Expert answer

Hi Pat,

I'd say you're looking at a probable value of between €5,000 and €7,000 with that kind of mileage. Trading in probably the better route, unless it's a diesel you're selling. Private buyers just don't seem to want to know about petrol cars at the moment.

Let us know how you get on.

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Hi Peter,

OK, there was no 1.3 diesel Hyundai i30, it was always a 1.6 diesel although there were lower and higher power versions. We found a couple of classified ads purporting to be 1.3 diesel i30s, but they must be typos. The Astra is definitely available with a 1.3 CDTi diesel though (a unit co-developed with Fiat a number of years ago) and while it's a fine engine and the Astra is a fine car, it's the Hyundai we'd go for - it's economical, cheap to tax and endlessly reliable. It's also far better to drive than you might expect (it even drew admiring comparisons to the class handling champ, the Ford Focus, at its time of launch) and is spacious and comfy to boot.

That said, if you're thinking of the Hyundai, you have to also consider the Kia cee'd. Launched in 2006, it's mechanically identical to the Hyundai, arguably a little sharper to drive and, depending on the mileage, a 2008 model should still have two years of Kia's seven-year warranty to run.

To be fair, you won't go wrong with either.

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Hi Carl,

To the end of May this year it's the Volkswagen Golf, ahead of the Nissan Qashqai and Ford Focus. It was the same top three for 2012, though the Focus was first and the Golf third.

Hope that's of interest

Expert answer

Hi Michael,

Sounds like piston rings or valve seals or maybe even both!

Needs a major amount of work whichever it is.

Sorry!

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Hi Eamonn,

Honda is justly famed for the reliability of its cars and you shouldn't experience any major problems. The paint on some Civics can be a bit on the thin side, which means that, where it wears, you can actually get a bit of surface rust appearing, which will need attention. Engine management system glitches can lead to a drained battery if the car is left sitting for a week or two as well. Other than that, there seem to be no other major issues. 

Compared to a Focus, you'll find the ride and handling a touch flat-footed, as Honda went with a cheaper torsion bar rear suspension, but it should compare very favourably to a Mazda or Toyota - Hondas generally feel noticeably more 'premium' than either of those brands.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Pat,

The biggest issue is actually rust — Focuses from that era were often not properly undersealed at the factory, so rot can set in pretty easily. Make sure you give it a very thorough going over. Beyond that, with a ten-year-old car, it comes down to the condition and service history. If it has a nice, fat, service book still of stamps, then given that it was always a fairly mechanically robust car, you should be fine.

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Hi Keith,

No, it's not a waste of time at all. It's almost always better value to keep and fix an existing car rather than pay the cost-of-change to upgrade to something newer. That said, if you're convinced you need a better solution, then you won't do better than to go for one of the many car-vans on offer now. The Renault Kangoo and Citroen Berlingo are the best known versions, but there are also similar models available from Fiat, Volkswagen and Peugeot.  My personal pick would be the Fiat Doblo, fitted with the 1.6- or 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel engines. You'll find the cabin surprisingly comfy, it's quite pleasant to drive, very economical and good on tax and massively spacious in the back. There's even a seven-seat version available if you want to be really popular at the school gate.

Expert answer

Hi Catherine,

A rough estimate of your C4's value should give you a budget of around €12,000 (and you might even do a bit better than that if you're lucky). Even at that level though, there is a plethora of cars matching your description out there. How about we start with something really classy? A BMW 316i maybe? Plenty out there, all priced around €11k and the 1.6-litre engine means reasonable tax and fuel economy even though it's a petrol engine.

Or you might need something a bit more spacious and economical. So we found a Citroen C5 Tourer estate with the 1.6-litre HDi diesel engine. It's a 2008 model so you'll be on the new CO₂-based tax system, it's massive inside and very comfy. Well built too.

Finally, you might fancy something a bit more compact and cheaper to run, and that budget opens up a world of Ford Focus saloons and estates with either the 1.6-litre petrol or 1.8 diesel engines. Simple, spacious, reliable and plentiful, you won't go wrong with that one.

WHat do you think?

Expert answer

Hi Lisa,

Well, there is the obvious recommendation of a Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi, but a €7,000 budget won't, sadly, get you into a post-2008 car, so you'll be paying a higher rate of annual motor tax. 

So here's a less obvious recommendation: an Opel Astra 1.3 CDTi. It's not the fastest car in the world, but it should prove very economical, it's well built, comfy, spacious and even has a decent boot. Best of all 130g/km emissions mean you'll pay a reasonable €270 a year to tax it.

What do you think?

Expert answer

Hi Paul,

I could be glib and give the standard one-word answer to all motoring questions: 'Golf.' But actually, for that kind of money, if you're really careful and track down a nice one with history, I'm going to say Mk1 Focus. Plenty of them about, the 1.4 was hardly a ball of fire but it wasn't too shabby either and it's as poised and as brilliant to drive as many a legendary sports car. Plus, it's spacious, well made and according to the German TUV, they're reliable too.

Just make sure you check underneath for rust. Some of the early examples had dodgy rust proofing so make sure the brown peril hasn't taken hold.

Hope that helps