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Hi John,

It’s not to do with wheel sizes, but engines and trim grades. The A 250 always comes with multilink rear suspension, while the A 180 d always gets a torsion beam. It’s the A 200 in the middle that has the variance – the Sport models have a torsion beam, the AMG Line cars gain the multilink set-up. We don’t know exactly what the A 180 petrol will do as yet, but we’d guess it will follow the A 200’s pattern, rather than the A 180 d’s formula.

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Hi Dave,

Sadly not. You will save around 50 per cent on the price per litre of LPG compared to petrol or diesel (which in and of itself might be a sufficiently compelling reason to switch), but there’s no tax advantage. A car’s motor tax rate is based on the CO₂ figure shown on its certificate of conformity document, and a post-purchase conversion doesn’t change that (even though LPG does have a slightly lower CO₂ rating than petrol or diesel). Basically, tax is calculated on the car’s official homologated figure, whereas an LPG conversion is something you do yourself afterwards. 

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Hi Anthony,

That’s a big question, and it really comes down to how you drive your car and, just as importantly, where you drive it. If you’re someone who drives long-haul on motorways week-in, week-out, then diesel power is still the best option for you, as for longer journeys there’s nothing more frugal. Some hybrids are getting closer to diesel economy on longer runs, but they’re not quite at parity yet. If you’re mostly doing short hops, or driving around town most of the time, then either petrol or hybrid power is the right way to go. Those are generalisations though — a lot will depend on your specific needs and tastes, and what sort of car you want. 

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Hi Gustavo,

Well, reliability and running costs are not necessarily the same thing. The ultimate in reliability is probably a Toyota Land Cruiser, but that’s hardly cheap to run or to tax… I think there’s a couple of good options here, though. Sticking with Toyota, the Auris is a solid bet, and even more so if you go for the Hybrid model, which will help keep your tax and fuel costs down. Get the Tourer estate model if you need maximum family space.

The Honda Civic is also a very good bet, and the 1.6 iDTEC diesel is probably the best model to go for to keep fuel and tax bills down. Again, if you want maximum space for the kids and their things, track down the (rather handsome) estate version.

Skoda’s Octavia is solidly reliable too (again, the Combi estate is the one to go for) and you can choose from 1.6 TDI diesel, or an excellent 1.2 TSI petrol turbo, both of which are frugal and tax-efficient. Just check its history to see if it’s been used as a taxi — many have been.

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Hi Donna,

For the first-generation Audi Q3 (pre- and post-2015 facelift), regardless of whether you have one of the 1.4-litre TFSI petrol engines or any of the 2.0-litre TDI diesels, the recommended maximum interval (regardless of time) is 210,000 kilometres. The 2.0-litre TFSI petrol model uses a timing chain, not a belt.

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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.

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Hi John,

You SHOULD (emphasis ours) be OK from the VRT perspective. As long as, according to Revenue, you’ve lived at your current address for 185 days or more, and can show proof of your move to Ireland, then you won’t be charged for VRT. Fuel and insurance costs for a Macan are a different story...

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Hi Tony,

All petrol and diesel versions of the Hyundai ix35 used a timing chain.

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Hi Shane,

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Hi Andy,

While I don’t think a diesel car is going to be worthless by the time you trade it in, it might well be worth less, if you see the distinction. That said, with your mileage, I’d say you should be looking at petrol or hybrid all the way. A 2.0 TFSI A6 Avant sounds ideal if you can find one and assuming that you’re already happy that all three kids can fit safely and comfortably in the back. A BMW 520i Touring would be the most obvious alternative (and a darned fine one at that) and a Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate even better again (assuming you can find one with a petrol engine) and you can find them with seven seats. Volvo’s old-shape V70 is also worth a look, not least from the safety point of view. That said, make absolutely sure you check out a current-shape Skoda Superb Combi estate too — they’re actually roomier inside than any of the premium-badge stuff, and very comfortable too.