Expert answer

Hi Eoin,

I hate to say it but an SUV may not be what you need. To get three kids in comfortably, you really need a car with three individual seats across the back and only the likes of the Land Rover Discovery or Toyota Land Cruiser have those - and they're big, heavy and expensive to run. 

 So you may need to look down the MPV route. Don't panic - it's not as bad as it sounds. Have a look for a nice Ford S-Max. Tonnes of room, extra seats in the (massive) boot and affordable running costs. 

That said, it depends on the age of your kids. If they're big enough to not need booster seats (or if only a couple of them still need one) that opens up your options a little. If you still fancy an SUV, try a Nissan X-Trail; spacious, reliable, good to drive.

Let us know what you go for

Expert answer

Hi Steven,

We asked Citroen Ireland about this one and here was the reply:

"There are two possibilities of engine type in Berlingo mark I 1.9d - you may have an XUD9, which is the earlier engine and is a Euro 2 emissions type engine; the second option is a DW8, which is a Euro 3. In Berlingo mark II 1.9d you only have DW8 type. You can tell the type from code found on the engine block."

The use of Bio-diesel and the associated guarantee conditions:

"Citroën approves of the use of Biodiesel as long as the quality of the biofuel/methyl-ester conforms to the European standard EN14214 and that the fuel mixture meets standard EN590, having a maximum 5% of fatty acid methyl-ester. A mixture of up to 30% Biodiesel in diesel fuel can be used. (B30: vegetable oil methyl-ester made from oil-seed rape). Such fuel must be supplied by the petrol companies directly and the fuel must not be stocked for more than three months.

On the other hand, Citroën does not cover under guarantee the use of pure biodiesel (B100): poor resistance of rubber components in the fuel circuit (leading to the risk of leaks and starting and running problems) and of the fuel injection components."

Hope that's of assistance

Expert answer

Hi Margaret,

You need to book a session at your nearest NCT centre to have the car valued for Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT), which is the fee payable when importing a car from outside the state. According to the regulations, you have to book the inspection within seven days of the car arriving in this country, and then you have 30 days to complete the inspection and pay the fee, which will be calculated as a percentage of the estimated Irish market value, based on that model’s CO₂ emissions. You can find more details here: http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/vrt/vrt-guide.html

Expert answer

Hi William,

Two excellent choices there. If it was the new-shape Santa Fe you were looking at we'd recommend that without hesitation. As it's the older shape one though you need to think a little more carefully, as its CO₂ emissions are on the high side these days. In that sense the Q5, in spite of being more expensive and smaller inside, is possibly the better choice.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Jim,

It depends on the year, as the Lexus RX 400h was sold before and after the motor taxation system change in 2008. For later models the emissions fall into tax Band F, costing €1,200 per annum. For earlier cars, because the engine size puts it into the highest category, the annual cost is €1,809.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Rory,

Both cars use dual clutch semi-automatic gearboxes, which are pretty slick-shifting, but Volkswagen's DSG transmission just edges it for smoothness and quickness. 

On the emissions front it's rather bad news I'm afraid. If you're buying 2008 model year cars then you're looking at emissions of 189g/km for the Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Powershift and 175g/km for the Passat 2.0 TDI DSG. That means tax of €750 a year.

It gets a bit better if you can spool forward to 2010 when the Passat's emissions drop to 158g/km so that means a tax bill of €570 a year. 

Just for reference, the Mondeo 2.0 diesel auto gets an official 39mpg while the 2010 Passat with DSG gets 47mpg.

To be honest, if you can live without an automatic gearbox you would be better to go for the 1.6-litre diesel versions of either car. Both have decent performance and much better economy and emissions. For instance, a 1.6 BlueMotion Technologies Passat gets 62mpg and has emissions of just 118g/km so tax of €200 a year.

Expert answer

Hi there,

Welcome to Ireland! I'd suggest you have a look for a Honda Civic 1.4 petrol automatic. That's probably the best balance between reliability (Civics are very reliable), economy and sticking within your budget. The higher road tax comes from the changeover to a carbon emissions based system in 2008. Prior to that cars were taxed according to their engine size, but the Civic's 1.4-litre petrol engine should keep your tax bills down to a reasonable level. Sadly, there's nothing you can do to change the NCT test - every car requires one every two years once it's more than four years old, and every year once it's more than ten years old. Again, the Honda will help here - they're really well built so less likely to develop problems that would cause you to fail an NCT test, as long as you look after it and keep it serviced.

Expert answer

Hi Rao,

At a rough guess that should give you a budget of between €10,000 and €12,000, which is healthy enough. If you've been a Toyota owner in the past I'm assuming you want to stick with something that'll be reliable so my first suggestion is an Auris hatchback. They're spacious inside, so pass the two kids test with ease and the 1.33-litre petrol version should be economical enough for your commuting style. 

Also consider a Honda Civic. If anything, Hondas tend to be even better built than Toyotas and while the Civic's avant-garde styling may be a bit of an acquired taste, its spacious and practical cabin is a boon for family life. A 2.2-litre diesel may sound like overkill but it's a terrific engine and has low emissions and therefore is cheap to tax. 

Finally, if you want something with a bit more space, how about a Kia cee'd SW estate? Reliably solid, and with that seven-year warranty, pleasant to drive and the estate version has a massive boot.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Tom,

Very few, thankfully. Watch for damp carpets as the ventilation system filters have a habit of leaking and letting water into the cabin, and check too to make sure that all of the pipes and plumbing on the diesel engine are correct - there were some problems with them in that regard. There's also a recurring issue with the airbag warning light that seems to be more related to the light than the actual airbag, but it's irritating nonetheless. 

The CO₂ emissions for the 1.4 TDCi Fusion are 120g/km so it'll cost you €200 a year to tax.

Expert answer

Hi Mech,

There are few drawbacks to be honest. If you're importing the car from the UK then there is no drawback at all, other than the extra bit of legwork and travel needed to find and bring the car home. And of course you should consider potential difficulties with warranty, financing and trading in your current car.

If you're importing a Japanese model there can be a few issues to look at. Some parts are different, which can make repair and maintenance work a little tricker (and occasionally more expensive) and Japanese emissions laws are different too, so the car may need a tweak to the engine management system to pass the NCT emissions check. Helpfully, there are still several companies in Ireland that specialise in the importing of Japanese market cars and they'd be able to help you out with any of that.