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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?

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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

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Hi Andrew,

Whether it's a case of giving us the poor mouth or not I'm not sure but Irish dealers by and large operate on a margin of between 8 and 12 per cent. That can vary wildly between brands, of course. Dacia dealers for instance will probably tell you they work on a margin closer to five per cent, so don't go asking for discounts. Premium brand dealers will obviously have broader margins so there is a little more scope for discounting there. 

The UK market has a number of advantages over us when it comes to seeking out bargains. For a start, there's no VRT to pay, whereas anything from 30 to 50 per cent of every Irish dealer's sale goes straight into the tax man's pocket. Competition in the UK is also much more cut-throat and the big dealers have to compete with the likes of car supermarkets, so they're keener to offer discounts.

If you're looking for bargains at the moment in Ireland, the best thing to do is watch for pre-registrations. To meet their market share targets, many importers are pressuring their dealers to register cars that will then be sold as 'nearly new' or 'demo model' at a significant price cut. The best thing to do is shop at the start of the month, as most pre-registering will be done on the last working day of the previous month and dealers will be keen to off-load pre-registered stock.

Hope all that helps

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Hi Keith,

We asked Audi Ireland and this was the (long!) response:

"Our recommendation is that the timing belt should be checked when the car is either five years old or approaching 120,000km on the clock. Replacement intervals may vary slightly so it is best to consult your local authorised Audi service centre, but generally speaking the above is what we advise.

We operate fixed price service options for vehicles aged 3-10 years so for a 2009 A4, timing belt replacement would cost €449 and this includes complimentary Audi Roadside Assistance including Homestart, a two-year Audi Genuine Parts guarantee, complimentary Audi Clear Screen Pack (1.0-litre screen wash and 0.5-litre de-icer), wash and vac and Audi mobility offer (courtesy car etc.)."

Hopefully that clears things up?