Expert answer

Hi Urban,

If that car really has only done 20,000 miles in 26 years, we're amazed. According to Skoda's schedule, the belt change is by mileage, not time. And, while the exact mileage of the change varies by the year the car was manufactured, none needs changing until past 60,000km. 

That's the official word. If it were my car, I'd have it changed anyway.

Expert answer

Hi Stephen,

First up, I'm afraid your previous residence in the North can't help you if you've moved south years ago. There is a "Transfer of Residence" scheme in place that allows you bring your car with you when you move, but it can't be done years after the move.

We need the OMSP (Open Market Selling Price) and the VRT band to do the calculation - and this is just an estimate. The OMSP is the value Revenue believes the car to be worth in Ireland after registration, so that's not a fixed thing. Let's round it up to €20,000 for the sake of our calculations.

You didn't state whether it's petrol or diesel. In both cases the CO₂ rating from 2016 will have to be 'uplifted' to align with the newer WLTP scheme. We believe the petrol model would be in Band 18 (156-170g/km after uplifting) at 30 per cent of OMSP and the diesel would be in Band 16 at 25 per cent. 

The former then would be €6,000 VRT and the latter €5,000 - if the OMSP is €20,000.

Do not forget that you will also have to pay the NOx levy on top of all this, which will be way more expensive on the diesel model.

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

We wish all readers were so detailed in their requirements, as it makes it easy to choose a suitable car for you.

In your position, I'd be inclined to buy as new and long-range a used Nissan Leaf as I can find to use as your second car for ferrying the kids about. It's not huge inside but should be grand for a couple of child seats in the back so long as the front-seat passengers are not really tall.

It'll be exceptionally cheap and easy to run as you already have a charger at home and maintenance will be minimal as well.

And you'll get a bike rack on any car within reason.

If you'd rather not have another EV, then perhaps consider a large hatchback such as the Skoda Octavia. It's massive inside and in the boot so could fill in all the gaps you've mentioned, and there are plenty of different models available, including plug-in hybrids, so it might offer you an extra dimension of versatility, but with the option of keeping your costs low at the same time.

Come back to us to let us know if we're on the right track (you can submit another question or send us a private message via the Contact Us page).

Expert answer

Hi Derek,

We can only give you another estimate, I'm afraid, as there's no way to know what Revenue will actually value it at when it comes to its inspection.

There's a similar car on sale on Carzone as I write listed at about €37,000. Taking that as the OMSP (Open Market Selling Price) and the CO₂ output putting it into Band 18 for VRT (156-170g/km) at 30 per cent of the OMSP, then the VRT bill would in theory be €11,100.

That's before the NOx levy, though it's only a few hundred Euro on a modern petrol car such as that.

Adjust what you think Revenue will value the car at (the OMSP) to see what effect it has on the VRT calculation, but I agree with you that €3,500-4,500 seems low and you should be prepared for more.

Expert answer

Hi Mary,

A diesel would probably continue to give you the best economy given your usage, but we'd worry about long-term maintenance for sure as modern diesels have expensive components that can get gummed or clogged up.

If you're willing to make that compromise, then you could do a lot worse than a 2018 Honda Civic 1.6 diesel. Lovely car. It also came with a 1.0-litre petrol engine, but it has known 'wet belt' issues so we would not recommend it.  

You could afford a 2019 Hyundai i30 with either a 1.6-litre diesel or a 1.0-litre petrol engine and that's a very good bet in terms of reliability. Same for the related Kia Ceed, though they're rarer.

Even less common is the Mazda3 of the same year. It's a lovely looking car, of great quality and though it comes with a 2.0-litre petrol engine, it's an efficient and reliable option.

If you liked your Peugeot, you could move up six or seven years to a newer 308, though best to stick with diesel if you are doing that as the 1.2 'Puretech' petrol engine can have wet belt issues like the Honda.

One of the last of the Renault Megane hatchbacks is another good option, available with petrol or diesel power depending on your preference.

