Expert answer

Hi Eddie,

The Insignia is a fine car but you'll find it's not as spacious as your old Passat. Still, it's arguably more handsome and sharper to drive, but you have to make sure all the electrical bits are working properly.

As for the value of your Passat, you haven't given me a specific year but I'm going to guess it's around 2006-2007 in which case you're looking at around €5,000 as a trade in, but don't be surprised if you get offered less - cars with big petrol engines (even efficient ones) are forecourt poison right now.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Olivia,

The official figures for a 2008 Astra 1.7 CDTi were 56mpg on the combined cycle and 135g/km of CO₂. I'd say you could reasonably expect it to return that kind of economy in daily driving, assuming it's one that's been reasonably well looked after and serviced regularly. Oh, just to note though - that's the figure for the basic model with 15-inch wheels. Astras with wheel sizes 16-inch and above were officially rated at 55mpg.

Hope that helps

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Hi John,

All are pretty good and I have to admit to having thrown some covetous glances myself at second-gen Ford Mondeos lately - that's a shape that has aged really, really well. That said, from the ones you've selected there, I'd go for the Mazda. It has terrific handling (best in the class for that time, actually) and should be very reliable so it's definitely the one to pick.

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Hi Mike,

It depends which engine and year you mean. Here are a few examples:

o 1.6 petrol - 2003 to 2005 - 80,000 miles (128,000km) or every eight years

o 1.7 CDTi - 2010 to 2012 - 100,000 miles (160,000km) or every six years

o 1.7Di or 1.7 DTi - 2004 to 2005 - 100,000 miles (160,000km) or every ten years

o 1.8 petrol - 2003 to 2010 - 60,000 miles (96,000km) or every six years

Hope that covers the model you're interested in

Expert answer

Hi Sandra,

The only persistent issues with the Insignia are electrical problems that can effect everything from the door locks to the alarm system. Usually these are just minor problems that can be fixed, but occasionally the problem is in the wiring loom itself and that's a much bigger deal. Check and make sure all the buttons work and also check the boot area for any dampness - the boot seals can leak and allow in water. For a 2.0-litre diesel Insignia, I'd be disappointed if you couldn't get it to do 50mpg in everyday driving.

Expert answer

Hi F D,

In my experience the clutch bite point can vary between different examples of the same car so I wouldn't read anything into that, especially as your own car will change slowly over time as the friction disc of the clutch pack wears.

Expert answer

Hi Tony,

There are some nice Ford Fiesta automatics around, usually with the 1.4-litre petrol engine that should fit your needs rather nicely.  Or better yet, what about a Honda Jazz 1.4 ES with the CVT automatic gearbox? We found one online for just over €16k and it's a cracking car - high quality, reliable, spacious and with a terrific 1.4-litre engine.

Let us know what you think

Expert answer

Hi F D,

I'd say on a trade in you'd probably get between €12-13k.

Expert answer

Hi Sebastien,

If the seller has no receipts whatsoever for parts or anything then we'd be very wary, especially as that car has way below average mileage for the year as well. It's not a personal trust thing here; you're investing in a car, and if it goes wrong you can be sure the seller won't want anything to do with it.

You could have the car inspected thoroughly by a mechanic or the AA, etc, but even so, we'd have serious doubts.

Expert answer

Hi Colm, 

We asked Opel about this and this is what was said:

"It technically could be done, but it would be cost prohibitive to have the unit retrofitted on the Insignia. We used to provide an aftermarket system, but the likes of Parrots are better and is what we would recommend. As always we would advise that the customer takes the car to an Opel garage and they will recommend the best type of Bluetooth set to get and some garages can arrange that for the customer. If the customer needs to find his nearest dealer tell him to check out www.opeldealersireland.ie"

Hope that's of some use to you