Can you help me select my next car?
Hi there guys.
Can you help me with selecting my next car? Currently have a 161 BMW 420d Gran Coupe with 50k km on the clock (GB import bought from a main dealer in Dublin). Do 10k km per annum. City center living, on street parking. Very happy with the car - love the drive experience but now it’s a bit small in the back for toddler passenger and all our baggage etc. Looking to change in next couple of months, with a hybrid in mind.
Disappointing range of options though for any of the estate/MPV cars I fancy, e.g. BMW Touring or Volvo XC60. Looks are important but driving experience and space are key. As is easy parking into tight spaces! Did drive a Skoda Superb wagon recently and loved all the gadgets, but felt the ride was spongey. Budget is €45k including trade in/private sale. Open to going the import route again as choice and range much better for hybrids.
Any insight would be really appreciated.
Thanks.
Daragh O’Reilly (Dublin)Sep 2020 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Daragh,
OK, with on-street parking, I’d recommend you steer well and truly clear of a plug-in hybrid for now. I’m in the same position and with the dearth of public chargers, it’s a real nightmare to get a charge into them and use them at their most efficient. Unless you feel happy using local public chargers, of course, but if you’re going to do that I’d make sure to do the literal legwork, and see how far they are from your home as you may sometimes have to leave the car charging and walk home. Not the most convenient.
If you’re looking at a hybrid, of course, that turns us instantly in the direction of Toyota. The Camry is a truly excellent car, but it’s a bit of a mobile sofa. If you thought that the Superb’s ride was a bit too soft, then I don’t think you’d be a candidate for a Camry. Possibly a Lexus, then? An ES 300h is basically a Camry in a smarter suit, but again it’s not the sharpest car to drive. An NX 300h SUV might be a good balance — roomy enough to be toddler-friendly, reasonably sharp to drive and a hybrid without a plug. The Toyota RAV4 is another good (even excellent) option, but again would perhaps be a bit too soggy at the controls for your taste.
There is a hybrid (as opposed to plug-in hybrid) Hyundai Tucson on the way soon, and we mean the incoming new version, which gets much more dramatic styling than that of the current car, and which will have suspension and steering fettled, in part, by Hyundai’s N-Sport division. Could be worth hanging on for that if you like the look of it.
Will servicing elsewhere affect my warranty?
Will my warranty be affected by not using a main dealer to service my car bought second hand from a small dealer? The car is a 182-reg Hyundai i10.
John Connors (Thurles)Sep 2020 Filed under: warranty
Expert answer
Hi John,
It may well be. Generally speaking, when it comes to longer warranties such as those offered by Hyundai and Kia, for example, they stipulate that the warranty continues to be valid only if the car is serviced at a main dealer. Hyundai Ireland tells us "Please note that only cars sourced through Hyundai Cars Ireland Ltd. and purchased through a Hyundai Authorised Dealer qualify for the five-year triple care package." It would be worth having a word with your nearest Hyundai dealer before you take the plunge, perhaps?
Can I fit a child seat in the third row?
Hi,
We have a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. We are unable to install the three car seats we have in the middle row so are wondering if it is safe to install a convertible forward facing child car seat in the third row using the seatbelt? I know it might not be illegal but is it safe?
Thanks
Martin Healy (Dublin)Aug 2020 Filed under: child or baby seats
Expert answer
Hi Martin,
It will be safe in terms of the seatbelt mounting etc. The only thing to consider is that there is less room between the back of the car and the child in the case of a rear-end crash, but that's the case for nearly all seven-seat cars in fairness.
Three child seats into a Hyundai Tucson?
Hi,
Just wondering is it possible to fit three car seats in a Hyundai Tucson and if so what make car seats please?
Thank you
Laura Sinnott (Waterford )Jul 2020 Filed under: child or baby seats
Expert answer
Hi Laura,
It'll be difficult to get three child car seats into the back of a Tucson I'm afraid, as the rear seat just isn't wide enough. There may be particularly slim child seats out there that make it possible, but even so, our experience is that it's not an ideal set-up. Recommending specific child seats is outside our remit I'm afraid, as we don't habitually test various models of seat.
Will a Hyundai warranty cover my UK import?
