Expert answer

Hi Kevin,

Looking at the facts first of all, the Grandland Electric and Scenic E-Tech electric start at roughly the same asking price, below €40,000 once all incentives are taken into consideration. However, for that price, the Grandland gets a 73kWh battery pack and an official range of up to 523 kilometres, while the Scenic's 60kWh battery means a range of 430km. The Grandland is more powerful as well, featuring a 213hp motor while a 170hp motor comes with the Scenic's smaller battery.

Nonetheless, that Scenic is a massive 300kg lighter than the Opel so it's actually faster accelerating, better to drive and a little more efficient.

The Scenic can be had with an 87kWh battery to extend the range to an official 625km, though that's more expensive again. On a three-year finance package that may not be an issue of course.

The Scenic is a bit smaller overall, with a length 200mm shy of the Grandland's, but it seems to be better packaged, as the interior is just as spacious and the boot, at 535 litres, is only 15 litres down on the Opel's. The better packaging is likely to do with the fact the Grandland underpinnings were developed to accept engines as well an electric powertrain, while the Scenic is only offered as an EV.

Both feel of good quality inside, though we much rather the infotainment and dashboard layout of the Renault. On the road, we also prefer how the Scenic drives.

Hopefully all that is of help, but don't hesitate to come back to us if you need more.

The best advice we can give you is to go and test drive the cars before you make any decision.

Expert answer

Hi there,

Go to the AA Approved Car Network and search by car or location to see if you can find the dealer you are dealing with. Aside from that we'd recommend you carry out a car history check on the registation of the car you are interested in. And make sure you physically visit the dealer's premises to discuss and see the car before you pay out a deposit.

Expert answer

Hi Christine,

The Symbioz uses a sophisticated transmission and hybrid system that couples and decouples the engine and alters the engine speed to best deliver the required performance or maximum economy at any moment. This depends on a variety of factors, and it can sometimes mean the engine becomes more audible. This characteristic is not uncommon in hybrids, but if you think there’s something out of the ordinary, do pay your Renault dealer a visit so they can put your mind at ease.

Expert answer

Hi Ciara,

In general, larger cars come with better seats, and the Auris is in a class above the Clio in size terms so that would normally hold true. However, there's two years between these cars and over 100,000km, to the benefit of the Clio, and that really goes against the Toyota as its seats (and everything else of course) will have been through a lot more use. On top of that, the Clio is one of the bigger and more substantial cars in its sector.

In this case, and without knowing anything about the condition or service history of both (just as important as mileage and year), I'd suggest the Clio would be a better bet for you. Both are similarly economical.

A quick look on Carzone.ie for a diesel hatchback for under €9,000 reveals plenty of good alternatives to the above, including the Nissan Note and Pulsar and Honda Civic. There are loads of others with higher mileages on the clock already. From what I've seen, the Honda Civic seems like a really good option.

Expert answer

Hi Mark,

Assuming it's no more than a 3.5-tonne van, then the VRT should be a flat €200. 

Expert answer

Hi Colin,

There's no definitive answer to this one as there are so many moving parts. First up, you'll get maximum value for your own car if you sell it privately. That is far less convenient than trading it in of course, but worth taking into consideration.

If you're going the trade-in route, there's no way to know for sure how much the cost to change will be until you start talking numbers with a dealer. I'd suggest you do that sooner rather than later with a number of different dealers to get a feel for the numbers involved. You don't need to commit to anything to do this. It'll take you time of course, but try to choose a few dealers that are not part of the same group or brand, and do the sums with them on both a new PCP and going for a used model as you mentioned.

Perhaps wait until the Budget announcements next month to see if there is anything new on EV incentives before committing to anything, but don't leave it much longer as some new cars can take a few months to arrive following an order.

The Enyaq is a fine electric car. Good alternatives include the Volkswagen ID.4 and forthcoming new Cupra Tavascan, plus the Renault Scenic. There's loads of choice at that price point.

Expert answer

Hi James,

I'd suggest either bringing the car to a Renault dealer to discuss your options or to a good mechanic or auto-electrician. Without knowing anything about the issue, it may be possible to replace it with a used unit from a scrapped car for example, but do go to the experts on this one.

Expert answer

Hi Ainsley,

In our opinion, the better EV out of the pair is the Tesla Model 3 - but there are caveats to that, and one very big one to consider. Subjective, of course, but the Megane E-Tech is nicer to look at outside and in, and the quality of its interior fittings are also better. It also drives very sweetly, so it's a strong contender.

However, the Model 3 has greater one-shot driving range (both official and real-world), is the more refined car at speed and, once you've tried it you'll realise just how much of a USP the proprietary Supercharger system is for Tesla; there is no finer public recharging experience than this.

The big caveat with the Model 3, though, is the placement of the indicators and the windscreen wiper controls on the steering wheel in the facelifted  version - it's a cackhanded piece of ergonomics if you come to it direct from a car with conventional column stalks.

On top of that, there's a vastly different customer service model at work, as Renault has a nationwide network of dealers you can just pop into, and Tesla does not.

We'd suggest you take all that into consideration while you go test-drive both cars for yourself.

Please do let us know which one you go for.

Expert answer

Hi Phil,

Without seeing it for ourselves we wouldn't like to say for sure, but we do know that massive dents are not ever easily repaired as you've described and panel beaters prefer to replace the panel completely where possible.

Expert answer

Hi Olivia,

In theory, once any vehicle is 30 years old or older, it qualifies for so-called ‘vintage’ tax — which is a mere €56 per year. If for any reason your truck doesn’t qualify, then it’ll be taxed according to its engine capacity. Rates for any goods vehicle under 3,000cc start at €333 per annum.