Expert answer

Hi Peter,

As I guess you already know, Shane, Dave, Paul and myself from CompleteCar.ie are all on the APMP voting jury for Car of the Year, so we'll take this point by point if that's OK.

The Audi A3 Saloon was the model specifically being looked at, and while it's certainly at the pricey end of things for many families, more and more family buyers are being tempted in by the attractive repayments and resale figures offered by the German 'Big Three' premium brands. As for cabin and boot space, the A3 sits roughly between, for instance, a Golf and a Passat in this instance, and isn't far off the cabin space of  the current Audi A4. As a father of two, I've had my family out and about in various A3 models and can confirm that they're perfectly acceptably spacious.

It's a similar case for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Size-wise, it's pretty much spot on a rival for the Passat or Mondeo. Perhaps it's a little tighter inside, but not by much, and that's the price paid for a less space-efficient rear-wheel drive platform. Again, while it's at the expensive end of things for a family purchase, there are plenty out there defecting from the more traditional 'mass-market' brands such as Ford, Opel and Toyota to get themselves a slice of the premium action. Once again, it's often down to the tempting finance packages on offer.

As for the Outlander, it is, strictly in size terms, somewhat in-between things. Taking the BMW X5 as an example, it's slightly shorter (200mm) overall, but has a similar wheelbase measurement and it's slightly larger than the next BMW down, the X3. We judged that, given its overall exterior dimensions, its large boot space and the availability of a seven-seat version when specified with the diesel engine, that Large SUV was the best fit. A perfect fit? Perhaps not, but given the continual fracturing of the car market into ever smaller and more narrowly defined niches, it is close to impossible to find a perfect market segment for every car on sale without having an award 'for everyone on the audience'. We put the Outlander PHEV into the Large SUV category because we felt it would compete strongly there. Seeing as it took two awards home on the night (its PHEV drivetrain took the APMP Innovation Award) it looks like we were right.

The categorisation was discussed long and hard by the membership and somebody somewhere will always disagree.

Expert answer

Hi Simon,

Generally speaking all three of these cars are really well built and shouldn't give you any major troubles. The BMW 2.0-litre diesel engine has some well documented and recurring issues with weakness in the turbo, but if you buy one on BMW's approved used programme, you'll get a two-year warranty that should cover you for any issues. The Diesel Particulate Filter issue on the Audi 2.0-litre TDI engine is usually related to drivers doing too low a mileage at too low a speed for the DPF to heat up sufficiently to clean itself - it's a recurring problem on any diesel car bought by someone who fundamentally doesn't understand how diesels work and are best driven.

I'd say of the three, my choice would be the last-gen C-Class. If you're looking at 2013, try and track down one of the last Edition C models - they were loaded with equipment and got an extra AMG body kit and nice wheels too. Superb to drive, cracking 2.1-litre diesel engine (if it touch noisy) and the only drawback is that they're not very spacious in the rear.

Of course, if it's reliability and reliability above all that concerns you, buy a Lexus IS 300h and you won't go wrong...

Expert answer

Hi Simon,

We can’t seem to find any sales record for the M135i, but there have been a whopping five M2 Coupes sold this year. Audi has racked up 27 sales of the S3 since 2013 while Mercedes has four A 45 AMG and three CLA 45 AMG sales to its credit in the same period.

Expert answer

Hi Simon,

These cars are all verrrrrry thin on the ground. Mercedes-Benz Ireland doesn't officially designate its '45 AMG' sales as separate models so was unable to give us a figure, but Audi provided us with S3 and S4 numbers. In 2013, three S3s and four S4s were sold, while thus far in 2014, five S3s and one S1 have been sold. Across town at BMW, approximately half a dozen M235i Coupés have been sold this year.

Hope that helps.

Expert answer

Hi Sean,

A nice car, and that price looks very sharp, but tread carefully. The 2002-onwards E-Class gave Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes owners no end of trouble, with anything electrical or electronic being exceptionally suspect. Now, the good news is that the 2006-on version of that E-Class was significantly revised and a whole lot better, but still check every single button and electrical connection to make sure it's all working properly. Make sure too that the gearbox and rear suspension are both working smoothly and not making any untoward noises - both are weak areas.

Expert answer

Hi Bruno,

Hands up, we cannot find ground clearance data for the first gen Mercedes-Benz B-Class, but it's a lower-slung car in general than either of the other two, and with that sandwich floor construction, we'd guess it would be quite low riding. Mind you, it's worth pointing out that ride height is not the be all and end all when it comes to tackling rough roads - suspension design, layout and stiffness have a major, potentially larger part to play.

Nonetheless, of the other two, it's the Nissan that has the slightly higher ride height, 188mm plays the MINI Countryman's 163mm. Given that we've nothing but praise for the new Qashqai's brilliant twin-chamber shock absorbers and silky-smooth suspension, we'd say it's probably the best bet for what you need.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Derek,

I sent your query to the editor of Mercedes Enthusiast magazine for an expert opinion and here's what was suggested:

Here are a few parts places to try:

www.mercman.net

www.mercedes-auto-spares.com

[email protected]

www.kmsparts.com

www.mercedes-parts-centre.co.uk

Failing all those, send a 'Wanted' advert to [email protected].

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Eitvydas,

The first generation A-Class had shockingly poor reliability and while the second generation version was an improvement, we'd still be a bit wary. Electrics and suspension are your biggest areas for problems so check everything over carefully and don't even think of getting one that doesn't have a full and complete service history. Apart from that, they were also a little odd to drive - feeling rather like a gigantic shopping trolley in their vague and uncertain way they trundle along. Also, basic versions came with no air conditioning and had rubbish ventilation so hot days are a bit of a chore.

Expert answer

Hi George,

We'd need to reg. number to give you a definitive answer, as the official emissions rating for that car depends on a number of factors, including the factory-fitted wheel size, whether it has stop-start and whether it's the five- or seven-speed automatic gearbox. Possibilities include:

- 16-inch wheels, five-speed auto, no stop-start: 154g/km - Band C - €390 per year

- 16-inch wheels, seven-speed auto, stop-start: 129g/km - Band B1 - €270 per year

- 18/19-inch wheels, seven-speed auto, stop-start: 138g/km - Band B2 - €280 per year

Come back to us with either the registration or all those details and we'll give you the definitive answer.

Expert answer

Hi Mary,

Let us know which way you go