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Hi Dermot,

That’s kind of an open-ended question because it depends hugely on whether you want to get into a PCP deal (which effectively makes you come back in three years’ time to trade in for a new car), an old fashioned hire-purchase agreement (which doesn’t, but is more expensive per month than the PCP), or whether you want to go with a bank or credit union loan. It also depends on your own circumstances and, substantially, on the car you’re looking at buying.

As an example, Volkswagen is currently offering 3.9 per cent APR interest on a  PCP deal on a new Polo hatchback, but just 0.9 per cent on the larger Tiguan, Golf and Passat. Or even 0 per cent on the Jetta. Alternatively, you can get a very sharp 0 per cent Hire Purchase deal on a new Kia cee’d, which is an excellent car for not a lot of money.

To be honest, almost every car maker is currently offering some pretty decent deals, so it comes down to what you want and what you can afford. Come back to us with more detail and we'd be happy to help.

Read our guide to Different Car Finance Options in Ireland

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Hi Julia,

Yes on both! It's Golf-based, so the Eos is pretty solidly built and there seems to be a refreshing lack of reports of issues with the roof mechanism (not usually the case where folding steel hard-tops are concerned), but it is quite a pricey car, especially if you want one with a bit of decent poke. The problem is that the weight of the roof banjaxes the performance, even that of the model with the 200hp Golf GTI engine, and that heft, whether it's up above your head, or folded out back in the boot, doesn't do the handling much good either.

If you're looking for a classy cabrio, could we suggest going for something a year or two older and snapping up a nice Audi A4 Cabriolet instead? It's got a (proper) cloth roof, is nicer to drive than the Eos and built like an utter tank.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Carl,

To the end of May this year it's the Volkswagen Golf, ahead of the Nissan Qashqai and Ford Focus. It was the same top three for 2012, though the Focus was first and the Golf third.

Hope that's of interest

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Hi F D,

They’re basically the same car, so the differences are, at most, fractional. The Leon SC is 4,428mm long overall and 1,975mm wide. That compares to 4,258mm and 2,027mm for the Golf, and an Audi A3 three-door at 4,237mm and 1,777mm. So the Leon SC is a little longer (longer than the five-door Leon too), but not by very much, and most of that extra length is actually in the bumpers.

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Hi Breon,

First of all, congratulations on the incoming arrival. As for finding the right car seat, we're really not the experts in terms of advice on specific seats, but we know some people who are. Pop in to your local branch of Mothercare or Halfords (or Tony Kealy's if you live in the Dublin area) and you should be able to get some very helpful advice on which is the correct kind of seat for your kids. As a rule of thumb, the longer you can keep them in a rear-facing seat, and then the longer you can keep them in a full-backed seat, with integral harness, the better. It's down to the size and weight of the individual child though. 

As for cars, you have several choices but they're all MPVs, I'm afraid. Sorry about that... Still, all is not lost, as the Citroen C4 Picasso and Peugeot 5008 are both pleasantly comfy, economical and easy on the eye. Kick up a price and size band and you'll find the Ford S-Max, which is one of our favourite cars, whether or not space is your priority. Handsome and good to drive, that one.

If you're in the second hand market, you could do worse than track down a good used Fiat Multipla (if you can live with the looks, it's got one of the best cabins of any car, ever) or there's always the evergreen Renault Scenic or the (slightly dour) Volkswagen Touran. Finally, there's the Toyota Verso, which isn't the most exciting choice but is solidly built and spacious. Finally, the six-seat Honda FR-V is a left-field choice that's one of those classic "try it and you'll never have anything else" cars.

Hope that helps.

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Hi Majella,

We don't know of any widely reported issue with the brakes of the 2012 Volkswagen Golf.

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Hi Niall,

Most modern cars tend to use a little oil and the level should be checked regularly rather than leaving it to the car to tell you. We wouldn't be massively worried about it at this stage, though perhaps mention it to the dealer when it is time for a service.

There's no harm in doing the service a little earlier than planned for added peace of mind.

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Hi Martina,

It's been a while since we drove the Volkswagen Golf Plus in truth, and bear in mind that the one that's on sale right now is based on the previous generation Golf. However, while it's usefully more spacious than the Golf itself, it's not the most practical or versatile car for the money. Nonetheless, it does everything well and that 1.6-litre TDI diesel engine is great. It's relatively quiet and refined, while having plenty of performance. It also is cheap to tax and fuel.

Let us know if you'd like alternative suggestions for your money.

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Hi Erwin,

Ignition coil packs and excessive oil consumption on higher-mileage cars seem to be the only major faults, but then again basic Polos were so stingily equipped that there's nothing much to go wrong. Watch for engine wear though - it's an underpowered car and you need to rev the nuts off it to get any decent performance, with consequent wear and tear issues. 

Keep it in town, at low speeds, where it was designed to work, and it should be cheap to run, with very cheap insurance too.

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Hi Michael,

The official recommended interval is 150,000 kilometres, regardless of time.