Is the 2007 Mercedes E-Class reliable?
What do you think of a 2007 Mercedes-Benz E 220 CDI? I know that the pre facelift W211 had a lot of electrical gremlins and the Sensotronic Brake Control was beyond a joke in terms of reliability, but this was dropped on the facelifted cars.
Is there anything else that I should look out for?
Gavin Kennedy (Dublin)Apr 2016 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Gavin,
I’d still tread carefully. Yes, the Sensotronic was dropped but the basic electrical system remained the same and it was still prone to glitches and issues. Mercedes didn’t really start to get its quality mojo back until the 2009 W212.
What do you think of the 2005 Mercedes CLK?
Hi lads,
What do you think of the 2005/2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK 1.8, especially reliability?
Justin McElwee (Galway)Mar 2016 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Justin,
It was always a nice car to drive and never less than pretty, but watch out on the reliability front - it comes from Merc's dodgy period. The engines and gearboxes are pretty solid but everything electrical is suspect, and the interiors are pretty poorly built in some cases. Watch the frameless glass in the doors too - it can slip away from its rubber seals and let in a lot of wind noise.
Citroen Berlingo Multispace: good for dogs?
Is the Citroen Berlingo Multispace a reliable car? What are its weaknesses? I'm involved with training dogs for a charity and ease of cleaning is one of the issues.
Thank you,
Mike
Michael Ho (Dublin)Mar 2016 Filed under: commercial vehicle
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
Yes, the Berlingo is generally excellent. It is occasionally prone to electrical issues, but they tend to be minor and the engines and gearboxes are long-lived and hard-wearing. As long as you buy one with a full service history, you should be fine. The cabins can be a little fragile at times, but being van-based, it should be easy to clean out after the dogs.
Is the Citroen C5 a good buy?
Hi, I was wondering would a 2008 Citroen C5 1.6 diesel be a good buy.
Noel Kenny (Westmeath)Mar 2016 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Noel,
Not bad actually – comfy and hugely economical, but check it carefully for electrical faults and clonking suspension, not to mention any possibility of diesel particulate filter failure. And don’t dare buy it if it doesn’t have a full service history.
What is the best hybrid car to buy?
What is the best hybrid car to buy?
Kathleen Cleary (Thurles)Feb 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Kathleen,
The new Toyota Prius looks to be rather impressive, and with just 70g/km of CO2 it'll certainly be cheap to tax. We reckon you should probably look beyond the Prius though, to the new generation of plugin hybrids that can offer significantly longer electric-only range (as much as 50km) and which still have a petrol engine and a decent fuel tank for longer journeys. Have a look at the Volkswagen Golf GTE or Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV for example.
How do I plot a route for my electric car?
What about long trips in our electric car? We are regular visitors to Dingle, though we live in Kilkenny. I have tried to plot a way down, stopping to recharge, but I have to admit I am a bit confused about charge points on route.
Pat O Connor (Kilkenny)Feb 2016 Filed under: electric cars
Expert answer
Hi Pat,
The flippant answer to this would be 'buy a Tesla...' But they're expensive as hell so maybe not an option. The actual answer is I don't know for sure because I've never tried it in an electric car, but, from my reckoning, assuming you're driving a Leaf with a range of about 160km, you should be able to get from Kilkenny to Cork in one hop, find a charger, top up, and then get to Killarney. The trick will be to stay off the motorways and stick to slower roads.
After Killarney I'm just not sure. Dingle is a long way off and I'm not sure what the charging point situation is along the way.
Best bet is to consult the ESB's charge point map and plan your route around that.
What are the most reliable cars in Ireland?
I would like to know the 50 most reliable and least reliable cars sold in Ireland since 2012.
Brendan Walsh (Oldcastle)Feb 2016 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Brendan,
There is no specific market data for Ireland in this respect. The old rule of thumb still holds true - if you want ultimate reliability, buy a Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Suzuki, Subaru or Mazda. You could probably pretty easily add Kia and Hyundai to that list too now.
The best I can do for you is to point you towards the results of the JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study for the UK market in 2015. An independent research agency, JD Power ranks the various brands surveyed by problems per 100 cars - although it's worth remembering that those problems can range from minor electrical niggles to total engine failure, so you can't read everything into the stats. The last set of figures, ranked from best-performing to worst, were:
Is the 2.0-litre Opel Astra any good?
Is the Opel Astra 2.0-litre CDTi auto a good car?
Gerard Cluskey (Drogheda)Feb 2016 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Gerard,
Depends on the year. If it's post-2008 and especially if it's a GTC coupe then yes, it's lovely - nice to drive, punchy and frugal. If it's an older model then it's going to be pricey to tax and it'll be hard to shift on again as the market doesn't generally like hatchbacks with big engines. The coupe version kind of sidesteps that issue a little.
Reliability should be fine, but test the electrics (especially the central locking and alarm) and check the boot for any signs of water getting in through leaky seals.
Which is the smoothest automatic model?
Which is the smoothest automatic model under 1.5 litres?
Sally Mulford (Greystones)Feb 2016 Filed under: automatic
Expert answer
Hi Sally,
Generally speaking, automatics and small engines don't go well together, but there are a few good ones. Any Volkswagen Group cars using a combo of either 1.2 TSI or 1.4 TSI petrol with the DSG gearbox should be pretty smooth and there are some Toyota Auris 1.4 D-4D diesels around with self-shifters. The Auris, while not exciting, is certainly smooth and comfy.
Actually, your best option could be to go hybrid or electric. The Honda Insight has a 1.3-litre hybrid powertrain and is an automatic and is surprisingly good to drive. Or what about the Nissan Leaf? If the roughly 160km electric range suits your lifestyle, there's nothing smoother than an electric motor.
Is the Mercedes-Benz M-Class a good buy?
I'm a retired driver with full no claims insurance bonus. I'm looking for a reliable, comfortable and high end car or SUV with about 100,000 miles on the clock plus room for golf clubs and a folding trolley in the boot. I like SUVs because I'm finding it increasingly difficult to get out of cars that are lower on the road (have an older E -Class Merc at the moment). A car that would still look well in about five years' time appeals to me. Can you please advise if a 2007 Mercedes-Benz ML 280 would be a good buy?
David Rafferty (Malahide)Jan 2016 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi David,
Yes, that M-Class is a particularly nice one, but there's a couple of things to watch for. Mercs of that era can be electrically fragile so beware of anything with a button or a switch and don't dare buy anything without a full and comprehensive service history.
The other thing to worry about is insurance - next year that car will be 10 years old and you'll get hammered for insurance by pretty much all Irish providers. Not a problem for this year but possibly something to keep in mind.