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Hi Catherine,

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Hi Bijo,

Yes, we’ve heard that the automatic gearbox on this generation of Colt can be troublesome, in some cases losing drive altogether. I’d be very wary of one and would suggest that, unless you really, really need the auto, you’d be better off going for the manual gearbox version, which should be solidly reliable.

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Hi Kate,

Well, the Fiesta has always been a good car, and 2014 models were post-facelift versions, so they look a little sharper on the outside and the interior got a boost in quality. Plus there was the option of the EcoBoost engine. Values run from around €8,000 to around €12,000,  but, just at the moment, we can’t find a single automatic version for sale…

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Hi Alan,

We checked with the good folk at MINI HQ about this, and the response is that “At the time, the automatic start-stop function was not available with the optional automatic six-speed gearbox.”

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Hi Kathleen,

I think your best bet would be a MINI Cooper. Have a shop around and you’ll definitely find one with the auto gearbox, the panoramic roof and the leather seats option and you can, of course, now buy a MINI with five doors if you fancy. Not cheap, but they’re well made, reliable and fun to drive too. Here's a relevant review:

MINI five-door review

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Hi Dwayne,

It will depend on the dealer and the small print in their 'scrappage' deal. The current deals actually aren't scrappage at all, as in the car being traded in isn't usually actually scrapped, so they tend to be a touch more fussy about condition. Usually, the car has to be taxed, insured and driven onto the forecourt under its own power, but have a chat with the dealer in question first and see what they can do for you. 

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Hi Barry,

As a trade-in, it’s going to be worth in the region of €8-10,000.

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Hi Robert,

Great choice. We published our Irish road test of that very car only last week and it's a good option for those that don't need diesel. The 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine features something called Active Cylinder Technology (ACT), which automatically shuts down two of the engine's four cylinders when the car is cruising or the engine is on light load. This saves fuel and is nothing to worry about in the least. By displaying when the engine switches into that mode it educates the driver as to when the car is being driven in its most efficient mode.

Anything else specific you need to know, just shout.

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Hi Ciara,

It’s always tempting to trade in a car that’s starting to look expensive, but for the most part, it’s almost always more economical to keep an existing car going, even if it does need regular servicing. In fact, that regular servicing is the key to all of this — keep it looked after and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t provide years of service yet. As you point out, the diesel filter needs longer journeys to keep it from clogging up, but a regular circa 20-30km run at motorway or main road speeds should be enough.

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Hi John,

We don’t have precise fuel economy figures for that model, as it was never sold here so never got put through the EU NEDC fuel economy test. Generally, an automatic car will be a little more thirsty than a manual version, but on a car as small as the Note, it probably won’t make a huge difference.