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Hi Ray

I understand that your Corolla saloon has 68,000 km (42,000 miles) on it. Prices seem to be fairly consistent for them and you should probably expect about €8,000 - €9,000 as a trade-in, which isn't bad because your mileage is quite low.

Your budget is €4,000 and you need a seven-seater and you want something that is going to be reliable, comfortable and safe. I understand that you are being asked to spend €3,000 with your own car for a 2005 model and €4,500 for a 2006 model Scenic. This seems a little steep to me and steep to our Renault advisor. Also the Scenic, as it ages doesn't always stand up in terms of reliability. 

However, if money is an issue, I would be inclined to go for a petrol version of the Scenic, which can be picked up for half the price of the petrol models.

However if you want something reliable I would think you might stick with Toyota and get a Verso. 

Something like this 1.6-litre petrol model would be a super buy and it is from an SIMI dealer.

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Expert answer

Hi Karl, I have stuck my neck out already this year and said that I thought the new Peugeot 5008 was the best car in its class and for now I am sticking to that.

The 5008 feels well built and crucially is incredibly well priced and well equipped too. The 5008 starts at €26,870 for the SE version and, when you compare this to some of its key rivals, it's excellent value. There is only one engine choice though, which is the 110hp 1.6-litre diesel (HDi). 

For €28,995 you get the SX, which gets cruise control, front fog lights, 16-inch alloys, sun blinds in row two, electric windows all round and a leather gear knob. 

The new Ford S-MAX starts at €31,495 (not sure why Ford's site says it starts from €29,995 - it is confusing), which is a lot less than it used to cost and the updated model is pretty impressive too. You can have this with three different outputs of 115hp, 140hp and 160hp. The S-MAX is a better driver's car with better handling, but 5008 ticks all the boxes in terms of size and space and crucially is better value.

If you are sticking to a budget then I would say go for the Peugeot 5008 SE. However, since you seem to have narrowed it down to two cars, you should probably test drive both and decide for yourself.

Expert answer

Camshaft sensors in most cars are really easy to change, though as with all things under the bonnet we'd always recommend that you bring your car to an expert unless you know what you are doing.

In most cases this work would take 10-15 minutes.

Without the car in front of me, or a workshop manual, I would hesitate to give you more precise instructions, but usually the sensor is held on by just one or two bolts and an electrical connector.

Assuming that is the case, remove the bolts and connector and reverse the procedure for the replacement sensor. Be careful that you do not damage the new sensor.

You should be aware that some cars may need their on-board computer (the Engine Control Unit - or ECU) reset following this operation. Ideally this would be done by a main dealer or garage with the correct equipment.

What has lead you to diagnose a problem with the sensor? (You can reply in the comment box below)

Expert answer

There has been a lot of debate about the benefits of hybrid cars, but few would disagree that they are a step in the right direction. The principle of the current crop of hybrids, for those that don't know, is that a standard petrol engine is combined with an electric motor, with the result being better fuel consumption and lower emissions. The original Toyota Prius was the first mass-produced hybrid on sale and Toyota has just released the third generation of the model and it promises to be more refined and cleaner than ever.

There are other alternatives such as the Honda Civic Hybrid, which isn't bad either, or the Honda Insight, while at the top end of the scale Lexus does three hybrids, the GS 450h, the LS 600h and the RX 450h. In the case of the Lexus hybrid technology it's as much about giving the cars higher performance as it is increasing efficiency.

A hybrid is cleaner in so far as official emissions figures are very low. The Prius emits less then 90g/km, which will make it the cleanest petrol car on sale in Ireland. In some cases you could get better fuel economy from a diesel engine though.

With a budget of €40,000 you could easily get into the new Prius when it arrives in October, as the car is expected to cost about €28,000 and this will be a very cheap car to run, so it seems the natural choice. Bear in mind that even cleaner technologies will arrive soon, including those in the Opel Ampera and even a new plug-in version of the Prius.