What's the 2013 Ford Kuga like?
whats the new ford kuga like is it value for money
Derek Sheehan (New Ross)Dec 2012 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Derek and thanks for the question about the new Kuga,
Sadly, we won't be driving the new car until January so we can't give you much of an opinion as yet. It's bigger! Ford of Ireland has not released pricing either so we can't comment on how much value it is I'm afraid.
Keep an eye on the site at the end of next month for an update though.
Thanks and have a great Christmas.
Will the new Range Rover be sold as a commercial vehicle?
Hello, can you tell will it be possible to buy a new model Range Rover in commercial format or have one converted in 2013? It will be for business use and would be important to able to claim the VAT on it.
Gerry O Reilly (Dublin)Nov 2012 Filed under: commercial vehicle
Expert answer
Hi Gerard,
We've spoken to Land Rover Ireland and, as we suspected, it has no plans to offer a commercial version of the new Range Rover. The previous model was never built as a commercial vehicle either.
Your only option would be to commission such a conversion, though we suspect that this would not make economic sense.
Sorry to not have better news for you,
Where will I get a replacement for my Mercedes E-Class manual?
I have lost my service book and manual for a 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class (updated model). What's the best way to get a replacement?
Marc Sutton (Dublin)Nov 2012 Filed under: logbook
Expert answer
Hi Marc,
I spoke with Mercedes-Benz Ireland and it suggested talking to the parts department of your local dealer. Price should be in the region of €30.
Let us know how you get on
What should I look for on a 2009 Audi A3?
I am thinking of buying a 2009 Audi A3, which is a UK or NI import with 93,000 miles (about 150,000km) on the clock. Are there any specific questions I should be asking the salesman? When should the timing belt/chain be changed?
Fergus Capper (Dublin)Nov 2012 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Fergus,
You've not told us the type of engine in the car, but for your information only the 1.6-litre petrol and 1.9-litre TDI diesel units have timing belts. The change interval is 75,000 miles (just over 120,000km) so if the car you're looking at has one of those engines then it should have had a timing belt change by now.
Other than that insist on a full service history and regardless of what the dealer says it's worth getting a car history check on Cartell.ie, as it covers UK and Northern Ireland cars in full.
Hope that's of help.
Should an Audi A6 clutch need replacement this soon?
Is it common for a 2010 Audi A6 TDI to require a clutch replacement at 42,000km?
Patrick Hickey (Limerick)Nov 2012 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Patrick,
Clutch wear will depend on the driver and also where the car is being used mostly. Without knowing much about either of those we can't make a full judgement, but our initial reaction is that it seems too soon for a car such as that to need a new clutch.
We'll be in touch with you via email, and Audi Ireland, to come to a more concrete conclusion.
Is the Nissan GT-R on sale here?
Is Nissan Ireland going to sell the GT-R in the South?
FINN BRADY (DUBLIN)Nov 2012 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Finn,
Though the GT-R is not priced on Nissan Ireland's website, we're assured that, if an Irish buyer wants one, Nissan will be happy to help.
If you're having difficulty come back to us and we'll put you in contact with the right person.
Is it possible to retro-fit a reversing camera to my Golf?
Can the rear view reversing camera be retrofitted to a MK6 Volkswagen Golf Edition-R? If so how much would it cost?
Eoin S (Dublin)Nov 2012 Filed under: aftermarket
Expert answer
Hi Eoin,
We spoke to Volkswagen Ireland and unfortunately the aftermarket brochure does not have have that option. It may be possible to find a second-hand item and have a mechanic fit it, but it'd have to be someone very good.
Sorry to not have better news for you.
Any major issues with the Honda Civic Hybrid?
Is the Honda Civic Hybrid a good car?
James Li (Port Louis)Nov 2012 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi James,
We're not fans of the Civic Hybrid in terms of how it drives, but that doesn't mean it's a bad car necessarily. The pool of cars in Ireland is quite small so we've not heard anything negative about them from a reliability perspective, but the American forums seem to be full of owners with issues so perhaps it's best to do some research there to ascertain if the problems are likely to affect Irish cars.
Come back to us if you want more detailed assistance.
Can I get a spare wheel for my Skoda Yeti?
I own a Skoda Yeti Greenline and it has no spare wheel. Where could I get one? I don't like the system supplied with the car.
John Connaughton (Port Louis)Oct 2012 Filed under: tyres
Expert answer
Hi John,
We spoke to Skoda Ireland about this and here's the response:
"This is not a simple fix. All Greenline vehicles come without a spare wheel. If it was a Superb or Octavia it would be straight forward.
The Yeti wheel well in the Greenline differs from other models. The Yeti Greenline has increased boot volume and different carpets and fittings (much deeper boot) as a result of not having the spare wheel. This makes the task of including a spare wheel a very difficult one as it won’t actually fit!
It could technically be altered but it would be costly."
Why do we still have VRT in Ireland?
Why is VRT still on vehicles in Ireland when the EU told Ireland to scrap it due to unfair price competition within the EU?
Eamon Morrissey (Meath)Sep 2012 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Eamon,
Why? Because the government can get away with it, that’s why. The EU has repeatedly told the Irish government that VRT is unfair, but then all the government has to do is wave in the general direction of Denmark, which also charges hefty taxes on cars. Basically speaking, at some point, the patience in Brussels will run out and VRT will have to be scrapped. But don’t get your hopes up — no government can afford to give up a €1 billion annual tax take, so VRT will simply be renamed and repackaged in some other form. It’s never going to go away.