The SEAT Leon is possibly our favourite find for you at this price point with good petrol and diesel engine options and great comfort. You can't ignore the Skoda Octavia for the same reasons, and it's even bigger.

Lots to think about there so come back to us and let us know if we're on the right track. We've only selected mid-sized hatchbacks, while there would be plenty of crossovers and small SUVs in budget as well.

Expert answer

Hi Brendan

The 1.5-litre engine is generally fine and while there have been some reports of overheating (caused by ancillary components, nothing inherently wrong with the core engine), it's not that widespread at all. Likewise, no modern engine is designed to last only 100,000km and so long as it is serviced to schedule it should be fine for well over double that without any major component replacement.

If you go for it, I'd suggest getting it serviced right away so you know where you are.

Expert answer

Hi Brendan,

While it should be technically possible, we'd not hurry into doing so without all the facts. It's highly unlikely that a Skoda dealer would want to do the conversion for you, and it would be hugely expensive if they did in any case.

We found specialists online offering “genuine” replacements, but none in Ireland, and in the UK the price is equivalent to not far off €3,000. And you'd have to bring the car to them of course.

There are universal options as well that cost a lot less, but you risk invalidating your warranty if you go down that route, and they won't be integrated with the car's electronics in any way.

Nevertheless, there's no harm going into your local Skoda dealership with your car's VIN to hand and ask them about the feasibility.

Expert answer

Hi Brendan,

It certainly sounds like electric power would suit you, though if you decide against, the Skoda Octavia is an excellent car.

I'm assuming the cars listed mean a budget of nearly €40,000. There are better options out there than the ID.4. You could get a nearly new Cupra Tavascan, for example, or the smaller Cupra Born if you want to keep the price down or stay away from SUVs altogether.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is an excellent car as well, as is the Ioniq 6, though the latter's styling is not to all tastes. The Kia EV6 is along the same lines and it's more a crossover than an SUV.

You could also afford brand-new examples of the Peugeot E-308 and MG4, both conventional five-door hatchbacks.

Come back to me with your thoughts on all these and we can discuss it further.

Expert answer

Hi John,

Your Octavia's boot is rated to 600 litres, we believe, which is difficult to match unless you go for a much larger car. The Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer, for example, holds a little more than that, but it's out of budget. Same story for the VW Tayron eHybrid (PHEV), which has a bigger boot again.

Those cars are still relatively new, so you can't afford used versions yet, either, though we did find a selection of second-hand Skoda Superb PHEVs on the market within budget. They're massive in all directions and might well suit your needs, so long as you don't mind going for a car that's two to three years old.

The VW ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq have comparable boots of well over 500 litres and are in budget – though there's much more choice in the ID.4 lineup for that money.

Last but not least, and assuming you have nothing against buying an SUV, the Hyundai Tucson PHEV has a boot of about 560 litres and is within budget.

Let us know what you think of these suggestions.

Expert answer

Hi Doteen,

A car's history and how well it has been serviced is important no matter what fuel type it is. The added complication with modern diesels is that their DPFs – and other components - can clog up if they're only used for short trips. I don't believe where you buy the car has any bearing on that. It's all about how the car was used.

Make sure all the warning lights are working and going off when the car is running, insist on a detailed and complete service history and take the car for a decent test drive (again, regardless of the fuel).

A diesel car will be far more economical than a petrol one when it comes to towing and for the most part will be better suited to the job in terms of low-down pulling power (torque).

Nonetheless, if you'd prefer a petrol car, that's entirely doable. Just don't go for a small-engined, lightweight car and expect it to do a good job. Cars such as the Ford Mondeo, Skoda Octavia, VW Passat and others all came with powerful turbocharged petrol engines, though they're much rarer and hence harder to find than the diesel equivalents.

Hopefully that has given you some food for thought but come back to us with more information on the weight of the caravan you're buying and your budget for the car and we can help further if you need it.