How much to tax a 2008 Renault Scenic?
How much to tax a 2008 Renault Scenic 1.9 diesel?
Eduatd Cazan (Portarligton)Jul 2020 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Eduatd,
All 2008 cars should, by now, have been updated to the CO2-based tax system, but the good news is that the 1.9 dCi-engined version of the Scenic has a CO2 output of 159g/km, so costs €570 a year to tax, instead of the €673 you’d have spent on the old engine capacity system.
Does a 2014 Volvo S60 have a belt?
I have a 2014 Volvo S60 R Design 1.6 diesel. Has it a timing belt or chain? If it is a belt when should it be changed?
Regards
Noel
Noel Galvin (Athlone)Jul 2020 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Noel,
It does indeed have a timing belt, which must be changed every 140,000km or 10 years, whichever comes first.
NOx value for a 2016 Fiat Panda diesel?
Hi,
I'm having difficulty with the ROS VRT calculator on this car: 2016 Fiat Panda 1.3 MultiJet Diesel, with 60,000 miles on the clock. I haven't got any official figure for the NOx value and wondered if you could help with an indication of how much the cost would be?
Kind Regards
Gerry
GERRY GALLAGHER (Athlone)Jul 2020 Filed under: VRT
Expert answer
Hi Gerry,
As we’ve mentioned before, finding accurate NOx emissions is a bit of a minefield, and ultimately the only figure that actually counts is the one on the car’s Certificate of Conformity (CoC) document. We believe that the 2016 Panda MultiJet has NOx emissions of 161mg/km, but I’d ask to see the car’s CoC before making any final decisions.
When to change my Kuga's belt?
Does my Ford Kuga have a timing belt or chain and when do I have to get it done? Is it 100,000- or 200,000km?
Rebecca Garrett (Uralla)Jun 2020 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Rebecca,
You've not given us the year or engine size, so here's a summary:
Kuga gen 1 (2008-2013): both engines (2.0 TDCi diesel and 2.5-litre petrol) use timing belts that must be changed every 200,000km or 10 years, whichever comes first.
Kuga gen 2 (2013-2020): the 1.5 and 1.6 EcoBoost petrol engines and the 2.0 TDCi diesel engine have timing belts that must be changed every 200,000km or 10 years, whichever comes first. The 2.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine uses a timing chain.
Unusually, the schedule for the 1.5 TDCi diesel engine's timing belt replacement depends on the model year. Up to 2018 it's the same as the others above, but after 2018, the interval is reduced to 180,000km.
Toyota Avensis or Mazda CX-5?
I am driving approx 52k yearly in a 1.6-litre diesel 161 VW Passat with 125,000km on the clock. Thinking of changing to a 171 Mazda CX-5 2.2 with 62,000km or a 161 Toyota Avensis 2.0-litre with 98,000km. Which is the better option or is there another I should be looking at?
Mags
Mags Smith (CARRICK-ON-SHANNON)Jun 2020 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Mags,
OK, there’s a bit of a balance to be struck, here. The Avensis would, normally, be a good, solid choice and of the two cars you’ve mentioned, it’s the more economical overall. However, we’re always slightly wary of cars that may have been used in the past as taxis, so you’d want to carefully check the history on that one, using Cartell.ie, for example.
The Mazda CX-5 is one of our favourite cars, but if it’s a 2017 model you’re looking at, then you’d want to make sure that it’s the second-generation CX-5 — not that the older car is bad or anything, but the newer version is a deal more sophisticated and refined, so worth stretching the budget for. The current version arrived in Ireland during 2017. It would be a bit thirstier than the Avensis but of the two it would be our choice.
Others worth looking at? Honda’s CR-V is always an excellent choice (massively roomy, hugely reliable), VW Passat (go for the estate), or the Skoda Superb. Here are a few our reviews to help:
Will a Toyota warranty be ok on an import?
I am importing a 2017 Toyota Avensis 1.6 Business Diesel from the UK to Ireland. There is a seven-year manufacturer's warranty on the car. Does this transfer to the Republic of Ireland?
Johnnie O'Malley (Ballina)Jun 2020 Filed under: warranty
Expert answer
Hi Johnnie,
Are you quite sure that it’s a seven-year warranty? Toyota UK generally offers a five-year warranty, which is the standard pan-European three-year warranty, topped up for an extra two years by the UK importer. In Ireland, Toyota only offers the standard three-year warranty, so it’s unlikely that the extra two years of the UK one will be honoured here, as it’s a market-specific offer.
When to change the 1.6 diesel Focus belt?
2011 Ford Focus 1.6 diesel: when to change the timing chain?
John Brazil (Dublin )Jun 2020 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi John,
That 1.6 diesel Focus uses a timing belt, not a chain.
The belt replacement schedule depends on the date the car was built. Up to July 2011 it's 140,000km or 10 years. After that it's 180,000km or 10 years.
Tax and insurance on a 2009 Toyota RAV4?
What's the annual road tax on a 2009 Toyota RAV4 D4D? Will the insurance be high on it as well?
Jacqui Turvey (Carrick )Jun 2020 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Jacqui,
With CO2 emissions of 173g/km, a 2009 RAV4 diesel is going to be in Band E for motor tax, which means €750 a year. As for insurance, it shouldn’t be too bad, but as ever, Irish insurance is a minefield and often depends more on you and your record than the car, so make sure you take the time to shop around.
How much to tax a 2015 Ford Focus diesel?
Just bought a 2015 Ford Focus 1.6 diesel car. How much do I need to tax it for the year please?
Michael Laffan (Dublin City)Jun 2020 Filed under: taxation
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
Assuming that it’s the 105hp version of the Focus 1.6 TDCi, and uses a manual gearbox, then it has CO2 emissions of 88g/km, which means tax of €180 per year.
Which big tow car to go for on moving?
We are moving from the UK to Ireland soon and are gobsmacked (for the want of of a better word) to find that our two trusty vehicles, the 2005 Chrysler Grand Voyager (diesel) and 2005 Mercdes C-Class Elegance (petrol) are going to cost in excess of €6,000 jointly to tax! The cars are not even worth a fraction of that, so we sadly have to replace them (in this throw-away world we have always been proud to keep our vehicles beyond their life expectancies).
So, what car can you recommend for a family of six, that would be able to tow a horse box, but would be the cheapest to tax as we relocate to the Emerald Isle?
Jo Sheedy
Surrey, UK
Joanna Sheedy (Epsom)Jun 2020 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Joanne,
If it’s just the one car you want, then I think your best bet would be a Ford S-Max or Galaxy, or possibly a SEAT Alhambra. All three cars do all the important family hauling work really well, and the two Fords will tow a maximum 2,000kg load, while the Alhambra can haul as much as 2,400kg.
If you want to go down the two-car route, then maybe go for a Mercedes E-Class Estate, with the fold-down seats in the boot, as the family machine and a Volkswagen Amarok pickup (the early model with the 2.0-litre turbo engine so as to keep the tax costs down) as the tow-car. It can haul a whopping 3,500kg, but is also comfy and refined enough to be a daily driver.
Read our Mercedes E-Class reviews