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Hi Noel,

You’ll need to check the turbo dump valve is working (irregular idle speed is the giveaway), listen for rattles that could be the cam belt tensioner and a knocking sound underneath that might be the exhaust working loose. The MINI needs a catalytic converter replacement at 115,000km so make sure that’s been done, and any vibration from the engine (up through the pedals and gear shift) could be a flywheel on the way out. Misfires or rough running usually means a coil pack needs replacing.

Clutches wear out easily, as do the wheel bearings (listen for rumbling noises), and the power steering pump can fail.

As for spec, UK cars are the same as Irish cars in basic spec, but a UK car is likely to have had more optional extras fitted.

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Hi Anthony,

According to the EuroNCAP crash test experts, the three best-performing cars tested in 2016 were the Toyota Prius, Hyundai Ioniq and Volkswagen Tiguan. That said, the NCAP crash test is a laboratory test, and its parameters can be designed in to a car's structure. Only two car makers still have teams that investigate real-world accidents involving their cars and they are Volvo and Mercedes-Benz. Generally speaking, if I'm thinking of safety above all else, those are the two brands I'd look at. 

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Hi Martin,

Well, we can't speak for Volkswagen or its IT department, but we have seen the prices (hence how we were able to include them in our review of the new Volkswagen Golf) and they're pretty much the same as before, with slightly better equipment as standard all round, which is actually much the same as UK spec. Any delay in getting the new details on the website are likely down to a delay in finalising the options pack prices and, let's face it, trying to make sure that the last few remaining examples of the outgoing model get sold. 

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Hi Brendan,

No, Volkswagen didn't stop making the 1.4 Tiguan in 2008, but it was dropped from the Irish price list then as we all went diesel-crazy after the tax change. The car was always available to order, and it's possible that the car you're looking at is a UK import. 

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Hi Darren,

It depends on the seat you’re using. Some seats need a separate ISOFIX base to attach to the latching points, especially the very first seats that newborns can go into.

That said, it could be the car — there seems to be some difficulty with that generation of A6 having been advertised across Europe with ISOFIX, but not having it fitted as standard in all markets. If the car was advertised with ISOFIX and you bought it on that basis, bring it back to the dealer and demand a retro-fit. If not, make a note of the car’s VIN number (it should be visible through the base of the windscreen) and call your nearest Audi dealer and ask them if they can help.

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Hi Gerry,

The new-look Skoda Octavia is now in Irish showrooms.

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Hi William,

There doesn't seem to be a history of consistent problems with the F10 5 Series rear suspension. The only recurrent problems that we have noted are leaking damper issues. A broken spring can just be 'one of those things' and given the state of many Irish roads, perhaps it's not too much of a surprise. 

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Hi Colin,

The 2.0D X-Trail will be coming to Ireland, but it's not on sale until next November. By then I would expect that we would see an extensive facelift along the lines of what's on sale in Australia. 

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Hi Martin,

Dealer seal isn't really worth it in my opinion because for most of the year Irish roads aren't gritted and salted. I know they are this week, but a regular trip to the car wash will do just as good a job as 'dealer seal.' Protect coating is pretty similar. You'd be better off just keeping the car in good condition and taking care of stone chips etc as and when they occur. Step back protection is like any form of payment protection insurance - it has its uses, but buy carefully and make sure you study the small print with great care. 

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Hi Brian,

There is a way of doing this, but it requires some very careful timing. Once you import a vehicle, you have seven days from its arrival on these shores to notify Revenue that it’s in the country and also to book the NCT inspection to get the final bill for Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT).

So that gives you a little wiggle room. Ideally, you would be best advised to find a company in the UK who can carry out the conversion and re-register the vehicle with the DVLA in Swansea, before importing it. If that’s not possible, then what you need to do is to make sure you have an Irish conversion company set up and ready to go who can carry out the conversion when the car arrives here, before it goes for its inspection. It’s ever so slightly legally dubious (letter of the law rather than spirit), but if you can keep the timings sharp, it could work.