Worth importing a Passat estate from the UK?
Hi,
I'm looking to change from my 2011 VW Passat Saloon 1.4 petrol. This has been a great car for me and I’m looking to change to a 2022/2023 VW Passat Estate - 1.5 petrol. These are thin on the ground here and as they aren't sold here anymore this will become even more so. There are plenty around in the UK but I’m wondering if there are still the same savings to be made when importing from the UK as there once was?
Brendan Cullen (Dublin)Jan 2025 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Brendan,
The savings are not what they were, and effectively non-existent if you're talking about England, Scotland or Wales. The only realistic option is to look to Northern Ireland as most cars won't be subject to VAT and import duty, just VRT and the NOx levy. Read more below:
Love your VW ID.7 Tourer review...
Not a question, just a compliment: love the ID.7 Tourer review. It’s engaging, clearly knowledgeable and beautifully written. Thank you from a driver of a new (well 242) Octavia estate Selection box. Sweet (excuse the pun!).
Gerry Earley (Co Dublin)Jan 2025 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Thanks for the kind words Gerry - I've passed on your comments to the author, Neil.
For anyone else interested, the full review can be accessed here.
What's up with my Insignia's gearbox?
I bought my Vauxhall Insignia Estate 1.6-litre diesel from Perrys Main Vauxhall Dealers in Huddersfield in July 2021 which was first registered in September 2016. To date, it has recorded 41,000 miles approximately on its odometer with two previous owners.
I had its annual service and MOT carried out a local garage with an excellent reputation in July 2023 in July 2024 which included supplying new front discs, pads and offside callipers which was completed and paid for on 8/7/24.
Shortly afterwards the clutch burnt out and had to be supplied and fitted along with a dual-mass flywheel completed and paid for on 19/7/24. The vehicle was returned to the garage for bleeding on 25/7/24 due to the poor-quality gear change.
The vehicle was returned to the garage on 23/10/24 with a problem in selecting reverse gear and subsequently first gear without switching the engine off. The manager confirmed this work and any further work relating to this problem would be on a free-of-charge basis under warranty.
Subsequently, the garage has fitted two more clutches to replace those burnt out and a master cylinder during November 2024. Unfortunately, the problem of selecting reverse and first gear still persists, and the vehicle is going back into the garage tomorrow for further investigation.
Have you any suggestion that could resolve this problem?
Cheers, Michael
MICHAEL LAWTON (Huddersfield)Dec 2024 Filed under: gearbox
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
I don't think we can add much to this other than to say that it sounds like a selector issue, which may have been dislodged or damaged when the work on the clutch was done. However, I'd have expected the gear selection issue to be there from the start if it was that and this sounds worrying like an internal gearbox problem now.
Unless the garage somehow damaged the gearbox during the work, I don't see how they could be responsible for it, but if they're taking responsibility for fixing it for you then they are in a better position than me to advise you what is causing the issues.
I do hope it gets sorted soon.
Which new estate to buy as a second car?
Hi!
We’re a family of five (and dog) who love our 10-year-old Volkswagen Passat Estate. No plans to get rid of it but we need a second car to manage weekend logistics. A new Skoda Combi would be great (definitely don’t want an SUV), but would prefer a hybrid or electric option. Any suggestions?
Ciara Malone (Dublin)Aug 2024 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Ciara,
We're in the same situation (without the pooch, sadly) so I understand your needs for sure. There are no electric Skoda estates as yet (at least one is on the way in the next few years, but that'll be too late for you), but there have been plug-in hybrid options. Not sure if you're buying new or used, but the current Superb Combi can be had new as a plug-in hybrid and it's an exceptional car. You'll find some of the previous-gen on the used market as well.
Other fully electric estate options include the MG5, but come back to us with your budget and new/used preference if you want us to help you narrow your search.
Thinking of buying a new Toyota Corolla estate...
Hi,
Thinking of purchasing new Toyota Corolla Touring Sports estate. Would this provide better fuel range and costs than my current car, a Skoda Octavia Combi diesel?
Many thanks.
John Dalton (Clonmel)Jun 2024 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi John,
It entirely depends on how you drive it and where. First up, in terms of actual range you'd get from a tank of fuel, it's worth noting that the Corolla's fuel tank is about a quarter smaller than the Octavia's.
The Corolla hybrid can certainly match the economy of a diesel in certain circumstances, but it really does depend on how it's driven. If you're someone always in a hurry and you like to use all the available performance regularly, then the diesel car is most likely more economical. If you're a gentle driver the Corolla is more efficient.
For lots of motorway driving, the diesel is most likely more economical, but if you only use the motorway a little, I'd suggest the hybrid is better.
Longer term, the diesel model will have bigger maintenance bills as well, so that's something else to consider.
Should I replace my Audi's cambelt again?
