Expert answer

Hi Ernie,

The Mokka is certainly higher off the ground than, say, the Opel Corsa, but I'm not sure the door opening would be wide enough to make getting in and out comfortable for you.

I highly recommend you pop along to an Opel dealership so you can try the car out for yourself.

If you're not set on getting an Opel, may I suggest you also take a look at the Dacia Duster? It's a little larger, has more ground clearance and comes with a wider door opening. It's more affordable than the Mokka, too.

Do let us know how you get on.

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Hi John,

Your Octavia's boot is rated to 600 litres, we believe, which is difficult to match unless you go for a much larger car. The Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer, for example, holds a little more than that, but it's out of budget. Same story for the VW Tayron eHybrid (PHEV), which has a bigger boot again.

Those cars are still relatively new, so you can't afford used versions yet, either, though we did find a selection of second-hand Skoda Superb PHEVs on the market within budget. They're massive in all directions and might well suit your needs, so long as you don't mind going for a car that's two to three years old.

The VW ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq have comparable boots of well over 500 litres and are in budget – though there's much more choice in the ID.4 lineup for that money.

Last but not least, and assuming you have nothing against buying an SUV, the Hyundai Tucson PHEV has a boot of about 560 litres and is within budget.

Let us know what you think of these suggestions.

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Hi Colin,

I don't think you'll find a drastic difference between these cars in terms of their range in real-world usage. Indeed, changing your driving habits and top speed would likely have a larger effect.

So with that in mind, I reckon the Capri is the better bet, if for no other reason than it has a much larger boot.

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Hi Doteen,

A car's history and how well it has been serviced is important no matter what fuel type it is. The added complication with modern diesels is that their DPFs – and other components - can clog up if they're only used for short trips. I don't believe where you buy the car has any bearing on that. It's all about how the car was used.

Make sure all the warning lights are working and going off when the car is running, insist on a detailed and complete service history and take the car for a decent test drive (again, regardless of the fuel).

A diesel car will be far more economical than a petrol one when it comes to towing and for the most part will be better suited to the job in terms of low-down pulling power (torque).

Nonetheless, if you'd prefer a petrol car, that's entirely doable. Just don't go for a small-engined, lightweight car and expect it to do a good job. Cars such as the Ford Mondeo, Skoda Octavia, VW Passat and others all came with powerful turbocharged petrol engines, though they're much rarer and hence harder to find than the diesel equivalents.

Hopefully that has given you some food for thought but come back to us with more information on the weight of the caravan you're buying and your budget for the car and we can help further if you need it.

Expert answer

Hi Julie.

First up, you've not told us which engine your Kuga has, and that's a key detail. We'll have to assume it has one of the most common units, which is the 2.0 TDCi diesel.

Secondly, a "wet belt" is a type of timing belt. When someone says "timing belt" they generally mean a "dry" belt that does not run in oil - like a wet belt does.

Anyway, the 2.0-litre diesel engine in the 2015 Kuga has a dry timing belt, not a wet one. It also has a small timing chain in the cylinder head joining the camshafts.

Expert answer

Hi Derek,

Assuming you mean just replace the wet belt, then prices will vary considerably from garage to garage, but you could be looking at up to €800 or so. Shop around is our advice.

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Hi Liam.

I believe you'll be ok, as the car should be assessed as is, but you really should ring Revenue for yourself to double-check that rather than take our word for it.

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Hi Frank,

If Ford won't play ball in giving you a CoC with all the details on it, then next step is perhaps to try to find the information on an officially recognised UK website, such as this one from the Vehicle Certification Agency. If you can find your exact car on there, that should be accepted, but we strongly urge you to talk to Revenue ahead of the NCTS inspection about the documentation you have to hand. 

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Hi Monica,

It really does depend on the specific vehicle, and that's what you'll need to check with Revenue. Most tippers are likely to be Category C, meaning a flat rate of €200 for VRT, but some, such as crew cabs, could be slapped with a 13.3 per cent VRT rate (of their Open Market Selling Price), so make sure you look up the official categorisation of the vehicle you're considering before committing to the purchase.

And don't forget that you could be liable for VAT and import duty as well if certain conditions are not met.

Expert answer

Hi Brian, 

No official word at all on this as yet. We'd be hopeful it can come in at under €45,000 based on the starting price of the Kia EV3 and the fact that there will also be an EV4 sitting between them.