Which premium estate for up to €14,000?
Hi.
I'm in a top spec '07 BMW 3 Series 2.0 petrol auto with only 60k miles. I love the car but need more space. Any recommendations you have would be greatly appreciated. My overall budget is max €14k (€10k plus €4k that I hope to get by selling privately, as dealers are only offering me €3k). I would like to stick to a premium brand, and would buy a used estate version of my current car, except they're all diesel and I don't do enough mileage to warrant a diesel engine.
Many thanks and best regards
Tony, Dublin
Tony H (Dublin)Dec 2017 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Tony,
Well, it would certainly be worth trying to track down a petrol-engined 3 Series Touring estate, but as you rightly point out these are rarer than hens’ molars at the moment. Same story for the Audi A4 Avant and Mercedes C-Class Estate too, I’m afraid. Would you consider a VW Passat Estate? Or a Skoda Superb? A bit of a step down in class terms, I’ll grant you, but good, solid cars and you can track them down with the 1.4 TSI turbo petrol engine.
Should we chop in our costly Volvo?
I own a 2009 Volvo V70 flexifuel. We love the car. We have two children and it is perfect for us. It is roomy, reliable and safe. We plan to buy a caravan so it will be suitable for towing. The only downsides are it costs €1,200 per year to tax, it is relatively heavy on fuel, it has a low service interval (10,000km) and the timing belt is due.
Should we cut our losses and trade it in for a diesel? We previously owned a diesel Mazda5 that gave us a lot of problems with the DPF, thus our aversion to diesel. We will be doing small mileage with long runs during the summer holidays (maybe towing a caravan). Am I being irrational in avoiding diesels because of the DPF issue? Currently I am spending €100 a month on road tax so I would be prepared to spend €200 a month on a vehicle if I was to change.
Your advice would be appreciated
Ray
Ray Mehigan (Limerick)Nov 2017 Filed under: running costs
Expert answer
Hi Ray,
To be honest, it sounds to me as if you should just stick with it. I appreciate that it’s not much fun spending €1,200 a year on motor tax, and that the service interval is a bit short, but if you’re only doing short mileages with the occasional long trip, then you’re just going to be throwing money at trading up to a car you don’t really need.
DPF issues are never far away from a diesel car if you’re only doing low mileage, but the biggest issue is going to be the cost of change. A budget of €200 a month isn’t going to get you very much, to be honest, so I would just do the work your Volvo needs and stick with it.
Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento?
Hi,
I'm getting a new company commercial SUV. I regularily drive remote country roads and am mainly based on site. I have the option between a Hyundai Santa Fe or a Kia Sorento with a budget of around €40k including VAT. Which would be the best to go for?
JP Heraty (Dublin)Oct 2017 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi JP,
They’re basically the same car — same engine, gearbox, electronics etc, just with different bodies. Our preference comes down, slightly, on the side of the Kia, just because we prefer the styling and the interior, but you won’t go wrong with either. Here are our reviews:
Which hybrid saloon for up to €60,000?
Hi, what hybrid saloon car would you recommend with a budget of €50 -60k? How are residuals with hybrids doing?
Many thanks,
Paul from Carlow
Paul Duffin (Carlow)Sep 2017 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Paul,
Residuals for hybrids probably depend slightly on where you live — if you’re in a major urban area, then they should be extremely good, in a rural area maybe slightly less so. Anyway, for that budget I’d unhesitatingly recommend the Lexus GS 300h. Smooth, silent, incredibly comfortable, beautifully made and utterly reliable. Hard to beat, really.
Should I stick with diesel for a new Kodiaq?
I am ordering (PCP) a Skoda Kodiaq and want to order the 150hp diesel 4x4. I am seriously concerned, however, about diesel 'issues' and don't want to face any anticipatable difficulties in the short and possibly medium term.
The alternative is the non 4x4 150hp 1.4 petrol version. Have read several of the reviews, see some merits, but fuel economy seems poor and fear the occasions when car might be fully loaded. I appreciate no one can know what stance the government may take on diesel, but do not want equity eroded at end of PCP. I drive about 24k kilometres annually.
Many thanks
Pat
Paul McDonald (Dublin)Sep 2017 Filed under: petrol vs. diesel
Expert answer
Hi Paul,
At 24k a year you’re probably best going for diesel, to be honest. While we’re equally in the dark as regards what the Budget holds in store for us, it seems (at the time of writing) unlikely that any drastic moves are going to be made just yet. There’s also an urban/rural divide in all of this. If you live in the Dublin, and to a slightly lesser extent, Cork, Limerick, Wateford and Galway city areas, then there is a distinct move away from diesel and towards petrol, but in rural areas, diesel is still king.
