Expert answer

Hi Olive,

Define good value. The problem with a car of that age is that it’s going to come down to how well it’s been looked after. A more expensive car that’s been cared for will, in the long run, cost you less than a bargain shed. I’d look out for a good Toyota Corolla Verso, or Opel Zafira, or (if you need something bigger) SEAT Alhambra. Shop around carefully though as anything of that age is going to be feeling its years by now.

Expert answer

Hi Jon,

Well, it depends which model you mean, but I’m assuming it’s a 1.4 VVTi petrol with a manual gearbox. If so, the original official fuel economy was 42.2mpg, or 6.7 litres per 100km. Depending on how well the car has been looked after in the 14 years since then, it’ll probably do around 35mpg in daily driving.

Expert answer

Hi Enda,

I wouldn't be massively worried about the mileage so long as you're not planning on putting up huge mileage yourself. Buy on condition and history. If you have any suspicions that it might have been a taxi have it checked on Cartell.ie.

As to the value, it won't be worth a lot at that mileage - and don't expect to sell it on for much when you're finished with it - but we can't value it without knowing its condition and year.

Let me know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Alan,

There are widespread problems with the MMT semi-automatic gearbox and it's sometimes expensive to fix so we'd advise buyers to stay away from cars with that transmission. Somewhat surprisingly we've heard of isolated problems with the manual gearbox too, though they're few and far between.

Hope that's of help.

Expert answer

Hi Anne,

The Corolla Verso has proven to be mechanically sound so no issues there to worry about and as the model you're considering is at the end of that model's life it should have none of the teething bugs. It's worth checking that the airbags have been checked according to an early recall (if it affects this car) though as they had an issue.

This isn't especially high mileage for such a car, but have it checked mechanically by an expert.

Hope that helps.

Expert answer

Hi Gemma,

First of all, we need you to confirm whether this is the engine management light or the oil pressure light you are referring to, as that's important! Those Corollas are known to have issues with gumming up the gauze that leads into the oil sump, which could lead to oil pressure problems - hence illuminating the oil pressure light. Likewise, it could be the pressure release valve as mentioned by your mechanic. If he flushed that out and replaced the oil and filter then the next step is actually to replace the oil light switch itself - as it may be faulty. If it's not, then the sump needs to come off and he needs to look at removing and cleaning the gauze.

However, if it really is the engine management light then you need the car hooked up to an OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) reader to extract the fault code and trace down the problem. This will only be possible when the light is on of course, which is tricky if it's an intermittent problem.

Come back to us if you need more assistance.

Expert answer

Hi Hagen,

There's a lot of choice on the market for that price. Here's a few cars we'd consider good buys for the purpose you've described:

Citroen C3, Fiat Panda, Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Honda Jazz, Mazda3, Nissan Almera, Nissan Micra, Opel Astra, Opel Corsa, Peugeot 207, SEAT Ibiza, SEAT Cordoba, SEAT Leon, Skoda Fabia, Suzuki Swift, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Yaris, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Polo.

I appreciate that's a long list, but we've left out plenty too! If you'd like more in depth help with choosing from the above come back to us.

Expert answer

Hi Rosie,

It really depends on the condition, which engine it has and how many kilometres are on the clock. A quick look on Carzone.ie shows 2006 diesel Toyota Corolla hatchbacks going from €6,000 to €11,000.

Come back to us with more details if you want and we'll take a look.

Expert answer

Hi Rory,

I'm sure you're aware that your budget will get you any number of relatively new regular cars such as the Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus, along with bigger models like the Ford Mondeo and Toyota Avensis.

However, given your current choice of car I'd suspect that you'd like to retain the elevated driving position and your mileage dictates a diesel engine. Most cars can take a tow bar and you don't have heavy towing needs so that's not a major consideration. Likewise, all SUVs etc. will have room for your golf clubs.

So the logical choices based on all that include:

BMW X3: Good diesel engine, spacious, but your budget may only get you an older example.

Citroen C-Crosser: Great 2.2-litre diesel engine; rest of car built on Mitsubishi mechanicals.

Honda CR-V: Bomb-proof reliability, but again may have to settle for older example.

Hyundai Santa Fe: Big and comfortable, though running costs higher than smaller SUV.

Mitsubishi Outlander: Spacious, well made, ok diesel, if loud.

Nissan X-Trail: Strangely forgotten, but plenty around at this price.

Peugeot 4007: Shares its engine and underpinnings with the Citroen above.

Suzuki Grand Vitara: Very reliable.

Toyota RAV4: Another with impressive reliability. Possibly the choice of the lot at this price.

There are loads of older, bigger SUVs for sale at that price too, but they'll cost you more to run for no real benefit.

If you're willing to change body styles completely it's worth checking out something like a BMW 120d Coupé or a diesel 3 Series Coupé. There are also plenty of great estates on the market for that budget, including the Audi A4 Avant and BMW 3 Series Touring. I know you don't need that space for a family, but it's useful for a lot of other things.

Come back to us with more information and we'll help to narrow your search further.

Expert answer

Hi Gerard,

You didn't specify if you're interested in a new Corolla or a used one, but here are the figures for the latest model:

• Toyota Corolla 1.3 Dual VVT-i (petrol): 5.8 litres/100km (48.7mpg)
• Toyota Corolla 1.4 D-4D 90 (diesel): 4.7 litres/100km (60.1mpg)

Come back to us if this doesn't answer your query.