Expert answer

Hi Donal, 

That is a very good question, but one that you really might not have a choice on. The scrappage scheme ends in just six days, you would have to have scrapped the Micra and registered your new car by then to ensure that you get the scrappage allowance. Having said that, if you get a car that is already in stock then you would certainly probably be best getting the most amount of money possible for the lower value car and that will certainly be the Micra. 

As we have mentioned here before, Renault offer the most amount of money off a new car through the scrappage scheme so in effect if you bought something like a Megane or Fluence you could make your Micra very valuable. I am doubtful that you would want to go from a Passat to a Megane or Fluence however, despite the fact that you do mention you would get something smaller. 

The other side of this arguement is though, that you would have to put less money towards your new car if you traded in the Passat - so I guess that part really depends on your own circumstances. If you scrapped the Micra you would still be left with the Passat, which you will need to change again at some stage I am sure. Economically, it might make decent sense to hold on to the Micra. Just because it is old doesn't mean it has to go. It could last another few good years doing the job it has been doing well. If the Micra is costing you little or nothing now, it isn't likely to depreciate too hard, while you could maximise the value of your Passat by trading it in now rather than letting the mileage get too high. 

To be honest, the obvious choice for me, if you were intending getting something similar but not quite as big would be to go for the new Volkswagen Jetta. It isn't quite as big as the Passat but feels every bit as good. You didn't mention a budget to us, so if you need to be more specific then come back to us, but the new Jetta would be an ideal purchase. 

Expert answer

Hi Mark,

It is hard not to look past a BMW 520d Touring. There are a few nice ones around that fit your budget and to be honest this is where I would be looking. You might need one from a dealer if you intend to trade in. They are super cars and cheap to run too.

However, an outside choice as an estate is the Volvo V70. I personally love them as they are timeless and great for the dogs too. I have been drooling looking at this one in Cork all week and I reckon it would be a super buy - look at how low the mileage is!

Failing that, and if you aren't too worried about it being petrol, then a Subaru Outback is a marvellous car; this one has low mileage and is within your budget.

You might notice I didn't mention any Audis there. I figure you want a change, otherwise you wouldn't be asking us!

Best of luck with the change and make sure to tell us what you bought. You will find us on Twitter @completecar.

Expert answer

Hi Derek,

Glad you like the site. Let's hope we can live up to your expectations! We got a little bit of extra information from you and you told us that you are trading in a 2000 Mazda 323 five-door and that your budget is around €30,000-€32,000, which is plenty to work with.

Given your criteria, and the fact that you mention the Audi A5, then I've had a look at some of those. You mention petrol models and with your low mileage then you could quite easily run a petrol car, but given the fact that you are concerned about residuals then the diesels in the A5 would make a better choice. There is a lovely 2.7-litre TDI A5 in the classifieds and this is under €30,000. It would be a smashing buy and the fact that it has quite high mileage doesn't really mattter in your case. The 2.7 TDI version would hold its value better than a 2.0T petrol. 

At the other end of things you mention the Mazda6 - an odd contrast to the Audi but still a nice car nonetheless. You are unlikely to find a petrol-powered Mazda6 because Mazda really hasn't sold any in the last few years in Ireland. Plus, it wouldn't be a good use of money because it would be hard to sell on again a few years down the line. The diesel version is so much better anyway these days and you could have a demo 2011 model for well under €30,000. It is a nice car, but to be honest we can find you something a little more interesting. 

How about a Jaguar XF 2.7 D Luxury? What a super car, for €33,000. This is a marvellous example and fully loaded with kit. Another outside bet would be a 2008 Lexus GS 450h. We found a low mileage one that would be great around town and it is super fast. 

After all that, this is the car I think would suit you best. It is petrol, a 320i, but it is a hard-top convertible and it looks awesome. I don't know if you are a BMW fan but this could be a brilliant buy for you. 

Come back to us if we've not hit the nail on the head.

Expert answer

Hi Alfie,

I was looking through some potential vehicles for you and to be honest there is only really one vehicle that I feel would be perfect for you. That's the Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI 4x4, which is both within your budget and is capable of doing what you need it to do. There are lots of SUVs within your price range, but they are mostly two-wheel drive and although this would probably suffice, the four-wheel drive would add more security and grip. You can have a Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI Ambition for €29,995 and that is a super car.

Click here to see our test drive of the Skoda Yeti 4x4.

