Can I soften my AMG CLA 45's suspension?
Hi folks,
I have a Mercedes CLA 45 AMG; can the option of putting in a softer suspension be fitted to the car?
James Delea (Cork)Apr 2018 Filed under: comfort
Expert answer
Hi James.
Your best bet here is to look at some high-quality aftermarket suspension parts for your car, such as from Eibach or Bilstein. Fitting Mercedes Comfort suspension to a CLA 45 through the main dealer network is going to be prohibitively expensive, and maybe even impossible.
Our recommendation, which is easy enough to find from online sellers (some might be in the UK, but shipping to Ireland should be no problem), is the Bilstein B16 (PSS10) suspension kit (part number Bilstein 48-230971), a kit that lowers the car by 30mm, but which also has ten-way adjustable dampers, with the softest setting said to provide the maximum ride comfort. Having tried Bilstein’s aftermarket dampers before, we will happily say that the company is an exemplar of its trade and the PSS10 kit should, hopefully, make the ride on your Mercedes-AMG just a little more tolerable.
Budget a few thousand Euro for the kit itself, then the cost of fitting at a decent specialist garage.
Let us know how you get on
Best plug-in hybrid on the market?
I have a budget of €30-35k; what is the best plug in hybrid car available in the market now?
Lee Russell (Dublin)Mar 2018 Filed under: hybrid
Expert answer
Hi Lee,
It depends on what you want. I reckon that the best new plugin hybrid on the market right now might be the Kia Niro Plugin, which has very good electric only range, and yet manages to do over 60mpg on long motorway runs. An excellent car. The new Prius Plugin is also very good, but only recently launched so will be beyond your budget unless you buy nearly-new.
If you fancy something a bit classier, the BMW 330e is a really good choice, but bear in mind it’s not as economical as the Kia or Toyota on longer journeys. Here are our reviews for you to read:
Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid review
Kia Niro review (not the plug-in model, apologies)
Which car is best for motorway driving?
Hi,
I am currently driving a 2005 Toyota Yaris 1.0-litre. Now I am planning to upgrade to a bigger car since I will be driving regularly on the motorway. My budget is around €3,500. What cars can you suggest that are comfortable to drive for longer distances? I have Suzuki SX4, Mazda3 and Skoda Octavia in mind.
Thanks in advance
Hago
Hariprasad Govindharajan (Shannon)Feb 2018 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Hago,
Of the three you’ve mentioned, we’d discount the SX4 first. It’s a decent car, but a bit tiny and noisy for long motorway hauls. A Mazda3 would be much better, and hugely reliable, but the Skoda will have a slight edge in terms of comfort (really good seats) so go for one of those would be our advice. Here are our reviews to help you decide:
I need a tiny car with a huge boot...
Hi guys, do you have any quick tips on a small enough hatch with a big boot? I need to use split seats to lock a road bike into the car. For security it needs to be in the car for a while. I can just about do it in a Hyundai i10, but it’s a real squeeze. I fold down the bigger seat split, push the passenger seat forward and in it goes but it’s very tricky. Hoping to do the same with something slightly bigger and easier! Tiny hatch with a shiny modern cockpit and a cavern for a boot anyone?
Cheers!
Richie
Richie Daly (Waterford)Jan 2018 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Richie,
Not often we get a question with such a straightforward answer, but in this case it’s easy: get a Skoda Fabia Combi. It has a massive 530-litre boot (expanding to 1,395 litres when you fold the seats), but is still pretty compact on the outside. Plus the cabin is classy and comfy and it’s perfectly nice to drive. Your budget won’t quite stretch to a new one, but a year-to-18-month one should be well inside your reach.
Which SUV to replace my Audi with?
Hi, I have a 2013 Audi 2.0 TDI S line Black Edition quattro with only 21k miles on the clock. I only purchased as an import last summer and love it. It’s my first premium car and enjoy the feeling that brings.
However, recently, I am wondering whether it’s right for me. I’m 6’4” in height and find getting in and out of it's low height a bit of chore. I also use it as main family car for two tall toddlers (three and two) for crèche runs etc. So space is quite tight. I’ve been considering replacing it with an SUV for the ride height, space, practicality and better fuel economy. Must be good to drive also. I would love to stay premium, but probably wouldn’t afford it in that category. Was looking at the Mazda CX-5 as a compromise or alternatively the new Peugeot 3008, Kia Sportage, Renault Kadjar or Nissan Qashqai. Annual mileage is roughly 10k km and budget is what I’d get for the Audi.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Seamus Hadrill (Dublin)Dec 2017 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Seamus,
You haven’t actually specified a model here, so I’m going to guess that it’s an A4. To be honest, you’re not going to get an awful lot more interior space by changing for something the size of a Qashqai, 3008, or Kadjar. A little, but not a huge amount extra in real terms — most of the extra space in those cars is in the boot. If you’re determined, then go for either the Kadjar (it has the biggest boot) or see if you can stretch the budget to the new-shape VW Tiguan. Here are reviews of the cars you've mentioned, too:
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.