How much on trade-in for my VW Golf?
How much can I get for trade-in of a five-door 2000 VW Golf, 1.4 petrol, 115,000 miles, NCT expires in May? Great car, just too small for the family. They're selling online for €1,500-€2,000, but I want to trade in. How much can I expect to get for a Golf?
Thanks!
Louise ByrneMar 2013 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Louise,
There are a number of scrappage schemes around, so depending on what you’re trading in against, that could be boosted up to as much as €4,500.
Should I go for a Skoda to replace my Golf?
I currently drive a 2009 Volkswagen Golf and am looking for something a bit bigger. I'm six-foot five and my problem is that, with the driver's seat in the correct position for me, you cannot fit our rear facing baby seat, or the first forward facing seat behind me. The only option is to place them on the passenger side, which leaves my older daughter sitting behind me, with her knees in my back, resulting in pins and needles for her and and an uncomfortable drive for me. The other issue is that the frame of the buggy takes up all the boot space, leaving no space for the weekly shop, or for luggage etc. I know the Skoda Superb has miles of leg room, and boot space but are there any other cars I should be looking at? I have always driven diesel and would prefer to stick with it, so I think 2009 would be best in terms of tax and getting two years before the next NCT. A lot of the Skodas on Carzone.ie seem to have huge mileage; what would you consider excessive for a 2009 car?
John Maher (Ennis)Mar 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi John,
The Skoda Superb or Octavia would have been our first suggestions. The Octavia hasn't quite as much rear legroom as the Superb, but it's still better than the Golf's - and the boot is huge. High mileages on diesel Skodas are nothing to worry about so long as it has a proper service history and is in good order. Taxi drivers regularly do hundreds of thousands of kilometres. Avoid high mileage DSG automatic gearboxes, but otherwise they are really robust. So long as the history and price are good I'd not worry about buying one with over 150,000 kilometres on the clock.
One last thing to consider: if you do less than 20,000 kilometres a year a petrol car may suit you better. They're generally cheaper to buy and better suited to low mileage use. They're also quieter!
Hope that helps, but do come back to us if you need more assistance and have a budget in mind so we can narrow down the search for you.
What cheap old car will I get for commuting?
I'm looking for a car for heavy commuting as I have a new job and will be doing 750 miles a week for 9-10 months (two hours each way per day). I have a 2008 Focus but intend keeping this as a second car and I see no point putting massive mileage on it. Instead I hope to pick up an older car and get a year out of it. I am considering a 2001 Mercedes E 220, but I'm a bit concerned about fuel costs. What other car would fit the bill, capable of heavy mileage, comfortable and reasonably economical to run?
Kevin McCarthy (Limerick)Feb 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Kevin,
As is so often the case, the best answer here is ‘get a Golf.’ Or possibly a Passat. Or maybe a Volvo S80 1.6d. Any of those, if you can find them with a full service history, would fit the bill rather nicely. The Volvo is a great choice actually — comfy like an armchair, and can go 1,500km on a full tank of diesel. The Golf is probably the best value option — get one cheap, with the old 1.9 'Pump Duse' TDI diesel engine, and it’ll sit on the motorway doing 50mpg all day long, and it’ll be comfy too.
Which estate car for up to €6,000?
Hi,
I am looking to buy an estate car, driving mainly around Dublin, the odd long journey. Do not want to spend more than €6k. What would you recommend? Needs to be reliable, fuel efficient and have a big boot preferably with fold down flat rear seats.
Robert Munch (Dublin)Feb 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Robert,
There’s lots of choice in that price bracket for an estate. You could go posh with an Audi A4 Avant TDI (you’ll get into a 2007 model for that budget), or big and practical with a Toyota Avensis (2011 or thereabouts), or sporty with a BMW 3 Series Touring. However, you’re probably best going for a Golf — that budget gets you a 2008 or 2009 Golf Estate, which is roomy, practical, reliable, and nice to drive.
Are Volkswagen Boras good cars?
Are Volkswagen Boras good cars?
Paudie Healy (CORK)Feb 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Paudie,
They certainly are, but getting on a bit now, having not been in production since 2006. They’re based on the MkIV Golf, so build quality is generally excellent, but rear seat space isn’t (the boot’s massive though) and if it’s an original Irish car than chances are the equipment levels are going to be pretty basic. You need to check for regular cam belt changes (every 40,000 miles), that good quality oil has been used at service time, that the clutch isn’t too heavy and that the engine isn’t misfiring (that means a faulty ignition coil). Reluctant engine start means a faulty air mass sensor and you need to check for tapping noises at the top of the engine (which means the head needs work, possibly rebuilding) and poor acceleration could mean a faulty crankshaft sensor.
Which premium compact used estate?
Which diesel estate from the mid-'00's - Volkswagen Golf (Comfortline), Volvo V50 SE, or Audi A4 - is the most reliable and easiest/cheapest to get parts for/maintain?
