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Hi Bernard,

An individual injector is going to cost in and around the €170 mark, depending on where you source it from. After that, it’s down to the garage you bring it to and what kind of labour rates they charge.

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Hi Fergal,

The Mustang has already started rolling off the production line in right-hand drive, but is not due to arrive in Ireland until late summer 2015. Apparently one Irish buyer has already ordered one.

We're (finally!) driving the new Mondeo early next month and we understand that the first examples will arrive in Ireland this November. That probably means in dealers nationwide for December, in time for the new '151' plate in January.

Hope that helps

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Hi John,

All are pretty good and I have to admit to having thrown some covetous glances myself at second-gen Ford Mondeos lately - that's a shape that has aged really, really well. That said, from the ones you've selected there, I'd go for the Mazda. It has terrific handling (best in the class for that time, actually) and should be very reliable so it's definitely the one to pick.

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Hi John,

Nothing major to worry about although there are a few electrical glitches - the keyless ignition system (if fitted) can give trouble, as can the hands-free locking and unlocking (again, it was an option). There have been isolated reports of the 2.0-litre diesel engine cutting out unexpectedly too. Check the interior trim carefully as well - Mondeos often rack up big mileage and while the mechanical bits are sold, the cabins can suffer from abuse - look for collapsing seats or disintegrating trim.

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Hi Dan,

Of all the ones you've mentioned there, I'd actually have a long, hard look at the Volkswagen Jetta. True, it's not the most exciting car of all, but with the 1.6 TDI diesel engine coupled to the DSG automatic gearbox, you should be able to squeeze terrific fuel economy out of it: 55mpg should be easily do-able, perhaps even the sunny side of 60mpg. It's sweeter to drive than you'd think too, really comfy and built like a tank.

What do you think?

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Hi Keith,

The extra spec probably won't make much difference I'm afraid. Once there's a few basic items such as air conditioning, a decent stereo and some nice wheels, most second hand buyers don't care about spec - they're only interested in the car itself, its history and its likely reliability. With that in mind I'd say you're looking at a value of between €8,000 and €9,000.

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Hi Paul,

Yes, it is actually. Fords tend to do very well on the tough German TÜV reliability and quality surveys and the Mondeo is no exception. Just one thing - the 1.6 petrol is a touch underpowered so check to see if it's been thrashed hard keeping up with traffic. 

The timing belt should be changed every 160,000 kilometres or 96 months with inspections in between officially, though we'd recommend more frequent changes than that.

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Hi Kieran,

I'd say you could expect to get between €8-9,000 as a trade-in, maybe slightly more if you sold it yourself. Worth noting though that there is at long last an all-new Mondeo coming later this year, and that may push used values of the current model down a little.

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Hi Anna,

There are several versions of that car, and there as a model year change in late 2009 so it depends which it is exactly. Here are a few examples, assuming you're not talking about the estate:

- 1.8 TDCi saloon with 100hp and five-speed manual gearbox: 149g/km CO₂ (Band C): €390

- 1.8 TDCi saloon with 125hp and stop-start (called 'Eco') and five-speed manual gearbox: 139g/km CO₂ (Band B2): €280

- 1.8 TDCi saloon with 125hp and five-speed manual gearbox: 154g/km CO₂ (Band C): €390

If you give us the registration number we can give you the exact price of tax.

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Hi Sean,

It's a tough question to answer, this one, simply because different wheels and tyres can make an enormous difference to ride quality. As you say, French cars tend to fare very well in this regard and I think the most comfortable car I have driven in recent years was a top-spec Citroen C5 with the traditional Citroen hydra gas suspension, which just felt as if the road surface wasn't there. As you say, French cars can have their reliability issues, but the C5 was always pretty well screwed together.

Of the other options, both the Ford Mondeo and Opel Insignia are good bets, especially if you can avoid any cars that have been specced-up with big wheels and low profile tyres. Go for nothing bigger than a 17-inch wheel with at least a 55-profile tyre - wheel and tyre combos make a huge difference to ride comfort,

Of course if you want the ultimate in ride comfort, then track yourself down a Jaguar XJ6 saloon from the mid-eighties. Best ride quality of any car ever. I can't vouch for the reliability though...