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Hi Michael,

Is there a specific reason you want the highest engine power in either car? In the case of both the Mondeo (140hp) and Insignia (130hp), high specification models of these can be had in and around the €30,000 mark. Granted the highest power output models in these are very potent, but the torque figure is equally important in diesel cars and the middle range Insignia has 300Nm of torque and the Mondeo has 340Nm, which is pretty much on par with that offered by the 160hp Insignia.

If I was to advise, I would say you should look at the Zetec Mondeo 140hp Diesel, which has performance to match the 160hp Insignia and in Zetec trim is pretty well equipped too. You can see the spec here.

I hope this helps,

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Hi Sean,

Stephen McDonnell from Volkswagen Ireland contacted us with some really useful information on this. Apparently the sensors themselves are quite robust, but they can be fooled into thinking the level is low by poor quality coolant. So, if there's more water than coolant in the car it may not register properly. Likewise, if there's oil in the water it could throw up a strange reading.

So, the advice is to have a look at the quality of the coolant and ask the buyer when it was last changed.

It could still be the sensor, but it's more likely that the above is the reason for the warning light.

Hope that helps,

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Hi Patrick,

I believe that the 1.3-litre turbodiesel Astra has about the same maximum power as your 1.4-litre petrol model, but it has signficantly more torque so it would be faster overall. Also, being six years younger won't hurt it.

The biggest difference between the two will be the manner in which the power is delivered. Petrol engines without turbocharging produce all their power when being revved, while the turbodiesel engine is better in the mid-range.

As with all car purchases, we recommend you drive the car you're considering for as long as possible on a variety of roads to make sure it suits you.

Let us know if you need anything else and tell us how you get on.

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Hi Tim,

I am presuming this is 56,000km and that the car is in good condition. You are likely to get offered around €16,000 - €17,000 for this car as a trade-in. But you might get a little more depending on what you are trading in against.

You can buy an example with about half as many miles as yours for about €19,000 as you see here. Generally the dealer will offer a little less because they have to service and prep the car before they sell it. 

Keep our estimate in mind as somewhere to start really. And also, don't to get fixated on what is being offered for your car, but rather the cost to change. And remember to shop around! 

I hope this helps,

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Hi Martina,

You can expect to pay from around €9,250 to €14,950 for a Corolla of varying mileage. Wipe about €800-€1,000 off this for a cash deal if you push hard. 

You will pay €8,945 for a high mileage Avensis diesel at one end or as much as €17,000 for a low mileage example. These prices are all from SIMI dealers. You might pay less for a private car or from an independent dealer. These prices are at extreme ends of condition and mileage too. 

Again, perhaps take €800 - €1,000 off these for cash buying. There is always the chance a dealer hasn't a lot of 'value' in a car so might offer less, so shop around!

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Hi Mick,

Yes we have driven the 120hp 1.4-litre TSI in the Passat and we are just heading off to drive the new one in Barcelona as we write this. Believe it or not, this engine copes quite well with the Passat's bulk. It is by no means a rocket and doesn't really have the torque of the diesel models, but it certainly copes quite well. 0-100km/h takes 10.5 seconds and the top speed is 203km/h. Fuel economy is 8.6 l/100km and CO₂ emissions are 157g/km.

Is there anything else you'd like to know?

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Hi Gerard,

Sorry for taking so long to come back to you, but we wanted to investigate this a little. I've asked several independent and franchised garages about this and nobody has come across this problem with the VW Group TDI engines.

How did you determine what actually happened? Just add a comment below this question.

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Hi Mick,

If you talk to the trade at the moment, they will say that there is something of a shortage of good used cars around. Generally as people buy in the early parts of the year then you will get a lot of second-hand cars floating around so there is a case for waiting. On the other hand, your 2006 Vectra is regarded as another year older. If you can get the right deal why not do it now? 

The only thing to worry about is a shortage of diesel Mazda6 models from that year. You didn't specify if you wanted petrol or diesel, but there are twice as many petrol examples available. Having said that, I really like this diesel model here, but it is a little on the pricey side. You would pay significantly less for a petrol model with lower mileage, such as this one. 

What I would say is that you will get more attention in the dealerships now, or at least you should do. It can be frustrating going into the dealers in January when they are busy, so bear that in mind. 

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Hi William,

The first thing I would say is, do you really need a diesel? The diesel version of small cars tend to cost more and if you aren't really doing excessive mileage then you might not reap the benefits of owning one. For example a diesel Ford Fiesta costs €1,000 more than a petrol model and the annual road tax on the petrol model is only €156 - just €52 more per year than the diesel option. Often, in a small car, a petrol engine is really the best option.

The first car that you mention, the Fiesta, has been one of the real stars of the scrappage scheme and one of the best-selling cars in 2010 and for us, it is still the best supermini in the class. It is well built, drives really well and has pretty styling. The offers on the Fiesta for scrappage are very tempting and you can shop around to get the best deal, but you will find that there are greater discounts on the petrol models.

A car we rate here at CompleteCar.ie is the Volkswagen Polo and the 1.2-litre TDI BlueMotion model in particular is excellent offering outstanding fuel economy and ultra-low emissions. The Polo is the sort of car that you would like holding on to for four to five years as they age well.

There are obviously some incredible offers in the Renault range, as the company is offering by far the most generous discounts when it comes to new cars. You could have a petrol Clio from €8,990 under scrappage. There is a diesel version available too and with all the discounting this would come out as one of the cheapest five-door diesel superminis around.

I think if you are intent on diesel then perhaps you should look in value terms at a slightly larger car. I would be very tempted by a Hyundai i30 1.6-litre diesel. You can have one of these, which has five doors, is going to be very reliable and will cost you from €14,995 under scrappage, which is really excellent value.

However a car that has really impressed us of late is the new Nissan Juke. Here you are getting lots of car for the money. The diesel Juke starts at €20,195 (full price list here) and this car would qualify for scrappage as it has Band B emissions. 

That's a few for you to consider but do come back to us if you have more questions!

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