Expert answer

Hello again Angela,

I know Shane answered your last question, but I think I can answer your follow up question. The Golf and Leon are quite similar; the Leon is definitely the prettier car and the Golf the more sensible. I know what you mean about the Leon range, as there are 17 different versions, which seems excessive.

The thing is with SEAT is that it tends to get the older technology from Volkswagen, so the Leon still has an older engine range, namely the 1.9-litre TDI, which is quite a noisy old engine. The 2.0-litre TDI is also available in the Leon, but at a higher cost.

The 1.6-litre 105hp engine in the Golf is a newer and cleaner engine, with better fuel economy. It hasn't made it to the Leon just yet, so the better engine is in the Golf right now.

In terms of running costs, the road tax is slightly less on the Golf, at €104 against the €156 in the Leon. The Golf has slightly better fuel economy (62.8mpg v 56.5mpg) but that is a relatively small difference.

That Leon is great value, but in terms of an investment I would be inclined to go with the Golf, as I would think the residual value will be better with the newer Golf with the newer engine.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Emer

As you know Toyota don't offer the Rav4 with seven seats in Ireland (but they do in the USA) so that is off the list.

We have spoken since and I now know you have a 2005 Toyota Rav4, petrol with 40,000 km on the clock, which is very low mileage. I would hope you would get about €6,500 - €7,000 for your Rav (perhaps even a bit more) as a trade-in against a new model and with the €15,000 on top of that to play with you have quite a few options.

The most obvious option for me, is the Nissan Qashqai+2. The Qashqai has been immensely popular and the +2 model adds extra seats to make it a seven seater. That only came on the market in 2009, so it might just not make your budget, but then again this depends on what you are offered for your Rav4. The cheapest of these is likely to cost around €25,000, so this might not be an option.

Never fear though, there are other good options. The Chevrolet Captiva was a lesser-known SUV that sold in small numbers but really was quite good and crucially, for you, came with seven seats. You should expect to pay about €17,000 for a 2007 one and you might even sneak into a 2008 for about €23,000.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Chevrolet/Captiva/LT-VCDI-/201019198001210/advert?channel=CARS

Another good option would be the Mitsubishi Outlander. You could have a 7-seater one of those, with a 2.0-litre 140hp diesel engine and a 2007 one would cost you about €19,000, and a 2008 one would cost about €23,000.

This could be quite a nice solution actually

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mitsubishi/Outlander/2.0-DI-D/201013197400203/advert?channel=CARS

The other thing you could do, is totally lord it up and get a Land Rover Discovery which has one of the most generous rear row of seats around. This 2006 model is under €20,000. Yes it will cost you an arm and a leg to run and service, but at least we are giving you your options.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Land-Rover/Discovery/3-TDV6-S/201015197653184/advert?channel=CARS

I do hate to use the 'S' word, but if you did think of something more sensible, then you couldn't really pass the Ford S-Max. Of the MPVs of that type, this is the best of them and it looks good too. Here is a 2007 diesel with low mileage for €19,300, leaving you plenty of change.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/S-Max/1.8TDCI-/200928194542104/advert?channel=CARS

Anyway, I hope some of this helps, but feel free to come back to us with your thoughts.

Expert answer

Hi Ray

I understand that your Corolla saloon has 68,000 km (42,000 miles) on it. Prices seem to be fairly consistent for them and you should probably expect about €8,000 - €9,000 as a trade-in, which isn't bad because your mileage is quite low.

Your budget is €4,000 and you need a seven-seater and you want something that is going to be reliable, comfortable and safe. I understand that you are being asked to spend €3,000 with your own car for a 2005 model and €4,500 for a 2006 model Scenic. This seems a little steep to me and steep to our Renault advisor. Also the Scenic, as it ages doesn't always stand up in terms of reliability. 

However, if money is an issue, I would be inclined to go for a petrol version of the Scenic, which can be picked up for half the price of the petrol models.

However if you want something reliable I would think you might stick with Toyota and get a Verso. 

Something like this 1.6-litre petrol model would be a super buy and it is from an SIMI dealer.

http://tiny.cc/47qyu

Expert answer

Hello Al

That is a tricky one, but I will do my best to find out for you and come back to you ASAP.

Expert answer

Hello Mark,

We checked in with the technical department of Fiat Auto Ireland and they told us the following:

"First have the air bag system checked with a Fiat Dealer to see what errors are present and they will advise on the repair. The problem could be with any part on the system so this check at the Dealer will save you time and money."

Hope this answers your question Mark.

Expert answer

Hi Angela,

Let's start with looking at the prices of the cars you listed when bought new:

Kia cee'd: 1.6-litre diesel starts at €18,550. There are four versions to chose from, including an automatic and a version that sneaks into band A for tax.

