Expert answer

Hi Rose,

I would expect it to be prohibitively expensive to open up the gearbox and replace parts of it, and I certainly would be worried about what else is going to go wrong in it. If you're intent on keeping the car, perhaps talk to your mechanic about replacing the gearbox instead of taking it apart. There is some risk in buying a second-hand gearbox, so ask about sourcing a reconditioned one with a warranty instead.

And yes, it always makes sense to replace a clutch if the gearbox is off in any case. Same for the dual-mass flywheel.

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Hi Mary,

A diesel would probably continue to give you the best economy given your usage, but we'd worry about long-term maintenance for sure as modern diesels have expensive components that can get gummed or clogged up.

If you're willing to make that compromise, then you could do a lot worse than a 2018 Honda Civic 1.6 diesel. Lovely car. It also came with a 1.0-litre petrol engine, but it has known 'wet belt' issues so we would not recommend it.  

You could afford a 2019 Hyundai i30 with either a 1.6-litre diesel or a 1.0-litre petrol engine and that's a very good bet in terms of reliability. Same for the related Kia Ceed, though they're rarer.

Even less common is the Mazda3 of the same year. It's a lovely looking car, of great quality and though it comes with a 2.0-litre petrol engine, it's an efficient and reliable option.

If you liked your Peugeot, you could move up six or seven years to a newer 308, though best to stick with diesel if you are doing that as the 1.2 'Puretech' petrol engine can have wet belt issues like the Honda.

One of the last of the Renault Megane hatchbacks is another good option, available with petrol or diesel power depending on your preference.

The SEAT Leon is possibly our favourite find for you at this price point with good petrol and diesel engine options and great comfort. You can't ignore the Skoda Octavia for the same reasons, and it's even bigger.

Lots to think about there so come back to us and let us know if we're on the right track. We've only selected mid-sized hatchbacks, while there would be plenty of crossovers and small SUVs in budget as well.

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Hi Wendy,

I'm afraid the Inster is not rated for towing at all.

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Hi Norma,

If you're selling it privately, and the mileage isn't too high for the year, then I'd suggest in the region of €6,000. Obviously you won't get that on trading in though.

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Hi Haris,

It will be difficult to find a car that will fit two large rear-facing child seats and a booster in a single row without going for much larger vehicles. The alternative is an SUV with a third row, but that comes with compromises as well.

Anyway, searching within your budget, there are options. Large SUVs such as the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 would fit you all in, but at €25,000 you'd be buying relatively old ones with high mileage and likely high maintenance costs. Same for the BMW X5.

The Hyundai Santa Fe would be a better bet, as would the Kia Sorento or indeed the Nissan X-Trail. All of these are large SUVs and well-priced, reliable and decently equipped.

Finally, and I think this might be the best option, there's the Peugeot 5008. It has three separate seats in the middle row, so should fit all the kids in and you can fold away the rearmost seats to maximise boot space. There are petrol and diesel variants within budget with far lower mileage than the premium-badge options mentioned above.

You've not told us about any other preferences in terms of fuel, size of vehicle or anything, so come back to us if you want us to help narrow down the search further.

No matter what you decide, make sure you bring the child seats with you on any test drive and ensure they fit in properly.

Expert answer

Hi Rachel,

We'd certainly recommend the Tucson over the Kona. It's a larger, but crucially, more comfortable and refined vehicle. What's more, there are loads of them available in the classifieds within your budget - though we'd suggest seeking out one with the newer 1.6-litre diesel engine as it's a bit quieter and more efficient than the 1.7-litre.

What you might not know is that the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson share the same mechanicals, so it's worth taking a look at examples of both so you can choose which you prefer.

Note that most of these vehicles are front-wheel drive only, which is perfectly fine for driving on the road most of the time. Don't buy a four-wheel-drive one unless you reckon you need the extra traction and ability during winter months on slippery surfaces, as they are not as economical.

Both Kia and Hyundai have a great reputation for reliability, though the Kias were sold with a longer new-car warranty so there may even be a portion of that still active, depending on how old a car you go for and its mileage. Ask the seller about that.

Our top tip to buyers of used cars is to test drive several different examples from different sellers so you get a feel not only for which you prefer, but also for how good – or not – a given car is.

Expert answer

Hi Alan,

The Inster is very comfortable and quiet, even at motorway speeds. It would have no difficulty with doing the journey regularly. 

As ever, we encourage buyers to go and test drive a car they're interested in before committing to it.

Expert answer

Hi Catherine,

No. No Hyundai engines use so-called wet belts running in oil. 

The 1.6-litre CRDi diesel of 2019 has a dry timing belt, while the 2.0-litre diesel of the same year has a timing chain instead.

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Hi Seamus,

I'm afraid we don't have experience with different scissor jacks or buying aftermarket spare wheels. Just make sure you buy a good-quality jack with a sufficient weight rating. Your Hyundai weighs about 2,000kg for reference and, while you obviously don't lift the whole car on a jack, you should always apply a safety factor.

There are plenty of options on MicksGarage and Halfords Ireland.

Finding a suitable space-saver spare wheel may not be so straightforward, again because of the car's weight. There are people offering such things for sale online, but we can't vouch for any of them. Perhaps pop into your nearest Hyundai dealer and talk it through with them in case they have a solution.

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Hi Brendan,

It certainly sounds like electric power would suit you, though if you decide against, the Skoda Octavia is an excellent car.

I'm assuming the cars listed mean a budget of nearly €40,000. There are better options out there than the ID.4. You could get a nearly new Cupra Tavascan, for example, or the smaller Cupra Born if you want to keep the price down or stay away from SUVs altogether.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is an excellent car as well, as is the Ioniq 6, though the latter's styling is not to all tastes. The Kia EV6 is along the same lines and it's more a crossover than an SUV.

You could also afford brand-new examples of the Peugeot E-308 and MG4, both conventional five-door hatchbacks.

Come back to me with your thoughts on all these and we can discuss it further.