CompleteCar
Search Ask Us Anything
Showing 561 - 570 results (out of a total of 700) found for "Volkswagen" in Ask Us Anything

Is my Golf worth anything in scrap?

Hi. I have a 1999 Volkswagen Golf that failed its NCT last week. The cost of getting it fixed is too high so I want to buy a new car. How much can I get to scrap my car?

Pippa Robertson

Apr 2013 Filed under: scrappage

Expert answer

Hi Pippa,

The short, glib answer is 'not much'. The trickier answer requires a bit of effort on your part, but mostly over the phone. Get on the blower with any car dismantlers in your area and see what they bid you. It might not be much, but it might be enough to kick start your next purchase. Equally, you might be surprised what a dealer would bid you on a trade in. I personally traded in an utter junker of an old Renault late last year and got more that I thought I would, and that was with a franchised dealer.

Let us know how you get on.


Tell me about the Volkswagen Touareg...

Does mileage matter on a Volkswagen Touareg 2.5 TDI? Also are there any common problems with the same vehicle?

Philip O'Meara (Dublin)

Apr 2013 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Philip,

 

Mileage does matter, of course, but not half as much as service history. If it’s been properly looked after, then the Touareg is well-made and reliable, but the 2.5 TDI engine is prone to blowing turbos, and breaking its water pumps, and they’re very hard on tyres. Also, check carefully underneath for any signs of damage from over-enthusiastic off-roading.

 


Any list of SUV-class commercials?

Where can I find a list of new SUV-class commercials currently being offered in the Irish market?

I G (Shannon)

Apr 2013 Filed under: commercial vehicle

Expert answer

Hi there,

There is no one-source fixed list, so it depends on whether you mean proper two-seat commercial versions or the ‘tax-dodge’ five-seaters with commercial status. Of those second category, they’re becoming thinner on  the ground as  the tax loophole closes, but Mitsubishi still offers an ‘Executive’ version of the Pajero, Volkswagen offers a version of the Touareg and you can get a dealer-converted version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. There are also independent convertors who can alter a great many larger SUVs to ‘business’ status with five seats intact, but obviously you’ll want to shop around and find the best and most reputable.


Can you recommend an MPV for up to €18,000?

Changing to a seven seater soon. Could you assess the merits of the Nissan Qashqai+2, Toyota Corolla Verso, Opel Zafira and Volkswagen Touran? Fourth child on the way so will need to use an extra seat regularly. Budget of €15,000 to €18,000 maximum.

Yvonne Curran (Kilkenny)

Apr 2013 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Yvonne,

The Qashqai+2 is actually a very nice car, but a proper seven-seater it's not. Those two seats in the boot are really for occasional use only and frankly I think you're going to have trouble wrestling a bulky, heavy infant car seat back there.

Of the other two, there are lots of Zafiras around to choose from so I'd be very, very fussy in choosing one with the colour and spec you like as well as a full service history. You can always walk away and find another one if you need to. But actually, of the three, we'd go for the Corolla Verso. It's not exciting to drive or look at but Toyotas tend to be indestructible and the space inside is simply cavernous.

Hope that helps


Can you help me chose a small convertible?

Which small convertible should I go for? I have a budget of up to €13,000 and would like a stylish car for a change from my 2005 Toyota Yaris. I do little mileage and would hope to buy something I will love for a number of years. I have been looking out for a Volkswagen Eos 1.4 with leather interior but these are not that easy to find. I have also looked at the Peugeot 207 CC 1.6 but am open to all suggestions.

Thanking you.

Cathy Johnson (Dublin)

Apr 2013 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Cathy,

The Eos is a nice car, right enough, but a bit thin on the ground here in Ireland. You may need to widen your search to the UK if you're going to find one you like.

That budget should give you a pretty good spread of possible purchases though. How about a BMW 318Ci convertible? Classy, practical and cool, we found one on Carzone.ie for €12,950. If you fancy something a bit smaller, there are a few MINI Cooper Convertibles knocking around at similar money. The MINI is not as practical as the Peugeot 207 CC you've suggested, but it is more fun to drive. Then again, the 207 does have that desirable folding steel roof.

But if you're really sold on the Eos, Karmann Volkswagen dealers in Dublin, on the Naas road, currently have one up for €12,950 with the 1.6 FSI petrol engine. Snap it up if you want it...

Let us know how you get on


For €13,000, what car can I buy?

For €13,000, what car can I buy?

David OHora (Limerick)

Apr 2013 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi David,

Lots. If you’re buying new, you can easily get into such models as a Volkswagen up!, Skoda Citigo, SEAT Mii, Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto, Fiat Panda, Fiat 500, Ford Ka+, Suzuki Celerio and many more . If you’re buying used, it all depends on what you want and how old a car you feel like buying. Could be anything from a Dacia to a Mercedes.

Come back to us if you want us to go into detail in one area.


Which family car is a good replacement for my Vectra?

What would the best car be to buy when doing about 35,000km per year? I've a 2006 Opel Vectra to trade in with about €16,000 to spend. There's 114,500km on the clock. It has to carry one child and two adults. Thanks in advance.

Catherine Anne Fahey (Tipperary)

Apr 2013 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Catherine,

OK, so what you need here is something spacious (kids, even just the one, take up a heroic amount of space, as you know), something economical for all that annual mileage and something comfy so that your buttocks survive all that mileage. I think you should stay with the current rough size of car, as some of the best bargains can be found in the mid-size saloon segment.