Kia Venga: only available with Kia's new 1.4-litre turbodiesel engine. There are just two trim options, LX and EX and the price is either €18,320 or €19,615. Both have emissions of 117g/km, which means cheap band A road tax.

Hyundai i30: five versions of the same 1.6-litre diesel engine (CRDi) available. Ranging from €18,495 to €25,495. There's an automatic option and two different power outputs, the lower of which is in band A.

Peugeot 308: five versions of the same 1.6-litre diesel engine (HDi). Ranging from €19,795 to €24,335. Four of these are in band A, including the 'Ecomatique' automatic version.

SEAT Leon: a massive eight-model diesel (TDI) range in both 1.9- and 2.0-litre sizes. Two of them drop into band A, while the fastest 2.0-litre model is in band C. Prices range from €20,105 to €26,290.

As your question was purely about value, then it comes down to the Hyundai and Kias. We found the Venga to be quite impressive, though it's a pity there is so little choice in the range.

This appears to boil down to the Hyundai i30 and Kia cee'd. The latter was facelifted earlier this year and it's an even better car than before, but what tips the balance in the Kia's favour is its untouchable warranty. All models get a seven-year warranty, which is huge peace of mind.

Depending on your budget limits you should also take a look at the Skoda Octavia.

I assume you don't have a car to trade in on the scrappage scheme, as that would change things a little. Renault for instance has fantastic offers on its Mégane.

Obviously all of these cars can be had second-hand too, where you'll get a higher spec car for the same money, albeit with kilometres on the clock.

Let us know what you decide or if you have any other questions just pop them in the comment box below.

Thank you

Expert answer

Hi Karl, I have stuck my neck out already this year and said that I thought the new Peugeot 5008 was the best car in its class and for now I am sticking to that.

The 5008 feels well built and crucially is incredibly well priced and well equipped too. The 5008 starts at €26,870 for the SE version and, when you compare this to some of its key rivals, it's excellent value. There is only one engine choice though, which is the 110hp 1.6-litre diesel (HDi). 

For €28,995 you get the SX, which gets cruise control, front fog lights, 16-inch alloys, sun blinds in row two, electric windows all round and a leather gear knob. 

The new Ford S-MAX starts at €31,495 (not sure why Ford's site says it starts from €29,995 - it is confusing), which is a lot less than it used to cost and the updated model is pretty impressive too. You can have this with three different outputs of 115hp, 140hp and 160hp. The S-MAX is a better driver's car with better handling, but 5008 ticks all the boxes in terms of size and space and crucially is better value.

If you are sticking to a budget then I would say go for the Peugeot 5008 SE. However, since you seem to have narrowed it down to two cars, you should probably test drive both and decide for yourself.

Expert answer

Hi Clodagh, we weren't sure of this, so we put it to the Road Safety Authority.

Their spokesperson told us the following: "It is legal but not safe. Lap belts pose a serious threat to a child's welfare and in a collision there is a risk of spinal injury. The medical community call it 'Lap Belt Syndrome'. Ideally the child should be in a three point belt using a booster seat or cushion. check out www.rsa.ie and the child safety in cars information on the Road Safety Education Section for more details."

Expert answer

Camshaft sensors in most cars are really easy to change, though as with all things under the bonnet we'd always recommend that you bring your car to an expert unless you know what you are doing.

In most cases this work would take 10-15 minutes.

Without the car in front of me, or a workshop manual, I would hesitate to give you more precise instructions, but usually the sensor is held on by just one or two bolts and an electrical connector.

Assuming that is the case, remove the bolts and connector and reverse the procedure for the replacement sensor. Be careful that you do not damage the new sensor.

You should be aware that some cars may need their on-board computer (the Engine Control Unit - or ECU) reset following this operation. Ideally this would be done by a main dealer or garage with the correct equipment.

What has lead you to diagnose a problem with the sensor? (You can reply in the comment box below)

Expert answer

Hi Julia. Well firstly, congratulations on your new arrivals. With two new babies in your family your car needs will have definitely changed. A friend of mine recently was in the same situation as you and asked me the very same question. They couldn't really cope with a standard five-seater car anymore but by the same token, dreaded the thoughts of getting into an MPV. They felt that by buying one that they had given up on driving something 'exciting and cool' and you can understand that. Even the most modern MPVs can be a little van-like. So, we would steer you in the direction of the Nissan Qashqai+2, which is the 7-seater version of the Qashqai. A 1.5-litre diesel version with 2-wheel drive will cost you €30,450, or if you prefer you could get into a good used version for about €25,000 (2009).

This car will be cheap to run, with low road tax of €156 per year and evidence suggests they are reliable and holding their value too. Please come back to us if you need any more help, but we think this is the right choice for your needs.