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Hi Fergal,

The first one that comes to mind is the Skoda Superb. A new generation of this massive car was launched last year and it’s a great option. It’s bigger than the Mondeo and can be had with a 2.0 TDI diesel engine.

A lovely car is the Peugeot 508, which can be had with a 1.5-litre diesel, but you might find it small inside in comparison to your Mondeo. Worth a look anyway.

There really aren’t many others if you’re sticking with a diesel saloon, unless you go for one of the premium brands - both Audi and Mercedes sell diesel engines still in the A5 and C-Class, respectively.

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Hi Patrick,

The VRT would be 13.3 per cent of the OMSP (Open Market Selling Price) of the vehicle, which is the value Revenue believes it to be worth on the Irish market. That can be tricky to guess/estimate for specialised vehicles such as that, though we did find a similar one on Carzone.ie for about €32,000.

If Revenue chooses that as the OMSP then the VRT would be €4,256.

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Hi Ger,

If you’re sticking with automatic, then your choices are very limited. We found only the Opel Grandland and SsangYong Korando, neither of which we’d be huge fans of.

Here are the manual models we found that otherwise fit the brief:

Cupra Formentor: We really like this car as it looks great, and it drives well. You might find it a little too low down for your liking as it’s not as tall an SUV as the Qashqai, but worth a look.

Dacia Duster: Not quite as solid as the Qashqai perhaps, but it’s very comfortable and you’d get more for your money - you could get a 2024 version for example.

Ford Kuga: A comfortable and well-built option. Plenty of them about.

Hyundai Tucson: Very spacious inside and in the boot. Loads of them around as it has been the best-seller for so long. Despite that it still looks interesting outside. Good reliability. Strong reputation shown by the fact that you’d probably only afford a 2022 example with your budget.

Kia Sportage: Identical to the Tucson under the skin so it just comes down to which of the two you prefer the look of. Though the Kia has a longer warranty in terms of time if mileage is low.

Mazda CX-5: Fantastic to drive and feels like a premium car in comparison to most others here. Might cost a little more to run and they’re not very plentiful on the used market.

Peugeot 3008: A stylish replacement for the Qashqai. Solid car. Double-check you can get on with the cabin layout.

SEAT Ateca: Once one of our favourite cars of this size, though it is getting on in years now. Might not feel as modern as some cars on this list, but is still well made, comfortable and spacious.

That’s still quite a long list, admittedly, but hopefully it helps you drill things down to a shortlist. We have our own preferences, and you will, too.

Feel free to come back to us if you want further help of course.

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Hi Roy,

As labour and parts prices can vary considerably depending on where you get the work done, we don't like to give people estimates of costs. We can tell you that the work should take about five solid hours.

I suggest you ring around a few garages to get estimates. 

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Hi Shane,

When you're taxing a commercial vehicle for private use then the rate goes by the engine size. 

The Wildtrak can be had with 2.0 or 3.0-litre diesel engines, while the Ranger can be had with a 2.0-litre diesel or 3.0-litre petrol option. The 2.0-litre engines cost €710 a year to tax and the 3.0-litre units (doesn't matter what fuels them) are €1,494 per annum.

Read our Motor Road Tax Prices in Ireland Explained feature for full details.

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Hi Aidan,

Unless the engine has been modified, the best thing to do is go to a Ford dealer parts department and give them your car’s chassis code. They can then look up the correct part for you. Most large motor factors should be able to do the same.

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Hi Tom,

Generally speaking, three to four years old is a sweet spot for cars such as that where a big chunk of the depreciation is already done, but the car is still modern enough and in good enough condition to enjoy. Balanced against all of that, of course, is the challenge in finding one, as the Lexus LC is vanishingly rare.

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Hi Roger,

It should be changed at least every 240,000km or 10 years, whichever comes first.

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Hi Sarah,

In terms of long commutes, and assuming you are sticking with the regular 2.0-litre diesel options, then our experience suggests that the Audi is more efficient - with the caveat that how you drive has a large influence on that. Overall, the Audi should prove fractionally cheaper to service and maintain, too.

Comparing the reliability between the two is less clearcut and the newer versions you can afford the better. Both cars are mechanically sound and most issues come from electronics etc. They’re comparable in short.

Expert answer

Hi Patrick,

That is very high mileage of course, but many diesels are quite capable of it so long as they're maintained properly. Look for a detailed service history covering oil changes in particular, and on-time timing belt changes as well. 

Even so, there's no doubt that a car with that mileage on it will require mechanical maintenance. I'd only consider such a car if the price was exceptionally low in comparison to other examples with lower mileages.