How long to change a Kuga's belt?
Does it take two and a half days to change a cambelt in a 1.5 Ford Kuga EcoBoost from 2015 - and how much should it cost?
Jennifer
Jennifer Sawyer (Roodepoort)Jul 2020 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Jennifer,
The labour time should be no more than three hours solid work by a competent mechanic. The cost will vary considerably from garage to garage, though, so do shop around.
When to change my Kuga's belt?
Does my Ford Kuga have a timing belt or chain and when do I have to get it done? Is it 100,000- or 200,000km?
Rebecca Garrett (Uralla)Jun 2020 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Rebecca,
You've not given us the year or engine size, so here's a summary:
Kuga gen 1 (2008-2013): both engines (2.0 TDCi diesel and 2.5-litre petrol) use timing belts that must be changed every 200,000km or 10 years, whichever comes first.
Kuga gen 2 (2013-2020): the 1.5 and 1.6 EcoBoost petrol engines and the 2.0 TDCi diesel engine have timing belts that must be changed every 200,000km or 10 years, whichever comes first. The 2.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine uses a timing chain.
Unusually, the schedule for the 1.5 TDCi diesel engine's timing belt replacement depends on the model year. Up to 2018 it's the same as the others above, but after 2018, the interval is reduced to 180,000km.
Hot-start issues with my Skoda Octavia...
Hello,
I have a 2009 Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDI. It has 116k miles on the clock, so low for the year. I have been having a nightmare of a problem the last two weeks. The car will start no problem when cold but when it heats up it will not start. It tries to turn over but just conks out then. When running the car runs great, no lag, loss of power etc I have changed the fuel pump, coolant sensor and crankshaft sensor and there are no faults coming up on the diagnostic machine. I have read about software problems but speaking to someone who provides mapping says it would not be a software problem and it is a mechanical problem, but I can't find the fault. This is getting very expensive at this stage and I can't afford to keep trying new parts. Can you shed some light on this?
Thank you.
Stephen Kavanagh (Dublin)Jun 2020 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Stephen,
That is very frustrating. It does, however, point to the coolant sensor, which is a known weak point of this engine. You say you replaced it, but did you fit a new part? Is there any possibility the wiring or connector is the issue rather than the sensor itself?
Failing all that, I think it's time to get a good mechanic or Skoda dealer involved to get to the bottom of this.
VW T-Cross, Skoda Kamiq or Suzuki Vitara?
Looking at VW T-Cross, Skoda Kamiq or Suzuki Vitara... which would you recommend?
Mary Bane (Ennis)Jun 2020 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Mary,
Of the three, it’s probably the T-Cross that we prefer. It is more expensive than the Skoda, but makes up for that by feeling rather more stylish and a little more engaging to drive. Both are very good, though. The Vitara is decent, and solid, but feels a little too cheap in the cabin these days, which does hold it back. Incidentally, if you’re buying new and you’re in the small crossover market, you should also look at the new Ford Puma — it’s the best car in the class by far. Here are our reviews to help you decide:
When to change the 1.6 diesel Focus belt?
2011 Ford Focus 1.6 diesel: when to change the timing chain?
John Brazil (Dublin )Jun 2020 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi John,
That 1.6 diesel Focus uses a timing belt, not a chain.
The belt replacement schedule depends on the date the car was built. Up to July 2011 it's 140,000km or 10 years. After that it's 180,000km or 10 years.
How much VRT on importing a crew cab van?
How much VRT or other taxes would have to be paid if I bought a crew cab van in from the UK e.g. Ford Transit Custom, Mercedes Vito, VW Transporter etc
Lar Crowley (Kilkenny )Jun 2020 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Lar,
A crew cab is theoretically a commercial vehicle, so you’ll pay 13.3 per cent of the OMSP (Open Market Selling Price) as defined by Revenue. As to what that value is, that will depend on the individual van you’re looking at.
How much to tax a 2015 Ford Focus diesel?
Just bought a 2015 Ford Focus 1.6 diesel car. How much do I need to tax it for the year please?
Michael Laffan (Dublin City)Jun 2020 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
Assuming that it’s the 105hp version of the Focus 1.6 TDCi, and uses a manual gearbox, then it has CO2 emissions of 88g/km, which means tax of €180 per year.
Can I change my Micra's speedometer?
I have a 2012 Nissan Micra and I would like to change the speedometer from mph to km/h; is this possible?
Niamh Lynch (Cork)Jun 2020 Filed under: electrics
Expert answer
Hi Niamh,
OK, there are a few options here. You could go down the DIY route — there are second hand instrument clusters available on eBay, and plenty of tutorials on YouTube, but — and we can’t emphasise this enough — that’s the risky option. Lots of opportunity for an expensive mistake.
The simplest thing to do is go to your local Nissan dealer. Now, they might offer to swap out the entire panel — which is expensive — but really you’d be better off asking them to simply replace the face of the speedometer dial with a new one, which sometimes can be done with a sticker. A much more affordable alternative.
Which big tow car to go for on moving?
We are moving from the UK to Ireland soon and are gobsmacked (for the want of of a better word) to find that our two trusty vehicles, the 2005 Chrysler Grand Voyager (diesel) and 2005 Mercdes C-Class Elegance (petrol) are going to cost in excess of €6,000 jointly to tax! The cars are not even worth a fraction of that, so we sadly have to replace them (in this throw-away world we have always been proud to keep our vehicles beyond their life expectancies).
So, what car can you recommend for a family of six, that would be able to tow a horse box, but would be the cheapest to tax as we relocate to the Emerald Isle?
Jo Sheedy
Surrey, UK
Joanna Sheedy (Epsom)Jun 2020 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Joanne,
If it’s just the one car you want, then I think your best bet would be a Ford S-Max or Galaxy, or possibly a SEAT Alhambra. All three cars do all the important family hauling work really well, and the two Fords will tow a maximum 2,000kg load, while the Alhambra can haul as much as 2,400kg.
If you want to go down the two-car route, then maybe go for a Mercedes E-Class Estate, with the fold-down seats in the boot, as the family machine and a Volkswagen Amarok pickup (the early model with the 2.0-litre turbo engine so as to keep the tax costs down) as the tow-car. It can haul a whopping 3,500kg, but is also comfy and refined enough to be a daily driver.
Read our Mercedes E-Class reviews
What's the VRT on importing this Transit?
Hi,
I'm thinking of importing a 2015 Ford Transit Custom 310 Trend E-Tech, but can't figure out what VRT costs I have to pay. Tried on ROS, but can't see catagory for this.
Can you help?
Jimmy Walton (Kilkenny)Jun 2020 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Jimmy,
There’s a flat rate of 13.3 per cent VRT for commercial vehicles and, with a 2015 Transit Custom being worth in and around €15,000 on the Irish market, you’re looking at about €1,900 in VRT, but that’s a ballpark figure.