How much can the Hyundai i30 estate tow?
I am buying a Hyundai i30 estate and would like to know how good it is as a towcar and its maximum towing limit.
Thanks
GORDON KENDRICK (LIMERICK)Sep 2015 Filed under: towing
Expert answer
Hi Gordon,
If you're looking at the current model, then your towing weights are 650kg unbraked and 1,500kg braked.
Does a 2010 Hyundai i30 estate have a timing belt?
Does a 2010 Hyundai i30 estate have a timing belt or a chain?
Eidin Clery (000)Jul 2015 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Eidin,
Our information shows us that the only post-2007 Hyundai i30 engine with a timing belt is the 2.0-litre CRDi diesel. All others should have a chain.
What five-door diesel hatch will be troublefree?
Hi,
I am think of buy a 2010 five-door diesel car; tax and mpg don't bother me; I just what something that will do 35,000km per year for the next three to five years without engine trouble.
John Scanlon (000)Jul 2015 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi John,
If it's a lack of trouble you're looking for, you need to be buying Japanese or Korean. So have a look at a Toyota Auris, Honda Civic, Hyundai i30, Kia cee'd or Nissan Pulsar. All of those should do annual mega-miles without trouble or complaint.
Will a Hyundai i40 cost more to run than my Golf?
Hi, I'm thinking of changing my car. It's a 2008 Volkswagen Golf 1.4 petrol and I'm thinking of buying a Hyundai i40 1.7 diesel. As this is a bigger car does that mean it would cost more to run on fuel than my own car?
Irene Odonovan (Kerry)Jul 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Irene,
Engine size means less than it used to, especially when comparing a petrol engine to a diesel one. That Hyundai will be more economical and cheaper to tax than the 1.4 petrol Golf from 2008. Saying that, if most of your driving is in town there won't be a big advantage for the diesel, but it should still use less fuel overall.
A larger car such as the i40 is likely to be a bit heavier on things like tyres, but it's newer than your Golf so shouldn't need tyres for a while.
Hope that all helps
Does the Hyundai ix35 have a timing belt?
Is there a timing belt or chain on the 2011 Hyundai ix35 1.7 CRDi?
Tom Harrison (Kildare)Jul 2015 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Tom,
The Hyundai ix35 uses a timing chain.
What is the market value of a 2012 Hyundai ix20?
What is the market value of a 2012 Hyundai ix20 auto?
Pat Hanley (Monaghan)Jul 2015 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Pat,
In and around the €9,000 mark I would think.
Do I need an SUV for towing my horsebox on the motorway?
Hi, what SUV would you recommend for pulling a horsebox and also motorway driving? I do about 500 to 600km a week going up and down to Dublin a couple of times a week from the midlands so I need an SUV that is economical on diesel but also able to handle a horsebox.
Many thanks
Louise Fox (Monaghan)Jul 2015 Filed under: towing
Expert answer
Hi Louise,
You don't necessarily need a 4x4 for that - a mid size estate car would do the job just as well. So, have a look at the following and see what you'd like: Mazda6 2.2d, Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi, Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI.
Or, if you really have to have a 4x4, check out the Hyundai Santa Fe, Audi Q5 or Nissan X-Trail.
Relevant reviews:
Can you recommend a car for €10,000 for me?
My 2001 Hyundai Accent has failed the NCT so I need to buy a new car. I'm a mum of two and my husband drives a 2003 Toyota Verso. I have a budget of €10,000. Can you recommend a car to me?
Sharon Drummond (Galway)Jun 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Sharon,
€10,000 buys you an awful lot on the second hand market, but I'm assuming you want to stay within roughly the same size band as the Accent. So, your best bets are to go for a two-to three-year old small hatchback - think Toyota Yaris, Kia Rio, Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20 or Volkswagen Polo. The Kia or Hyundai are probably the best bets as they'll both have factory warranties left to run.
Relevant reviews:
What is my Hyundai Tucson worth?
What is my car worth retail or trade in? It's a 2008 Hyundai Tucson 2WD deluxe 2.0-litre diesel with 118k kilometres on the clock, two owners, NCT June 2016 and leather upholstery.
Vivienne O'sullivan (Dublin)Jun 2015 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Vivienne,
If you sold it yourself (and as ever, this is hugely dependent upon condition and history) you should get around €7,000 to €7,500 for it. As a trade-in, somewhere around the €6,500 mark.
Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson or Nissan X-Trail?
2005 - 2007 Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson or Nissan X-Trail - low mileage use as a second car. Which would you recommend? Any issues to look out for with these?
Many thanks, Ben from Limerick
Ben McMahon (Limerick)May 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Ben,
OK, first off, if it's a second car for short journeys and low mileages, go and track down a petrol model. That shouldn't be too hard if you're looking pre-2008, and it will save you from getting diesel particulate filter problems later.
Of the three, the Tuscon would probably be the most painless to own - it has a great reliability record and the 2.0-litre petrol version is decently frugal. Worth looking at a Kia Sportage of the same vintage too - it's mechanically identical and, to our eyes, slightly better looking.
I'd avoid the RAV4. That generation of RAV was very short on refinement and they tend to need clutch and flywheel replacements as the miles build up. Not a patch on the current, much more sophisticated RAV4.
The X-Trail is well worth a look too. You might struggle to track down the rare 2.0-litre petrol version, but it's worth doing so - it's more reliable than the diesel version and, as long as you go for the second-generation X-Trail, introduced in 2007, you're getting a massively spacious car that's surprisingly good to drive. Be picky though - it has to be that second-gen model, as the first X-Trail was a bit underwhelming. If you can't find a nice one, revert to the Tucson or Sportage.