New Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester or BMW X3?
Hello,
I have a 2004 Honda CR-V 2.0-litre petrol that I want to change next year. One of the three cars I have in mind is the new diesel CR-V because they are so reliable. My CR-V has 112,000 miles on the clock and a blown light bulb has been the most trouble it's ever given.
The second car is a Subaru Forester because again it's reliable and roomy.
My final choice is a new model BMW X3 because of less tax. I have test driven one and liked it a lot. Could you give some advice please?
Sharon Ryan (Limerick)May 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Sharon,
Those are three good choices. Obviously given the fact that you have had such great history with the Honda CR-V then it could make sense to get another one, but the CR-V doesn't really offer wonderful value. The cheapest one is a fiver under €40,000 and you can pay up to €50,000.
Honda CR-V
When you compare the BMW X3 to this, which is such a brilliant SUV, the CR-V looks expensive. We drove the BMW X3 last Christmas and it proved itself to be outstanding. Naturally you will have to spend closer to €50,000 to get a decent X3.
BMW X3
There is a problem at the moment with the X3 in that they are in very short supply, so there is a waiting list. Granted you are not taking delivery until January next year so perhaps you will have plenty of time then. Get the 20d rather than the 18d if your budget allows and choose the four-wheel drive ('xDrive') version too.
The last car you mention is the Subaru Forester and this is the best value car you choose. It is very good but certainly not as refined as either the CR-V or the BMW X3. Have you ever considered the Subaru Outback? That costs around €42,000 and it would be a better choice than the Forester in our opinions.
Subaru Forester
All of that taken into account Sharon, I would have the BMW X3 all day long. It is superb and miles better than the old one. But we would suggest that you will need to get your order in early because the waiting lists are long.
I hope this helps!
How much is my 2006 Toyota Avensis worth?
Hi, I have a 2006 Toyota Avensis. It has 120,000km on the clock and some slight bumper damage. How much would this car be worth?
Karl Walsh (Dublin)May 2011 Filed under: resale value
Expert answer
Hi Karl,
Thank you very much for you inquiry. I am not sure how much damage is on the car, which could obviously affect the price somewhat, but what I would say is that if it is a 1.6-litre petrol it is probably worth aroud €7,200, but if it is a diesel it might be worth about €8,700.This is of course, a guide price and what you would expect to sell the car for privately.
I hope this helps!
Why is my Passat's economy so poor?
Hi, we recently bought a VW Passat 1.6 FSI, but the fuel economy is terrible. We seem to be at the petrol pump more often than not. Is this common for this type of car?
Declan Coughlan (Dublin)Expert answer
Hi Declan,
The Passat is a lot of car for a 1.6-litre engine to pull along, so depending on how and where you are driving it then your fuel economy might not be super. Is the car brand new? In the running-in phase economy can be a bit down on post run-in performance but perhaps have a look at your driving style and eliminate that as a possible problem first.
It is possible on the Passat to look at the instantaneous consumption so keep an eye on that and make a note of it and the average values.
I've been through enough fuel economy challenges at this stage to know that it can be often down to our own driving (and I include myself) in this. Nobody really needs to 'drive' a tonne-and-a-half car down a hill and being a little more delicate with your right foot can make a massive difference (110- vs. 130km/h on a motorway for example).
Aside from all that, keep a note of the car's performance over 2-3 days then make a conscious effort to change your driving for the next few and if there is no massive difference then perhaps see about getting the car checked over.
Come back to us with actual figures, mileage of the car and how it is used and we'll try to give you more assistance.
Toyota Auris petrol or diesel?
I want to change my 99 Polo. I drive only at weekends and am wondering should I change to a diesel. I'm thinking of getting Toyota Auris 2008 but don' know whether to go for petrol or diesel one. Any advice please?
