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Hi Alice,

First off, yes - the Superb really lives up to its name and it's a car we can recommend without reservation. As for buying privately, it's always a bit riskier than buying from a (good) dealer, but if you tread carefully, you should be OK. Don't accept anything without a full service history, get a history check from the likes of Cartell.ie and potentially get an AA check too.

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Hi Gavin,

I'd have to say nope. It's not very big inside and it has needlessly heavy steering that makes manoeuvring in town a chore. 

Do you really need an SUV? Why not consider a nice estate? BMW's own 3 Series Touring is a belter. Or, for your budget, you could probably stretch to an Audi A6 Avant. Track down one with quattro four-wheel drive and leave all the front-drive SUVs standing when it snows. 

Or, if you're determined on the SUV front, consider one of the following: Honda CR-V, Volvo XC60, Hyundai Santa Fe or Mazda CX-5.

What do you think?

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Hi Jonny,

The Astra is not a bad choice and the current Ford Focus Estate is simply massive inside too. But, to be honest, if it's a compact estate you're after then there are really only two serious games in town - the Kia  cee'd SW and the Skoda Octavia Combi. Both are terrifically well made, reliable and, if you get the 1.6 diesel engine in either, very frugal. And both have absolutely enormous boots - more than 500 litres each. Cracking cars both, so simply take your pick. The Kia has the better warranty, the Skoda is perhaps slightly nicer inside.

Let us know which way you go with it

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Hi Jay,

I'd say you should track down a nice, well-cared for BMW 520d Touring. Make sure the turbo is giving proper power and don't accept anything without a full and complete service history. Might be worth a trip to the UK to find one as Tourings are thin on the ground here.

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Hi Sinead,

To be honest, I'd avoid it. The 307 was never a great car to begin with and it was probably one of the lowest points for Peugeot build quality. They tend to suffer every electrical problem going, the cabins and interiors are very fragile and the suspension is prone to outright failure. 

If you still fancy a Peugeot, see if you can stretch your budget to a 308 - that was a much better built car, has decent reliability and if you get the 1.6 diesel then 65mpg in daily driving is a reality for you.

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Hi Shane,

If it's a small petrol hatch you're looking for then I think the best options are either a Ford Focus with the 1.0-litre EcoBoost turbo engine (the 100hp version is the sweetest) or either one of the three Volkswagen Group hatches (Golf, Skoda Octavia or SEAT Leon) with the brilliant 1.2 TSI turbo. Both engines, if driven gently, should yield close-to-diesel fuel economy.

Incidentally, your point about higher seats being easier to get in and out of for elderly drivers is well made. It might be worth checking out something nearly-new along the lines of a Golf Plus or Ford C-Max in that regard.

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Hi Andrew,

You're in an enviable position! I'll take your points one by one:

1) Mileage: you definitely do enough miles to see a benefit in having the GTD diesel model, assuming much of it is on the motorway. But the Golf R and GTI aren't really all that bad at a cruise either...

2) Gearbox: I personally would prefer the manual, though I accept that it's a very personal thing in a performance car and if you're used to automatics then stick with the DSG. For the record, it doesn't detract from the car one little bit.

3) GTD vs. GTI: if you read my review you'll see that I was pleasantly surprised by this car, but it took very hard driving to make it shine. At regular speeds (i.e. most of our driving) it felt quite ordinary, whereas the GTI always feels special.

I must admit that, if my budget stretched to the Golf R (and it's cheaper than ever now), I'd go for it. It's always going to be rare and exclusive (though perhaps hard to sell on) and as well as the extra performance it has a brilliant four-wheel drive system.

Nonetheless, I reckon the Golf GTI Performance is probably the best all-round choice, as you've identified for yourself. It's a sensational car, noticeably better to drive even than the regular GTI. You won't regret it one little bit.

Let us know which way you go in any case and here's some more reading for you:

Volkswagen reduces the price of the Golf R

Volkswagen Golf GTI five-door manual road test

Volkswagen Golf GTD road test

Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance (manual)

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Hi Karla,

Well, you're looking at two different sizes of car there. If you want to physically downsize, then the Ibiza is the one to go for - it's smaller than the Golf (based on the same chassis as the Volkswagen Polo), but still pretty spacious, rather handsome and nice to drive. They're very reliable too, but quite noisy and uncouth on a longer journey. A Focus is roughly the same size as a Golf, but if it's painless, economical motoring you're after than a 1.6 TDCi Focus could be the answer - plentiful, well-made, sweet to drive and 55mpg.

What do you think?

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Hi Lynda,

Yup, by and large Suzukis are very reliable and if you're going to get a Vitara, then the petrol model is the one to go for - Suzuki's record with diesels is patchy at best until quite recently. There are no major reported recurring problems but just make sure that the previous owner has had it serviced properly - the service intervals are quite short and many owners have been tempted to skip scheduled services. Walk away from anything that doesn't have a full and complete history.

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Hi Tom,

How about a Fiat Multipla? OK, not everyone's idea of a good looking car, but it's got an amazing interior, bags of space, is terrific to drive and I found one for €4,500. Yes, I know... OK, on with the sensible stuff though.

There are plenty of Opel Zafiras around for that kind of money, but you will have to search hard to find a diesel one. They are out there though. Plenty of Peugeot 307 SW estates (which came with a seven-seat option) too, but tread carefully and make sure there are no electrical gremlins to deal with. Ditto Renault Scenics. Actually, the more ruggedly reliable Kangoo (or a Citroen Berlingo for that matter) might be a better option.

The most sensible suggestion would be a Toyota Corolla Verso, but they're very, very hard to find with a diesel engine at that price level. Might be worth biting the bullet and going for petrol to get the best.