What diesel car should I replace our Peugeot 307 with?
Hi all. My girlfriend's Peugeot 307 died a death on the dual carrigeway recently so she is looking for a diesel car around 1.4 to 1.6 with a max price of €6,000. She commutes everyday from Ballylinan in Laois to Tallaght. Any good diesel cars in that range she should be looking at?
Aidan Murphy (Dublin)Oct 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Aidan,
I'd suggest either a Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi, a Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI or a Kia cee'd 1.6 CRDi. All of them fall into your price bracket, all are well built, reliable and economical and all are comfy for a lengthy daily commute. You won't go wrong with any of them and there are plenty of each available so shop around and be choosy.
Should I replace my Corolla with a Golf or Octavia?
I bought an 09 Toyota Corolla 1.4 petrol with 64,000km on the clock three months ago. It is still covered by the dealer's one-year warranty, is taxed until July 2014 and NCT'ed until July 2015. Since then, I have changed job and will now be commuting two hours a day on the motorway and so need to change for a diesel. Even though I'm generally the only one in the car, I prefer saloons and like a big car around me, partly for safety reasons. I also want a comfortable, hi-spec, economical car. And as I will be putting a lot of miles on it, I want something with low mileage. I am thinking a diesel Volkswagen Golf or a Skoda Octavia.
Have test driven the Ford Focus and Hyundai i30 and the interior put me off. Maybe I was driving the basic models but found them to be quite cheap in feel. I am trying to keep the total spend to about €2,000 to €4,000 with my own for trade-in.
First of all, am I on the right track in the types of cars I am looking at for what I want? Secondly, how much should I roughly be expecting to get for my own car?
Grainne Callanan (Kilkenny)Oct 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Grainne,
I'd say you can expect to get about €8,000 and €9,000 as a trade-in value for your Corolla, although that could vary quite a bit from dealer to dealer. As for the cars you're looking at, a diesel Golf or Octavia would probably be ideal for the type of driving you're looking at doing, but if it's refinement you need, then I'd go for the Volkswagen over the Skoda - there's not a lot in it, but the Golf is that bit quieter.
Hope that helps
Should I wait until January to buy this Focus Estate?
I have a Ford Focus Estate with 170,000 miles on the clock. I intend to change it for another Focus Estate with 55,000 miles on the clock for €11,000 this month. There is only a choice of two near me. Both about the same mileage and price. Should I wait until January 2014? Will there be more choice then? Will a 2009 car drop in price on 1st January if I gamble on it being still for sale then?
Thanks, Green wood worker
Kevin Downing (Dublin)Oct 2013 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Kevin,
Although the extra year on the car will have a small effect on the price, waiting until January probably won't help very much. There was a dearth of new car sales in 2009, which is propping up the second hand prices of cars sold in that year (and indeed in 2010, 2011 and 2012). Unless there is a vast rush of buyers trading in used cars for new on Jan 1st (which is, let's face it, unlikely) then the price of a 2009 model isn't especially likely to suffer a significant drop.
Should I buy a 'flex-fuel' car?
Is it worth buying a bi-fuel (ethanol/petrol) car in Ireland yet? (Ford Focus C-Max 1.8 Flexi-Fuel for example)?
Robert Wolff (Dublin)Oct 2013 Filed under: fuel prices
Expert answer
Hi Robert,
Not even slightly. There was a fad of buying bi-fuel cars about five years ago, thanks partly to an experimental push on E85 bio-ethanol from fuel supplier Maxol, but mostly because such cars got a €2,500 VRT rebate due to their supposedly 'green' credentials. That all fell apart once (a) the new CO2-based tax system came in and (b) people realised that there simply isn't enough arable farmland to grow enough crops to make E85 for all of us, and still be able to feed ourselves. As far as we know, there are not even any E85 filling stations still running, so you're effectively just buying a standard 1.8 petrol, and not benefiting from the original VRT rebate.
What's the best starter car for €3,000?
I'm looking to buy my first car and have around €3,000 to spend. I would estimate that I would travel about 12,000 miles a year. Would you be able to give me any advice on what car to buy, taking into account things like insurance (I'm 22), running costs etc? Any advice would be great!
Thanks
Andrew Quigley (Dundalk)Sep 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Andrew,
Simple answer: Ford Focus 1.4. Not the quickest Focus ever (only 75hp) and perhaps not as classy as the rival Volkswagen Golf, but they're well made, reliable, exceedingly good to drive (that Jackie Stewart-tweaked suspension will teach you all you need to know about driving dynamics) and spacious enough to pack in all you need for Electric Picnic next year. That's what you young people do, right? Lots out there to choose from so be picky, find a good one in a nice colour and tart it up with some nice alloys. You won't go wrong.
