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Hi Lucy,

It depends which version of the 2.0-litre diesel engine your car has, as there were several power outputs. Most have timing belt change intervals of 150,000 kilometres or every six years (whichever comes first), but if your engine is the single-turbo 190hp or bi-turbo 195hp unit, then the distance between changes reduces to 120,000km (or six years as before).

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Hi Brian,

The recommended service interval on that car is 30,000 kilometres or every two years - whichever comes first. So, not knowing your mileage, your car should have been serviced at least twice already with another due this year.

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Hi Pat,

As it happens, Audi Ireland has just announced that the new Q3 will start at €39,600. We don't have the full price list yet, but you can read more in this news story.

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Hi Gay,

It definitely has the power and the comfort to tackle the mileage. That new 1.5-litre HDi diesel engine is a cracker, and with 120hp it has plenty of guts, plus it’s rather pleasantly refined and very frugal too. An excellent all-rounder. The only doubt would be over long-term reliability. While Peugeot has really improved its build quality over the years, the fact is that an equivalent Skoda will be slightly better-built, especially over the longer term. It’s certainly worth considering. 

Skoda Kodiaq reviews

Peugeot 5008 reviews

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Hi Roseanna,

First things first — if you’re doing mostly urban and motorway miles, you really don’t need an SUV. A more conventional hatchback, saloon, or estate is going to be more comfortable, better value, more economical and a better-engineered vehicle all round. If you’re looking for something with practicality then the likes of a Skoda Octavia Combi estate, a Volkswagen Golf Estate, a Kia Ceed SW, or the new Ford Focus Estate all have much bigger boots than any small-to-medium SUV (more than 600 litres, all of them, compared to around 450 litres for, say, a Nissan Qashqai), and they’re all better to drive and more frugal.

However, if you’re hooked on SUVs then we’d recommend a SEAT Ateca (plain wrapper, but it’s roomy, comfy and nice to drive) or a Toyota C-HR (small on the inside, relatively, but hugely stylish and the hybrid version is frugal). If you’re looking to ‘posh-up’ a bit, then the incoming new Audi Q3 is a bit of a stunner, or if you want something smaller and more affordable than any of those, try the updated Fiat 500X, which is kinda cute and charming.

Here are our relevant reviews for you to read more:

Skoda Octavia Combi review

Volkswagen Golf Estate review

Kia Ceed Sportswagon review

Ford Focus Estate review

Nissan Qashqai reviews

SEAT Ateca reviews

Toyota C-HR reviews

Audi Q3 reviews

Fiat 500X reviews

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Hi Nora,

The Actyon is an oddly difficult car to to find original performance data for, so what follows is a ‘best info available’ rather than a conclusive statement. The best figure we can find for a 2009 Actyon 2.0 Turbo Diesel is 221g/km, which would give it motor tax of €1,250 a year. Which sounds a bit steep...

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Hi Stephen,

OK, the theory goes that a car registered between January and July 2008 will automatically switch to the CO₂-based system at its first renewal if, and only if, it’s beneficial to do so. In other words, and this is according to the Motor Tax office, it’ll stay on the old system if it’s cheaper to do so.

According to what you’ve told us, your car should have switched to the new system no later than June of 2009, but needless to say it’s possible for it to have, for some reason, slipped through the net. I’d think a quick chat with your local motor tax office should sort it out either way. 

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Hi Corionna,

We're going to assume that this is a relatively recent Mokka, using the 1.6-litre 136hp diesel engine. That car has rated combined fuel consumption of 4.3 litres per 100km, so you’re going to burn roughly 8.7 litres covering 201km, and that’s going to work out at about €11.22 in fuel costs each day. Except, of course, you’re not going to get 4.3 litres per 100km, not unless you drive like a saint anyway. Safer to assume you’ll burn through 6.0 litres per 100km of fuel, which means you’ll pay around €15 in fuel costs for each 200km journey. Depending on fuel prices, obviously.

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Hi Dave,

Sadly not. You will save around 50 per cent on the price per litre of LPG compared to petrol or diesel (which in and of itself might be a sufficiently compelling reason to switch), but there’s no tax advantage. A car’s motor tax rate is based on the CO₂ figure shown on its certificate of conformity document, and a post-purchase conversion doesn’t change that (even though LPG does have a slightly lower CO₂ rating than petrol or diesel). Basically, tax is calculated on the car’s official homologated figure, whereas an LPG conversion is something you do yourself afterwards. 

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Hi Aisling,

Our information would agree with what you were told, that the recommended interval is indeed 210,000km, regardless of time. Remember: treat that as a maximum, not a minimum...