Expert answer

Hi Roger,

We put this one to Volkswagen Ireland. It was confirmed that Park Distance Control is available for the 2005 Passat saloon (B6), with part number "3C0 054 630". It includes a control unit, four sensors, a sound generator and connecting wires. Best bet is to contact your local Volkswagen dealer for a price. We believe the sensors can even be painted to match the colour of your car.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Michael,

It sounds like this choice is down to personal opinion. The Passat has a better reputation for reliability, though the Insignia is not too shabby on that front. The creaking interiors affected early cars and you should be able to quickly check for it on a test drive.

We agree that the Insignia is a better looking car, though the Passat Highline has a great specification. Countering all that the Insignia's 2.0-litre engine is more powerful, if louder and less refined.

In summary, we'd probably go for the Passat, but regret it every time we see a good Insignia!

Best of luck - let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Michelle,

There's no simple answer to such questions. It will depend on the condition of your car, how much the seller of your next car wants the sale, etc. From a dealer's perspective that's quite high mileage. They may offer as low as €4,000. You're likely to get a better price selling it privately.

Best of luck

Expert answer

Hi Mick,

The 1.6-litre TDI engine has 105hp, which doesn't sound like much, but it's the engine's torque that matters more in the real world, and this Passat has 250Nm from just 1,500rpm. It's more than enough for the Passat in most circumstances and as all the performance is low down in the rev range you don't really change down to overtake.

Saying all that, if you plan on towing or you drive with a full car regularly you'll appreciate the extra power of the 2.0 TDI engines, but most people will find the 1.6 perfectly acceptable.

Hope that helps.

Expert answer

Hi Rory,

I'm sure you're aware that your budget will get you any number of relatively new regular cars such as the Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus, along with bigger models like the Ford Mondeo and Toyota Avensis.

However, given your current choice of car I'd suspect that you'd like to retain the elevated driving position and your mileage dictates a diesel engine. Most cars can take a tow bar and you don't have heavy towing needs so that's not a major consideration. Likewise, all SUVs etc. will have room for your golf clubs.

So the logical choices based on all that include:

BMW X3: Good diesel engine, spacious, but your budget may only get you an older example.

Citroen C-Crosser: Great 2.2-litre diesel engine; rest of car built on Mitsubishi mechanicals.

Honda CR-V: Bomb-proof reliability, but again may have to settle for older example.

Hyundai Santa Fe: Big and comfortable, though running costs higher than smaller SUV.

Mitsubishi Outlander: Spacious, well made, ok diesel, if loud.

Nissan X-Trail: Strangely forgotten, but plenty around at this price.

Peugeot 4007: Shares its engine and underpinnings with the Citroen above.

Suzuki Grand Vitara: Very reliable.

Toyota RAV4: Another with impressive reliability. Possibly the choice of the lot at this price.

There are loads of older, bigger SUVs for sale at that price too, but they'll cost you more to run for no real benefit.

If you're willing to change body styles completely it's worth checking out something like a BMW 120d Coupé or a diesel 3 Series Coupé. There are also plenty of great estates on the market for that budget, including the Audi A4 Avant and BMW 3 Series Touring. I know you don't need that space for a family, but it's useful for a lot of other things.

Come back to us with more information and we'll help to narrow your search further.

Expert answer

Hi Sherif,

The newer 1.4-litre TSI engine is superior in every way. It produces a little more power, but way more torque across the rev range, making it faster and actually more efficient too so it emits less and uses less fuel.

Hope that helps.

Expert answer

Hi Yvette,

The measurements are:

• Length: 3,987mm
• Width: 1,698mm
• Height: 1,488mm
• Wheelbase: 2,469mm

Hope that helps.

Expert answer

Hi Eric,

I'm afraid there's no easy answer to that. It'll depend on your circumstances and on the amount of money you wish to borrow as much as anything. While it is not as easy as it once was to obtain credit banks are happy to loan to 'good bets'.

Beyond the high street banks it's well worth checking out what finance the dealer you're buying from offers. Several car makers have effectively set up their own car finance arm to make the process easier. This includes BMW/MINI, Ford, Renault and the Volkswagen Group.

As ever shop around, but if want some specific help please do come back to us.

Expert answer

Hi Richard,

Lots of potential reasons for this. Very first thing I'd look at is tyre pressures. Are they all even and to spec? Are there any other issues with the tyres you can see? Uneven wearing, etc. If no problems with pressures I'd suggest getting the alignment checked. If it gets knocked out (relatively easy to do with a pothole or kerb) then there could be more friction causing heavier fuel consumption.

Come back to us when you've checked that.

Expert answer

Hi Frank,

This isn't quite an exact science and you can't really "work it out" but instead you can guess based on evidence from the past. Take a look at what the cars retail for after one year, two years, three years and so on and see what percentage of the car's original value it has retained. There have traditionally been some brands that have kept their value better than others - Ford, Toyota and Volkswagen would be some that spring to mind.