What engine in the Ford Focus would suit me best?
I'm looking to buy a 2008 Ford Focus for my 100-mile round trip to work. Which would be the best engine taking road tax and fuel economy into account?
Myles Mckenna (Carrickmacross)Expert answer
Hi Myles,
With that length of a daily commute, I'd reckon that you should definitely go for diesel and back in 2008 there was actually a choice of Focus diesels, with the run-out 1.8 TDCi and the incoming 1.6 TDCi both available. Both are excellent choices, with the 1.8 possibly having an edge on overall reliability (it's an older and more proven design) but the 1.6 having the edge in terms of fuel economy and emissions. Find a well-cared for example with full service history (those diesel injection systems are complex and need looking after) and you won't go wrong.
Estates: Ford Focus or Skoda Octavia?
Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi diesel estate €12,950 or Skoda Octavia Combi Elegance 1.6 CR 105 at €15,225? Both diesel estates same mileage, both 2010, prices quoted are asking prices with room for negotiations. Which would you choose?
Denis Scannell (Cork)Aug 2013 Filed under: family car
Expert answer
Hi Denis,
Both are excellent cars, but we'd go for the Octavia. It's more spacious by far and surely that's the whole point of having an estate. Cracking car.
I'm looking for a 1.6-litre diesel hatchback.
I'm looking for a 1.6-litre diesel hatchback, any good suggestions? Was thinking of maybe a 2008/2009 Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf.
Morgan Kelly (Loughrea)Aug 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Morgan,
Can't go wrong with either of those, to be fair. The Golf is classier, the Focus slightly better to drive and a bit more affordable. Also consider the SEAT Leon (same as a Golf but a bit cheaper to buy, incredibly solid and reliable) or the excellent Kia cee'd.
Our first baby is on the way and we need a bigger car...
My wife and I are expecting our first baby in Jan 2014. She currently drives a '99 three-door 1.0L Toyota Vitz/Yaris (Jap import purchased five years ago - in pink). The Yaris has never given her an ounce of trouble but it's a three-door so getting a baby seat in and out will be a pain. So what I'm looking to know is what we could get for the Yaris (has less than 30,000km the clock) and what is the best five-door that's not too big that we could get from the proceeds of the sale and putting an additional €3,000 towards it?
Cheers, Ian
Ian Bennett (Dublin)Aug 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Ian,
Right, the bad news is that the Yaris isn't going to be worth all that much at this stage. I'd say if you get €1,000 for it, either cash or as a trade in, you'll be doing well. The good news is that gives you a €4,000 budget and that puts an awful lot of really good cars well within your reach.
Now, funny story. When we had our first boy, he was born in February. That Christmas, I borrowed a Land Rover Discovery to bring us all down to my wife's parents in Waterford. And thanks to all the luggage, buggy, travel cot, bath etc. etc. etc. I couldn't see out of the back of the damned car for a whole week. That's a long winded way of saying you need to maximise your space.
So how about a Citroen Berlingo? €4,000 should get you into a 2005 1.4 petrol model and there's so much space in the back that all that baby gear will fit easily. Don't fancy a van with windows? Then how about a compact estate? There are some nice Chevrolet Lacettis around - not the most exciting car in the world but reliable, comfy, well-equipped and spacious. Your budget should get you into a 2006 or 2007 model. Or, if that's a bit too left field, what about a MkII Ford Focus estate? We found a 2005 1.6 diesel with air conditioning that's in your budget.
Best of luck with the car hunt and the baby!
I need a diesel car for big mileages...
Hey guys,
Iwant to change to a diesel estate car, but am not sure which type to get. I do drive a lot and need a car that is very fuel efficient with low mileage and low maintaining costs. Cars within my budget are either 2006 Ford Focus 1.8, Opel Astra 1.3/1.7 CDTi or Skoda Octavia 1.4 (with Volkswagen diesel engine) or Skoda Octavia 1.9. Which of these are the most fuel efficient/most efficient cars to maintain?
Thank you so much for your help and advice!
Best wishes, Cindy
Cindy Wagner (Waterford)Aug 2013 Filed under: diesel
Expert answer
Hi Cindy,
I would go for either the Skoda or the Opel. The Skoda 1.9 TDI is very economical (50mpg should be pretty easy) and Skodas are well built and reliable.
The only downside is that if it's pre-2008, it'll have a high rate of tax. That's something that the Opel with the 1.3 CDTi engine avoids, and it's still very economical, albeit slightly less so as you'll have to work the smaller engine a bit harder to keep up with the flow of traffic.