BMW X3 or Mitsubishi Outlander?
Hello,
I am very interested in buying a diesel 2.0-litre automatic SUV. The two I'm most interested in are the BMW X3 2016 model xDrive and the Mitsubishi Outlander 2016 model. I know the BMW would be faster because it has the higher power output and probably would be better to drive. The thing is though the Outlander has the eight-year warranty and is a lot less expensive. I would wait until the new version of the X3 comes out if I decided to go with that so I probably would have to wait until next year to get one of those. Do you think it would be worth the wait or should I go for the Outlander?
Thanks.
Mary Walsh (Limerick)Jan 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Mary,
The Outlander is a decent car, and hugely well equipped, not to mention having seven seats. It's fine to drive, and the recent update has brought better refinement and a higher quality cabin.
There's no question though that an X3 would be sophisticated and more engaging to drive, but it's well worth checking out the new and more affordable X1 - it's much improved over its predecessor and almost as spacious as the X3.
The Mitsubishi should beat both in terms of long term reliability though.
Relevant reviews:
Should I go for an old Saab 9-5 auto?
Hi,
I'm thinking of taking a chance on a 2007 or 2008 Saab 9-5 automatic. Any advice appreciated: 2.0-litre petrol or 1.9-litre diesel?
Many thanks
Dave
David Doyle (Dublin)Jan 2016 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi David,
I'd say overall that the 2.0 petrol will be the more reliable engine, not least because it's an older, more thoroughly developed unit. But beware - horror stories of 9-5 unreliability are legion...
Any advice on 2007 Volkswagen Touareg?
Any advice when looking at a 2007 3.0-litre auto diesel Volkswagen Toureg with 150,000 miles on the clock?
Dan Haslam (Coleraine)Nov 2015 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Dan,
How best to import my car from the UK?
Hi, I'm an EU citizen, I lived 10 years in London, UK. I have my own car on GB plates, a 15 year-old Ford Mondeo 2.5 V6 automatic. I have a long MOT on this car. I have owned this car about four months, I have previous insurance, history, etc. What is the best way to register the car in Ireland? Will the MOT be accepted if I have 11 months left?
Thanks,
Laszlo
Laszlo Szabo (Clonbur)Nov 2015 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Laszlo,
I'm afraid not. When you import the car into Ireland it will have to pass through an NCT (National Car Test - our equivalent of the MOT) before it can be legally registered here. That shouldn't be a problem though - any car that can pass an MOT should also pass an NCT. The problem is that because you have owned the car for less than six months, you'll get caught for Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) when you bring it in to the country - and on a 2.5-litre V6 engine that's going to be 36 per cent of what the Revenue Commissioners judge the vehicle's market value to be. This could get very expensive and you might be better off selling the car before you move and buying something new here.
How much is a Toyota Aygo auto worth?
How much would a 2007 Toyota Aygo automatic cost now? NCT until 2017 and tax until September 2016.
Gheorghe Gritunic (Dublin)Oct 2015 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Gheorghe,
Around €3,500 to buy. Probably worth about €2,000 as a trade in.
Tell me more about the 151 Renault Clio.
What is the price of 151 Renault Clio and does it have power steering? Do you have to turn on the lights manually?
Grace Griffin (Co. Dublin)Oct 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Grace,
Clio prices start from €15,730 and yes, they all have power steering. All models come with daytime running lights, which illuminate automatically, but if you want automatic, dusk-sensing headlights you'll have to upgrade to a €17,230 Dynamique Nav model.
What's wrong with my Opel Vectra?
My Opel Vectra is very sluggish when in first and second gear; could it be timing belt? No engine fault light shows up.
Brian Colman (Dublin )Sep 2015 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Brian,
That doesn't sound related to a timing belt problem. A timing belt can either break altogether (potentially causing very expensive engine damage), in which case the engine would not run at all, or it could slip causing the engine to, at best, run poorly all of the time.
Best bet is to bring your car to a good mechanic for a look but it could be as simple as a dirty air filter or bad fuel, neither of which would automatically cause a warning light to come on.
Let us know how you get on
Which MPV will I replace our BMW 3 Series with?
Hi Shane & team,
We're looking at trading in again. You helped us source our last car four years ago. We really like our curent 2006 BMW 318, but for the last nine months to a year we've been pouring money into for what feels like constant repairs and the car tax is crippling too. We've now come to the realisation that we need to move to seven-seat territory for these and family reasons. Today we saw and drove both of these cars:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/renault/grand-scenic/used-2010-renault-grand-scenic-1-dublin-fpa-200914374138165780 http://www.cbg.ie/citroen-c4-grand-picasso-1.6-2008-dublin-diesel-silver-mpv
The Renault felt more car like to drive and I wasn't wild about the delay in the Citroen semi-automatic gearbox. For the Renault they've said the cost to change is €6,500 and just under €7,000 for the Citroen. The Renault, being a 2010 model, is almost seems too good to be true. Can you give me any advice on these? Is the Renault a good buy? Is it reliable or will it swallow money on repairs as our current car is? Are there any others you would recommend? We really don't want to spend more than €6k-ish.
Thanks
Enda
Enda Lowry (Dublin)Sep 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Enda,
I'd tread carefully here. If you don't like the semi-auto box on the Citroen then just let it go - it's not going to get any better and it'll bug you for the rest of your time with the car.
As for the Renault, I'm just not confident predicting reliability. Generally, Renaults are now a lot better built than they used to be, but long-term they can still be a bit shaky. Also, the reason it's a high-spec 2010 model for such a small price is because Renaults depreciate faster than snow in summer.
So, I think you might need to shop around a bit and buy something on the basis of reliability and condition rather than year. Have a look at the likes of a Ford S-Max, Toyota Verso, Volkswagen Touran or, if six seats rather than seven will do the trick, a Honda FR-V. You might need to go back to a 2008 or 2009 model to get one within budget, but buy with a full service history and keep the maintenance up and any of those should give you long and hopefully reliable service.
Last, but not least, Shane, our Editor, is in the same position as you right now and he has homed in on the Mazda5, which has an exceptional reliability record.
What's the top automatic Renault Kadjar?
What will the top of the range automatic Renault Kadjar cost?
John Robertson (Abbeyleix )Aug 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi John,
At the time of writing, the Renault Kadjar pricing ranges from €24,990 to €33,990, the latter for the top-of-the range Kadjar Signature Nav powered by the 130hp 1.6-litre dCi diesel engine featuring four-wheel drive.
It's not currently possible to pair an automatic gearbox with that 1.6-litre engine though, so the most expensive automatic Kadjar is the Signature Nav powered by the 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine with 110hp. That costs €32,290.
How much should I get for a 2012 BMW 520d SE?
How much should I get for a 2012 BMW 520d SE on a trade in/private sale? It's in perfect condition, automatic, full leather interior, heated seats, parking sensors (front and back), electric folding mirrors, 55,000km, full service history and two years left of BMW service pack.
Thanks.
Michael Wall (Galway)Aug 2015 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
I'd say, as a trade-in, you'll make somewhere in the high-thirties, probably €36 to €37k.