Thanks!
Peter Wilson (Meath)Feb 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Peter,
If reliability and part prices are key, I’d go with the Golf. They’re pretty well built, solidly reliable and not too expensive to service. Nothing much wrong with either the Volvo or the Audi, but you will pay a servicing and parts premium for having the posher badges.
Most fuel-efficient nearly new cars for €15k?
What are the more fuel efficient nearly new, small or medium sized family cars you can get for around the €15,000 mark?
Niamh Roche (Drogheda)Expert answer
Hi Niamh,
It depends — do you want diesel or petrol? Any small-to-medium car with a 1.4 to 1.6-litre diesel engine is going to be very, very economical (e.g. the Toyota Auris, VW Golf, Ford Focus and Skoda Octavia), but if you want a petrol engine, the choice is a little different. Here, we’d be looking at the Volkswagen Group cars (Golf, Leon or Octavia) with the 1.0-litre or 1.2-litre TSI petrol engines, which have excellent economy, or a Peugeot 308 with the 1.2-litre PureTech engine.
What will I replace my Nissan Micra with?
I intend changing my car in the next two or three months. Currently I have a Nissan Micra, but I would like to buy a more solid and comfortable car this time. I do about 5,500 miles a year. I would be interested to know what make of car you would suggest and whether a diesel car is worth considering.
Thank you.
Eileen D (Drogheda)Jan 2013 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Eileen,
At 5,500 miles a year, diesel is most definitely not worth considering — you’re not doing anything like the mileage you’d need to do if you want to claw back the cost of buying a diesel in fuel savings, and maintenance costs could be high. As for which model to get, it kind of depends on your preferences. I’m getting the vibe that you’re not keen on the Micra, so maybe have a look at the likes of the VW Golf 1.0 TSI, Honda Civic 1.0 Turbo, or wait for a little while for the all-new Ford Focus or Toyota Auris to arrive.
Diesel Mégane, Focus or Citroen C4?
I have €9,000 to spend on a used car. What's the best out of these three diesels to buy? A Renault Mégane, Ford Focus or Citroen C4. Some Méganes seem to be six-speed so which would be more economical and reliable?
Tommy Fallon (Leinster)Jan 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Tommy,
First up, gearboxes: a six-speed gearbox in a given car usually means it is officially more economical than it would be if it had a five-speed gearbox, but that really will depend on the type of roads it's driven on and the driver's own style. It's not correct to say that a six-speed Renault, for example, is automatically more economical than a five-speed Ford though, as there are many more factors to consider. Best to look at the official combined consumption figures as a gauge - even though they're not usually achievable in the real world they are a good measure of one car against another.
A quick search on Carzone.ie reveals that your budget may get you into a 2009 Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi. There are plenty of different trim levels and 90- or 110hp derivatives available so take a close look at the specifications, history and mileage. Most of those are now in Band A4 with emissions of less than 120g/km and fuel consumption as low as 4.3 litres/100km (65.7mpg).
In terms of Golfs, it looks like you'd be lucky to get a 2008 version (the old one) for that same money, which means it'd have to be a 1.9- or 2.0-litre TDI engine. These cost more to tax (especially if you go pre-2008) and are a little less econonomical than the Focus above.
There don't seem to be many Renault Méganes fitting your description and budget, though a look elsewhere reveals that you may find a 2010 version at this price powered by the 1.5-litre dCi engine. This came in 86- and 110hp guises. The former is virtually as economical as the Focus and the latter only uses a little more fuel.
Finally, the Citroen C4: in terms of economy, the 2008 1.6 HDi 92hp engine is up there with the Focus etc, though there are more powerful versions available too.
In summary, if fuel economy is your priority then it's probably best to stay away from the older Golf, with its larger engine. The others are all very close and so it comes down to personal preference. We'd go for the Focus, not least because of the much wider choice of examples on the used market.
Come back to us if you need more assistance narrowing your search.
Would you buy the new Golf or a new Focus?
Which of these cars is best new: Volkswagen Golf 1.2 TSI or Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost?
Val O'Connor (Leinster)Jan 2013 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Val,
The answer probably boils down to personal preference and the trim levels being compared. Also, Volkswagen offers the 1.2 TSI in both 85- and 105hp guises, while the Focus 1.0 EcoBoost comes in 100- and 125hp states of tune. Purely in terms of numbers, the 100hp Focus is the most economical, though not by very much, and all four sit in Band A4 for tax.
Personally speaking, the new Golf moves the game on in terms of fit and finish, plus refinement and it's quite well equipped. The Focus still has an edge in terms of driver appeal, but there's not such a wide gap between them to make that a deciding point for most.
Best bet is to go test drive examples of both cars for as long as you can - and in as close a specification to what your budget allows as possible. I'd put my own money into a Golf.