What Toyota should my dad upgrade to?
Hi all,
Firstly, thanks for your help back in 2011! We actually bought one of the two cars whose links you sent to me as suggestions! I think I'll be in touch shortly for my own car needs but for now I'm asking for advice for my dad. He is an avid Toyota or Nissan man and currently has a 2008 Corolla 1.4-litre (basic model I think) with 157,000km on the clock. He was initially planing to stick with the Corolla and move up two or three years and his main requirement is that he wants air conditioning in the next car. He spoke to a local second hand car dealer who told him that the equivalent Corolla won't have air conditioning, but that the Auris would, that it has the exact same interior space and only difference is that obviously it is hatchback. Does that point about the air conditioning etc seem right to you?
What would be a rough guide to trade in the 2008 and move to either an Auris or Corolla 2010, 2011 and 2012 models? From what I can see there was a new model Auris released in 2012 and if so would it be worth stretching to that? Any other suggestions of make/model welcome too if you don't mind. He does average to slightly-above-average mileage each year, mostly rural with probably one or two long drives every month so any advice on petrol vs. diesel would be great too.
Thanks again. Enda, Dublin
Enda Lowry (Dublin)May 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Enda,
Yeah, he's definitely better off with the petrol version, not least because Toyota's 1.4 diesel is not the best, but its 1.33 petrol is a cracker. You might need to do some digging to track one down though - they're thinner on the ground on a 2010 plate than the diesels.
Now then, Auris versus Corolla. Yup, they're the same size inside. The boot on the Auris is a little smaller but then it's also more versatile thanks to being a hatchback. The point about air conditioning is probably right - standard spec on Toyotas tends to be quite stingy and Corolla saloons are basically built for emerging markets (no, seriously, we're the only Western European nation that still sells them) so tend to be even more basic again.
I'd say you'll need to find about €3-4k to finance the upgrade from a 2008 Corolla to a 2010 or 2011 Auris.
Relevant reviews:
Toyota Auris review (2013)
Toyota Auris review (2010)
Toyota Corolla review (2013)
Toyota Corolla review (2010)
Lexus GS 450h: how reliable?
Lexus GS 450h: how reliable? How good are they really? I have a 2006 GS 450h and the hybrid batteries failed. I was told by a Lexus garage they cost €4,500 approx to replace. Nice car to look at and drive but when they fail you won't buy another one - that's if you can sell it. It has 143k miles on the clock only. All I can say is don't buy one with over 70k on the clock. Maybe you have better ideas on this?
Laurence O Halloran (Rathdrum Co Wicklow)May 2015 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Laurence,
Well, to be honest, we don't often hear of any Lexus models suffering anything in the way of major component failure. Was there some major factor, such as physical damage to the batteries, or flooding or something like that? Batteries in hybrids and electric cars are always a concern when it comes to longevity, but Toyota has 15-year-old Prius still running around and their batteries are still working fine. Lexus claims that the batteries are designed to last the life of the car, so I'm suspecting that there's some other factor at play here.
Looking for a small to medium reliable family car.
Looking for a small to medium reliable family car. Comfort, fuel efficient, and low tax a consideration.
Mai Murphy (Cork)Apr 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Mai,
OK, lots to choose from here. Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and Toyota Auris are all ever popular and all with very good reason. They're reliable (the Toyota scoring best here), beautifully made (the Golf come out top in this category) and nice to drive (the Focus wins here). Lots of all three about so you can afford to be picky. Fancy something a bit different? Try a Honda Civic, especially the 1.6 i-DTEC diesel version, which is possibly the best compact diesel engine around.
Also well worth a look are the Kia cee'd (especially the handsome and practical estate version) and the current model of the Peugeot 308 (ditto on the estate version there).
Relevant reviews:
Should I go for this new Toyota RAV4?
Hi, could I have your opinion please? I'm thinking of buying a Toyota RAV4 2.0 diesel 2wd Luna. Dealer has said can be on the road for €31,500. Price includes trade-in of my 1995 RAV4 that is in in good condition apart from corrosion underneath and is around 130k mileage.
