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Hi Niamh,

We spoke by e-mail and now I have a better idea of your budgets there are a few good ideas. I think the Ford S-Max is probably my favourite car of this bunch. I quite like this one. It is diesel, looks great and has low mileage. We reckon you could get them down in price a little too. 

In relation to the choice between manual and auto in the C4 Picasso, that really is down to personal choice. It isn't the greatest auto ever but it isn't the worst either. You really should try it and see. The EGS box is a little jerky. Personally I wouldn't really fancy it but you should be the judge. This one is quite nice and has really low mileage. 

I wouldn't say not to consider Renaults, but they weren't a good vintage at the time, so personally I don't think I would be spending money on a 2007/2008 Scenic. They have got a lot better since then though. 

Lastly, you could try a VW Touran. It isn't that exciting but they hold their value really well and are nicely built. 

Anyway Niamh, if it were my money, I'd have the Ford S-Max.

I hope this helps.

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Hi Linda,

I can totally understand your concerns. Anyway, to start, here are all the EuroNCAP reports on the cars you were looking at so you can have a good look at them.

Ford S Max / VW Touran / Citroen C4 Picasso 

The placement of ISOFIX seats often dictates where child seats should go and in a lot of MPVs there is still only two and these are usually in the outer two seats of the second row. We answered a question on this recently. 

This article by JD Power and Associates is good. As regards the rear row, the information is a little unclear on whether there is a greater danger to be in the rear seats in a rear impact, but it is something that we will investigate further. The strength of the modern MPV at the rear is pretty impressive though and as long as the child is front facing they are well protected. 

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Hi Clodagh,

If you are after a seven-seater then there really is only one car for you to buy with your lotto winnings and that is the €191,955 Audi Q7 6.0-litre V12 Diesel with 500hp. 

Easy really. That is the most expensive seven-seater on sale here right now!

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Hi Tom,

Is this a new or used car you would be buying? A new Toyota Yaris comes with the MultiMode transmission and a 1.3-litre VVTi petrol engine, which will cost you €18,285.

A Mitsubishi Colt automatic with a 1.3-litre engine will cost you €15,450 and that is quite a bit less. 

A Ford Fiesta 1.4 Style Auto would come in at €18,735 and this would be a really nice car. 

The best bet for us would be a Hyundai i20 1.4 Deluxe Auto, which comes in at €16,995 and that is a super little car. If it is a straight choice between the Yaris and Colt I think I'd save the €2,835 and have the Colt. 

Come back to us if you're buying second-hand, as the story may be a different one.

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Hi Ronan,

We asked Ciaran Lowe, a former service manager for Nissan Ireland, to answer this one. He told us. "I can understand your reasoning for removing the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) because of the excessive cost of replacement. However, the DPF on diesel vehicles plays an important roll in reducing vehicle emissions. In fact these filters can reduce diesel soot emissions by up to 80 percent, so by removing the DPF it is interfering with the emissions on your vehicle. By re-mapping the ECU it is only tricking the engine management  system to see emissions within spec regarding the DPF system. However even with the ECM re-mapped the vehicle will still fail any future emissions tests. The fact your light is on indicates the system has identified out of range emissions."

I'm afraid the best solution all-round is to seek a used DPF filter.

We've talked to a few people in the industry and short of messing with the actual lights in the dashboard there is no way around this. We can't recommend this route, but it could be done by any auto electrician.

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Hi there Kevin,

I am not sure whether you are choosing a new or used car. There is a brand new Jetta just gone on sale and it is absolutely massive - quite close to the Passat. This would probably be the better of the two at the moment, but then there is a new Focus arriving in April.

The new Focus is really good too and that comes with a 1.6-litre diesel engine, while the Jetta also comes with a 1.6-litre diesel. I haven't driven the new Jetta yet personally here in Ireland, but we have driven it and I have driven the new Focus, which is brilliant. 

Out of the two, if I was doing lots of mileage, then the Jetta would probably be the better of the two, but without totally sitting on the fence the best thing to do is to try them both for yourself.

Let us know how you get on.

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Hi Sean,

It really depends on your budget and how many seats you need, but you can't go too far wrong with something like a Ford C-Max, Mazda5 or Peugeot 5008. These are probably the best around at the moment. If you need more room, then a Ford S-Max or Galaxy is your best bet. But come back to us if you need a more detailed response and can give us an idea of your budget. 

I hope this helps. 

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Hiya Kevin,

Well it depends on what you covet most about your car. If you want something that is decent fun to drive on a back road as well as one that is comfortable then the Mondeo is still the better buy in that regard. The Passat feels more upmarket though and more like an executive car.

I would say it is probably more comfortable on a long journey than the Mondeo, so if you do a heap of miles and spend a lot of time in your car you might favour the Passat. Since they are both 2009 models you are talking about, me personally, I'd have the Passat, although you need to check it carefully. That electronic handbrake was a real problem area in some cars so make sure it all checks out. 

I hope this helps! 

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Hi Dave,

No competition really: the Ssangyong Kyron is a complete dog and I'd be hard pressed to take one if I was handed it for free. Take the slightly rusty Mondeo instead.