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Hi George,

Yes, and I’m assuming you mean the 1.6-litre diesel model? It’s a very good engine – decently reliable and very economical and it needs long motorway miles to make sure that the diesel particulate filter doesn’t start clogging up. The particle filter also needs to be replaced at 120,000km. It needs a cam belt change every 160,000km, but you need to keep it checked at regular service time as the belt can stretch and slip. The water pump is also a weak point, so keep an eye on that. There are a few random electrical issues with these cars too, mostly to do with the ignition system and intermittent warning lights on the dashboard. They’re more niggles than serious problems though.

Oh, and don’t buy one without a full service history. That engine needs a steady diet of really high-quality oil at service time, or it can develop sludgy waste oil in delicate parts.

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Hi Sean,

Yes, the water pumps can fail, there can be issues with the turbo on diesel engines and the CD players can need re-coding. Also, if the spare key is missing, it’s hugely expensive to replace.

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Hi Karina,

You are, if I may say, a smart cookie. Yes, the Insignia is decently solid and pretty reliable, but the fact is that they do get issues with their electrics and, as we all know, ain’t nothing more reliable than a Toyota. Well, almost – have a good look at the Mazda6 estate too, as it's handsome, really good to drive and hugely reliable. A good foil to the Toyota. 

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Hi Simon,

Yes, it will be in all its 510hp glory, but it’ll probably be special order only and I’d expect prices to start at around the €100,000 mark for that one. A much more sensible Giulia diesel should only set you back around €38,000 though, and looks pretty much as good. Here are our reviews:

Alfa Romeo Giulia diesel review

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio review

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Hi Tony,

There's no major recurrent fault for the flywheel on a Q5 specifically (although dual-mass flywheels generally come in for a lot of reliability criticism across all brands), but there was a recall for Volkswagen Group 2.0 TDI diesel engines a while back to replace faulty flywheels, so it's worth checking to make sure that's been done. If it doesn't show up in the service history, get in touch with Audi Ireland customer services, as they should be able to find out if a specific vehicle has or has not had the work done. 

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Hi Laurie,

Deciding to go petrol or diesel is a simple matter of how much mileage you do every year. Do you do lots of mileage and plenty of long motorway journeys? Get a diesel then. If you do lower mileage (less than 16,000km a year, say) and mostly around town? Then go for petrol.

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Hi Ted,

Well, it’s a little hard to say. You haven’t given me a year for your Focus 1.8, but assuming it’s a 2009 model then I’d take a stab at it being worth around €6,000 as a trade in. However, it’s impossible for us to predict how much a dealer is going to offer you against a specific car – it depends how much they have invested in the sale of that car, and how many other cars similar to your own that they already have on their lot.

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Hi Colin,

It depends which models you mean. I presume you’re looking at an Audi A3 and a Volkswagen Golf, which share a 1.6-litre diesel engine. On the base model of both cars, the quoted CO₂ figure is exactly the same – 99g/km. It could be that you’re looking at an A3 Saloon, which,  with the optional 18-inch alloy wheels, has a CO₂ figure of 109g/km, or possibly even the A3 Saloon quattro 1.6 TDI on 18s, which has a whopping (in comparison) figure of 130g/km. Extra equipment (or indeed a complete four-wheel drive system) and bigger wheels all have an effect on consumption and therefore emissions, you see...

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Hi Ben,

Well, you can always haggle more and if the dealer isn’t budging, then simply shop around. There are plenty of examples of the C-Max out there to choose from, so don’t get hung up on just the one car if you feel like you’re not getting a good deal. While that does seem like a fair enough price, €17k is top end for a 2012 C-Max, so it had better (a) be perfect, (b) have a full service history and (c) come with a decent warranty.

As for the B-Max, yes there’s quite a big difference. The B-Maxis based on the Fiesta, the C-Max on the Focus so you can see from just that fact that the levels of space on the inside and in the boot are significantly different. Plus the C-Max is a far more comfortable car on a long journey than the B-Max, which can also be sluggish to drive as those sliding doors are actually pretty heavy for such a small car.

As for other cars worth looking at (and I’m assuming you mean against the five-seat C-Max, not the seven-seat Grand C-Max), the Volkswagen Golf Plus offers lots of space and plenty of comfort, as does the five-seat version of the Citroen C4 Picasso.

Here are a few reviews to help you decide:

Ford C-Max review

Ford B-Max review

Citroen C4 Picasso review

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Hi Cyril,

There are a few advertised ‘trick' fuel additives such as STP or Dipetane that promise to reduce the emissions from the engine, but these are at best unproven and at worst utter snake oil. Your best bet is simply to get the car thoroughly serviced and tuned up and make sure it’s running on high-quality petrol or diesel bought from a reputable source.