Expert answer

Hi Philip,

There are several vehicle history check companies operating in Ireland. We'd recommend Cartell.ie. It offers a range of options depending on your budget and it's highly dependable.

Let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Lisa,

That car is taxed according to its engine size, which is 2,184cc. Changes for the 2013 Budget mean road tax for this model has increased from €885 to €951 per year.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Emma,

I’d go for the Micra, as it’ll be the most reliable of the cars you’ve mentioned. A budget of €2,000 should get you a 2006-2007 model, and I wouldn’t be bothered about mileage — buy on service history and condition. Other good options are a Toyota Yaris, Honda Jazz or, if you fancy a bit of driving fun, a Suzuki Swift.

Expert answer

Hi Liam,

As of 1 January 2013 that car will cost €710 per year to tax. The full breakdown of tax changes announced in the 2013 Budget can be found here.

Expert answer

Hi Daniel,

As that car is pre-2008 it is taxed according to its engine size. Following the Budget announcement (December 5, 2012), the cost of taxing that car for a year has risen from €962 to €1,034.

Hope that helps,

Expert answer

Hi Sean,

I don't think you're asking for too much actually, so long as you don't mind a car that's a few years old. There's plenty of choice at that price point. You've not told us how big a car you need or how far you drive each year so we're keeping an open mind there, but only shortlisting diesel saloons and hatchbacks. Options include:

- Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi

- Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi

- Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi

- Nissan Note 1.5 dCi

- Peugeot 407 1.6 HDi (only if it has a full service history)

- Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDI

Come back to us if you need help narrowing things down further.

Expert answer

Hi Nuala,

Mileage alone is no major worry so long as you choose a reliable car in good condition - and preferably with a decent service history. The reality is that your daughter will change her car within a few years anyway. Hence we'd recommend focusing on safety, reliability and efficiency.

Come back to us if you/your daughter have a few specific cars in mind and we'll help you narrow your search if you wish.

Expert answer

Hi Sean,

Nice choice of cars to be thinking about. Before we look at the stats of the cars, the driving experience in the 3 Series vs. the Audi A4 is quite different - and will be the deciding point for many, so please do try to get a test drive in examples of both. That's the case whether you go for the older 3 Series Coupé or the newer saloon.

Personally, I prefer the way a 3 Series of this age drives in comparison to an A4. It's more 'dynamic' and engaging thanks to the rear-wheel drive layout. However, not everyone likes that and I've heard non-enthusiastic drivers call the feeling 'skittish'. There is no doubt that a front-engined, front-wheel drive car like the Audi A4 will find more traction on snow and ice than a rear-wheel drive BMW (assuming neither has winter tyres), but our climate is too mild for that to be a serious car-buying priority.

In terms of running costs, the early versions of the E90 BMW 320d saloon and Audi A4 2.0 TDI 140 are very close and, as you'll be buying a car registered before 2008 with that budget then tax will be the same, as it's based on the engine size. The E46 320Cd coupé is a little heavier on fuel, but not much.

The 320d saloon has the most powerful engine of these three, though there's not much in it really.

Both saloons are generally quite reliable, though we'd recommend getting full service histories and getting mileage checks with Cartell.ie as each car has its own known issues that crop up from time to time - like turbo issues on the BMW and burning oil in the Audi. The E46 coupé is also reliable, though it's built on older architecture so won't be as modern in general.

One final thing to bear in mind. While the S line Audi specification is highly tempting, it comes with firmer suspension, which may not be to everyone's taste. Test drive it before committing. Likewise an M Sport version of the BMW 320d, though you may not find many of those within budget.

Now, whether you should consider petrol instead of diesel is a whole other story. The decision really should come down to your average mileage. The diesel models will definitely be far more economical on a long run or commute, but not in town. Likewise, you can get lower capacity engines in the petrol cars bringing your annual tax bill down.

If you want to discuss the latter point in more detail come back to us and we'll go through options.

Hope this all helps

Expert answer

Hi Susanne,

We really like the Audi A1. Despite its smaller size it'll feel like a big step up in terms of quality etc. from your 2002 BMW 3 Series. A nearly new model will cost you very little in terms of servicing as well and there's a wide range of efficient petrol and diesel engines. Our favourite is the 1.2 TSI petrol, though if you cover a high average mileage (say greater than 15,000km a year) then it's worth looking for the 1.6 TDI diesel version instead.

If you'd like more detailed assistance to find one that suits your budget feel free to get back in touch.

Expert answer

Hi David,

The short version is, I’m afraid, you’re going to struggle. Small cars such as that don’t generally sell well with diesel engines, as the petrol variants are very economical already, and the diesel versions are much more expensive. We’ve found one on Carzone.ie (a 2005 VW Polo TDI),  but that was literally the only one we could find on sale that fits the bill. You might want to consider upgrading to a larger car — there are lots of diesel Golfs etc around in your price range.