Toyota Corolla or Volkswagen Polo?
Have two cars in mind to buy at the moment: a 1.4 2004 Toyota Corolla Terra or a 2007 1.2 Volkswagen Polo. I travel mostly around town with the odd motorway journey. Looking for the best combo of cheap tax and insurance and performance. The Polo will cost approx €800 more to buy.
Eoin Andrews (Tipperary)Aug 2014 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Eoin,
Go for the Corolla. Its long term reliability prospects are better than those of the Polo, it'll be far more comfortable on the motorway and barely any more expensive to fuel and tax.
I have a budget of €3,600 and I need a car that can fit three seats in the back.
Hi, I have a budget of €3,600 and I need a car that can fit three seats in the back, two booster and one baby. I don't want to go above a 1.5-litre engine size. Any advice?. I've seen a Renault Scenic, but have been advised against ever buying one; it's tough as it's in my budget and has the room I need!
Help
Grainne Murphy (Dublib)Jul 2014 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Grainne,
Yeah, at that price level I'd avoid a Scenic. They older they get the worse their reliability becomes. How about a Toyota Corolla Verso instead? It's within your price range, has the space and is ultra reliable. The only thing is you'll probably have to break your 1.5-litre boundary and go for a 1.6.
What do you think?
Any idea how much insurance will be on a Toyota Corolla?
I'm 17 and bought a Toyota Corolla 1.3; around how much would insurance be on that does anyone have any idea?
Cinta Smith (Dublib)Jul 2014 Filed under: insurance
Expert answer
Hi Cinta,
Sorry, we're not a comparisons site. You're 17 but you don't say whether you have a full licence or a provisional, nor whether you have any penalty points or any other details about yourself. The only way to find out is to start wearing out the phone lines and the internet cables by searching and shopping around all the major providers. And then get yourself put on your dad's insurance just like we all did...
Can you help me find a wiring loom for my Corolla?
Hi! Help me please to find a complete wiring room for a 2002 Toyota Corolla (eng3zz 1,598cc). Tell me the price also please.
Thanks
Rafeek Neeyamuthkhan (Port-louis,mauritius)Jun 2014 Filed under: electrics
Expert answer
Hi Rafeek,
Your best bet is to start ringing around your local car dismantlers asking if they have an example of that car in stock. The price could vary considerably
Best of luck
Should I go for the Renault Scenic with €3,000 to spend?
Hi, I am looking to buy a Renault Scenic with around €3k of budget. Getting vehicles of mostly 2005 and 2006 with around 100k to 130k on the odometer for this price range. Please advise if I can go with it.
Aparesh Chatterjee (Dublin)May 2014 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Aparesh,
You know what? I wouldn't. Renaults from that era are not the most reliable things and your budget could be as easily eaten up fixing a catalogue of minor problems. Your budget though should be able to get you into a Toyota Corolla Verso - one of the most reliable cars around and a firm favourite in CompleteCar Towers when it comes to affordable, reliable family transport.
Should I go for 1.6- or 1.9-litre TDI Audi A3?
Hi,
I'm looking to buy an Audi A3 diesel, changing from a 2003 petrol Toyota Corolla. I would like to go up perhaps five to six years. There seems to be a lot more 1.9 TDI engines around than 1.6, which was what I had thought I would go for. Would you be able to tell me if there is much difference in mpg between them? I would do a good bit of driving per week and I want something that's more fuel efficient.
Jacinta Woods (Ennis)Apr 2014 Filed under: diesel
Expert answer
Hi Jacinta,
Essentially the old 1.9 TDI Pump Düse engine is just a bit less sophisticated than the newer, cleaner 1.6 TDI common rail engine. That said it's still pretty economical and while you could potentially get 60mpg from the 1.6 you should pretty easily get low-fifties-mpg from the 1.9.
Nissan Qashqai or Toyota Corolla Verso for fuel economy?
Which car is more fuel efficient: Nissan Qashqai or Toyota Corolla Verso Luna, both 2008?
Helena McCarthy (Limerick)Expert answer
Hi Helena,
I presume you mean the diesel versions of both cars? If so, according to the official figures, a Qashqai 1.5 dCi diesel will return 54.3mpg on average, while a Corolla Verso 2.2 D-4D will return 44.8mpg.
Hope that helps
How much is my Toyota Corolla Luna worth?
How much is my 2006 Toyota Corolla 1.4 Luna worth? Alloy wheels, 89,000km, one lady owner, NCT 3/16. Recently serviced. New battery. Maintained and serviced all along by Toyota garage. Thinking of downsizing as I just retired and will be doing very little mileage from now on.
Bernadette Tobin (Dublin)Apr 2014 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Bernadette,
I'd say between €7,000 and €8,000 on a trade-in, depending on what you're trading it in against.
Would you advise me to downsize to a Yaris or Auris?
How much is my 2006 Toyota Corolla five-door worth? It has alloy wheels, the 1.4-litre engine, was recently serviced, has an NCT until 3/16 and has 89,000km on the clock. One lady owner. I am thinking of downsizing to a Yaris or Auris. What would you advise?
Bernadette Tobin (Dublin)Apr 2014 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Bernadette,
You're most likely looking at a value of between €5,000 and €7,000 for your Corolla. If you're looking to trim your running costs then downsizing to a Yaris could be a good idea. You just need to do your sums carefully to make sure that the cost of upgrading (the price of the new car minus your trade in) isn't more than what you could potentially save in terms of petrol and road tax over the same period.
Choosing an Auris isn't downsizing - it's the car that replaced the hatchback Corolla and is the same size. The only way it could save you money is if you went for the diesel version and that would only work if you're doing big mileages - 15,000km a year or more.
So, with that in mind, it may be worth looking at simply keeping your current car. A mileage of 89,000km is barely run in for a Corolla and it may be worth looking at simply getting your existing car serviced, valeted and maybe updated (new alloys? a nicer stereo?). It may work out cheaper in the long run.
Will I replace my Mazda3 with a Nissan Qashqai+2?
Which would you reccomend for a high mileage driver with two small children? I wish to trade in a 2007 Mazda3 1.6 petrol for a diesel. Cars I was looking at include the Volkswagen Jetta, Ford Focus saloon, Toyota Corolla and Nissan Qashqai +2. I like the look of the Nissan Qashqai + 2 and I think the two extra seats may be useful for kids' friends etc, but are running costs high?
In general are MPVs less fuel efficient? Would the Toyota 1.4 diesel be a lower powered car then the one I currently have? How reliable are Volkwagen Jettas? I was hoping to go for something one or two years old with low mileage as I will be doing a lot of miles. I have had quotes of €3,500-4,500 for my own on trade-in as there are 175,000km on the clock.
What would you reccomend?
Alanna Mangan (Newbridge)Mar 2014 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Alanna,
I reckon the Qashqai +2 might be the best one to go for. The extra seats are pretty small but the boot on the +2 is simply massive when they're folded flat, so that's helpful when you're lugging around two small ones and their various chattels. Don't worry about running costs too much - the Qashqai looks like an SUV but it's really a hatchback with attitude and the 1.5 diesel engine is reliable, economical and has reasonably low emissions too.
That Toyota 1.4 diesel you mentioned would indeed be much less powerful than your Mazda's engine - it's about 20hp down and noticeably so. Volkswagen Jettas are indeed reliable, but I reckon that the Nissan would be slightly more so, so make that your first choice.
Let us know how you get on