Expert answer

Hi Laura,

I reckon the Fiat Sedici would be perfect. It is a small car with good fuel economy (from a diesel) that also happenes to come with four-wheel drive, which would make towing really easy. We found one that is within your budget and I reckon it would be a super little car for you.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Peter,

Diesel cars are now outselling petrol cars by 3 to 1 and of the petrol models that are selling, they are mainly small runabouts. The fact is that the majority of people are being drawn to the lowest possible road tax and in some cases, oddly, this means that they are actually spending more on the car then they really should have. There seems little sense to spend €2,000 - €3,000 more on a diesel car if you are saving €50 a year in road tax and your mileage is low, but that is the way it seems to be happening right now.

The problem with this is that buyers are missing out on on some really good petrol cars. Fiat and Volkswagen in particular have some smart new petrol engines. Take for example the Jetta, which you  mentioned: the new one is out now, but in the older model there was a 105hp 1.2-litre TSI petrol engine and most people baulked at this because they thought it would be too weedy for the car. The same is true of the 1.4-litre TSI, while both are more than capable of adequate performance. 

In terms of fuel economy, sure enough the diesel will usually trump the petrol, but this will only really start to make monetary sense when you do a lot of mileage. It you intend on high mileage, then you are probably better off sticking with the diesel car - Volkswagens are generally quite good at mega mileage, as are Skodas.

We've been getting quite a few queries about DPFs (diesel particulate filters) here in CompleteCar.ie but Mazda appears to be the only brand showing up faults. The Passat though has not been without its troubles and, to be honest, I am not sure if I would be buying a used one with a lot of kilometres on the clock if big mileage is likely.

You mentioned the Jetta, well this one we found would be a top buy. It has just 14,000 miles on the clock, the right 2.0-litre diesel engine and is within your budget. This would be a good buy.

Expert answer

Hi Hazel,

What you need is something that will be reliable, has low mileage, has a full service history from a SIMI dealer and that will be a little bit fun to drive. I had a look for you and there are several that match your criteria on sale at the moment. We found a great little Kia Picanto: it has only 30,000km on the clock and is a smashing wee thing that would cost you very little to run.

We really like the Fiat Panda too, as it is a straightforward car that is chic, charming and fun and you could get one with really low mileage that is within your budget. You can never really go wrong with a Ford Fiesta: this would be a super car to own although the mileage on is a little higher.

If you want something that is a little bigger, then this Nissan Primera would be a good car and this is a low-mileage example.

Out of all of these, that Picanto could be a super little buy.

Expert answer

Hi John,

Right John - sensible would be something like a Citroen C5. You could have a choice of diesel ones with low mileage and every conceivable extra for your budget. A Ford Mondeo would fit the bill too. But you would want one with a few decent extras on it. This Skoda Octavia sounds like it could be a super choice for you too.

Expert answer

Hi Sharon,

Those are three good choices. Obviously given the fact that you have had such great history with the Honda CR-V then it could make sense to get another one, but the CR-V doesn't really offer wonderful value. The cheapest one is a fiver under €40,000 and you can pay up to €50,000.

Honda CR-V

When you compare the BMW X3 to this, which is such a brilliant SUV, the CR-V looks expensive. We drove the BMW X3 last Christmas and it proved itself to be outstanding. Naturally you will have to spend closer to €50,000 to get a decent X3.

BMW X3

There is a problem at the moment with the X3 in that they are in very short supply, so there is a waiting list. Granted you are not taking delivery until January next year so perhaps you will have plenty of time then. Get the 20d rather than the 18d if your budget allows and choose the four-wheel drive ('xDrive') version too.

The last car you mention is the Subaru Forester and this is the best value car you choose. It is very good but certainly not as refined as either the CR-V or the BMW X3. Have you ever considered the Subaru Outback? That costs around €42,000 and it would be a better choice than the Forester in our opinions.

Subaru Forester

All of that taken into account Sharon, I would have the BMW X3 all day long. It is superb and miles better than the old one. But we would suggest that you will need to get your order in early because the waiting lists are long.

I hope this helps!

Expert answer

Hi John,

I can see why you would want to go for the 530d, but don't. There is no such thing as a cheap BMW and buying a used one like this can be very costly. They become moneypits when they get older and this means that the servicing costs will be hugely expensive. When things go wrong, which they will, you will be left with a massive bill. Also, since that car would be taxed on the old system, you will have over €1,300 per year in road tax.

The Passat might not be perfect, but you are likely to be getting a car that will be much cheaper to run. I hate to rain on your parade with regard to the BMW, but if you are on a tight budget they are the wrong car to buy (I am a former owner so can vouch for this) so perhaps the Passat, while not as sexy, would be a more prudent choice.