Expert answer

Hi Lisa,

Well, there is the obvious recommendation of a Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi, but a €7,000 budget won't, sadly, get you into a post-2008 car, so you'll be paying a higher rate of annual motor tax. 

So here's a less obvious recommendation: an Opel Astra 1.3 CDTi. It's not the fastest car in the world, but it should prove very economical, it's well built, comfy, spacious and even has a decent boot. Best of all 130g/km emissions mean you'll pay a reasonable €270 a year to tax it.

What do you think?

Expert answer

Hi Yvonne,

The Qashqai+2 is actually a very nice car, but a proper seven-seater it's not. Those two seats in the boot are really for occasional use only and frankly I think you're going to have trouble wrestling a bulky, heavy infant car seat back there.

Of the other two, there are lots of Zafiras around to choose from so I'd be very, very fussy in choosing one with the colour and spec you like as well as a full service history. You can always walk away and find another one if you need to. But actually, of the three, we'd go for the Corolla Verso. It's not exciting to drive or look at but Toyotas tend to be indestructible and the space inside is simply cavernous.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Barry,

Right, the problem here is trying to balance the budget for buying (and running) against the need for seats plus luggage space. It's a tough equation to work out, especially as the bulk of MPVs on the market are the compact seven-seat type (think Opel Zafira) and in those, once you're using all seven seats, you effectively have no boot.

Now, there are a couple of ways around this. We did find a Chrysler Grand Voyager within the €10k budget, but with a 2.7-litre diesel engine the running costs may put it out of reach. If six seats is enough we did find a Honda FR-V within the same price range, and in that you still have a big boot even when every seat is full thanks to its three-across seating layout. It's reliable too so there shouldn't be any unexpected bills.

Otherwise it's go for a conventional compact MPV, and of the ones we found on sale, you'd be hard pressed to do better than a Toyota Corolla Verso - not the most exciting, but rigorously well built and your brother could always invest in a roof box if the boot's not big enough...

Expert answer

Hi Catherine,

OK, so what you need here is something spacious (kids, even just the one, take up a heroic amount of space, as you know), something economical for all that annual mileage and something comfy so that your buttocks survive all that mileage. I think you should stay with the current rough size of car, as some of the best bargains can be found in the mid-size saloon segment.

First up is a Volkswagen Passat. Ideally, you'd get the 1.6 TDI BlueMotion version, a car in which we once managed to drive from Galway to Glasgow and back on one tank of fuel. Or, what about a Ford Mondeo? You'll easily get a 2.0 TDCi model for that money, and there are very few cars quite so comfy on a long journey. Even BMWs and Mercs can't always match the Mondeo for seat comfort.

Of course, if you fancy the high life, and are prepared to compromise on space a little, then there's the BMW 3 Series. You'll get a 320d or 318d for that kind of budget, but shop around to make sure you get one in a dark metallic, with leather and preferably an automatic gearbox.

Finally, there's the Mazda6. Bit of an unsung hero of this segment, it's brilliant to drive, spacious, good looking and you should be able to track one down with Mazda's excellent 2.2-litre diesel engine under the bonnet. Reliable as it gets, it should chomp through your annual mileage with nary a worry. Find the even more handsome estate version if you can.

Come back to us if you need help narrowing this down.

Expert answer

Hi Derek,

We're assuming you mean large boot space when the rear-most seats are folded down when it comes to the seven-seat models, but come back to us if not. Seven-seat cars are your best/easiest option for fitting three car seats in.

The first car we found in the classifieds that might suit you is Citroen's C4 Picasso. It's a brilliant MPV and with a little negotiation you should be able to afford a 2008 model with the economical 1.6-litre HDi diesel engine. We're not big fans of the 'EGS' automatic gearbox, but give it a go and make that decision for yourself. The five-seat version (not called 'Grand') is good too if you can live with that many seats.

Ford's C-Max and S-Max are worth a look too. The latter is a good deal bigger, but the former is economical and well priced.

Personally I'm not a huge fan of the Opel Zafira, though we have readers who swear by them. There are loads on the market too so shop around for one that suits.

Others to look into might be the Toyota Corolla Verso and Volkswagen Sharan and Touran.

Let us know if you need help narrowing down the search.

Expert answer

Hi Eddie,

You've not told us what engine you mean, so here's a list of the most common engines. Note that timing chains don't have a change interval and they should last the life of the engine if scheduled oil changes are carried out and all else is well.

 - 1.2-litre petrol: timing chain
 - 1.3-litre CDTi diesel: timing chain
 - 1.4-litre petrol: timing chain
 - 1.6-litre petrol (both turbo and NA): timing belt - change every 150,000km or 10 years
 - 1.7-litre CDTi diesel: timing belt - change every 150,000km or 10 years
 - 1.8-litre petrol 125hp: timing belt - change every 90,000km or six years
 - 1.8-litre petrol 140hp: timing belt - change every 150,000km or 10 years
 - 1.9-litre CDTi diesel: timing belt - change every 150,000km or 10 years

Expert answer

Hi Maebh,

Codes P1122 and P1120 relate to the accelerator pedal position sensor, but we can't find P1155. It should be possible to just change the accelerator pedal assembly rather than the whole computer going on that information, unless P1155 means something else entirely of course.

Expert answer

Hi Joe,

They’re pretty reliable, the old Pajero Junior, but bear in mind that that’s now a 22-year-old car, so it’s likely to be running into all sorts of wear and tear problems. You’ll basically need to check everything, and if the car you’re looking at has no NCT, be especially wary. Fuel economy’s not great — it’s a relatively heavy, boxy body being propelled by a small, low-tech engine so expect less than 30mpg on average.

Expert answer

Hi Olive,

Define good value. The problem with a car of that age is that it’s going to come down to how well it’s been looked after. A more expensive car that’s been cared for will, in the long run, cost you less than a bargain shed. I’d look out for a good Toyota Corolla Verso, or Opel Zafira, or (if you need something bigger) SEAT Alhambra. Shop around carefully though as anything of that age is going to be feeling its years by now.

Expert answer

Hi Danny,

While the Frontera is cheap to buy and not bad off-road, it really is not a 4x4 we'd recommend due to its lack of quality and poor reliability record. The weak points are the engines and electrics. If it has not been serviced then best to walk away. The steering and suspension systems have also had problems and the Frontera is prone to rust.

Sorry not to have better news!