Corsa, Corolla, Micra or Polo for €2,000?
Hi, I am a first car buyer in Ireland. I would like to buy an automatic car.
The ones I am interested in are a 2002 Opel Corsa, 2004 Toyota Corolla 1.6, a Nissan Micra 1.0 from 2002 or a Volkswagen Polo 1.4 from 2000. All of them cost between €1,750 and €2,000. I am wondering if these prices are realistic for cars like these, and given the types, which one would be the best choice?
Thank you in advance,
K
Katalin Csesznek (Cork)Jun 2016 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Katalin,
I need a small, reliable commuting car.
Hello, looking for a small, economical, reliable car for commuting. I currently have a 1.0-litre Nissan Micra. I do 110km a day, 5-6 days a week.
What would you recommend?
Elaine Henry (Sligo)Nov 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Elaine,
You're kind of on the cusp of being better off with a diesel with that kind of mileage. There are a few cars that are worth looking at. Sticking with petrol? Try a Honda Jazz - small but very spacious, and the 1.2-litre engine is pretty frugal. Want to go for a small diesel? Try a Volkswagen Polo. Want something a little more fun, but still very frugal (albeit not very roomy in the back)? Try a MINI Cooper D.
Is my Nissan Micra's head gasket gone?
I have a 2003 Nissan Micra 1.2 and I am forever putting coolant in it. The person I bought it off said it was the radiator and replaced it but, I have since taken it to another person for them to tell me it's the head gasket and will cost me the price of a new engine if that is the case. I have no water oil mixing just the temp light coming on so I add coolant.
Any help appreciated
Laura Maher (Laois)Jun 2015 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Laura,
I'm afraid there doesn't have to be visible water/oil mixing for there to be a head gasket problem so that may well be the issue. Before going to get that work done you should park the car somewhere dry and clean underneath and let it run and keep an eye under the engine. Are there any visible water leaks? It could be as simple as that.
If not, bring the car to a garage to have the system pressure-tested etc. Don't delay though; if the head gasket is gone and you continue to drive it, you really could do a lot of damage.
Best of luck
Why is an older 1.0-litre car cheaper to tax?
Why is it that the road tax on a 1.0-litre 2000-reg Nissan Micra is €199, but my 1.0-litre 2009 Toyota Yaris is €270 per year?
Sean Ryan (Waterford)Mar 2015 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Sean,
Because they're on two different taxation systems. The Micra is on the old, pre-2008 system, which applies tax based on engine size. The Yaris is on the post-2008 system, which is based on CO2 emissions, and the Yaris' emissions place it in Band B1, which is a cost of €270 per year.
What small new car should I go for?
I am thinking of trading in my 2011 Nissan Micra (it has an NCT until 2017) for either a new (152) car or a 142 model. The shortlist of cars are: Hyundai i10, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio and maybe the Toyata Yaris or Skoda Fabia. However, the new bigger Ford Ka is due by December 2015 in the UK and 2016 here. Should I wait for the Ka?
Jacqueline Lynch (Dublin)Mar 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Jacqueline,
I wouldn't wait for the Ka. It's being designed primarily for Asian and low-cost markets, so it probably won't be the most refined, comfortable or high-tech. That's perhaps jumping the gun on the review a bit, but it's certainly likely to be the case. Of the cars you've listed I'd say the Hyundai i10 and Skoda Fabia are the standouts. They're quite different cars (the i10 is significantly smaller than the Skoda), but both are excellent to drive, well-made, reliable and offer excellent value. Have a try of both, and see which one suits your needs, size-wise, better.
Further reading:
Is the Nissan Micra good value with the scrappage allowance?
Is the Nissan Micra good value now that there is a €4,000 allowance for scrappage?
John Mugan (Sligo)Mar 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi John,
To be honest - no. The current Micra is a long way from Nissan's best effort so I think the €4k trade in bonus could be put to much better use elsewhere. Perhaps consider trading up to a Pulsar? Or better yet, wait a year. Nissan has an all-new Micra coming out next year and judging from the Sway concept car it showed last week at the Geneva Motor Show, it could well be a cracker.
What engine size for a first car?
What should be the maximum engine size for a 17-year-old buying a first car?
S D (Dublin)Feb 2015 Filed under: learner
Expert answer
Hi Stephen,
Unless your surname happens to be Axa or Aviva, you need to stick to a 1.0-litre engine. Now, depending on your budget, that might not be the motoring purgatory that you think it is. If you can stretch to it, a Volkswagen up!, Skoda Citigo or SEAT Mii are all terrific to drive and funky to look at and all come with a rev-happy little 1.0-litre lump. Ditto recent versions of the Ford Fiesta with the non-turbo version of the three-cylinder Ecoboost engine.
Need to buy something older and cheaper? Track down an Opel Corsa 1.0. Not the most exciting car, but safe, solid and decent to drive. Older again? Consider a Nissan Micra from the '90s. Yes, it's slow but it's more enjoyable in the corners than you might think and they go forever on minimal maintenance.
Should I get rid of my Nissan Micra?
I have a Nissan Micra that is a 2004 model; it's only done 40,000 miles on the clock and I have been told l need a new timing chain, which will cost me around £600. I am just wondering if it's worth repairing or am l better off buying a new but different car as l have heard there's a lot of faults with Nissan Micra and Note.
Barbara Simpson (Bradford West Yorkshire )Jan 2015 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Barbara,
It's always cheaper overall to stick with the car you've got and repair it, unless we're talking about an old Ferrari or something...
I'd say a new timing chain could keep your Micra going for a good long while yet but if you really want to change to something new then your best bets, in terms of similarly sized cars, are the Honda Jazz, Toyota Yaris, Skoda Fabia, Volkswagen Polo or SEAT Ibiza.
Is the Toyota Yaris the most reliable small car?
Hi again, just as a follow on from my last question, I was advised that the Toyota Yaris would be the most reliable small car I could get second hand; do you agree? If not, what else would you advise I look for?
Thank you :-)
Aoife Smyth (Bradford West Yorkshire )Jan 2015 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Aoife,
The most reliable small car? Pretty much, yep. I'd say the only others that match it are the Honda Jazz and Mazda2. The Volkswagen Group triplets - Polo, Skoda Fabia and SEAT Ibiza - would come close to that level of reliability too and the Nissan Micra's not bad either.
Can you recommend a sturdy safe small car?
Can you recommend a sturdy safe small car? I'm driving a Nissan Micra and would like to upgrade to a stronger but not much bigger car.
Bridget Whelan (Wexford)Jan 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Bridget,
What year is your Micra? If it's a pre-2002 then upgrading to the post-2002 model could be what you need. It was bigger than the old Micra and had impeccable safety credentials.
If you're already in a 2002 or later Micra then the best bet is to look at a Volkswagen Polo. They really do feel noticeably tougher than most other cars in the class, it's about the same size as the Micra and as good a small car as you'll find.