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The arguement for petrol is growing Brendan. While everyone is fixated on diesel the petrol engines are getting cleaner and will come back into fashion. When it comes to fuel economy the gap between petrol and diesel is getting closer and in a lot of cases there is little difference between the road tax.

The 1.4-litre petrol engine in the Passat is more than good enough. So if you want a Passat then you could go for it. There could and perhaps will be less value in the petrol model later on, but if you keep it long enough suddenly this won't become that much of an issue and since you go low mileage then you could keep it for 5 or more years. 

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Hi John,

There are several excellent seven-seat MPVs on the market right now. The Ford S-MAX/Galaxy twins are right up there for instance, as is the Volkswagen Sharan, but the car that stands out for us is the SEAT Alhambra. It's essentially a rebadged VW Sharan, but it's priced lower. It's just as impressive in every other way.

I had this car on test recently if you want to know anything specific about it.

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Hi Jim,

It just so happens that I'm running a BlueMotion version of the 2011 VW Golf right now. It's powered by the same engine as the regular 1.6 TDI 105 model. It's a great car. The engine is much quieter and smoother than the old 1.9-litre unit, if nowhere near as quick as the 2.0-litre TDI option. Still, it's very economical and has enough performance for the Golf.

As much as I love the look of the BlueMotion model it probably makes more sense to go for a normal Golf with this engine, unless you do very high annual mileage - in which case the better economy would quickly pay back the premium you pay.

Hope that helps.

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Hi Brendan,

Having just come out of a Volkswagen Golf long-term test car I feel like I can speak with some authority on the car. For a start, it really depends on where you are driving and how far, when it comes to your engine choice.

The 1.6-litre TDi diesel is really good, but it probably isn't worth the extra cost unless you commute is quite long. Otherwise the 1.2 TSi is fine and while it isn't a rocket, it is perky enough. In terms of the the car being big enough, well yes it is. The Golf is fine for one baby and the boot is big enough to take the truly obnoxious buggy I put into it. 

With your budget of €20,000, you would really have your choice of petrol or diesel models so it is really down to what you prefer. I really like this one. And although it is over your budget you would probably come in under as a cash buyer. 

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Hi Ruairi,

Hi Ruairi, with regard to this we received some good advice from The Automotif Centre on the Kinsale Road in Cork, who said "The BMW 116 hub is 72.5, PCD is 5x120. The suspension is designed for runflats. Steel wheel bolts are shorter & 12x1.5."

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Hi Eoin,

I'm glad you like the site. Firstly, let me congratulate you on choosing a nice car. I had a Golf Edition R recently and it was a really lovely car. The spec is really good on that car and you seem to have chosen a nice few options on the car. 

There are a couple of things that you mention there and it is tricky to answer them. Volkswagen are unlikely to announce anything from their dealer conference until after their dealer conference. I'm not sure where you get your intelligence but we can certainly investigate. In terms of your deal, the usual advice applies - you need to focus on the cost to change and not how much your own car is worth, which you appear to be doing and given that you aren't changing your car until January it can be difficult for the car dealers to price your trade-in. My advice to you would be to put down your deposit, arrange your deal and make sure that your terms are agreed. If there is any change which would favour you then you can renegotiate, but at least if it turns out to be as you suspect, then at least you will have secured the best possible rate. 

The other bit of advice I would give, is if your trade-in came from say, a Peugeot dealer, then go back to the Peugeot dealer and offer him the deal. Most dealers can buy in the car you want and they might offer you a better deal on your trade-in. That would be worth a try. 

I hope this helps. Feel free to come back to us if you need more help, we are always here!!

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Hi Donal, 

That is a very good question, but one that you really might not have a choice on. The scrappage scheme ends in just six days, you would have to have scrapped the Micra and registered your new car by then to ensure that you get the scrappage allowance. Having said that, if you get a car that is already in stock then you would certainly probably be best getting the most amount of money possible for the lower value car and that will certainly be the Micra. 

As we have mentioned here before, Renault offer the most amount of money off a new car through the scrappage scheme so in effect if you bought something like a Megane or Fluence you could make your Micra very valuable. I am doubtful that you would want to go from a Passat to a Megane or Fluence however, despite the fact that you do mention you would get something smaller. 

The other side of this arguement is though, that you would have to put less money towards your new car if you traded in the Passat - so I guess that part really depends on your own circumstances. If you scrapped the Micra you would still be left with the Passat, which you will need to change again at some stage I am sure. Economically, it might make decent sense to hold on to the Micra. Just because it is old doesn't mean it has to go. It could last another few good years doing the job it has been doing well. If the Micra is costing you little or nothing now, it isn't likely to depreciate too hard, while you could maximise the value of your Passat by trading it in now rather than letting the mileage get too high. 

To be honest, the obvious choice for me, if you were intending getting something similar but not quite as big would be to go for the new Volkswagen Jetta. It isn't quite as big as the Passat but feels every bit as good. You didn't mention a budget to us, so if you need to be more specific then come back to us, but the new Jetta would be an ideal purchase. 

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Hi Anna,

You are likely to get offered around €4,000 for this as a trade-in if the car is in good condition.

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Hi Martin,

We really rate the VW Group's new 1.6-litre TDI engine. It's quiet, refined and great on fuel. However, while it's relatively torquey, it does feel a little short on power when it's lumbered with a lot of weight to carry around. You're in a good position being able to afford either engine. We'd definitely recommend you go for the 2.0-litre TDI Passat in this case. It's a great car and has plenty of power to carry around the family.

If you need any further help, please do get in touch.

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Hi Martina, 

My feeling is that you will be offered between €10,000 - €11,000 for your Auris against either of these new cars and it's likely that your Lexus dealer will offer you the better deal. The Audi A3 is nearing the end of its life cycle, and while I like it a lot, it is due to be replaced so that will mean its value will reduce. The Lexus is really well priced and comes well equipped, but the ride quality is a little patchy at times. The S Design grade has 16-inch alloys so they aren't even the largest alloy wheel available. The car is great value though.

By the sounds of things you want something that is frugal, looks good and is upmarket. To be honest, I would probably have a Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI DSG Edition-R, which has all the toys on it, looks awesome and has just been released on to the market. This costs €26,425. 

Alternatively, you could get a good deal on a BMW 1 Series, which is about to be replaced. Let us know if this helps, but I'd choose the Golf, then the Lexus, then the A3.