That said, the 150hp 1.4-litre TSI turbo engine is absolutely excellent, and we’ve found that while it is, of course, less economical than the equivalent diesel, you’re only talking about 1.0 litre per 100km or so in the real-world difference. It’s well worth considering if you’re concerned about future diesel values.
What will I replace my Saab 9-5 with?
Hi
I'm looking for a reliable and cheap to buy saloon or estate to replace a 10-year-old Saab 9-5. I'm thinking Saab again. Any advice on alternatives?
Many thanks, Dave.
David Doyle (Dublin)Sep 2017 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi David,
One of the last of the 2010 Saab 9-5s could be a good purchase, but it's a bit tricky for us to get a handle on how reliable they are as so few were sold. We've always fancied one ourselves actually. Another good option, and not one of the obvious German saloons, is the Lexus GS, especially if your budget stretches to the newer GS 300h hybrid. The safest option would be a Honda Accord, which is reliable enough to out-live the Solar System, but if you like your Swedes then the Volvo S80 is a great buy - reliable, hugely comfortable, and temptingly cheap these days.
What new car deals are coming for 181?
Any ideas of what kind of car deals will be coming for the 181 buying season? Expecting good deals due to poor sales or are we in for high PCP rates all around?
John O'Connor (Dublin)Aug 2017 Filed under: finance
Expert answer
Hi John,
Short answer? We don’t know. A huge amount will depend on what the Government does in the Budget this year and if any changes are made to the tax system. Or if a general diesel scrappage scheme is introduced. It’s unlikely that PCP rates will go up much, unless the European Central Bank starts to raise its base rates, but on the basis of what we’ve seen this year, I’d imagine there will be plenty of sharp deals around. That said, if it’s a deal you want, buy just before Christmas, when sales have dropped to dead slow. You’ll get more for your money then.
Will hybrid VRT relief change in the Budget?
I would welcome your opinion on the upcoming 2018 Irish Budget in November. The current VRT relief on hybrid cars is €1,500. In light of current poor sales of hybrid cars in Ireland (two per cent of total Irish sales), do you see them raising this value or could they possibly withdraw it?
I ask this because I am planning to purchase a hybrid for 181 and I would like to take advantage of the 'increased' value.
Michael Carey (Letterkenny)Aug 2017 Filed under: hybrid
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
I would expect to see little to no change in the hybrid subvention in the coming budget. Although there will be some pressure to incentivise low-emissions cars that aren’t diesel, the focus will probably be more on higher incentives for battery-electric cars, and possible plugin hybrids, and some changes to the reclaiming of VAT on petrol for company users. The Department of Finance will be well aware that there is a huge number of new hybrid cars due for launch, and they won’t want to risk a fall-off in revenue by increasing the subvention, so I think, at this point, it’s unlikely to change very much.
Will there be Budget changes for 2018 VRT?
Budget 2018 and the hybrid reduction amount of €1,500 on a new Kia Niro: in your opinion. would you expect this figure (VRT reduction) to increase, based on the fact that hybrids have not been selling very well this year (two per cent of total sales in Ireland), and the government needs to encourage hybrid sales. Hence, I would wait until the budget is announced before buying my 2018.
Thanking you as always for your expert opinion.
Michael Carey (Letterkenny)Aug 2017 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi again Michael,
Our answer on your other question is relevant here too: I would expect to see little to no change in the hybrid subvention in the coming budget. Although there will be some pressure to incentivise low-emissions cars that aren’t diesel, the focus will probably be more on higher incentives for battery-electric cars, and possible plugin hybrids, and some changes to the reclaiming of VAT on petrol for company users. The Department of Finance will be well aware that there is a huge number of new hybrid cars due for launch, and they won’t want to risk a fall-off in revenue by increasing the subvention, so I think, at this point, it’s unlikely to change very much.
We're looking for a good seven-seater.
Hi, we're looking for a seven-seater where we could potentially fit three car seats across the back seat. We currently have a Nissan Qashqai, which we love. A friend recommended a Volkswagen Touran, but says it feels a bit boxy to drive - but that might be the case with all seven-seaters? Our budget is €30k net of trade in (04 Ford Fiesta).
Happy to buy new or consider up to two years' old.
Thanks
Rosalind O'Brien (Dublin)Jul 2017 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Rosalind,
If you go for the current Touran (which launched two years ago) then no, it's not boxy to drive at all. Rather good in fact. The new Renault Scenic is also quite nice to drive, and if you go up a size, the Ford S-Max is actually slightly nicer to drive than the Mondeo that it's based on. Here are a few reviews for your interest: