Expert answer

Hi Pat,

Yes, I would say get a Sportage, but the question is, have you sourced one because they are very thin on the ground at the moment. The Sportage is so much more interesting than the Corolla that is an odd comparison, so yes, if you can get your hands on a Sportage then go buy one!

I hope this helps!

Expert answer

Hi Ally,

That really isn't an easy choice, but what we would say from the start is that you have chosen well. These are three fantastic cars and to be honest, any of them will tick the most basic of boxes for you in that they will be reliable, will be comfortable and look good and offer decent value for money. Mazda offer by far the best value when it comes to the scrappage scheme, so if you are watching your budget then this might be the way to go. You can check out the full details of the Mazda3 scrappage offers here. But the most you will pay is €19,495 for a fully specced Mazda3 under scrappage and that is superb value. 

Mazda3

Ford Focus (left) & Volkswagen Golf (right)

The two cars you see above are the new Ford Focus (left) and the Volkswagen Golf (right) and choosing between these two would be a bit like asking a parent to choose one of their kids. They both have their individual traits and as such it is hard to pick between them. The new Focus is very good, but I have the hatchback this week and had the saloon last week and actually preferred the saloon. The hatchback has poor visibility out the rear and you do have to pay a lot to get some of the fancy extras that are advertised. Having said that, you will get things like alloy wheels and air conditioning in the models you have chosen. The Golf is superb. We are running a long-term Volkswagen Golf Bluemotion and the fuel economy is great. I prefer the seating position in the Golf. I find that I can get more comfortable in the Golf and the fuel economy is outstanding. It isn't as exciting as the Ford inside, but you know that it will hold its value really well.

Really Ally, all of these cars will suit your needs perfectly. If I was tight on bugdet I would probably buy the Mazda3. If you are very concerned about residual value you have to buy the Golf, while the Focus is the newest car and probably feels the most upmarket.

My favourite of these would be the Golf, but whichever one you pick you will have done well. Again I would say that you need to move pretty fast, because if you want a specific new car it can take a few weeks and there aren't many weeks left in the scrappage scheme.

Expert answer

Hi Neil,

Your best bet is to buy a Haynes workshop manual. www.micksgarage.ie has them for about €25.

Hope that helps.

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!

Expert answer

Hi Shane,

You didn't mention whether it was petrol or diesel, but we'd say as a trade-in around €19,000 for a diesel model and about €1,000 less for a petrol model.

Hope that helps,

Expert answer

Hi Martina,

You can expect to pay from around €9,250 to €14,950 for a Corolla of varying mileage. Wipe about €800-€1,000 off this for a cash deal if you push hard. 

You will pay €8,945 for a high mileage Avensis diesel at one end or as much as €17,000 for a low mileage example. These prices are all from SIMI dealers. You might pay less for a private car or from an independent dealer. These prices are at extreme ends of condition and mileage too. 

Again, perhaps take €800 - €1,000 off these for cash buying. There is always the chance a dealer hasn't a lot of 'value' in a car so might offer less, so shop around!

Expert answer

SIMI are the Society of the Irish Motor Industry and as such, buying from one of its members is the closest you can get to total security when buying a used car. Of course there are no guarantees when buying a used car but at least here you are getting a car that has gone through a thorough car history check, and the dealers also have signed up to SIMIs code of conduct so they are answerable to a higher power. 

A spokesperson for SIMI outlined some of the benefits of buying from a SIMI dealer. "SIMI have high membership standards. To become a member of SIMI the garage must pass an audit and inspection. The dealer must submit among other documentation a tax clearance certificate, proof of planning permission, and be nominated by 3 existing members. Should a dispute arise we have a standards department that will investigate the consumers complaint. The first step is mediation between the customer and the garage. If that does not resolve the issue we have an independent tribunal that is headed up by a former rights commissioner and also a consumer group. The tribunal decision is binding on the SIMI garage."

Cars from SIMI dealers tend to be better, but this is not to say that there are not good independent dealers who choose not to become members of the SIMI and pay their fees. There are good independent car history check websites around such as Cartell.ie and Motorcheck.ie and for a fee there are several layers of check you can do on these cars. So, no, we wouldn't say to avoid non-SIMI dealers, but SIMI dealers do come with some security as-standard. 

If you want to come back to us with an idea of your budget and needs, feel free and we will guide you a litte bit more.

Expert answer

Hi Fiona,

With a car of that age and high mileage you really have to be prepared for a lot to go wrong. Toyotas of that age have an excellent reliability record, but depending on how the car was used and maintained up to now there are still likely to be things that require replacing. Obviously normal items like brakes, clutch and filters will require regular checks, but with a car of that age you need to watch out for CV joints, suspension bushings, ball joints, gear linkages, engine mountings, etc. That engine is quite robust, but make sure it has had its timing belt regularly changed if possible before buying the car. Also watch out for oil leaks and high coolant temperatures.

In summary, you really need to be ready for anything to go wrong in a car of that age and mileage.

Expert answer

Hi Donal,

We got a little more information from you and we now know that your budget is around €20,000 with scrappage. The Corolla has grown in size as a saloon so I guess you aren't after something of that size. My first thought had been a Skoda Octavia diesel, which starts at €19,340, but this is also quite a big car so might not appeal.

Another excellent choice would be the new revised Mazda3. This comes with a good diesel engine and is available as a saloon, but isn't overly bulky. We drove this car recently and found it really competent. The four-door saloon version starts at €22,525, though there is €3,530 off in the scrappage deal so it would cost you €18,995, which is well under budget.

Another option would be the Renault Fluence. This is a substantial car and you get so much for the money. We had the top spec TomTom edition and although the sticker price is €23,500 it drops to €19,000 under scrappage. Read our review of the car here. However, if you think the new Corolla is too big, you may find that the Fluence is as well.

It is very hard to look beyond the Ford Focus too. The saloon might be just over your budget, but there is an excellent offer on the hatchback, which is €21,015. With scrappage this would be under budget.

In answer to your question, best for comfort, economy and reliability (and not too big), the Mazda seems to suit you best out of this lot, especially when it comes to the price. They are pretty good at holding their value too.

I hope this helps. Please feel free to come back to us if you have more questions. Just drop them into the comment box below.

Expert answer

Hi Bernadette,

That is a very good question. Your car is now worth around about €7,000. That is a rough approximation going on what you've said and it is what you would be offered as a trade-in, so it would depend on what you wanted to spend on top of this.

But what I would say is that your car is low mileage for the year, so you would get more for it now as a trade-in than if you waited a year or so when the mileage will start to go against it.

This year is proving a very good one to do a deal, especially with all the discounting that is underway, so you could decide to capitalise on that. If finances allow then you probably should go for it now.

Conversely, you could get another five years service out of your Corolla without it missing a beat.