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Hi Austin,

So far, we’ve only test-driven the BMW 330e in one specification — M Sport, which does include sports seats. Now, I’m a fairly chunky guy myself (38-inch waist, bigger tummy, 44-inch chest) and I didn’t notice the seats being especially tight. For reference, I find the bucket seats in the Ford Fiesta ST WAY too tight across the back and thighs. You could always get one that’s not M Sport — Sport spec on the 3 Series is a good half-way house between the basic SE versions and the M Sport models, and comes with seats that are not too heavily bolstered. 

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Hi Betty,

It depends on the engine:

1.25/1.4/1.6-litre petrol: every 160,000km/8 years

1.4/1.6-litre diesel:
- to July 2011: 140,000km/10 years
- after that: 180,000km/10 years

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Hi John,

A very good point — basic VW Polos have always been rather underpowered and the fact is that, for the same price as a basic Polo 65hp, you can have a basic SEAT Ibiza with the more powerful engine. Or for the same price as the 80hp Polo in basic Trendline form, you could have an Ibiza with the same engine but in higher SE trim. We’d say definitely go for the SEAT in this instance, as you’ll get better spec, or better performance (especially for that M4 run), or both.

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Hi Trevor,

No, not really. If you’re insuring your car (or van) one way and driving it another, then technically you’re not being honest with your insurers and if you do need to make a claim, and they investigate the circumstances, you could be caught rotten and find yourself unable to get a payout. Just be honest, it’s always the best policy.

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Hi Stephen,

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Hi Samie,

It depends which engine exactly you have in your Fiesta and when it was manufactured. For both the 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre TDCi engines, there was a changeover in schedule that occurred for cars made later in 2010. Before that, the timing belts in the diesel engines were scheduled to be changed every 200,000 kilometres or every 10 years, but after that, for a brief period of manufacture, it changed to 140,000km (still 10 years) and later again back up to 180,000 kilometres.

We always encourage readers to err on the side of caution with timing belts, so would advise you to consider the 140,000km interval as applicable to your car.

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Hi Pat,

The problem is that Ford Ireland, legally, cannot impose delivery charges on its dealers. It can suggest recommended delivery charges, but according to Irish law (and companies have, in the past, had their offices raided for this sort of thing), dealers are allowed to charge what they want for delivery and related. A spokesperson for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission told us that: "Consumer law requires traders to provide the total cost, including extras, of a product to a consumer before they buy. In the specific instance of when a manufacturer is advertising a car for sale, the manufacturer can only advertise the recommended retail price and state that delivery and related charges will be extra. If a consumer then decides to buy that car, they should be provided with the total price by the dealer before they buy. Auxiliary costs such as motor insurance, tax etc. are not dealt with specifically under consumer protection law. However, through our information campaigns, we would encourage consumers to do their homework about such costs before making a purchase."

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Hi Eamon,

It’s related to, but not quite the same as, the EcoBoost. There’s no turbo version, for a start, and it has been engineered to be a little easier and cheaper to build (and therefore to buy). It’s actually a lovely little engine, with decent power and torque (especially the 85hp version) and a sweet, warbling exhaust note. Obviously, the EcoBoost engine is more powerful if you get the turbo version, but the 1.1 is a perfectly good buy.

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Hi Darragh,

I think it comes down to a straight choice between the Fiesta and the Mazda, with the Mazda edging it slightly on the basis of it being better-built and more reliable. The Sandero is fine if all you want is something cheap, but then the Stepway version makes no sense because it’s just a more expensive Sandero with stick-on plastic bits. The i20 is a good outside choice though — very spacious, roomy, and well-made, but you need to upgrade to the 1.0-litre turbo engine for it to be a good choice. Here are a few reviews of those cars for further reading:

Mazda2 review

Ford Fiesta review

Dacia Sandero Stepway review

Hyundai i20 review

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Hi Kate,

Well, the Fiesta has always been a good car, and 2014 models were post-facelift versions, so they look a little sharper on the outside and the interior got a boost in quality. Plus there was the option of the EcoBoost engine. Values run from around €8,000 to around €12,000,  but, just at the moment, we can’t find a single automatic version for sale…