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Hi Catherine,

Right, we've been on to MINI HQ about this, and here's the reply we've received:

"In order to review this query MINI Ireland would require the vehicle to be diagnosed by a MINI Retailer to confirm the exact cause of failure. Once the vehicle has been diagnosed the MINI Retailer can then apply for goodwill to be considered towards the repairs. The owner/driver would be required to have the vehicle recovered to a MINI Retailer for diagnosis at their own cost."

Hope that helps a bit?

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Hi Niall,

It already kinda does - the 1.0 TFSI is a turbocharged version of the 1.0-litre naturally aspirated engine found in the up!. As for the likelihood of the up! getting the turbo version, don't hold your breath. We're still waiting for the sporty up! GT and there's little market interest in Ireland for a small hot hatch no matter how much a small band of enthusiasts might fervently wish for it. There is an update and facelift due but Volkswagen hasn't announced an ETA for it yet.

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Hi Neil,

Lexus Ireland has not yet released pricing or specifications, but it shouldn't be long. Have you seen our news story here on the new RX 450h?

For your information, we drive the new RX at the international launch in early December, just before it arrives in Ireland in time for the '161' plate in January 2016.

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Hi Chris,

We put that question to Peugeot Ireland and the answer is simply no. It is not economically viable to make that change as the cost of the new parts and the work involved would be huge.

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Hi Martin,

There are a few, actually. Volvo sells the V60 D5 Twin Engine here in Ireland, which is a plug-in diesel-electric hybrid, while Citroen sells the DS 5 Airdream Hybrid4 200. Peugeot used to sell the 3008 HYbrid4 too, but it doesn't appear to be on the price list now, while Mercedes-Benz has had diesel-electric hybrid tech for a few years.

In fairness, we don't expect them to get any more plentiful or popular. Hybrid technology is expensive to produce and diesel technology is more expensive than petrol, so putting two expensive sets of components together inevitably means a high purchase price, even if the emissions are low and the VRT is kept in check.

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Hi Brian,

To be fair to Volkswagen, there's not a lot it can do. The problem is that car thieves are becoming far more sophisticated and are using some very clever boxes of electronic tricks that can break down a car's security systems in minutes, and make it think that the proper key and immobiliser is being used. There's not a lot can be done about it at the moment and in fact police both here and the UK are now advising drivers (not just drivers of Golfs, but of any car) to start using the old-fashioned crime prevention techniques - steering wheel and gearshift locks and driveway posts.

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Hi Martin,

There's no imminent update for the Kuga - it was only launched in 2013, so you can probably expect to see a mild mid-life refresh by mid-2016 or thereabouts. The Edge is due to arrive in Europe by the end of the year, but will realistically be an early 2016 car for the Irish market.

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Hi Shaun,

I double-checked with Volkswagen Ireland just now and it confirmed that it is not planning on offering it for sale here at all, as demand for petrol-fuelled Golfs is very low.

Shame.

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Hi John,

If you're buying an Irish car then you'll be very limited in terms of choice. The vast majority of 2010 Ford Focus on the roads in Ireland are powered by the 1.6-litre TDCi diesel engine, in either 90- or 110hp states of tune). It's not a bad engine with a great performance-to-economy ratio and low road tax. Be aware though, like many engines of this type, it's only really suited to average annual mileage of 20,000km and above - or the majority of its time on a fast-flowing road/motorway. The reason is that its diesel particulate filter (DPF) can clog up and it can be expensive to remedy. There are other components in the engine itself that also gum up if the car is used predominantly for low-speed driving.

Other engines in the 2010 Focus are the 1.8 TDCi diesel and, for low-mileage drivers, the 1.4- and 1.6-litre petrol units. All of these are much rarer. The 1.8 isn't quite as susceptible as the 1.6 diesel to issues, but it's less economical. If you're sure that diesel suits your needs then seek out a 1.6.

Hope that helps

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Hi Padraigh,

I'd say in and around €4,000.