Expert answer

Hi there,

I'd say a ballpark trade-in figure of €6-7,000. Funny thing - Vauxhalls tend to be worth slightly less than their identical Opel cousins in Ireland. Nothing anti-British about it; it seems to be that Opel's Germanic image lifts it a rung or two higher in our estimation.

Expert answer

Hi Alan,

Electric Ireland charges a standard 19.28 cent per kWh as of Jan 20th 2014, according to moneyguideireland.ie. Other suppliers charge more or less the same although there can be a variation of up to 3c per kWh. 

In terms of what is charged to charge an electric car, the energy companies make no distinction. The plug points are downstream of your electricity meter so it's counted as the same juice that goes into your fridge, dishwasher or vacuum cleaner.

The total amount of tax charged on your kWh amounts to about 11 per cent, including both VAT and Carbon Tax, according to Sustainable Energy Ireland. 

So, why is this so much lower in tax terms than the 50-odd per cent levied by various charges on pump fuel? Simple: expediency. On the one hand, the Government must be seen to be encouraging the use and development of electric motoring. On the other, there is currently no simple and reliable way to distinguish between electricity being pumped into your car's batteries and what's being used to light, heat and wash.

That said, you can sadly and safely expect that to change, rapidly, if electric car sales ever take off in a big way. The Government has been very careful and canny about making sure that improving vehicle economy hasn't eroded it's annual €1 billion+ tax take from petrol and diesel sales, so if battery cars start eating significantly into that, expect some form of battery levy or electron tax to be enabled tout suite.

Expert answer

Hi there,

Opel Ireland doesn't have an exact date, but can confirm that it'll be here by the end of the summer.

Are you in the market?

Expert answer

Hi Simon,

We asked Volkswagen Ireland directly. No Golf Rs sold in 2012 or 2013. Interesting change of fortunes for the GTI vs. the GTD though. In 2012, 51 GTDs and 13 GTIs, but in 2013 there were only 15 GTDs and a considerable 38 GTIs.

Hope that's of interest

Expert answer

Hi there,

It is indeed a chain-driven engine so maintenance and reliability should be pretty good. SsangYongs tend to be reliable overall, but it's rather hard for us to get a good handle on their quality levels as there aren't that many on the road in Ireland. Experience in other countries where the brand is a stronger seller (Australia and New Zealand for instance) seems to show that they're pretty solid.

Expert answer

Hi Louie,

It depends which Stream you mean. If you mean the Stream sold here in Ireland between 2001 and 2005, then you’re looking at €544 a year. If it’s a more recent Japanese import model then you’ll have to get the CO₂ figure for the specific model that you’re looking at, but as far as I am aware they hover around the 150g/km of CO₂ mark, so will cost €390 a year to tax.

Expert answer

Hi George,

The Aston DBS is no longer in production so you'll be looking for used examples if it still interests you. Aston Martin does not have an official sales outlet in the Republic of Ireland, but Charles Hurst in Belfast does have a dedicated Aston Martin showroom. That's probably a good place to start when it comes to finding a used Aston, too.

Expert answer

Hi Bill, glad we're of assistance - spread the word!

In answer to your question, it's something of a yes and no. Yes, you could potentially find a cheaper 5 Series by shopping somewhere other than a franchised BMW dealer, but why then try and buy a warranty from BMW? Part of BMW's second hand car warranty package is a full inspection of the vehicle and a check of all major components. Assuming that they would warranty your car unseen, there would almost certainly be a loading on the premium to reflect the fact that they are effectively insuring an unknown car against failure.

So, I would suggest one of two things - either stick with the full franchised BMW second hand package (which is actually pretty keenly priced once you factor everything in) or buy elsewhere and go to a third party for the warranty insurance. Mapfre is pretty much the only game in town in Ireland for aftermarket warranties at the moment, and it has a simple online application form so you can work out the cost of the warranty before you buy the car. Here's the company's website.

Expert answer

Hi Eileen,

First up, we believe you mean rear-wheel drive cars. All BMWs (up to a new one launching later this year anyway) send their power to the rear or all wheels, and most Mercedes-Benz models do as well (though that's slowly changing). So, what's the 'problem' with rear-wheel drive? The stories you are referring to probably started off when we had those particularly long icy winters a few years ago. Many drivers of rear-drive cars found themselves stranded when others sailed past. This is down to lack of traction.

In a front-engined, rear-drive car there is very little weight over the driven wheels so in very slippery conditions it can struggle to put its power down. Most normal cars (i.e. not executive or sporty) are front-engined and front-wheel drive, where the weight of the engine over the wheels helps in low-grip conditions. Saying all that, sales of BMWs and Mercs etc. with rear-wheel drive are very high in countries that consistently have much worse weather than us, but the difference is that they habitually change over to winter tyres for a fixed portion of the year. These have a massive effect.

Back in Ireland, BMWs and Mercs are bought in relatively large numbers due to their status and image, yet they're not as expensive as they used to be. Most of the time here the lack of rear traction is not an issue, though some drivers don't like the feel of a rear-drive car in wet conditions. They're no less safe though, especially the latest models with all their driver aids.

Personally, I prefer rear-wheel drive, but I'd advise all buyers to try a range of cars to see what they like.

Hope that helps you understand those stories a little!

Expert answer

Hi Nessa,

Yes it is. In fact, in the latest generation RAV4, it doesn't appear possible to get a front-wheel drive only petrol RAV4. The 2.0-litre petrol 'Valvematic' model with AWD (all-wheel drive) starts at €33,830. Full details on Toyota's own website.

Hope that helps