What are the best-selling cars in Ireland?
Hello guys,
I have two questions:
1) What are the most sold cars in Ireland?
2) What is the pricing range for cars people are buying the most in Ireland?
Looking forward to hearing from you
Kind regards, Stan
Stan Melnis (Dublin)Jul 2013 Filed under: miscellaneous
Expert answer
Hi Stan,
OK, well currently (as of the end of September), the best selling cars in Ireland are, in descending order, the Hyundai Tucson, the Nissan Qashqai, the Volkswagen Golf, the Skoda Octavia, the Ford Focus, the Ford Fiesta, the Kia Sportage, the Toyota Yaris, the Toyota Corolla and the Volkswagen Tiguan. The biggest-selling market segment is the SUV/H1 segment (that’s the Qashqai-Tucson-Sportage mid-size SUVs) all of which cost between €24,000 and €40,000 depending on spec.
How much is a 2006 Ford Focus Estate worth?
2006 Ford Focus 1.4 Estate - 165,000km. How much should I expect to pay for this?
Margaret Le Roux (Mallow)Jul 2013 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Margaret,
I'd say circa €4,500 to €5,900 depending on condition but 1.4s are hard to find. You might have to go for a 1.6 or a diesel.
Is a high-mileage Ford Focus TDCi ok?
Is a Ford Focus 1.6 diesel TDCi reliable after 100,000 miles?
Andrew Synnott (Dublin)Jul 2013 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Andrew,
There are no major recurrent problems to report on the Focus 1.6 TDCi. The nice thing is that the same basic engine design is also used by Peugeot, Citroen, Volvo and some MINIs so any potential issues tend to come to light pretty quickly.
Just with that high mileage, make sure it's been serviced properly and on schedule, make sure the timing belt has been replaced and check for any electronic issues.
How much to replace my Focus's alternator?
I'd like to know what would it cost to replace the alternator in my 2007 1.6 TDCi Ford Focus?
Christopher Doogue (Carlow)Jul 2013 Filed under: electrics
Expert answer
Hi Christopher,
The labour rate will vary from garage to garage, but it should take less than an hour to complete the job. Likewise, the price of the alternator will vary whether you are buying it from Ford direct, a local motor factors or an online car parts site, such as MicksGarage.com - we saw one there for about €165.
Opel Corsa or Ford Focus?
I'm thinking of buying a 2002 Opel Corsa 1.2 for €1,800. What are they like? I have also looked at a 2002 Ford Focus Zetec 1.4 and it's not bad for 1,500 Euro. Any advice?
Catherine Costello (Celbridge)Jul 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Catherine,
Of the two, I'd go for the Focus. Bigger, much better to drive and barely any less economical in day-to-day driving. That generation Corsa was pretty crude, really - noisy and not especially nice to drive.
They're both pretty robust though, which is good, although you should check the Focus carefully for underbody rust as some early cars had very poor weather sealing.
Let us know how you get on.
How much is my 2004 Ford Focus worth?
How much could I get for my 2004 Ford Focus 1.4-litre? It's metallic grey in colour, had nice alloys and only 60,000 miles on the clock. It's a good looking car and drives well.
Nial Comerford (Dublin)Jul 2013 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Nial,
On a trade in I'd say you'll get about €1,500 for it, but you might manage slightly better selling it yourself if you invest in a good valet and get it looking properly smart.
Best of luck
What else should I consider along with the Audi Q7?
Hi,
I'm looking to buy a 2007 or 2008 Audi Q7 with about 70,000 miles onthe clock. Are there any better alternatives with seven seats and an automatic transmission? What should we pay for either a 2007 or a 2008 model?
Ian Dillon (Dublin)Jul 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Ian,
There are a couple of alternatives to the Q7 alright. The Land Rover Discovery is probably the best all-round seven-seat SUV on the market and easily matches the Q7 for driver appeal, cabin space and premium image. The only problem is that Land Rover is still working its way up from a low point in terms of reliability, and while the current Disco is certainly very well built, we'd reckon that a Q7 would be a little bit better in terms of reliability when you're talking about a car that's already a few years old.
In fact, we know of only two issues with the Q7. One, it's apparently quite hard on tyres and two, if it's got an electric tailgate, it can open or close with a mind of its own sometimes, although that should have been fixed in a recall by now.
You could go for a BMW X5 with seven seats, but there's not as much space in the third row in the BMW, so it depends on what you need those extra chairs for. If it's only for occasional use, for kids etc, then the X5 is well worth a look and is a fantastic car to drive. If you need to put adults back there, stick with the Audi. You could downsize to a Hyundai Santa Fe seven-seater of course, which is a reliable, affordable choice but lacking both third row space and the cachet of the Audi.
Or you could steer away from the SUV world altogether and get a Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate with the extra rear-facing seats in the boot. Bit of an unsung hero that one, and much cheaper to run than a big 4x4. Or, of course, you could do the whole off-roader thing properly and get a long wheelbase Land Rover Defender, but you'll need ear plugs for long journeys.
Choosing between a 2007 or a 2008 Audi Q7 is all down to the price and the individual car. There was a facelift in 2009 that brought some engine updates and cabin and styling changes, but if you can find a good 2007 one, with a full Audi service history, you could be looking at paying as little as €20k. A Q7 for the price of a new Ford Focus? Not bad...
Let us know which way you go
What is the value of my 2007 Ford Focus?
What is my 2007 Ford Focus worth with 156,000km on the clock? Timing belt just done, three new tyres, front wheel bearing right-hand side done, thinking of trading in or selling private.
Pat Haran (Athboy )Jun 2013 Filed under: used car values
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.
Hyundai i30 or Opel Astra?
Hello, I am looking for a small economical car to run and tax; I was looking at the Opel Astra CDTi Elite 1.3 diesel or Hyundai i30 1.3 diesel. I would be looking to buy 2008 versions of either. Which car in your opinion is better, or have any other suggestions?
Thank you
Peter Ryan (Carrick On Shannon)Jun 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
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.
What is the best-selling car in Ireland?
What is the best-selling car in Ireland?
Carl Delaney (Galway)Jun 2013 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
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