Does my Ford Kuga need a new belt now?
Hi,
I have a 2015 Ford Kuga 1.6 with 89,000km on the clock. It's due for its annual service and the Ford Service Centre has suggested that I replace the timing belt during this service. Is it necessary at this stage?
Regards, Wilstan
Wilstan Weichardt (Cape Town)Aug 2020 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Wilstan,
Assuming you mean the 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, our information is that the belt should be changed every 200,000km or 10 years, neither of which applies to your car.
How much to tax a 2013 Audi A1?
How much to tax a 2013 Audi A1 TFSI?
Derek Barnett (Cape Town)Jul 2020 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Derek,
It depends on which petrol-engined version of the Audi A1 that you mean. The basic 1.2 TFSI, with 86hp, has CO2 emissions of 118g/km, so will cost €200 a year to tax. The 122hp 1.4-litre TFSI has CO2 emissions of 126g/km, so will cost €270 a year. Oddly, the more powerful 140hp engine is rated at between 109g/km and 113g/km, so will cost between €190 and €200 a year.
Looking for a car to cover all bases...
We are a senior couple living in a long country lane in Ireland. We drive four long journeys per year. Our nearest large town is 15km away. We would like a car that is comfortable, good on long journeys and short journeys, low on fuel costs, tax and maintenance. And fit at least three grandchildren for school runs.
Marietta O Dowd (Cavan)Jul 2020 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Marietta,
I think a Skoda Karoq might be a good bet for you. It’s a roomy car, and a safe one too, for the grandkids. Get it with the 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine and it’ll be economical on those short runs to town and back, and good enough on those four regular long journeys. It's cheap to tax, and Skoda makes reliable cars, so it should cover all bases.
What's up with my Fiat 500X electrics?
I have a 2016 1.4 petrol Fiat 500X MultiAir. My stop-start system says it is not available and drive mode unavailable with symbols for start-stop and engine fault on the dashboard. This has been happening on and off for some time. The car just seems to reset after a week or so. I have done 58,000 miles and it has just passed its NCT and has had a service.
Ann Godfrey (Irvine)Jul 2020 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Ann,
We'd suspect the battery or alternator aren't performing at their best. Stop-start issues are very commonplace, across all cars. So much so that we've written a feature for drivers on the subject: Why won't my car's stop-start system work?
Electric range of the BMW 330e?
Hi,
Do you know what the zero emission mileage would be for a BMW 3 Series 330e M Sport four-door saloon petrol/electric automatic?
Many thanks if you can find this information
Mark Porter (Nottingham)Jul 2020 Filed under: hybrid
Expert answer
Hi Mark,
The first generation 330e has an electric-only range, on a fully-charged battery, of 40km (about 30km in real-world use) and the new, and current, version is claimed to be able to get 65km out of a full charge. Here are links to our reviews of both, which may give you more information:
Thoughts on 151 Nissan Qashqai?
I am thinking about buying a 2015 Nissan Qashqai 1.2-litre petrol with 50,000km on the clock. What do you think?
JAMES LORCCAN (SHANNON)Jul 2020 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi James,
The Qashqai has long been one of the most popular cars on the market, and with good reason — it’s roomy, quite stylish, decent to drive and mostly reliable. We say "mostly” as there have been reported issues with turbocharger problems (although those seem to affect the diesel engined version rather more) and suspension problems. With a five-year-old car, we’d recommend getting an inspection by someone like the AA to ascertain if there are any serious issues with the car, and of course do a full history and background check with Cartell.ie.
Other than that, as long as it comes with a full service history, it should be a good buy.
Read our Nissan Qashqai Mk2 (2014-2021) used car buying guide for more.
When to change my Kuga's belt?
Does my Ford Kuga have a timing belt or chain and when do I have to get it done? Is it 100,000- or 200,000km?
Rebecca Garrett (Uralla)Jun 2020 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Rebecca,
You've not given us the year or engine size, so here's a summary:
Kuga gen 1 (2008-2013): both engines (2.0 TDCi diesel and 2.5-litre petrol) use timing belts that must be changed every 200,000km or 10 years, whichever comes first.
Kuga gen 2 (2013-2020): the 1.5 and 1.6 EcoBoost petrol engines and the 2.0 TDCi diesel engine have timing belts that must be changed every 200,000km or 10 years, whichever comes first. The 2.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine uses a timing chain.
Unusually, the schedule for the 1.5 TDCi diesel engine's timing belt replacement depends on the model year. Up to 2018 it's the same as the others above, but after 2018, the interval is reduced to 180,000km.
Is the 2015-2016 Peugeot 2008 ok?
I am interested in buying a 2015-2016 Peugeot 2008 petrol automatic; is this a good buy?
Mary ODonovan (Trim)Jun 2020 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Mary,
Actually, yes, it is. If you’re in the market for a small crossover, the original 2008 was one of the better ones. Aside from a slightly cheap-feeling cabin, it was good to drive, reasonably roomy, well-made and reliable. Good choice.
Which big tow car to go for on moving?
We are moving from the UK to Ireland soon and are gobsmacked (for the want of of a better word) to find that our two trusty vehicles, the 2005 Chrysler Grand Voyager (diesel) and 2005 Mercdes C-Class Elegance (petrol) are going to cost in excess of €6,000 jointly to tax! The cars are not even worth a fraction of that, so we sadly have to replace them (in this throw-away world we have always been proud to keep our vehicles beyond their life expectancies).
So, what car can you recommend for a family of six, that would be able to tow a horse box, but would be the cheapest to tax as we relocate to the Emerald Isle?
Jo Sheedy
Surrey, UK
Joanna Sheedy (Epsom)Jun 2020 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Joanne,
If it’s just the one car you want, then I think your best bet would be a Ford S-Max or Galaxy, or possibly a SEAT Alhambra. All three cars do all the important family hauling work really well, and the two Fords will tow a maximum 2,000kg load, while the Alhambra can haul as much as 2,400kg.
If you want to go down the two-car route, then maybe go for a Mercedes E-Class Estate, with the fold-down seats in the boot, as the family machine and a Volkswagen Amarok pickup (the early model with the 2.0-litre turbo engine so as to keep the tax costs down) as the tow-car. It can haul a whopping 3,500kg, but is also comfy and refined enough to be a daily driver.
Read our Mercedes E-Class reviews
Motor tax on a 1.2-litre petrol car?
How much is tax on 1.2-litre petrol car?
Anne Lawless (Athlone)Jun 2020 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Anne,
It will depend on the make, model and year. Motor tax is calculated based on the car’s CO2 emissions, and that’s specific to each individual model. Unless of course it’s a pre-2008 car, in which case tax for a 1.2-litre engine is €330 per year.