Siobhan OGara (Dublin)Apr 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Siobhan
Really it boils down to price. The chances are you will have to pay around €10,000 for a low mileage petrol model and perhaps €1,000 more for the diesel. Since your mileage is low you won't save a lot more immediately, but perhaps in 2-3 years time when you trade in again you might be in better luck with a diesel car. To be honest, I would say buy whichever one has the lowest mileage from a main dealer, regardless of which fuel it uses.
Newer VW Passat or older BMW 3 Series?
Hi Shane & Paddy,
I am looking at changing my car. I've a 2002 BMW 318Ci with 106,000 miles on the clock. It has Bluetooth, multi-function steering wheel, alloys, cruise control etc. Due to on-street parking it has some damage to the rear driver's side panel and the alloys need to be dipped to look their best. We have a baby on the way so need something with back doors.
I have looked at a 2007 2.0-litre Passat saloon: 90,000km, leather interior, heated seats, cruise control and Bluetooth and the garage is asking €11,950. I also saw a 2005 BMW 320i SE saloon with leather seats, cruise control etc. and they are asking €11,950 too. I was also thinking of looking at Audi A4s but haven't yet.
Assuming I can get approx €5,000 for my current car then €11-12,000 is the total budget. Should I do the repair work on the damage and alloys now to improve value? Can you recommend someone?
What can I expect to get for private sale and trade-in? What would you recommend as replacement? We do mostly city driving with a country trip once a month or so. Petrol or diesel? Head says newer Passat but I like driving the BMW and think the Passat / A4 might be less enjoyable to drive.
Sorry for all the questions!
Thanks. Enda
Enda Lowry (Dublin)Mar 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Enda,
This was a long one, so I thought I would answer by video. Click on the link to see the answer!
I need a diesel car to replace my Opel Astra
I currently drive a 2008 Opel Astra SXI with 44,000km on the clock. I commute in to Blackrock everyday from Maynooth and with the recent increase in petrol prices I just wonder if is worth my while, as it's costing me €80 a week in petrol, plus tax, insurance etc. I'm thinking of changing cars, to a diesel model. How much do you think I would get for a private sale or trade-in on the Astra?
Any suggestions on what to get instead? I really love the Astra, so ideally something similar in drive and style. Would it be worthwhile looking at the diesel Astra?
Chloe Walsh (Maynootth)Mar 2011 Filed under: diesel
Expert answer
Hi Chloe,
The fact that you really seem to like your car would signify that perhaps you should simply change to the 1.7-litre diesel SXi version of your car and save yourself a few quid in the process. You will probably get around €11,000 - €11,500 for your car at current market prices, but that should leave you well placed to replace it with a diesel model without too much trouble.
There weren't too many SXI models in Ireland with diesel engines but there do appear to be a few Vauxhalls imported with this spec that might work for you unless you had any particular objections to driving a Vauxhall over an Opel.
You could have a diesel version for in and around the same money so perhaps you could even get into a slightly newer model if you were prepared to invest a few more quid, but since money saving seems to be the aim here then maybe just swap into a diesel.
Aside from that you could perhaps look at getting a Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion, which is incredibly fuel efficient. This would make a great buy for you really and something like this would be very cheap to run.
I hope this helps,
Mitsubishi Colt or Toyota Yaris?
Just looking for advice on which is the best small automatic car. My wife is looking at a Mitsubishi Colt versus a Toyota Yaris. I've heard some bad reports on the Yaris automatic and I am wondering if these are unfounded. She currently has a Nissan Micra 1.2 Auto.
Tom Brady (Drogheda)Mar 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Tom,
Is this a new or used car you would be buying? A new Toyota Yaris comes with the MultiMode transmission and a 1.3-litre VVTi petrol engine, which will cost you €18,285.
A Mitsubishi Colt automatic with a 1.3-litre engine will cost you €15,450 and that is quite a bit less.
A Ford Fiesta 1.4 Style Auto would come in at €18,735 and this would be a really nice car.
