Expert answer

Hi there,

There's no black and white answer to that one I'm afraid. It takes a little research and some experience of the industry. Even so, it's never a factual figure, as different buyers or dealers will offer you different amounts for your car.

Have a good look through Carzone.ie and other car classifieds sites for cars that closely match yours in terms of specification, model year and mileage and make a note of average prices. Bear in mind that the prices advertised (especially those from the trade) are not what you'll receive for your car, so knock a few grand off for relatively new (up to five years old or so) models. Take that figure from your original purchase price to work out the depreciation.

It's an inexact science, but this method should give you a good gauge anyway.

Expert answer

Hi Donal,

The specification will help, but when you are trading it dealers tend not to pay too much attention to extras on the car, but in this case the climate control and double sunroof are a decent selling point. If you were to trade it in against a new car I would expect you to be offered around €9,000 for it and you could ask perhaps €10,500 if you were to advertise it privately, obviously to take less. 

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Hi David, 

There is very little to choose between these two, as you have already alluded to, but for me the Peugeot would be the better buy because the interior feels better quality and it is likely to hold its value a fraction better on past evidence. You might get a better price on the C4 though, so don't rule it out. Try them both out for size, but I think the Peugeot should get the nod. 

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Hi Mary,

You have sure left it late! There really is only a matter of days left on the scrappage scheme so make sure that you fit all the criteria and that you can get your car scrapped in time.

You can read our article on this here.

Anyway, since you have little time and you need a decent car that is cheap, economical and spacious I would say that a good buy would be the Renault Grand Mégane. You are likely to find one in stock and it is superb value. We reviewed the car recently here. It is a super car for the money. There is more available from the Renault website and if you are after space then this would fit the bill.

Anyway, you don't have a lot of time, so hurry!

Expert answer

Hello Ailis,

Well for a start you have forgotten about the new Mazda5, which could be right up your street and it comes in €2,000 less than the Ford C-Max . It is a really impressive car and has a 1.6-litre diesel engine, which is frugal and puts it into Motor Tax Band B. It isn't quite as engaging as the C-Max to drive but it is well equipped and feels like a very high quality product. Here it is:

€24,995 will get you the entry-point into the Mazda5 and we think it is a really good car and would seem to suit your needs. 

While it doesn't have sliding doors, you simply must try the Peugeot 5008 because it is so good. Click on the link to read our full review. That would make a great buy.

With regards to the Ford Grand C-Max you need €26,995 to get into the 1.6-litre Activ model. 

Out of all of these, Ailis, I think you should really consider the Mazda5.

Hope that helps!

Expert answer

Hi Andres,

In terms of the amount of metal that you get for your money then it is really hard to look beyond the Peugeot 5008 because it is a massive car and really nice to put together. It is much bigger than the two other models that you mentioned. However the Grand C-Max is simply the best to drive in its class and if you don't need your MPV to be massive then this could be the way to go. The Verso is good too, but doesn't really have the class of either the Ford or the Peugeot. Twins can take lots of stuff with them I imagine, so you might want the bigger vehicle, but for me right now, I'd pick the C-Max. 

Expert answer

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.

Expert answer

Hi Irene,

We're a little surprised that those two cars are being compared, as the Avensis Tourer is quite a bit more expensive than the Grand Mégane. To buy new anyway.

Because of the price gap it should be no surprise that the Avensis is a better car. It feels of higher quality and has a great reputation for reliability.

Still, don't dismiss the Mégane just yet. Although the Renault is technically a smaller class of car, the Grand Mégane is huge inside and the boot is not a lot smaller than the Toyota's (491 litres vs. 543).

The Renault is crammed with equipment as standard too, especially if you opt for the new 'Irish Edition'. It's also cheaper to run than the Toyota and there are Band A versions of the Mégane available so annual road tax could be cheaper.

In summary, if your decision is based on value, running costs and price then the Renault wins, but if those are not your priorities then the Avensis is a better car.

If you need more information please do come back to us.

Expert answer

Hi Jane,

First things first. The petrol versus diesel debate. Everyone is very caught up on diesel cars right now and that makes a lot of sense when you are buying new because they have lower road tax, but since small cars tend not to use a lot of fuel, the road tax should be quite low anyway. The mileage you are likely to do might warrant a diesel, but the diesel small cars tend to be a lot more expensive, so in this case I would say that a petrol model would do you fine and still won't cost the earth to run.

The VW Polo is an excellent choice because it is really nicely built and holds its value well too. I did a search for ones with the lowest mileage within your budget from main SIMI dealers (so there is more security and better history checks on the car). A 2007 Volkswagen Polo with just 15,000km on the clock is within your budget and would be a really nice buy. It would be dead cheap to run too. 

This 2008 Ford Fiesta is really nice too; with 11,000km on the clock so it is practically brand new. This is a five-door model so it might be a little more practical. It is at the upper end of your budget but you wouldn't pay the advertised price. 

One I would love you to consider though is the Suzuki Swift. It is a smashing little car. It is really reliable, cute, nicely built and fun to drive. It's a 2008 model with low mileage for less than €9,000. 

I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the Renault Clio (it was my wife's first car and it was great) and you could find another one with ridiculously low mileage for less than €9,000 too. Here is one I liked the look of.

You wouldn't really go wrong with any of these. Personally, I'd be really tempted by that low-mileage Polo as a long term investment because you will always get a good bit of your money back. 

I hope all that helps

Expert answer

Hi there,

Well the obvious choice would be to go and get the latest Renault Laguna Sports Tourer, which could cost you as little as €23,090 under the scrappage scheme with a 2.0-litre diesel engine. This might be a bit over budget though. 

You are almost certainly going to get the best deal from a Renault dealership. The Grand Mégane is another option, but this only comes with a 1.5-litre diesel or 1.6-litre petrol. I am not sure why you would need it to be over 1.6-litre because the modern smaller engines are really good and the 1.5-litre diesel in the Mégane is really very competent. 

Hope that helps - if you need further advice please drop us a line in the comment box below