Do I need an SUV for towing my horsebox on the motorway?
Hi, what SUV would you recommend for pulling a horsebox and also motorway driving? I do about 500 to 600km a week going up and down to Dublin a couple of times a week from the midlands so I need an SUV that is economical on diesel but also able to handle a horsebox.
Many thanks
Louise FoxJul 2015 Filed under: towing
Expert answer
Hi Louise,
You don't necessarily need a 4x4 for that - a mid size estate car would do the job just as well. So, have a look at the following and see what you'd like: Mazda6 2.2d, Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi, Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI.
Or, if you really have to have a 4x4, check out the Hyundai Santa Fe, Audi Q5 or Nissan X-Trail.
Relevant reviews:
What will we replace our Kia Sportage with?
Hi, my wife is driving a 2013 Kia Sportage and is thinking of updating. What would you recommend?
Joe Malone (Dublin)Jun 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Joe,
Lots to choose from, but if she fancies another Sportage, then hang on for a year - there's an all-new model coming. You could consider a trade-up into the excellent new Kia Sorento, but that's a bigger, more expensive car. If you want to stick in the same size range (and stick with an SUV) then have a look at the Volkswagen Tiguan, Nissan Qashqai or Toyota RAV4.
Relevant reviews:
My wife and I are in the market for a new car...
My wife and I are in our mid seventies and are in the market for a new car. We have been driving Saabs for 30 years and are now considering a BMW, a Mercedes-Benz, a Jaguar or a Lexus. I have been looking at 5 Series/E-Class category cars, mainly because I am for the first time in my life able to afford such a car. But I am totally confused by the jargon and the names the different manufacturers give to their options or packages. Please tell me what to buy. The most important feature for us is safety, including things that will stop us doing stupid things behind the wheel. Also good satnav and park assist/camera features.
And should I be looking at cheaper models? Do we really need E-Class or 3 Series to travel in comfort or should we drop down a category? Just tell me what to buy!
Thanks very much.
Peter, Dublin 6
Peter Kelly (Dublin)Jun 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Peter,
To be honest, if it's just the two of you, then you don't really need to trade up to an E-Class or 5 Series sized car - a 3 Series would do you just as nicely. That said, there is definitely a slight comfort benefit from going for the bigger model, so I can understand why you might want to.
I'm going to suggest something a little left-field for you but I think it might just work - have a look at a Lexus GS 300h. It's perhaps not as obviously economical as a BMW 520d or Mercedes E 200 CDI, but it's enormously refined and comfortable, and endlessly reliable and solidly built. It's also really nice to drive and I think the quirky elements of the styling and engineering might appeal to a former Saab driver. Have a test drive and let me know what you think.
Relevant reviews:
What rules do cyclists have to adhere to?
Cyclists and Liability:
If a cyclist is caught breaking a red light, what can legally happen them? Nothing??
If a cyclist is at fault for an accident with a car, what happens?
Also, if a cyclist breaks a red light and injures a pedestrian, what happens to the cyclist?
Simon MacMahon (Dublin)Jun 2015 Filed under: safety
Expert answer
Hi Simon,
Well, on the red light question, the rules of the road apply to all road users, so a cyclist breaking a red light is, theoretically anyway, every bit as culpable as someone driving a car. Ditto for causing an accident, but as ever in these things, it can be horrendously difficult to prove who was in the wrong or in the right.
Help me choose a €20,000 family car.
I'm currently driving a 2010 Renault Grand Mégane and wondering what type of car would serve us well over the next three to five years. Do I stick with estate or look at SUV? There's two back seat passengers aged five and two, but would like something that can seat additional passengers from time to time - grandparents, other kids etc. Ideally would like something up to two years old and have budget of €18,000 to €20,000.
Gerry Connolly (Skerries, Dublin)May 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Gerry,
OK, lots of options here. Seven-seat SUVs are the coming thing and Hyundai's Santa Fe is one of the best. Lots and lots around for that kind of money so be choosy and buy the most recent one you can, so as to make the most of that five-year warranty.
The rear seats are a little tight though, so maybe look at a Ford S-Max. Big, spacious and really good to drive, you'll probably get a good deal on a nearly-new one at the moment as there's an all-new version about the be launched.
Or you could go all-out and get a Land Rover Discovery, which is a wonderful car but don't say I didn't warn you when it comes to running costs, and you won't find a two-year old one for that money.