The best bet for us would be a Hyundai i20 1.4 Deluxe Auto, which comes in at €16,995 and that is a super little car. If it is a straight choice between the Yaris and Colt I think I'd save the €2,835 and have the Colt.
Come back to us if you're buying second-hand, as the story may be a different one.
Should I buy a 2006 Mazda RX-8?
Hey guys,
I have a 2006 Opel Astra GTC SXI 1.7 diesel. I have been very unlucky with it and have gotten a lot of problems so I am ultimately thinking of trading it in. I saw a nice 2006 Mazda RX 8 1.3 petrol and liked the look of it. Just wanted to ask your opinion on how reliable they are. If I have any trouble would I have to bring it to a main dealer because of the Wankel engine; are parts expensive, depreciation etc? Any help/advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Alan Clanty (Limerick)Feb 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hiya Alan,
In a word, no we wouldn't recommend a used one. While the RX-8 is a great car and was super when it came out new, it has been a total disaster in terms of reliability. It drinks oil and fuel and there is a list of problems with it. There is a fair amount of evidence that the engines on these cars aren't lasting much more than 80,000- to 100,000 kilometres and there have been problems with starting the engines too.
We would love to recommend the RX-8 as a second-hand buy but there is a strong chance you would be heart broken and given the fact that you have had grief before then I reckon you don't want that to happen again.
What car has three ISOFIX points?
Hi
We hope to trade in our 2005 Skoda Octavia during the summer for a car that has three isofix points in the back. We would prefer not to get a seven-seater as we don't need that many seats. Our wishlist would include the three isofix points, a big boot to accomodate a double buggy, low tax and fuel efficiency. We have been looking at the Peugeot 307 SW. The trade in value of our present car seems to be in around the €5,000 mark. We can afford to add another €,5000 to that.
Any advice greatly appreciated! Many thanks.
Feena Farrell (Kilcock)Feb 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi there Feena,
The Peugeot 307 SW would be a good solution for you and it is great value and cheap to run. The 1.6-litre diesel engine is the best-seller in that model, is fuel-efficient and has low road tax. You would get one for within your budget alright. My sister has driven one for the last few years and apart from some loose bits of trim it has been a very solid car. Unfortunately there are only two ISOFIX points in the centre row.
Absolutely brilliant is the Fiat Multipla. Is it a little on the unusual side, but has a really clever 3+3 layout that your kids will really enjoy. The difficulty is that there are only two ISOFIX points in this too.
A little bit of research seems to suggest that there are normally only ISOFIX on the outer seats in the second row of a car. There are exceptions though, with the latest Renault Scenic (late 2009 on) having three ISOFIX points in the second row of seats. But this is outside your budget.
The Citroen C4 Picasso can take three ISOFIX seats across the rear and this might be a little bit outside your budget too, but perhaps you could haggle a little. Here is an example of one.
However, I reckon the solution for you is a Honda FR-V, which has three ISOFIX points across the six seats and it is a really good car. It only came as a petrol model early on, but if you don't do too many miles it should be okay. Here is one from 2006 within your budget.
Hope that helps.
Older premium car or newer car with lower running costs?
Hello, which do you think is best - to buy a new car around €21,000 or €22,000 with low tax or five-year old Lexus IS petrol or BMW 3 Series petrol for around €14,000 - €15,000 with high tax?
In other words is it better to drive a high quality car that has already suffered most of its depreciation, but has high running costs over a new car with low tax and low running costs, but maybe higher depreciation?
Jerome O'Connor (Wicklow)
Feb 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Jerome,
I have been on the wrong side of buying 'cheap' premium cars and thinking that I was very clever and to be honest it isn't that clever at all. Once things start to go wrong with some of the German models they can end up costing you an arm and a leg. That might not necessarily be the case with the Lexus IS, which, despite all the bad press the company has had of late, are incredibly reliable.
However, if you are at all worried about running costs then there is a lot to be said for buying something new, say like an Opel Astra and getting three years of free servicing.
Come back to us if you need some help choosing.