Which SUV for up to €23,000?
Looking for a mid-size SUV worth up to €23,000, at max two years old. Something stylish inside and out, quick and reliable. What should I go for?
Aaron Joyce (Limerick)Jul 2019 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Aaron,
How about a Ford Kuga? That budget would get you into a nearly-new 191 or 182 1.5 TDCi, and it’s a bit of an underrated car — good to drive, roomy and nicely built. A sum of €23,000 obviously buys you a lot of either the ubiquitous Hyundai Tucson or Nissan Qashqai. How about a Mazda CX-5 instead? Gorgeous to look at, great to drive and with a 150hp engine, it’s not slow either. You could also think of a Peugeot 3008, a SEAT Ateca, a previous-generation Toyota RAV4 (better to drive than you might think), or a Volkswagen T-Roc.
What's up with my Peugeot 5008?
Hi.
Could you please help on this? My Peugeot 5008 1.6's stop-start function is stopping the engine when stationary, but it would not start when I release the brake pedal. It gives sound of like the engine has jammed (goon goon goon). Then the ECO mode automatically gets deactivated and when I start the car manually, it starts perfectly.
Thank you.
Mirza IsmaiL (Manchester)Apr 2019 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Mirza,
That's a really unusual one and you're best getting the car along to a good garage to have it inspected. There's a known issue with the original Peugeot 5008 1.6 diesel where the earth connection to the starter fails causing all kinds of random engine and starting issues, so this could be related, but either way you'll need a mechanic to fix it.
Best of luck
New Skoda Kodiaq or Peugeot 5008?
I do 35-40k kilometres per year over motorway and hilly back roads. Considering new 2.0-litre Skoda Kodiaq diesel Ambition or 1.5 Peugeot 5008 diesel Allure. Peugeot has a higher spec including rear view camera and three full seats in second row (no tunnel). Would it have the power and comfort to tackle the high mileage? Other SUV suggestions welcome.
Gay Fannon (Cavan)Dec 2018 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Gay,
It definitely has the power and the comfort to tackle the mileage. That new 1.5-litre HDi diesel engine is a cracker, and with 120hp it has plenty of guts, plus it’s rather pleasantly refined and very frugal too. An excellent all-rounder. The only doubt would be over long-term reliability. While Peugeot has really improved its build quality over the years, the fact is that an equivalent Skoda will be slightly better-built, especially over the longer term. It’s certainly worth considering.
Your thoughts on this Peugeot 3008?
Greetings to you, I will like to request your view on a 2010 or 2011 Peugeot 3008. We are first time car buyers and we are currently viewing a 2010 Peugeot 3008, with approximately 110k miles on the clock, diesel engine, automatic for €7,500 sticker price (negotiable). We love this car and we would love to have it, but we are wondering what kind of problems and the level of reliability this car has. We will appreciate if you can provide us with your analysis of this car.
Thanks
Afeez Are (Leixlip)Oct 2018 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Afeez,
I’m assuming that’s a 1.6 HDI diesel model? If so you need to watch for excessive black smoke from the exhaust, which could indicate a blown turbo. Check too to see if the diesel particulate filter is working properly — if it’s a low-mileage car (and that is quite low miles) then it may not have been driven regularly enough to keep the filter clean, and they’re expensive to fix and clean. If it has air conditioning then that needs specific servicing so check that has been done and, if you notice that the car pulls to the left at higher speed, then it might need new front tyres. Other than that check that all switches and buttons are working properly, and that the car has a full and complete service history.
Tiguan, SEAT Ateca or Peugeot 3008?
Which automatic SUV do you recommend: Volkswagen Tiguan, SEAT Ateca or Peugeot 3008?
Thanks
Brian McCarthy
Brian McCarthy (Listowel )Oct 2018 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Brian,
The Tiguan and the Ateca are, essentially, the same car, so you may as well get the SEAT, as it’ll be the cheaper of the two. There’s virtually no difference in terms of the way it drives nor the interior space and quality. The 3008 is an interesting alternative though — arguably more stylish inside and out, but it feels subjectively less roomy, and it may not be as solidly reliable in the longer term. Worth taking into consideration though.