Relevant reviews:
Can you help me choose from these family car?
Which would be cheaper, more economical and have low maintainance, for family of five that require good boot size, mostly city driving, 12,000km mileage per year: Kia Carens diesel, Nissan Qashqai diesel or petrol 1.2, Kia cee'd estate or Skoda Fabia Combi either 2014 or 2015?
Thanks, Mary
Mary Strike (Cork)May 2015 Filed under: family car
Expert answer
Hi Mary,
I'd leave the Fabia Combi out straight away. It's a very good little car but it's just too small if you're putting five people into it regularly. The cee'd estate is one of our favourite cars - practical, handsome and good to drive and those are things you can equally say about the Qashqai. However, again, I'd say if you're trying to get five people in every day, space in the back could be an issue.
Which leaves us with the Carens. Thankfully it's a very good choice - all the attributes of the cee'd, but with extra space and comfort for those in the back. My advice would be to go and test drive each one but make sure you bring along everyone who's going to regularly be using the car and make sure everyone's comfortable in it. Not just a spin around the block either - drive for long enough to make sure everyone has a chance to get fidgety.
Worth noting though that with your driving pattern, the petrol Qashqai is going to have the best engine for your purposes. You may need to make a compromise between engine and seating at some point.
Relevant reviews:
Is the Ford Fiesta TDCi more economical than the Audi A1?
Which car is the most fuel efficient: the Audi A1 1.4 Sport petrol or the Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.6 TDCi?
Elizabeth Evans (Llanwrtyd Wells)Expert answer
Hi Elizabeth,
Ok, there's a simple answer and a not-so-simple answer. The simple answer is that the Fiesta is more economical. Going by the official figures, you'll get 78mpg on the combined cycle from the Fiesta (and that's for a model without the stop-start system fitted) and 57mpg from the Audi (that's the 125hp engine with a manual gearbox and 16-inch wheels).
Now, the not-so-simple bit. It depends on how and where you drive. If you drive mostly short journeys and mostly in town, then the diesel is not going to give its best, and that 78mpg figure is pure fiction anyway. I'd say in daily driving you'll probably get closer to 55mpg. The Audi, if driven with a bit of care and attention, should easily get 40mpg, even around town. So there's a gap, but it's not so big as you'd think.
The reverse is true if you're doing lots of long journeys at a steady motorway cruise. The Fiesta would come into its own and you''d probably squeeze 60mpg, maybe 65mpg from it. The Audi probably wouldn't get much above 45mpg, maybe a bit less, doing such journeys.
Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake or Jeep Cherokee?
I'm driving an Audi A4 at present; how does the Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake compare size-wise with my Audi.? I was also looking at the Jeep Cherokee - how is the resale value on both these cars?
Caroline Conroy (Limerick)Apr 2015 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Caroline,
It's too early to tell on Jeep residual values - the brand is well known but still trying to re-establish itself properly in Ireland so it's hard to say quite how values will shake out long term. The Cherokee is nice though, if a touch pricey. Lots of space and it feels rugged.
The CLA Shooting Brake is also nice, and very pretty too, but I think you'd find it a lot less practical than the A4 - space in the back and the boot is really tight.
Relevant reviews:
Should I consider a higher-powered Audi A4?
I'm considering buying an Audi A4, 2009-ish. In everyday driving terms, what's the difference between 118bhp versus 136bhp/143bhp?
Dave
Dave L (Limerick)Apr 2015 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Dave,
Quite a bit actually - that 120hp diesel is pretty underpowered in a car as bulky as the A4 and you'll probably notice it most in fuel consumption. You'll have to work it so hard to keep up with traffic that you'll find it quite thirsty. Upgrade to the 140hp if you can.
Relevant reviews:
Audi A4 2.0 TDI 140 review (quattro model)
How many miles should a Ford Mondeo do?
How many miles should a 2005 Ford Mondeo Zetec 1.8 petrol do?
David O MAhoney (Dungarvan)Expert answer
Hi David,
Do you mean in terms of fuel consumption? Then I'd say about 35- to 40mpg depending on your driving style. If you mean total miles, well it depends how you look after it and how it's been looked after. Cars are generally 'lifed' for between 250,000 miles (400,000km) and 300,000 miles. If you service it and care for it properly, you could potentially get even more...