Will Toyota accept a diesel trade-in RAV4?
I usually buy a new car every three years, which means I'm due to trade in my two-year-old Toyota RAV4 diesel at the end of 2018. Will my diesel be accepted against a hybrid?
Dan Dineen (Cork)Mar 2018 Filed under: diesel
Expert answer
Hi Dan,
Yes, it absolutely will be. Diesel values have fallen in the UK, but much less so here, although there is a little ‘softening’ going on. However, if you’re buying another Toyota, there will be promotional activities around hybrid models (not least since Toyota recently announced that it’s going to stop making diesel-engined passenger cars) so I don’t think you’ll have any issues.
Why does my SEAT stop-start not work?
I have a 2011 SEAT Leon Ecomotive SE 1.6 diesel and the stop-start system is not working. It seems to have decided to stop working and when I try to use it the message on my dashboard is 'start/stop is not possible.' I have checked the tyres and the pressure and they seem to be within spec. Can you advise what I need to do to get it back working?
Thanks
Anne Marie
Anne Marie Connolly (Mullingar)Mar 2018 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Anne Marie,
Stop-start systems on cars will stop working for a variety of reasons, some of them outside your control, but if you think your SEAT still has a problem after looking through this list of possibilities, best bet is to get the car along to your nearest SEAT dealer to check it out:
- Ambient temperature too cold
- Ambient temperature too hot (unlikely in Ireland!)
- Battery in poor condition
- Driver's seat belt usually must be on
- Driver's door and bonnet usually must be closed
- Engine temperature is too low
- Climate control settings may force the engine to stay on
Hope that's of some help. This question by an Audi owner has proven very popular and is mostly applicable to your car too.
Does my Toyota Avensis have a timing belt?
Does my Toyota Avensis 2.0 D-4D have a timing chain or a belt drive?
Jonathan Garvey (Galway )Mar 2018 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Jonathan,
You've not told us the year, which is a key thing, here, as the current Avensis (first launched in 2009) uses a timing chain in its 2.0-litre diesel engine, but some versions of the previous version use a timing belt. The 2.0-litre diesel engine producing 116hp (engine code 1CD-FTV) made between 2003 and 2006 has a timing belt, for example, but the 127hp engine, made from 2006 to 2009 (code 1AD-FTV), has a timing chain.
The recommended change interval for the timing belt in that 1CD-FTV engine is 105,000 kilometres, regardless of time.
I can't decide between petrol or diesel!
Hi there,
I am completely baffled about petrol vs diesel vs hybrid. I am looking to trade in a Skoda Octavia 1.6 diesel for a second hand car, but I am being told not to get diesel again as petrol is now being encouraged. I think hybrid looks too expensive and electric does not seem viable at this point. The additional problem is that there seems to be very little choice in a family saloon in petrol with a 2016 or 2017 reg.
Help!
Yours John
John White (Newbridge)Mar 2018 Filed under: petrol vs. diesel
Expert answer
Hi John,
Yeah, it’s a bit of a catch-22 at the moment. The thing is that diesel is still entirely viable if you’re someone who covers a big annual mileage. Petrol makes the most sense for those covering short mileages, and primarily driving in town; ditto hybrid, while electric mostly only makes sense for those doing entirely urban mileage.
So, if you live down the country and rack up at least 25,000km a year, then diesel could still work for you. If you’re struggling to find a good second hand petrol car, it may be worth looking at buying new, and trying to find a really sharp finance deal.
Is this Ford Kuga timing belt schedule right?
I bought a Ford Kuga in Jan 2015 and have done 127,000km. I was asked to change the timing belt today at a Ford service. I Googled and found out that I can do up to 200,000km or 10 years between timing belt replacements. If that is so I could save money now and do it later. Can you advise? Mine is three years old and I service it regularly, at least every three months, as I am always driving long distances alone.
Bee Hoon Lim (Batu Pahat, Johor)Feb 2018 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Bee,
You've not told us which engine your Kuga has, so we're assuming it's the 2.0 TDCi diesel. That does indeed come with a 200,000km/10 years schedule for the timing belt.
Does the Kia Stinger need lots of servicing?
I notice in the detailed UK specs for the Kia Stinger (which otherwise appears like a wonderful car), it says, both for the 2.0-litre and 3.0-litre petrol engines, that the service interval is a mere six months. This seems weird when many new cars with powerful engines have a two-year service interval, at least for the first service. What do you think?
Thanks Philip
Philip Donegan (Ballina)Feb 2018 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Philip,
I spoke to Kia Ireland about this and though it won't be offering the 2.0-litre petrol model for sale here, it did confirm that service intervals for the 3.0-litre model will be 15,000km or once a year. The 2.2-litre diesel is 30,000km or once a year.
Is the 1.4 TSI enough in the Passat, etc?
We have a 141 diesel Passat 2.0-litre and we want to change to a petrol VW, either a Tiguan or a Passat, but the engine size in both looks underpowered. What should we do?
Shevaun McDonnell (Rathmore, Co.Kerry)Jan 2018 Filed under: petrol vs. diesel
Expert answer
Hi Shevaun,
Simple: ignore the engine size. The 1.4 TSI turbo petrol engine has 150hp and is totally at home and happy in either the Tiguan or the Passat. In fact, it’s arguably the best choice of engine in either car. Thanks to compact, low-pressure turbocharging, engine size is these days more or less irrelevant. Look at the power and torque figures instead.
How much VRT on a 2017 BMW 4 Series?
How much VRT would there be on a 2017 BMW 4 Series M Sport Coupe with about 100 miles on the clock? Diesel automatic.
Joanne Lawlor (Firhouse)Jan 2018 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Joanne,
It will depend on the spec and what options the car has, but the ballpark figure will be around €7-8,000 of VRT.
Looking to buy a 2016 or 2017 SUV...
I'm looking to buy a 2016 or 2017 SUV, 1.6 to 1.7 diesel, Manual gearbox with cruise control. I'm not too bothered by my most other factors, other than a decent comfortable motorway drive with good fuel economy. Can you advise which are the most fuel efficient SUVs for motorway driving in Ireland within this range? Currently, I'm considering a Kia Sportage or Honda CR-V or Hyundai Tucson.
Thanks, Paul
Paul Keyes (Dublin)Jan 2018 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Paul,
The Hyundai or Kia will be more efficient than the 1.6 i-DTEC Honda, but only just and at the expense of a considerable amount of performance — the Honda feels much brisker and is more comfortable than the other two as well. In that size range, it’s also well worth considering the VW Tiguan, especially the current-shape model, which is very frugal in 2.0-litre 115hp form. Some reviews below to help you decide:
Is the diesel auto Kia Sportage good on fuel?
I now have a 1.2-litre petrol automatic 161 Nissan Qashqai and thinking at getting a 181 Kia Sportage 1.7-litre diesel auto. Will I be spending less on fuel?
Mark Crowley (Ennis)Jan 2018 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Mark,
You’ll probably use a little less fuel, but overall you’re going to be spending more because of the cost of upgrading to what’s quite a pricey diesel version, especially with the automatic gearbox. Kia quotes official fuel economy for that model of 57mpg, but we’d expect to see more like 40-45mpg in real world conditions. That’s a little better than the Qashqai 1.2 petrol, but not very much better. If you want to do better on the economy front, consider dropping the automatic gearbox and getting a manual instead.