Should I choose petrol or diesel?
Hi guys,
My question has two parts. Firstly I am changing car and always drove a diesel but am wondering about improved economy of modern petrol engines, e.g. VW Jetta 1.4 TSI vs. VW Jetta TDI. Maybe you can advise what criteria I should consider?
Also, as my mileage is difficult to predict, I am concerned that if I am not doing enough miles I will have problems with the particulate filter on a diesel. What do you think?
Expert answer
Hi Peter,
Diesel cars are now outselling petrol cars by 3 to 1 and of the petrol models that are selling, they are mainly small runabouts. The fact is that the majority of people are being drawn to the lowest possible road tax and in some cases, oddly, this means that they are actually spending more on the car then they really should have. There seems little sense to spend €2,000 - €3,000 more on a diesel car if you are saving €50 a year in road tax and your mileage is low, but that is the way it seems to be happening right now.
The problem with this is that buyers are missing out on on some really good petrol cars. Fiat and Volkswagen in particular have some smart new petrol engines. Take for example the Jetta, which you mentioned: the new one is out now, but in the older model there was a 105hp 1.2-litre TSI petrol engine and most people baulked at this because they thought it would be too weedy for the car. The same is true of the 1.4-litre TSI, while both are more than capable of adequate performance.
In terms of fuel economy, sure enough the diesel will usually trump the petrol, but this will only really start to make monetary sense when you do a lot of mileage. It you intend on high mileage, then you are probably better off sticking with the diesel car - Volkswagens are generally quite good at mega mileage, as are Skodas.
We've been getting quite a few queries about DPFs (diesel particulate filters) here in CompleteCar.ie but Mazda appears to be the only brand showing up faults. The Passat though has not been without its troubles and, to be honest, I am not sure if I would be buying a used one with a lot of kilometres on the clock if big mileage is likely.
You mentioned the Jetta, well this one we found would be a top buy. It has just 14,000 miles on the clock, the right 2.0-litre diesel engine and is within your budget. This would be a good buy.
VW Passat or Ford Mondeo for taxi?
New Volkswagen Passat 1.6-litre diesel or new Ford Mondeo 1.6-litre diesel, cannot decide which is better for used as a taxi in Dublin.
Paul Mc Mahon (Dublin)May 2011 Filed under: taxi
Expert answer
Hi Paul,
These cars are really very similar and it can be difficult to seperate them when you compare them in almost every category. You didn't mention the Skoda Octavia or Superb here which is surprising since they are rated so highly by the taxi industry and they are also ultra reliable. The Passat hasn't always been that reliable while there appear to be fewer problems with the Mondeo. Having said that, both engines are really very good though and will be super frugal.
To be honest, I would probably still go with the Passat as it looks and feels a little more upmarket and that would be good in your line of work.
What is the value of my 2005 Skoda Octavia?
What is the current value of a 2005 Skoda Octavia 1.6-litre petrol? There are 120,000 miles on the clock and it is in mint condition.
Liam Arrigan (Rathkeale)May 2011 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Liam,
If you planning on selling it privately you should ask around €6,000 as your starting point leaving you room to negotiate. As a trade-in from a garage, you are likely to be offered around €4,000 - €5,000 at best, obviously depending on what you are trading in against.
I hope this helps!
What family diesel would suit me with €10,000 to spend?
I have roughly €10k to spend on a used car and I was hoping you might help with my choice. My requirements are: I drive 50,000 kilometers annually (work mainly) so a diesel would be essential; I have two children so a saloon sized car or bigger would be needed; and I really like a car with generous extras. Have you any ideas what might fit my need?
Thanks so much.
John Woods (Clonmel)May 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi John,
Right John - sensible would be something like a Citroen C5. You could have a choice of diesel ones with low mileage and every conceivable extra for your budget. A Ford Mondeo would fit the bill too. But you would want one with a few decent extras on it. This Skoda Octavia sounds like it could be a super choice for you too.
Torn between Octavia and Lancer
I'm stuck between the Scoda Octavia Greenline and the Mitsubishi Lancer diesel? Both are costing me about the same with scrappage etc. HELP me decide!!!!! I have test driven both and the Mitsubishi has much better performance but the Octavia is much better on the running cost!!