Read our reviews below:
My Peugeot's stop-start system doesn't work...
My 2017 Peugeot 308 stop-start system does not work.
Anna O'Dwyer (New Ross)Aug 2018 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Anna,
There are plenty of reasons why a stop-start system won't work in certain circumstances. It's different for every car, but it's well worth reading this other reader question for a general overview, even if it doesn't specifically apply to your car.
If none of that helps, then pop along to your Peugeot dealer, as the car is still under warranty.
How much to scrap my BMW 530d?
Hi there, I have a 2004 BMW 530d, still a dream to drive, it's working perfect, but I want to update; what would it get for scrapping it?
Janeen
Janeen Territt (Dundalk Co Louth)Aug 2018 Filed under: scrappage
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.
How much for my 2004 Renault Scenic?
Hi, I have a 2004 Renault Scenic that is still driving; what will I get from scrappage for it?
Michael Oneill (Shannon Town)Aug 2018 Filed under: scrappage
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.
Which seven-seat SUV won't break the bank?
Am looking for a seven-seater that has three ISOFIX points in the middle seats and has either four-wheel drive or assist. And that won't break the bank. Am coming up short on anything that's not mega expensive.
Nial Tully (Co. Roscommon)Aug 2018 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Niall,
Have you tried a new-shape Peugeot 5008? That has three ISOFIX points across the middle row of seats, and while there’s not a four-wheel-drive option, you can get them with Peugeot’s clever adjustable traction control system. Prices start at under €30,000 for a new one, and used models are obviously a good bit less than that.
Why do Irish car buyers not get discounts?
Hi,
I wonder if you could explain something I don't really understand about the Irish car buying market, even though I have a big interest in cars and the industry. Why is it that Irish car buyers hardly ever seem to get the sort of discounts that buyers in Britain do? I'm not just referring to the fact that overall new and used prices are cheaper there.
I wanted to buy a new or nearly new Peugeot 508 here recently and thought I would get a reasonable discount, which I pushed for, as that model does not sell as well as many of it's rivals and I thought the Peugeot dealer would be delighted to sell a saloon seeing as the market for them is declining so much and so many people now want SUVs instead. Alas, I could not get any sort of decent discount for a new or nearly new 508. It is well known that in Britain the buyer often gets a sizeable discount for car types or models that lag behind many rivals in sales, or for certain brands such as Vauxhall/Opel and Citroen. From what I observe and hear, you don't get decent discounts either for certain makes and models here in Ireland.
Higher VRT and other taxes here, don't explain these differences alone. I thought with Brexit and the vast increase in used and nearly new imports that Irish dealers would be more price competitive, but I'm surprised also that the prices of good fresh second hand cars here haven't come down more in this backdrop. For some good reasons, I'd prefer to buy here than from abroad, but it just seems that Irish car buyers can't catch the breaks that UK buyers get at all! Do you agree with me or can you kindly explain these differences in both markets?
Thanks, JC
JC Holohan (Waterford)Jun 2018 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi JC,
The big issue, really, is the size of the market. In the UK, vast dealer groups, with multiple outlets, are the norm and, obviously, these groups can be more cost-efficient and can potentially offer bigger discounts. Although there are dealer groups in Ireland, the norm is still very much the individual family-run business. That’s equally true on the import side of things — although there are now importers here that are tied directly to the car maker itself, many are still private, individual, locally-owned companies and those struggle to match the sort of discounting that is more common in the UK market. Plus, the fact that we buy in and around 100,000 to 130,000 cars a year here means that there’s less volume to spread discounts across. The UK market shifts two million cars a year — a considerable difference. VRT and VAT costs also play into it, as the wholesale price is often kept artificially lower to try and keep the added tax price down as much as possible.