Hi,
I have a UK-imported Hyundai i30 with the wheel bearings gone; does the warranty cover this?
Mark Mc Keever (Dublin)Jul 2020 Filed under: warranty
Expert answer
Hi Mark,
It's best that you talk to a Hyundai dealer about this, but we believe that a wheel bearing may not be covered unless the car is very new.
Looking for a small SUV for my business...
Hi there,
I was thinking of buying a commercial vehicle for work. I am a physiotherapist and do a lot of work outside my clinic premises (football games, home visits, nursing home etc). Are there any commercial vehicles that I could consider? I am not sure I want a pickup, but more a commercial SUV type.
Thanks in advance
Ruth Allen (Dublin)Jul 2020 Filed under: commercial vehicle
Expert answer
Hi Ruth,
There are lots of good choices for commercial SUVs. If you wanted something really swish, you could go for a Land Rover Discovery Commercial, but it’s a bit pricey. Smaller and more affordable is the Nissan Qashqai van, which is also pretty decent to drive. There’s also the Hyundai Kona Commercial, or if you’re feeling really futuristic, the Kona Commercial Electric. But actually, to be honest, your best bet might be to just buy a compact crossover, most of which are already pretty affordable, spacious (if you fold the back seats down) and which mostly have lower annual motor tax than the flat-rate €333 commercial van tax anyway. We’d suggest starting your shopping list with either the new Ford Puma or, if you’re really looking for bargains, the Dacia Duster. Some of our reviews to help you choose:
Does my Hyundai i40 have a timing belt?
Recently purchased a 2012 Hyundai i40 CRDi 136 and trying to find out when the timing belt has to be changed. According to a main dealer the car only ever came with a chain. Any information would be great.
Craig Daisley (Coatbridge)Jun 2020 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Craig,
The main dealer was telling the truth: the 1.7-litre CRDi engine uses a timing chain, not a belt.
How much to pay for 2018 Hyundai i10?
Hyundai i10 2018, 30,000 miles: what’s a fair price to pay?
Kathleen Dermody (Galway)Jun 2020 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Kathleen,
Mid-market values for a 2018 Hyundia i10 seem to be holding up surprisingly well — in the €10,000-11,000 range. The cheapest go for around €9,000, but they seem to be ex-rental cars. It will depend on service history and condition, of course.
Looking for used electric or hybrid SUV...
Hi,
I am in the market for second hand car and would like to buy a small hybrid or electric SUV; what would you suggest? I am very confused as there are so many different cars out there now. I have been looking at the CH-R and Kona Electric, but think they are overpriced. Do you think now is a good time to buy or should I wait?
Catherine, Dublin
CATHERINE OCONNOR (DALKEY)Jun 2020 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Catherine,
Now is a good time to buy a hybrid, that’s for certain, but given that the Toyota C-HR and Hyundai Kona are among the very few hybrid crossovers currently on sale, you may struggle a little to find choice beyond those two models. It could be well worth looking at a Toyota Corolla or Auris hatchback or estate instead — they’re more practical, in any case, and there’s very little actual difference in height. Alternatively, there’s the Kia Niro hybrid, which was on sale from 2017. Prices for early Niros are now down to around €20,000, and they’ll still be under warranty until 2024.
What to replace by Octavia RS TDI with?
Hi, I'm doing approx. 30,000km per year. I have a 2016 Octavia RS 2.0-litre TDI 184hp at the moment and am going to change over the next few months - pandemic allowing etc! What would you recommend? Are hybrids worth looking at for example?
Mark McNally (Galway)May 2020 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Mark,
If you’re prepared to wait a bit, there is an all-new Octavia RS coming, which will be available as a plug-in hybrid with 245hp. Now, it will depend on how you rack up those 30,000km as to whether a plug-in hybrid would suit you — if it’s all motorway miles then probably not, but if you do a lot of short-hauls around town, and can charge at home, then it could be ideal.
There’s also the diesel version of the new Ford Focus ST to consider, the new Golf GTI and SEAT Leon Cupra (all sharing their bits and pieces with the Octavia, of course), or what about a Hyundai i30 N — one of our favourite hot hatches? A few reviews to help you decide: