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Hi Clare,

A Hilux has a 2.4-litre engine (well, the current one does, but remember that older versions had 3.0-litre units) so if you want to tax it as a private vehicle that’s going to be €1,034 per year for motor tax. I’m pretty sure you can’t register and tax a horse lorry for private use as it’s over the 3,500kg limit for private cars. The tax therefore would be the commercial rate of €333 per year. As for insurance, that’s probably more down to you and your own driving record than it is to the vehicle, but the good news is that there are specialist horse lorry insurers, such as Wexford Insurance, who would probably be able to give you a good quote. 

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Hi Tony,

The second-generation Octavia launched in 2004, which means you're most likely looking at two completely different generations of the model. There will be some small number of parts potentially shared across both, but not a lot at all, especially as the engines are also different.

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Hi Pat,

We certainly have noticed this trait in all Volkswagen Group DSG-based gearboxes (that's what the S tronic transmission is) and their attendant engines of late. The only explanation seems to be that VW’s various brands have trimmed back both engine power and responsiveness at low speeds, and especially at idle or when waking up from a stop-start cycle, in order to optimise their figures in the new WLTP emissions and economy tests. VW is certainly not the only one to do this, but it does seem to be more obvious with VW Group models than with some other manufacturers. Shifting the gearbox into Sport helps a bit, but it’s not a total fix.

One cure might be a total vehicle upgrade — we’ve noticed that the new ‘Evo’ versions of the 1.5 TSI petrol and 2.0 TDI diesel engines are noticeably less sleepy. Or, alternatively, trade in for a version with a manual gearbox — that is the simplest cure of all.

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Hi F D,

Sounds to me like the Audi garage had it right. The rear callipers could be binding slightly, or perhaps even the parking brake mechanism is sticking. Very limited use in any car can do that. If you know you're not going to be using it for a long time, consider parking it up without using the parking brake (if safe and feasible). Leave the car in gear and place something in front of the tyres for extra safety.

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Hi Margot,

Well, you could go for the alternative option to both — the Toyota Auris Hybrid estate. Lots of space and excellent economy. I’ve put my reputation on the line recommending these to a couple of friends recently and so far, I’ve not been told off for sticking them with a bad car...

Other good alternatives are the Peugeot 308 SW, the Kia Ceed SportWagon, the VW Golf Estate and the Skoda Octavia Combi. The only issue, really, is finding any of these — estate sales in Ireland are so small that you may have to consider an import.

Here are our relevant reviews to help you decide:

Toyota Auris Touring Sports review

Peugeot 308 SW review

Volkswagen Golf Estate review

Skoda Octavia reviews

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Hi Katie,

OK, it’s only a rough calculation, but assuming that it’s a Civic VTEC Turbo 1.5 Sport, we reckon that’ll cost you around €2,600 in VRT. 

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Hi Shane,

Yes you can — anyone can buy a commercial vehicle and tax it as a commercial, but the restriction is on use. If you’re using it for personal use (i.e: literally anything other than going to and from work, or transporting items for work), then you really ought to register it as a private car and tax it accordingly. It's a major fine if you’re caught displaying incorrect tax.

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Hi John,

Yes, you should be able to apply for a repayment of VRT and VAT on a new car, or the residual VRT on a used car, if you are the named driver of someone who qualifies under the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme. I’d start by looking at the Citizens’ Information page on this, and then contacting your local motor tax office when you’re ready to. You may also qualify for free annual motor tax. As for the allowance on a €40,000 car, that will depend on the particular model as the VRT is calculated on emissions, not price. 

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Hi Austin,

So far, we’ve only test-driven the BMW 330e in one specification — M Sport, which does include sports seats. Now, I’m a fairly chunky guy myself (38-inch waist, bigger tummy, 44-inch chest) and I didn’t notice the seats being especially tight. For reference, I find the bucket seats in the Ford Fiesta ST WAY too tight across the back and thighs. You could always get one that’s not M Sport — Sport spec on the 3 Series is a good half-way house between the basic SE versions and the M Sport models, and comes with seats that are not too heavily bolstered. 

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Hi Aime,

As ever, welcome to the wonderful world of Irish car insurance… You’re totally within your rights to be able to use a van as a private car, and actually you’re doing the right thing by registering it for private use, and informing your insurer. Many people just break the law by driving a commercial for private use without ever paying the extra tax or informing their insurer. If you’re struggling to find cover, I would track down a good local broker — they’re usually much more clued into the market than the call-centre staff of insurance firms, and can often find deals that we mere mortals can’t.