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Hi Seamus,

If you mean the current-shape C-Class then we've heard no horror stories. Electrical issues are common, but they tend to be small irritants rather than a major problem. Just make sure you buy it with a full service history, preferably a Mercedes dealer history. 

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Hi Meabh,

No, don’t send off the V5 — you’ll need that and Revenue in Ireland will send it off to the DVLA in Swansea when they’re done with it. You’ll also need proof of sale or a receipt, proof of date of the car’s entry into the state, a VRT declaration form that you can download from the Revenue website, proof of your own address (house bills etc), proof of your PPSN number and documentation confirming the vehicle’s CO₂ emissions — the V5 should cover that nicely.

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Hi Paul,

The biggest issue is the infamous N47 diesel timing chain problem. The engine was designed with a zero-maintenance timing chain, mounted at the back of the engine, which then proved prone to (costly) failures. Most will have been fixed or replaced by now, but it’s still something to be cautious of. The rest is mostly irritating electrical issues, but just make sure you don’t buy one without a very full service history.

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Hi Bill,

We do love that V6 engine for its creamy-smooth torque hit, but there’s no question that the 2.2 is the better buy — it still has plenty of grunt and is far more affordable to run. Reliability is good too, although keep an eye out for minor electrical niggles.

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Hi Michael,

There does indeed seem to be a recurring problem with the actuator that controls the electric parking brake for the Avensis, so we’d advise a little caution when buying. Make sure you test the brake by parking on a gentle hill and taking your foot off the brake pedal, but be ready in case it does disengage and the car starts to roll. If you’re buying an Avensis, make sure it comes with a full service history and preferably a decent warranty as the actuator is an expensive part to replace.

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Hi Patrick,

It's not easy to assess the damage from afar I'm afraid, so I'd suggest getting a good autoelectrician or mechanic out to have a look. It's possible that the ECU (engine control unit) has been damaged, but I'd also hope that has protection against such things built into it. Most likely there are fuses blown somewhere along the line. As I said, get someone to look at it for you and hope nothing expensive has been damaged.

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Hi David,

Very hard to assess such a thing from afar, but certainly sounds like a flat battery to us. Try to charge yours up or get a 'jump' from someone else. If no luck then best bet is to get a good mechanic or auto electrician out to have a look.

Best of luck

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Hi Bob,

Like all Volvos, the V50 is pretty solid, but you do need to check for some specific faults. The air conditioning compressor is prone to damage from salt and road debris, so check to make sure that it’s working properly. The 1.6 diesel has a weakness in its oil and water pumps and it needs a steady diet of high-quality oil. The diesel particulate filter will also give trouble if the car has only done low mileage or has been mostly driven around town. Excessive vibration can be the dual mass flywheel on the way out. Black smoke from the exhaust is usually a blown turbo or exhaust gas recirculation valve. Sunroofs can leak, electric components can be tricky, especially the ignition and central locking system, and you need to check for cracked springs, broken balljoints, and wishbone bushes.

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Hi David,

Yes, you could just about do 48km each way in an electric car, certainly in the Ioniq and just about in the 30kWh Nissan Leaf, although it would be hugely helpful if there could be some way of charging up at work. A Renault Zoe might do the trick too.

Hyundai asks for a minimum €5,000-odd deposit on a new Ioniq, and the repayments are quite steep so that one might be out of the question, although they come down to around €360 if you can put a €10,000 deposit down. A basic Nissan Leaf, with €6,762 down, will cost you just €264 a month, which might leave enough wriggle room to go for the bigger battery, and Nissan has some tempting free insurance offers on at the moment, while Renault asks just €179 a month for a Zoe, but the battery rental is extra and it comes with some quite tight mileage stipulations.

The other, possibly better, option would be to go half-electric. Toyota can put you into a Prius or an Auris Hybrid for as little as €199 to €263 a month (again, depending on deposits etc.) or you can get the rather impressive new Kia Niro for €353 a month with a €9,000 deposit. All of those should average as much as 60mpg, which would put a big dent in your fuel costs.

Read our relevant reviews here to help you choose:

Kia Niro review

Hyundai Ioniq Electric review

Nissan Leaf review

Renault Zoe review

Toyota Prius review

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Hi Gerry,

Not the most sophisticated car around, the Grande Punto, but it’s roomy, spacious and not bad to drive. Actually pretty reliable too — watch for electrical gremlins all over the place, but the only major mechanical issues are making sure that the cam belt has been changed at least every six years, and keeping an eye on the cooling system and head gasket.