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Hi Tommy,

That depends on which Sorento you mean, as there's a model year crossover for those years. If you mean the current-shape Sorento, which is just about to be replaced, then it's a fine big SUV but you need to be aware that it still feels a little clunky and unrefined compared to the best of its opposition. Pricey to run too, thanks to high CO₂ emissions.

If you mean the last of the old-shape Sorentos, the model that was introduced in 2003, then you really are looking at a very old school SUV. In fact, it's more of a 'UV'. Big, chunky and very, very clunky. If you're looking for something to use as a towing hack or for some off-road work, then it's grand. If you're looking for something that will be smooth and comfy on-road then look elsewhere. They are very reliable though - hardly anything goes wrong.

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Hi Debbie,

If you're importing it as a commercial vehicle (and it may well be that Revenue will ask for some proof of its future use before allowing you to do so) then it comes in under Category B, so it's a minimum of €125 VRT, or 13.3 per cent of the Open Market Selling Price, or OMSP.

How much that is can best be answered by me waving this piece of string around and asking you how long it is. I'd take a stab at around €8-900,  but honestly that's just a SWAG (Scientific Wild-Assed Guess). You won't know for sure until the car has been inspected. The wonderful certainties of the Irish vehicle taxation system...

If you're not importing it as a commercial, but as a private vehicle, then you're going to be paying more. The CO₂ emissions for the 2. 5D with 114hp were 186g/km, which puts the L200 into the ninth VRT band, which means you'll pay 30 per cent VRT. That should work out at about €1,500 or so, but again, that's a total finger-in-the-air guess and I can't offer you any more than that without taking the actual, physical car to Revenue myself for the valuation.

Best of luck with it

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Hi Stephen,

I agree it can be a little annoying on an automatic car, as you can't decide when you do and don't want it to happen at any given moment. I'm sure you're aware that there is a button on the dashboard to disable it at any time, but it sounds like you'd rather disable it completely. Sadly, there's no legitimate way to do this. The car's official CO₂ emissions and fuel economy figures rely on this feature, so even if you find a fuse or relay to remove for the system there will at the very least be a warning light on in the dashboard - and it may even go into 'limp home' mode.

By way of explanation, the 'combined cycle' is a relatively low-speed and short duration (standardised) test cycle all the car makers adhere to for their CO₂ and fuel consumption figures. Stop-start makes a big difference for this as the car is idle for considerable amounts of time. In the real world, this tends to happen only in slow traffic or in town with lots of traffic lights. You would see a saving in those situations, but in reality it'll be small.

Sorry not to be of more assistance.

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Hi Maria,

I presume you're talking about a first generation Mazda3, seeing as most of the second-gen models came with diesel power. The official economy for a 2005 model year Mazda3 1.6 petrol is 39mpg with CO₂ emissions of 172g/km.

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Hi Caitriona,

I'd go for the 1.6 Golf to be honest. It's a more modern engine and doesn't suffer the air-mass sensor issues that occasionally plague the old 1.9 TDI engine. It's also not really worth upgrading to the 2.0-litre engine, simply because, in spite of a relatively weedy-sounding 105hp and 270Nm of torque, the 1.6 TDI engine actually has very decent on-road performance and the upshot is low emissions and the potential for being able to average 60mpg if you treat it gently.

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Hi Roger,

It’s a very solid car, the Passat, but check for a juddering clutch, for faulty electronic parking brakes and the cam belt needs to be changed every 130,000km or four years, but if it’s had a recent change then it’ll be fine. Of course, it’s also worth asking whether or not the car has been in yet for its diesel emissions recall and update.

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Hi Shane,

Ok, if you want to trim your tax, then your best hope is to get into a much more compact car. I'd suggest trading down to a five-door hatchback, and seeing as you do such low mileage, I'd suggest going for petrol - you'll find it much less trouble than diesel. 

How about a Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI petrol turbo? Near to diesel levels of economy but no diesel particulate filter (DPF) to worry about, Band B emissions so you'll pay just €280 to tax it and it's also nice to drive and damn near as spacious as your old Mondeo.

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Hi Sharon,

Short answer - yes, the clutch is one of the few major reliability weak points on the RAV4. The gearshift was always a bit heavy, so ignore that, but if the clutch feels wrong or is making any untoward noises, it needs replacing. Of course, an automatic version would get you around that issue, and there's no tax penalty for the extra emissions - both versions will cost you €750 a year to tax. Generally speaking it's best to get the lower mileage car, but the rule, as ever, is to buy on condition and history, not mileage. If the higher miles car has been better cared for, it's the better option.

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Hi Marcus,

For 2006 and 2007 (and up to July 2008) the BMW 320d was taxed according to its engine size, which is 1,995cc. That is currently €710 per year (€394 for six months or €200 for three months).

If the car was registered after July 2008 then it is taxed according to its CO₂ emissions. Our data shows us that should mean emissions of 128g/km for a manual 320d or 144g/km with an automatic gearbox. The annual tax disc costs for those is €270 and €390 respectively.

Hope that helps

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Hi Sean,

Go for the 1.6. It's more economical, has lower emissions and is more common than the 1.8, so parts and bits are easier to come by if anything goes wrong. Now, watch the turbo like a hawk, the exhaust gas recirculation valve can give trouble and make sure you insist on proper, high-quality synthetic oil whenever it's serviced. The older 1.8 is actually a bit of a cracking engine, and an in-house Ford designed unit, not shared with other brands as the 1.6 is (Peugeot, Citroen, Volvo and MINI have all shared the same engine). It's a good unit, but the easier running costs of the 1.6 just make it the better choice.