SEAT Leon, Skoda Octavia or Volkswagen Golf?
Which car is the best secondhand buy: SEAT Leon, Skoda Octavia or Volkswagen Golf? I just changed jobs and need a new car. I'll be doing 25-30,000km a year so I'm only really looking at diesels in the 2005-2008 bracket. Which of the cars is best value for money in fuel efficency, cheapest repairs, car longevity etc. Any tips on what I should look out for when buying or any other cars you would suggest?
Cormac Mc Cashin (Maynooth)Jun 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Cormac,
Go with the Octavia or the SEAT - both are comfy for long journeys, frugal on diesel as long as you go for the 1.6 TDI and both should work out a little bit cheaper to service and run than the Golf, if only fractionally. It's worth shopping around to see if anyone has any inclusive service or extended second hand warranty offers on the go - both can save you a fortune further down the line.
Which seven-seater is is safest?
Which seven-seater is safest?
Sinead Sinclair Sinclair (Dublin)Jun 2015 Filed under: safety
Expert answer
Hi Sinead,
Probably the Volvo XC90 - whatever about EuroNCAP scores, Volvo always makes its cars real-world safe, basing its design on data taken from actual, real accidents and not just lab testing.
If you mean something a bit more conventional and cheaper than an XC90, then according to EuroNCAP the best performing are the Volkswagen Sharan and SEAT Alhambra, both of which scored a maximum five stars, with the Sharan getting a 96 per cent mark for adult occupant protection, 80 per cent for kids, 46 per cent pedestrian protection and 71 per cent safety assist. The Alhambra's marks were identical.
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Toyota Corolla or Volkswagen Polo?
Which one is more durable and cheap to run: a Toyota Corolla or Volkswagen Polo?
Khumbulani Siduna (Harare)May 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Khumbulani,
Very different cars - a Corolla is a mid-size family hatchback, a Polo is a supermini. It's a split decision anyway - the Polo will be slightly cheaper to run but the Corolla is more likely to be reliable, long-term.
Is the Volkswagen Golf Highline 1.2 a good car?
I'm looking for a mid-sized family car and have looked at the Golf Highline 1.2 TSI; Volkswagen finance options are good so am considering buying new. Can you please advise if this is a good family car and any alternatives you would suggest?
Thanks, Karen
Karen Golden (Dublin 6)May 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Karen,
Yup, it’s a cracker - well made, nice to drive and that 1.2 TSI is super-econmical. Good alternatives would be the Skoda Octavia with the same engine, a Ford Focus 1.0-litre EcoBoost 125hp, or a Peugeot 308 with the new 1.2-litre PureTech petrol turbo engine.
Relevant reviews:
Volkswagen Golf review (2.0 TDI Highline)
Skoda Octavia review (1.2 TSI)
Peugeot 308 review (new 1.2 PureTech)
BMW 3 Series or Volkswagen Passat?
2008 Volkswagen Passat 1.4 petrol or 2008 BMW 3 Series 2.0-litre diesel?
Bobin Joy (Balbriggan)Apr 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Bobin,
Depends on where and how much you drive. Low miles and mostly in town? Get the Passat. Long journeys and motorway miles? BMW. The Passat is more likely to be more reliable though - some of those 2.0 BMW diesels have timing chain and turbo problems.
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:
What is a 1997 Volkswagen Polo Saloon worth?
What is a 1997 Volkswagen Polo Saloon worth with the 1.4 engine and just 55,160 miles on the clock?
Catherine Elkin (Dublin)Apr 2015 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Catherine,
Not much I'm afraid - probably about €700 to €1,000.
How do I get the original value of my Golf for BIK?
Hi, I am wondering would you know a way of finding the original market value of a car? I.e. a 2007 Volkswagen Golf 1.4 Comfortline for BIK purposes.
Thank you.
Fiona Crowley (Dublin)Apr 2015 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Fiona,
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) keeps an online archive of its recommend retail price lists dating back as far as 2004 and you can find them here: http://www.simi.ie/Statistics/Recommended+Price+Guides.html
Your Golf cost €22,620 by the way. Mind you, that's without options, which would have an effect on the price. The only way to find the options inclusive price would be to go back to the dealer that originally sold the car and see if they have a copy of the original bill of sale.
Will a Volkswagen Passat's alloys fit a Golf?
Will 16-inch alloys from a 2008 Volkswagen Passat fit onto an 08 Golf?
Anthony Torpey (Limerick)Apr 2015 Filed under: aftermarket
Expert answer
Hi Anthony,
It’s unlikely we think. The Passat wheel hubs are actually shared with the Audi A4 and not the Golf, so the spacing of the wheel studs is slightly different. One can always try, of course...
How much VRT would a Volkswagen Tiguan attract?
How much in VRT would it cost me to bring in a Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 petrol from Northern Ireland?
Derek Yeates Yeates (Limerick)Apr 2015 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Derek,
It depends on which model and what year for a start. Assuming that you're looking at a 2012 version, that has CO2 emissions of 156g/km so the VRT is going to be 27 per cent of what the Revenue Commissioners estimate the car's Irish market value to be. That will depend on a lot of variables though - including condition, history, mileage and spec. Unfortunately, given that we have an entirely opaque and non-transparent tax system, you won't know exactly how much until you have the car here and it has been inspected.