Best new auto diesel family car with power?
What is the best automatic diesel family car with a bit of poke in Ireland please? I will be trading in an Opel Astra 1.7 diesel saloon - 131.
Thank you.
Donal Finn (Cork)Oct 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Donal,
The best compromise of value and oomph is probably to be found somewhere in the Volkswagen Group. I'd say if you want to mix a decent 2.0 diesel engine with low emissions and an auto box try out a SEAT Leon FR, preferably in very handsome ST estate form. It makes 150hp, but has Band A4 emissions.
Volkswagen Tiguan or SEAT Ateca on PCP?
I love the look of the new Tiguan and SEAT's crossover. With about €350 a month to spend on PCP, which would you go for in Jan?
Jane O'Sullivan (Kildare)Oct 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Jane,
It’s a tough call, because there’s no doubt that the Volkswagen Tiguan looks and feels classier and more upmarket than the SEAT Ateca, but it is also considerably more expensive. With my sensible hat on, I’d have to say go for the SEAT – it’s a fine car and much better value. Here are some test drives to help with your decision:
Passat GTE or BMW 330e suitable for me?
I do about 12,000km a year in and around Dublin, using the M50 a bit. Would a hybrid like the Passat GTE or BMW 330e suit me or should I go for diesel? Buying a new car in the new year!
Michael Quin (Sandyford)Oct 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
I’d suggest that a Passat GTE or 330e would be about perfect with that kind of mileage and usage. It will help, of course, if you have a driveway where you can fit a charging point, but once the batteries have drained and you’re running on normal hybrid power, both of those cars will average better than 40mpg. Here are our reviews:
What new MPV would you recommend for us?
Hi,
We are in the market for an MPV/SUV. We hope to buy by the end of March next year. We have a budget of €19-20k plus our 2010 2.0-litre Volkswagen Passat Highline. The car should have three full rear seats and a good size boot.
What would you recommend?
Des Wynne (Dundalk)Oct 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Des,
It depends on just how big a car you need, and if you need a full seven-seater. The Volkswagen Golf SV, for instance, has the space for three seats across the back, but doesn't have the folding seats in the boot of the bigger Touran. Both are excellent cars, but you'll save a considerable amount of money by going for the SV. Others worth considering are the Toyota Verso (available in both five- and seven-seat forms), Citroen C4 Picasso (ditto) and the Kia Carens (only a seven-seater).
Peugeot's 5008 and Ford's C-Max are also worth a look, but if you need something bigger, if basically boils down to two choices - Ford S-Max or SEAT Alhambra.
What's my 141 Golf worth against a new one?
What's a 141 Volkswagen Golf 1.6 Comfortline with 78,000km worth as a trade in against a 171 Volkswagen Golf 1.6 Comfortline?
Christpoher Reid (Navan)Oct 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Christopher,
It's always difficult (impossible in fact) to predict what a specific dealer will offer against a specific car, but I'd suspect you're looking at a trade in value of around the €14-15k mark.
How can I import a commercial SUV?
Hi guys,
Really hoping that you can help me with this one. I'm hoping to import an SUV (either Volkswagen Touareg or Mercedes-Benz ML 280) from the UK and register it as a commercial vehicle. The most ideal situation would be to import it, get the crewcab conversion and register it as a five-seater crewcab (I'm one of the few who would very genuinely need both five seats for crew and the ability to drop them and use as a commercial through my job in events), but will settle for two seats and commercial tax.
There do not seem to be any of those SUVs in the UK that are non-passenger versions (I presume due to the UK not having a commercial SUV as such) so I'm just wondering what steps I will need to take to get the lower tax rate and import as commercial.
Please let me know, as your help will be much appreciated.
Brian McCarthy (Dublin)Oct 2016 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Brian,
There is a way of doing this, but it requires some very careful timing. Once you import a vehicle, you have seven days from its arrival on these shores to notify Revenue that it’s in the country and also to book the NCT inspection to get the final bill for Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT).
So that gives you a little wiggle room. Ideally, you would be best advised to find a company in the UK who can carry out the conversion and re-register the vehicle with the DVLA in Swansea, before importing it. If that’s not possible, then what you need to do is to make sure you have an Irish conversion company set up and ready to go who can carry out the conversion when the car arrives here, before it goes for its inspection. It’s ever so slightly legally dubious (letter of the law rather than spirit), but if you can keep the timings sharp, it could work.
Will a 2012 Volkswagen Golf have satnav?
Ok so I'm buying a 2012 Volkswagen Golf and I forgot to ask was there satnav built into it with Bluetooth etc. It's the Comfort 1.6 version.
Mary Roche (Dublin)Oct 2016 Filed under: satellite navigation
Expert answer
Hi Mary,
It’s not standard, so you’ll have to check the specific car. It was available as an option, but there’s not a huge take-up rate on satnav amongst Irish car buyers.
What's the point of stop-start?
Whats the point of stop-start when your Volkswagen/Audi diesel is doing probably 60mpg? Is this just making a problem that isn't there or just another cost to the consumer?
John Craven (Blackpool,lancs)Expert answer
Hi John,
No, it’s not just another cost to the consumer. Stop-start systems are designed to prevent the car from running the engine unnecessarily at standstill when doing so would be at its most wasteful of fuel. After all, if you’re not moving then what is the point in having the engine on? Stop-start systems are specially designed with either a beefed-up alternator or an integrated starter/generator so that it can handle multiple stops and restarts in rapid succession, and it’s estimated that on an average car, stop-start can save as much as ten per cent of overall fuel consumption – not to be sniffed at, never mind the benefits to city-centre air quality.
Admittedly, the car makers have brought in stop-start to bring their cars' official CO2 and fuel consumption figures down, and the benefits are only really felt if you are stopping and starting regularly. If you spend all your driving time on the motorway then you won't use the system at all.
Merc GLA, Audi A3, BMW 1 Series or new Golf?
I have just moved to Luxembourg for two years I am looking for a new car (it has to be new), 2.0-litre or close to it. Looking for a two-year lease deal or wondering about buying Mercedes-Benz GLA, Audi A3, Volkswagen Golf or 1 Series BMW. Relative to Ireland, which car is best value to buy?
Brendan McDonagh (Luxembourg)Oct 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Brendan,
Well, bearing in mind we have literally no idea what the market or running costs are like in Luxembourg, we reckon that a 2.0-litre Golf sounds like the best option there, especially if funds would stretch to either a GTI or GTD.
Read our Mercedes-Benz GLA review here
Read our Audi A3 Saloon review here
Read our Volkswagen Golf GTI review here
When will the new Volkswagen Polo arrive?
I read somewhere that there is a new Volkswagen Polo due next year. Do you know when?
Thanks Philip
Philip Donegan (Ballina)Sep 2016 Filed under: future cars
Expert answer
Hi Philip,
We don't have a precise on-sale date yet but it'll be towards the back end of 2017.