Expert answer

Hi Chris,

The answer here is Skoda Superb. Nothing else, at least nothing else affordable, has the sort of rear legroom to truly allow a very tall driver to get comfy in front of a rear-facing infant seat, and the Superb has the kind of massive boot that every parent of two growing kids will truly need. They’re not expensive, either — go for the second-generation or later model (which first launched in 2009, although the current version, launched in 2015 is nicer still) and you’ll be onto a winner, just make sure to get one with a full and comprehensive history and make sure that it’s not been previously used as a taxi (many have). Even better — get the Combi estate for maximum practicality. 

Read our Skoda Superb reviews for more

Expert answer

Hi Katarzyna,

You can, but there are two things standing in your way — first you will have to tax the van as a private vehicle, and that means you may end up paying more every year than the flat-rate €333 commercial vehicle road tax rate. Secondly, you will need to make sure you tell your insurer that the van is being used for private, social, domestic and pleasure use, as that may have an impact on your quote and coverage. 

Read our Buying a commercial vehicle for private use feature for more

Expert answer

Hi Peter,

The A16LET engine is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit according to our records, producing 179hp and manufactured from 2009 to 2014. 

If your engine is pre-2010, the recommended change interval is 150,000 kilometres or 10 years, whichever comes first. For engines made after that date, it's still 150,000 kilometres, but the maximum time between changes is six years.

Expert answer

Hi Lucy,

It depends which version of the 2.0-litre diesel engine your car has, as there were several power outputs. Most have timing belt change intervals of 150,000 kilometres or every six years (whichever comes first), but if your engine is the single-turbo 190hp or bi-turbo 195hp unit, then the distance between changes reduces to 120,000km (or six years as before).

Expert answer

Hi Annelize,

I'm afraid that's too complicated to illustrate on this page and, actually, it's recommended that several special tools are used when changing this engine's timing belt. If you do not have those, we suggest you invest in a workshop manual for the car, pay to access a service such as Autodata or give the car to a good mechanic to do the work.

Expert answer

Hi Corionna,

We're going to assume that this is a relatively recent Mokka, using the 1.6-litre 136hp diesel engine. That car has rated combined fuel consumption of 4.3 litres per 100km, so you’re going to burn roughly 8.7 litres covering 201km, and that’s going to work out at about €11.22 in fuel costs each day. Except, of course, you’re not going to get 4.3 litres per 100km, not unless you drive like a saint anyway. Safer to assume you’ll burn through 6.0 litres per 100km of fuel, which means you’ll pay around €15 in fuel costs for each 200km journey. Depending on fuel prices, obviously.

Expert answer

Hi Donal,

I presume that you mean the previous generation of Insignia, not the new Grand Sport model? If so, then the quoted official combined fuel economy for the 2.0-litre CDTi 170hp model is 62.8mpg - or 4.5 litres per 100km.

Expert answer

Hi Janeen,

BMW doesn’t currently have a scrappage offer on, but it is offering a nine per cent discount across the entire model range, which is rather nice. If you want to make the most of scrappage, you’re going to have to trade down to a mainstream brand. The likes of Hyundai, Peugeot, Opel and others all have scrappage deals still going, and you can get as much as €4,500 off the price of a new car, depending on which model you’re looking at.

Expert answer

Hi Michael,

Renault currently doesn’t have a scrappage offer available, but other brands — including Hyundai, Skoda, Peugeot, Opel and more — do and,  depending on which vehicle you’re looking at buying, you can get as much as €4,500 off.

Expert answer

Hi Colm,

OK, first off, with that kind of mileage you’re well into the sort of levels that would justify a diesel engine, although the best of the down-sized turbo petrols are still certainly worth looking at. Of the three cars you’ve selected, I’d leave the Astra, as your €10,000 budget won’t get you into a new-shape model, and the older Astra was pretty dull. Of the other two, the Focus is the best, by far, to drive, and has solid reliability, but the i30 is better for interior space, and would be the more reliable in the long run.