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!
Can you recommend an MPV as a second car?
Can you recommend an MPV as a second car?
Reilly Sean (Longford)Feb 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Sean,
It really depends on your budget and how many seats you need, but you can't go too far wrong with something like a Ford C-Max, Mazda5 or Peugeot 5008. These are probably the best around at the moment. If you need more room, then a Ford S-Max or Galaxy is your best bet. But come back to us if you need a more detailed response and can give us an idea of your budget.
I hope this helps.
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.
What will I get to replace my SEAT Ibiza?
I'm looking to spend around €20,000 on a new diesel. What's the best option? I have an 02 SEAT Ibiza, but I'm afraid it won't last much longer. Is it best to do a cash deal and scrap the car independently?
Mairead S (Limerick)Feb 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Mairead,
I guess it depends on how bad your Ibiza is. You will generally get a better deal as a cash buyer, but it will also probably cost you money to get rid of your Ibiza if you bring it to a scrap yard. Sadly you don't qualify for scrappage. but there are lots of good offers around, especially from the likes of Renault, who will give you a great scrappage price on a car eight years old or over. You could have any Renault Mégane within your budget. We recently drove the GT Line version of the Mégane and it looks great with tons of equipment including a built in TomTom navigation system.
The Mazda3 diesel is €19,995 and you get air conditioning, Bluetooth, cruise control and alloy wheels as standard and it is a cracker of a car. I think given your budget that this would be an excellent choice. It has low emissions too, so annual road tax is just €104.
Feel free to come back to us if any of these suggestions don't work.
Help me choose a commercial vehicle with extra seats.
Hi,
Can you help me choose a van with a second row of seating (for a child seat mainly) and a seperate payload area? I need a diesel vehicle that I can tax as a commerical and something that is not too ugly or uncomfortable. Budget is approximately €5-10,000.
Gerard Allister (Dublin 20)Feb 2011 Filed under: commercial vehicle
Expert answer
Hi Gerard,
That is a bit of a hard one. To be honest I would probably be looking in the direction of a pick-up truck and a Mitsubishi L200 would be the one I would go for with your budget. You would have to add a cover or find one with one, but something like this could really work.
Or if you needed a van, then this Renault Master could be ideal. It is within your budget and has lots of seats!
When is the timing belt due to be changed on a Leon?
Hi
How often should the timing belt be changed on a Seat Leon 05. is it 40000 or 60000 miles? Thanks
Donal O'Brien (Dublin)Feb 2011 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hiya Donal,
Our initial research shows that it appears to be 60,000km, but we will double check with SEAT and come back to you on this one.
Why is there a difference in VW Group finance rates?
Why are SEAT and Skoda able to offer finance at 4.9%, but VW only does 5.9%? All three are provided by the Volkswagen Bank, right?
Paul Campbell (Irishtown)
Feb 2011 Filed under: finance
Expert answer
Hi Paul,
We spoke to Volkswagen Ireland about this and this is what it had to say:
"Direct lenders (banks) and credit unions are supplying money (if at all) at around 9 percent - 10 percent. Volkswagen are offering 5.9% so significantly under standard rates and hardly a rip-off. SEAT and Skoda for tactical reasons have decided to offer exceptional rates on certain model lines to push sales even harder and you can see that Volkswagen have also done that for Polo. The rate is a decision by each Brand and used as tactical tool where appropriate."
I hope this helps!
Which seven-seater will I buy and what will I trade in?
I am looking for a seven seater. Do I change my 2010 Toyota Corolla or my husband's 2005 Citroen Berlingo? I'm looking at a 2009 Opel Zafira.
Shane Oneill (Kildare)
Feb 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Shane,
Well it depends on how much you want to spend really. There is going to be a lot more value in your Corolla than in the 2005 Citroen Berlingo so you wouldn't have to spend much money to get into a Zafira.
There really aren't a lot of 2009 Opel Zafiras around. In fact we found just four on sale in the classifieds. The cheapest of these was just under €17,000 for a petrol version. Since your Corolla would be worth more than this you would want change back from the dealer, which is something that can be hard to achieve.
A much better buy would be something like this diesel Ford S-Max. This car is bigger and better than the Opel Zafira, is closer in price to your Corolla and is a brilliant family car.
Your Citroen Berlingo might fetch between €3,000 - €5,000 depending on mileage and condition and if it is reliable I would keep it until it stops.
I hope this helps!
How much should changing the crank sensor cost?
I arrived at your site when I was looking for information on crankshaft sensors. I have to have the crankshaft sensor replaced on my SEAT Leon TDI FR. The dealer said the gearbox will have to be removed and that the cost will be around £300. Is this correct and a reasonable cost?
CH Belfast
Colin Harvey (Belfast)Feb 2011 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Colin,
We've checked with SEAT Ireland and it has been confirmed that it is indeed necessary to remove the gearbox for this job.
Given that, the price does not sound unreasonable at all.
Hope that's of help.
How safe are rear seat passengers in a seven-seater?
What is the safety record for rear seat passengers in a seven-seat car?
Shane Oneill (Kildare)Jan 2011 Filed under: safety
Expert answer
Hi Shane,
I have looked back through the record of Euro NCAP (www.euroncap.com) and there is no major difference between the safety of a third row of seats and the second row of seats.
The modern SUV often has curtain airbags that run the length of the car and these can protect the rear seat passengers in the event of a side collision. There is also a row of seats in front of the third row of seats and this provides extra protection for the third row seats.
Obviously they are closer to the rear of the car in a rear-end collision, but there is very little information about this available.
If there is anything else specific you'd like to know, please do get back in touch.