Expert answer

Hi Francis,

Towing is certainly one of the strong points of diesel power with their low-down torque, but any hybrid with a big electric motor should be good too thanks to the instant-torque characteristics of the motor. For example, if you like the CX-60, Mazda does a plug-in-hybrid version with the same towing rating. You may find it difficult to find a non-plug-in hybrid to match the same rating though.

Come back to us with your budget and the weight you need to be able to tow, and we'll take a look around for other options for you. And let us know if you're willing to consider a PHEV.

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Hi John,

The early Macan S certainly used a Porsche-developed engine, and even the later examples were hardly just Audi/Volkswagen engines with a different cover. 

Not that every engine Porsche has developed itself is reliable, but that V6 is generally solid so long as it has been maintained properly.

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Hi Norma,

If you're selling it privately, and the mileage isn't too high for the year, then I'd suggest in the region of €6,000. Obviously you won't get that on trading in though.

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Hi Haris,

It will be difficult to find a car that will fit two large rear-facing child seats and a booster in a single row without going for much larger vehicles. The alternative is an SUV with a third row, but that comes with compromises as well.

Anyway, searching within your budget, there are options. Large SUVs such as the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 would fit you all in, but at €25,000 you'd be buying relatively old ones with high mileage and likely high maintenance costs. Same for the BMW X5.

The Hyundai Santa Fe would be a better bet, as would the Kia Sorento or indeed the Nissan X-Trail. All of these are large SUVs and well-priced, reliable and decently equipped.

Finally, and I think this might be the best option, there's the Peugeot 5008. It has three separate seats in the middle row, so should fit all the kids in and you can fold away the rearmost seats to maximise boot space. There are petrol and diesel variants within budget with far lower mileage than the premium-badge options mentioned above.

You've not told us about any other preferences in terms of fuel, size of vehicle or anything, so come back to us if you want us to help narrow down the search further.

No matter what you decide, make sure you bring the child seats with you on any test drive and ensure they fit in properly.

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Hi Rachel,

We'd certainly recommend the Tucson over the Kona. It's a larger, but crucially, more comfortable and refined vehicle. What's more, there are loads of them available in the classifieds within your budget - though we'd suggest seeking out one with the newer 1.6-litre diesel engine as it's a bit quieter and more efficient than the 1.7-litre.

What you might not know is that the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson share the same mechanicals, so it's worth taking a look at examples of both so you can choose which you prefer.

Note that most of these vehicles are front-wheel drive only, which is perfectly fine for driving on the road most of the time. Don't buy a four-wheel-drive one unless you reckon you need the extra traction and ability during winter months on slippery surfaces, as they are not as economical.

Both Kia and Hyundai have a great reputation for reliability, though the Kias were sold with a longer new-car warranty so there may even be a portion of that still active, depending on how old a car you go for and its mileage. Ask the seller about that.

Our top tip to buyers of used cars is to test drive several different examples from different sellers so you get a feel not only for which you prefer, but also for how good – or not – a given car is.

Expert answer

Hi Tomas,

Revenue's website is only ever a guide in any case, so you should always do your own calculations, so you have an estimate. We can help with that but be aware that all figures below are only estimates.

First up, we're assuming you mean “GB” – i.e. England, Scotland and Wales – as opposed to “UK”, as the latter would include Northern Ireland as well. If the van is coming from Northern Ireland, the treatment of import duty and VAT is different.

Coming from GB, however, you will have to pay 10 per cent import duty and 23 per cent VAT.

The duty is calculated on the “customs value”, which is the price paid, transport and insurance together. If the van is £13,000, that's about €15,000, so the import duty would be a minimum of €1,500 before any allocation for transport or insurance.

VAT is charged on the sum of the import duty and the customs value. So if import duty is €1,500 in this case, and the customs value is €15,000, that's a total of €16,500. VAT is 23 per cent of that, at €3,795.

Unfortunately, regardless of where you are importing the van from, Revenue will treat a six-seat crew cab van as Category A for VRT, which means you'll have to pay the NOx levy (could be as high as €4,850 for a 2019 Trafic) and VRT based on its CO₂ emissions.

You'll need to get the official figures for this van, but if say the CO₂ emissions rating is 171-190g/km, then it's in Band 19 for VRT, at 35 per cent of the so-called OMSP.

That's the Open Market Selling Price, a value Revenue believes the van to be worth after registration in Ireland. It's not easy to guess. If it's €20,000, then the VRT would be 35 per cent of that, or €7,000.

This is all looking very costly, I'm sure you agree.

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Hi Jarek,

If you can get a cert from that organisation then yes, it will definitely be enough for Revenue.

Expert answer

Hi Catherine,

No. No Hyundai engines use so-called wet belts running in oil. 

The 1.6-litre CRDi diesel of 2019 has a dry timing belt, while the 2.0-litre diesel of the same year has a timing chain instead.

Expert answer

Hi Edel,

Not many cars have the same windscreen demister that Fords do, so you may have to compromise on that. Most at your budget will have heated seats and auto lights though.

You can afford a 2023 Audi Q3 with a manual gearbox and there are plenty around within budget whether you want a diesel or a petrol engine.

For the same price, you'd get a year newer Mazda CX-5, again with a manual gearbox if you want it, and the option of petrol or diesel power.

The Mazda will be the better-equipped of the two and the more enjoyable to drive.

Then it just comes down to which you prefer the look of (the Mazda wins that one hands down).

Expert answer

Hi David,

Our information is that your car's engine – 2.0 TDCi diesel – has a timing belt, not a chain. The belt should be changed at least every 200,000km or 10 years, whichever comes first. If that has never been done then I strongly recommend you get it replaced as soon as possible, along with the water pump and auxiliary belts.

It's also recommended that the coolant system is flushed out every 120,000km and the antifreeze replaced. Same story with the cabin odour filter.

Aside from all that, obviously replace the oil and filter regularly, too.