving this.

Of course, VRT and the NOx levy will be due no matter what.

Expert answer

Hi John,

The amount of VRT you pay depends on a number of factors, and it isn't always possible to estimate the exact figure until the car has been inspected in Ireland. Read our How Much VRT is Paid in Ireland guide to start with and then come back to us with full details of the car if you want us to try to estimate the likely VRT bill.

Expert answer

Hi Mike,

BMW set the X3 up to send its engine output to the rear wheels unless slip is detected. It should then send torque to the front wheels as well. It's not instantaneous, but it should be visibly happening in the situation you've described.

Just make sure that the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) is not switched off, as this can apply the brakes to a spinning wheel, with the effect of sending torque to the others. The BMW X3's all-wheel-drive system does not have any locking differential so the wheel with the least resistance will get all the drive torque.

If you haven't already, we'd strongly recommend switching to winter tyres at this time of year.

Expert answer

Hi William,

Kia Ireland confirmed to us that it can't order a car to the specification another country offers it in – Irish buyers can have the Kia Sportage HEV as a K3 or GT-Line.

You could of course import one from Northern Ireland, though there's a lot of hassle involved, and hence cost. And it will limit how you pay for the car in terms of finance and a trade-in.

The new Sportage in GT-Line S Hybrid spec (front-wheel drive) in the UK is currently listed at £42,175 and the CO₂ emissions rating is 130g/km.

Based on the €53,000 price of the regular GT-Line model in Ireland, let's assume Revenue places an Open Market Selling Price (OMSP) of €58,000 on the GT-Line S.

At 130g/km, the Sportage would be in Band 12 for VRT, at 17.5 per cent of the OMSP – i.e. €10,150. The actual figure paid could go up or down dependant on Revenue's determination of the OMSP – which would only happen after the car is presented for inspection with the NCTS within 30 days of arrival in Ireland.

The NOx levy will be on top of that, but likely only a few hundred Euro.

It's trickier to calculate the VAT and import/customs duty. We believe that import duty at 10 per cent will be required, but what that's calculated against depends on how the car is treated for VAT.

If the seller does not zero-rate the car for VAT for export, then you'd pay UK VAT within that £42,175 price and also Irish VAT on top when you import it. That would make it prohibitively expensive.

Assuming you could get the dealer to zero-rate the car, and UK VAT is 20 per cent, that means the value of it with the VAT knocked off is £35,146. At today's exchange rates, that's about €40,500.

Import/customs duty of 10 per cent is therefore €4,050.

Now, you will have to pay Irish VAT, and this will be charged as 23 per cent of the cost of the car plus the import duty, i.e. €44,550, so the VAT works out as about €10,246.

Totting it all up in Euro:

Pay the dealer (if they zero-rate for VAT): €40,500
VRT based on OMSP assumption: €10,150
Import duty: €4,050
Irish VAT: €10,246

Add those up and it comes out at €64,946, and that's before you travel to the North to bring the car back and pay for registration plates, etc.

Sure, there are a few assumptions built into this calculation, and it's only a rough guide, but it probably indicates that it's really not worth the money or hassle to go down this route.

Expert answer

Hi David,

Driving and owning an EV is arguably easier than a petrol or diesel car with one important caveat – you get a home charger. Do that and, with your low annual mileage, you'll rarely have to bother with the public charging network. No more petrol stations, either. Just plug your car in at home overnight and it's ready to go in the morning, for a lot less “per kilometre” than any petrol or diesel model.

EVs are simple to drive as they're automatic and they also have a lot less maintenance. Even standard servicing requirements are less.

Pop into a Renault dealer and book a test drive and I doubt you'll look back. They'll even help you with the process of sorting the home charger. Once that's done it's all plain sailing and you just drive the car as normal.

Feel free to come back to us with any other concerns or questions. EVs don't suit everyone yet, but it certainly sounds like one would suit you. And they don't come much more desirable than the new Renault 5.

Expert answer

Hi David,

First up, the Mokka has comfortable suspension, so it will be good from that point of view. The three-cylinder petrol engine has plenty of go in 136hp guise, and it's mated to a six-speed gearbox so it shouldn't be too audible, even at higher motorway speeds. It can be a little loud getting up to speed, but fine when cruising.

One thing to watch out for is that the GS version you mention rides on bigger wheels than the lesser models in the lineup. That means lower-profile tyres, which are likely wider as well. This can certainly add to road noise at speed.

And, while the Mokka is above average in terms of refinement on the motorway for its class, it is still a relatively cheap-and-cheerful small car, and you can't expect it to be as civil as larger and more expensive ones at higher speeds.

The best advice we can give you is to take one for an extended test drive, including motorway speeds on a variety of road surfaces - and make sure the stereo is off and anyone with you is quiet so you can assess if it meets your needs.

Expert answer

Hi Seamus,

I'm afraid we don't have experience with different scissor jacks or buying aftermarket spare wheels. Just make sure you buy a good-quality jack with a sufficient weight rating. Your Hyundai weighs about 2,000kg for reference and, while you obviously don't lift the whole car on a jack, you should always apply a safety factor.

There are plenty of options on MicksGarage and Halfords Ireland.

Finding a suitable space-saver spare wheel may not be so straightforward, again because of the car's weight. There are people offering such things for sale online, but we can't vouch for any of them. Perhaps pop into your nearest Hyundai dealer and talk it through with them in case they have a solution.

Expert answer

Hi Gerard,

Before even looking at pricing, I will say that the Superb is a much nicer car to drive aside from the lack of engine and transmission noise in the Enyaq. The Superb is smoother on the road and more stable in general, also feeling more agile despite its dimensions.

We also prefer the dashboard and interface of the Superb, as the Enyaq is too reliant on the touchscreen for our liking. On top of that, the Superb has a much larger boot.

However, the Enyaq has a flat floor across the rear, making life more comfortable for any passenger in the middle row. And in general, you sit higher up in the Enyaq as well, which some people like.

The Superb Combi (to give it its official name) starts at €50,900 for the 204hp plug-in hybrid. It's from €51,435 with a 150hp petrol engine, or €500 more for the 150hp diesel. All are front-wheel drive.

At the foot of the Enyaq lineup is the '60' model at €43,790 (after all State incentives), which has a 204hp electric motor and an official range of 430km, though the next rung up the ladder, the '80' makes a lot more sense at €45,980 as it has a bigger battery for a 575km range, plus a 285hp motor.

There are several other, more expensive, Enyaqs in the lineup, including the Sportline cars and the top RS model with all-wheel drive, but there's nothing in the existing Superb Combi range to compare, really.

In terms of performance, though the Enyaq is a heavy thing, it's generally faster accelerating than the Superb because of the instant-torque characteristic of electric motors. The Superb in PHEV guise is the only one that just about match even the least powerful of the Enyaqs.

So there's the data to help you decide, depending on your priorities and budget. Feel free to come back to us with your preferences if you want us to help you narrow things down further.

Expert answer

Hi Justin,

We wouldn't hesitate in recommending you go for the V90 estate as you've identified. It's more or less identical to drive and in the passenger compartment as the S90 you have, but the boot is larger and far more practical with the longer roof line. It's a superior car to Volvo's SUV in our opinions. Finding one is probably your biggest challenge.

Aside from that, if you are willing to go hybrid, you can't beat Lexus from a dependability point of view.