Thanks, Breda Ryan, Limerick
Breda Ryan (Limerick)Apr 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Breda,
Sounds like a good one to me. The new RAV4 is an especially nice car - comfy, spacious and good to drive and that price looks decently sharp too.
Relevant reviews:
Is the new Toyota Yaris as good for backs as the old ones?
Are 2014/15 Toyota Yaris models as comfortable as older models (2007) for people with back problems?
Elizabeth Byrne (Dublin)Apr 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Elizabeth,
I would think so, yes. I'm a bad back sufferer myself and I've had no problems with the current generation Yaris in that respect. That said, everyone's back is different so get out there and try one yourself to see. It would be worth asking the dealer for an extended 24-hour or 48-hour road test to try and spend as much time as possible in the car and see how your back reacts.
Relevant reviews:
Toyota Yaris review (2010 model)
Toyota Yaris review (2015 model)
Nissan Qashqai+2 or Toyota RAV4?
Nissan Qashqai+2 or Toyota RAV4?
Bronagh Donohoe (Galway )Apr 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Bronagh,
If it's the current RAV4, then I'd say the RAV4 - really sweet to drive and lots of space. If it's the older model (or if you really, really need the seven seats) then go for the Qashqai.
Further reading:
I have up to €4,000 to spend on a reliable motor...
Hi lads. I'm looking for a reliable motor. I've €3-€4,000 to spend and was thinking of the following: Mazda6, Toyota Avensis or perhaps Skoda Octavia. I do 12,000-15,000 miles per year. What's your advice?
Thanks
Justin McElwee (Galway)Apr 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Justin,
Go for the Mazda - really high quality and utterly lovely to drive (far more so than the other two) and ultra-reliable. There are lots out there so shop around to find one that's been really well cared for.
Why is an older 1.0-litre car cheaper to tax?
Why is it that the road tax on a 1.0-litre 2000-reg Nissan Micra is €199, but my 1.0-litre 2009 Toyota Yaris is €270 per year?
Sean Ryan (Waterford)Mar 2015 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Sean,
Because they're on two different taxation systems. The Micra is on the old, pre-2008 system, which applies tax based on engine size. The Yaris is on the post-2008 system, which is based on CO2 emissions, and the Yaris' emissions place it in Band B1, which is a cost of €270 per year.
What small new car should I go for?
I am thinking of trading in my 2011 Nissan Micra (it has an NCT until 2017) for either a new (152) car or a 142 model. The shortlist of cars are: Hyundai i10, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio and maybe the Toyata Yaris or Skoda Fabia. However, the new bigger Ford Ka is due by December 2015 in the UK and 2016 here. Should I wait for the Ka?
Jacqueline Lynch (Dublin)Mar 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Jacqueline,
I wouldn't wait for the Ka. It's being designed primarily for Asian and low-cost markets, so it probably won't be the most refined, comfortable or high-tech. That's perhaps jumping the gun on the review a bit, but it's certainly likely to be the case. Of the cars you've listed I'd say the Hyundai i10 and Skoda Fabia are the standouts. They're quite different cars (the i10 is significantly smaller than the Skoda), but both are excellent to drive, well-made, reliable and offer excellent value. Have a try of both, and see which one suits your needs, size-wise, better.
Further reading:
What commercial SUVs have rear seats?
Can you give me a list of commercial SUVs that have seats in the back?
Philip Stroughair (Dublin)Mar 2015 Filed under: commercial vehicle
Expert answer
Hi Philip,
There are some very good options here actually. Both the Land Rover Discovery Business and the Mitsubishi Pajero Executive have full five-seat, leather-and-everything cabins, but their boots are big enough to qualify for commercial VRT and motor tax (assuming you can demonstrate that your business needs a commercial vehicle). The Land Rover Defender can be had in similar layout but if you want something really rugged then go for the Volkswagen Amarok pickup, which matches comfort with utility. There's also the Toyota Hilux crew-cab and Mitsubishi is about to launch a new L200 pickup later this summer.