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Hi Julie,

In many ways, diesel would be the safe bet, but with your 90km per day driving pattern, I’d suggest that you’re potentially an ideal candidate for switching to electric. Certainly, a current Kia e-Niro or Hyundai Kona Electric would do your five-day daily commute on almost one charge (although realistically you’d probably top it up much more regularly than that). As long as you have a driveway where you can install a home charging point (and a charging point at work would be helpful too), then I’d say it’s well worth looking at electric. The savings on fuel alone will help to balance out the cost of purchase. 

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Hi Catherine,

You’ll probably get a very broad mix of quotes. Some companies will like the fact that you’re an older driver, with a relatively low-powered car, and assess you accordingly. Many others will simply look at your lack of an Irish driving history (and won’t take your Canadian history into account) and will simply try to charge you an absolute fortune.

Our advice would be to track down a good local insurance broker, who may well be able to help you find a better deal than you’d find yourself. Criteria? That would be expecting the Irish insurance industry to be open and transparent, and that’s simply not going to happen...

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Hi Dave,

I'm surprised to hear that from a new truck where the battery will be in good condition, but stop-start systems regularly don't work as people expect. The system measures loads of variables before deciding whether the engine will be stopped, including the temperature of the engine and even the outside temperature. If it's cold weather, it may not work at all. If you're using items that are a big electrical drain, it may not operate. 

Read our Why won't my car's stop-start system work? feature

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Hi Terry, 

The type of licence that you can apply for once you pass your theory test depends on your age. If you’re under 18 then you must first apply for your A1 licence and complete your Initial Basic Training (IBT) before applying for your driving test. 

If you’re 18 or older, you can apply for your A2 licence through Direct Access. As you’ve passed your theory test you can apply and start your IBT (modules 1,3 and 5) on an A2 bike. After six months, when you pass your driving test you’ll have a full A2 licence.

For the full A licence, you can apply post-theory test again through Direct Access providing you are aged 24 or over or through Progressive Access from age 20 and up. The same process applies with regard to IBT and your test.

You can find more detailed explanation on the RSA’s website here.

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Hi Herbert,

We’ve been in touch with GoCar, which is the current leading supplier of subscriptions for instant, on-street, vehicle hire and drive, and there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that, normally, GoCar’s insurance only covers those up to the age of 75. However, the good news is that there’s potential for discretion. GoCar might waive the age limit if you meet certain criteria, which include  that you have a valid licence; that you can provide a doctor's letter to say they are fit to drive; and that you can show that you were insured to drive within the last two years, and haven't had an accident in five years. It’s worth a try, anyway...

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Hi Ruth,

Expert answer

Hi Donal,

Well, fuel consumption depends very much on your own driving style and where (and to an extent when) you do most of your driving. That said, in general, we wouldn’t expect that 1.0 TSI engine to be much thirstier overall than the 1.6 diesel. In our tests, both engines are in and around as economical as each other and you should expect to get around 50mpg from either with a light foot. The diesel may be a little better than the petrol option at a sustained high-speed cruise. However, with such low annual mileage, we suspect that the petrol engine will cost less to maintain in the long run. It's probably the best option for you.

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Hi Alan,

It's very difficult to analyse such a thing remotely, so it'll need a good mechanic to look at it and probably plug it into a diagnostic computer to retrieve error codes. We will say that the ix35 is generally a very reliable car, but one  known issue is to do with its engine control unit (ECU), which may need to be reprogrammed in some circumstances.

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Hi Philip,

It depends on what you’re doing. Are you taking your own car to Europe? In that case, contact your current insurer as cover generally extends to the rest of Europe, and you may only have to pay a small ’top-up’ fee to make sure that the cover is comprehensive, and lasts for more than 30 days.

If you’re renting a car, then insurance is included, and you can always pay extra to expand the cover to fully comprehensive. While car rental agencies charge a proverbial arm and leg for this, there are independent insurers who will add-on the extra cover for a reasonable fee. 

Expert answer

Hi Andy,

That's a tricky one to analyse from afar, but we do know that an issue can arise from the electric power steering motor that may lead to strange sensations through the wheel. Best to have it checked by a good mechanic as soon as possible.