First up is a Volkswagen Passat. Ideally, you'd get the 1.6 TDI BlueMotion version, a car in which we once managed to drive from Galway to Glasgow and back on one tank of fuel. Or, what about a Ford Mondeo? You'll easily get a 2.0 TDCi model for that money, and there are very few cars quite so comfy on a long journey. Even BMWs and Mercs can't always match the Mondeo for seat comfort.

Of course, if you fancy the high life, and are prepared to compromise on space a little, then there's the BMW 3 Series. You'll get a 320d or 318d for that kind of budget, but shop around to make sure you get one in a dark metallic, with leather and preferably an automatic gearbox.

Finally, there's the Mazda6. Bit of an unsung hero of this segment, it's brilliant to drive, spacious, good looking and you should be able to track one down with Mazda's excellent 2.2-litre diesel engine under the bonnet. Reliable as it gets, it should chomp through your annual mileage with nary a worry. Find the even more handsome estate version if you can.

Come back to us if you need help narrowing this down.


Are Volkswagen Golf Estates reliable?

Are Volkswagen Golf Estates reliable? I've heard they have electrical problems. The one I'm looking at is 2002 registered.

Thanks

Gavin Ward (Dublin)

Apr 2013 Filed under: reliability

Expert answer

Hi Gavin,

Here's the checklist for a 2002 Volkswagen Golf (hatchback or Estate):

- Check that alloy wheels have had copper slip grease applied behind them at each service, or the alloy can react with the steel hub and cause corrosion.

- Make sure the headlamps are in good condition, as they're a bumper-off job to replace.

- The rear screen wash-wipe can leak and run into the lock, shorting out the alarm and central locking. The door locks in general can give trouble.

- Most Golf engines need a cambelt change every 40,000 miles (64,000 kilometres). Diesel engines tend to get through a lot of oil.

- Clutch release bearings can wear out easily leading to a hefty clutch action.

- Ignition coils can burn out.

- A whirring noise could be a water pump failure.

- Slow starting or engine management lights often mean a temp sensor has failed.

- A tapping noise on start up may mean you need a cylinder head rebuild.

- If the car has sluggish acceleration it could be a crank or camshaft sensor failure.

- And if there are any issues with any of the main instruments then he whole display has to come out and be replaced.

That's a long list, we know, but if the car you're looking at passes those tests then it's likely to be a good one.


For €5,000, what car would suit my wife, just learning to drive?

I want to buy the missus a car. She is just learning to drive and she'll need to ferry our one-year-old around too. I don't want to spend too much, about €5,000 maximum, no real preference for make or model, but I want something safe, easy to drive, with good visibility. Low tax a bonus. Any ideas?

Johnny B (Dublin)

Apr 2013 Filed under: learner

Expert answer

Hi Jonny,

Right, there's a couple of easy answers to this question and they are Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Yaris and Ford Fiesta. There are tonnes of them around, they're all safe and the Yaris can be had with a 1.0-litre engine so low tax and insurance rates are assured.

But... But there are a couple of possibilities that are a bit more fun and a little more interesting. How about a Suzuki Swift? Not as spacious as the above trio, but as your child is only one that's not really an issue for now. Besides it's way more fun to drive than any of the others and Suzukis are super reliable.

Or you could go for something a bit more trendy and exciting. €5,000 is the absolute bottom end price for a Fiat 500 but you might be able to track one down, and it's fun and funky as well as safe and cheap to run. Or there's the mother of all fun hatches, the MINI. €5,000 gets you lots of choice but we'd go for a MINI One (it avoids the extra insurance loading of a Cooper) and have a good shop around to find one with decent equipment. Fun, just about spacious enough (if you juggle the seats around), safe and with a great chassis and great all-round visibility, it's ideal for a learner.

Come back to us if need help to narrow things down further.


I need to replace my Focus and I need to carry logs

What to replace my 2000 Ford Focus 1.6 petrol saloon with? It's starting to rattle a bit and it's only doing 35mpg plus high tax for an old car. I recently purchased a stove and need a lot of timber to supply it. I have been loading up the boot of my Focus with timber logs, which is not ideal (I don't want to pay a few hundred Euro on getting a tow bar fitted as the car isn't worth it). A few bits starting to give trouble - steering linkage, engine missing sometimes, timing belt due, NCT due, four new tyres etc. I only do about 10,000km a year, live in the country (rough roads, potholes etc), two young kids. I was thinking about a 4x4 SUV or pick-up to cover both transporting kids around and for the timber work, or should I look for a more economical car with a towbar? I want to come up a few years (maybe stretch to 2008 for low tax).

Sorry it's a bit longwinded but any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks

K C (Cork)

Apr 2013 Filed under: towing

Expert answer

I'm not sure I'd recommend a pickup for you, as, until the very recent arrivals of the Volkswagen Amarok and Ford Ranger, they were all a bit crude and dreadful. They're commercial vehicles, not family cars. That said, if you want something truly rugged, then what about a Land Rover Defender 130 with a crew cab? Iconic looks and unbeatable toughness, but they can be expensive to buy and run.

Actually my recommendation would be to track down an old-shape Kia Sportage. It's surprisingly good at going off-road, comfy and decent to drive on the road and circa €8,000 should pick you up a good one, potentially with still a bit of Kia's famous warranty left to run. Not as stylish as the current Spprtage it's true, but invest in a sturdy rubber liner for the boot and you should have the ideal log-carrying device.

Hope that helps


-->