Cormac Breathnach (GALWAY)May 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Cormac,
We drove the new Lancer recently here and as we pointed out, the performance is better than nearly all of its rivals at the same price. It drives really well, and will be reliable, but we felt that the interior felt a little bit dated. The Octavia is, as you will have figured out from your roadtest, very good too. I can't see where there would be a massive difference between the running costs, aside from the fact that the Lancer might have €156 road tax per year compared to the €104 in the Octavia.
Mitsubishi Lancer Diesel
They would have reasonably similar residual values and have similar warranties too. So, Cormac, I have to sound flippant, but I would really say that if I were you I would pick whichever car feels right for you. If you do mega mileage I might go for the Octavia, but the Lancer is so well-equipped for the money and the engine is really good.
Skoda Octavia
The only thing I would say is that time is running out on the scrappage scheme, so you would need to sort out your new car soon and there is a bit of a shortage on Octavias, so you need to act soon!
I have injector problems with my Skoda Octavia.
Hi,
My 2007 Skoda Octavia (a 1.4-litre with 90,000km on the clock) was misfiring badly for a good while before the engine warning light came on. The 'bank 1' oxygen sensor went so we replaced the sensor and the warning light went off. No faults were showing on the diagnostic tool (electrics diagnostics only), but the engine was still misfiring. Unburned fuel was found in cylinder 3, which we eventually got cleaned out.
The coil and spark plugs were testing and found to be firing so it looks like the fuel injector for this cylinder is the problem. I'm going to bring it to a main dealer to try resolve as I think best case is to re-program the injector or worst case, replace it. My question is, how much should this cost to do in best and worst case scenario?
Thanks! Linda
Linda Meehan (Laois)May 2011 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Linda,
It certainly does sound like an injector issue - assuming the coil and plugs are fine. We'd suggest that the injectors are tested before hastily replacing them. Any decent garage will do that for you - it doesn't have to be a main dealer. From the information you've given us about the car, we don't believe you can re-program the injectors. It may be possible to refurbish them, but in most cases it's probably better just to replace it.
If that's what is needed, the cost of the part itself is well over €100, but no garage should charge you more than an hour of labour for replacing it, as it's a relatively easy job.
Hope that helps and you get sorted.
What SUVs are good for towing, but in a low tax bracket?
What cars or SUVs are in the lower tax bands and can pull a horse box with two horses inside?
Steve Royston (Listowel)Apr 2011 Filed under: towing
Expert answer
Hi Steve,
Here's an answer to a similar question:
http://www.completecar.ie/askusanything/question/397/Are-there-any-Band-B-4x4s
Depending on your budget, I think the new BMW X3 would be ideal. Perhaps the Skoda Yeti 4x4 would work if you are working off a smaller budget. Bear in mind that the most either of those cars can legally tow is 2,000kg (dependant on model), so whether they are suitable really depends on the weight of your horsebox - and horses of course...
Some versions of the Volkswagen Tiguan have a 2,500kg towing limit, but they fall into higher tax bands.
If you give us an actual weight to work with we can advise you further, but there certainly are not many four-wheel drive SUVs on the market that can tow more than 2,000kg and still be in Band A or Band B.
Are there any Band B 4x4s?
Are there any 4x4 diesels that fall into Band B for tax, and if not, what diesel 4x4s have the lowest tax rate?
Steve Royston (Listowel)Expert answer
Hi Steve,
From what we can tell, no there isn't any SUV with 4x4 in Band B, as yet. There are lots of SUVs and crossovers in Band B with front-wheel drive. You'll find the likes of the Skoda Yeti, VW Tiguan, Nissan Qashqai all have versions with frugal diesel engines.
When it comes to 4x4, the best you can probably do at the moment is Band C. The Skoda Yeti 4x4 sits in Band C, as does the new BMW X3, which is selling well with good reason.
The Lexus RX Hybrid sits in Band C, as do the Hyundai ix35 2.0 CRDi 4wd and the Volvo XC60 AWD.
Hope that gives you something to think about
How often should I service the Skoda Octavia?
How often should I service my Skoda Octavia 1.9 Diesel?
NIALL MC MAHON (DUNDALK)Mar 2011 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hello Niall,
Service intervals are fixed at 10,000 miles or 12 months. On top of this, the air conditioning needs recharging each year, fresh brake fluid is required every two years and coolant should be renewed every three years. Replace the cambelt every four years or 80,000 miles on diesels.
Hope that 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.