Just purchased 2009 Audi Avant 2.0 TDI estate with 90,000 miles on the clock. Service history states cam belt and water pump replaced at 60,000 in 2015. The question I would appreciate being answered is - should I be considering replacing them again bearing in mind the time passed?
Many thanks
Philip Perks (Southampton)Aug 2022 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Philip,
Officially, it should be replaced at least every 180,000km regardless of time. There's no harm in doing it more often if you want peace of mind of course.
Are hybrid Skodas available in Ireland?
Hi,
I’m interested in the Skoda Superb iV Sportline Plus PHEV (estate and hatch) or possibly even the Octavia iV PHEV, but they don’t seem to be on Skoda.ie although they do appear on Skoda.co.uk… I would have thought they would be available with the demand for electric and more and more companies insisting their fleets are electrified to some degree because of emissions?
Martin Smith (Dublin)Jul 2022 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Martin,
The issue is availability from the factory, I'm afraid. So as not to raise expectations, Skoda Ireland took the decision to remove the cars from the website. We got this response when asking about the situation:
"Semiconductors are still a challenge. As the iV models are semiconductor heavy we are finding it challenging securing production at present in particular for these versions. As a result, orders may get delayed and lead times uncertain. "
What to replace my Mondeo with?
Please point me in right direction. I have a 2018 Ford Mondeo and would like to change in January 2022, so I need some advice. I like diesel. What three cars should I be test driving? Around the size of the Mondeo with five doors. Help!
Fergal Reidy (Celbridge, Co. Kildare)Jun 2021 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Fergal,
OK, at the very top of your list should be the Skoda Superb. It’s massive inside, hugely comfortable, has a huge boot, is well made and has an excellent 2.0-litre TDI 150hp diesel engine. It’s well worth checking out the 150hp TSI petrol too though — it's smoother, quieter and nearly as economical unless you're driving at motorway speed all day.
Next go and check out the Mazda6. Now, there’s no five-door fastback version, but there is a hugely handsome Touring estate model, and it’s very good to drive. Tremendous interior quality too. Only problem? Mazda has dropped diesel engines from its line-up, but the 2.0-litre petrol is an excellent unit, and surprisingly economical.
Finally, you could go for one, last Mondeo. It’s coming to the end of its production life right now, but it’s still a firm favourite of ours, and with it being on run-out, you’ll get some proper bargains if you want to buy one of the last ones.
Which cars can fit three child seats?
Hi,
What cars are capable of putting three child seats across the back seats? Ages new born, 2 and 4 years old. So none would be in booster seat just yet. Is it just SUVS or vans? I'm hoping there are some estates capable of this!
Thanks John
John Smyth (Dun Laoghaire)Mar 2021 Filed under: child or baby seats
Expert answer
Hi John,
In my experience (I test a few hundred cars a year and I have three kids myself), your only proper options are people carriers, MPVs and larger SUVs. We ended up buying a Volkswagen Touran, which was absolutely excellent, but there are plenty of other cars with the same kind of space. The Tiguan Allspace, Skoda Kodiaq and SEAT Tarraco all are virtually the same as that inside and ideal for the job. Watch out for smaller SUVs, such as the Qashqai etc, as their rear seats are no wider or more accommodating than an average estate.
Now, depending on whether you're using ISOFIX and how wide the child seats are, you might find an estate that will accommodate the three, so don't give up just yet. The only way to know for certain is to bring the seats with you to try out in the backs of a few cars at a dealer or wherever. The Skoda Superb Combi and VW Passat Combi would be worth a try for sure.
Please do let us know in the comments below how you get on.
Looking at buying a 2017 BMW 330e...
Hi,
I am looking at a 2017 BMW 330e Sport. At the moment I travel 30km per day on average so expect the battery-only power to cover most of my driving outside of the weekend. Can you let me know of any issues I should be looking for with a plug-in hybrid of this year? Do you know if there are any battery life issues starting to crop up? My budget is around the €20K mark and the car is for a family of four; are there any other plug-in hybrids (saloon or SUV) I should be looking at for this budget?
Thanks, Joe
Joe Harbourne (Dublin)Mar 2021 Filed under: hybrid
Expert answer
Hi Joe,
There aren’t any specific battery issues to look for, and the good thing about a plug-in hybrid is that you can’t fast-charge them, so there’s less likelihood of wear and tear on the battery cells from repeated rapid charges. Obviously, batteries do degrade a little over time, but you shouldn’t see more than a few percentage points wiped off the performance. Make sure you go for a fully-charged test drive first though, and if the range seems abruptly short (allowing for weather, traffic etc) then the battery might have been physically damaged at some point.
Other plug-in hybrids worth considering would be a BMW 530e, although that probably won’t squeeze into your budget, or a Volkswagen Passat GTE, which provides performance almost as good as that of the 330e, but for a much lower cost overall and it's more spacious. Don’t forget that the battery eats considerably into the 330e’s boot space, and it was never a big car inside to begin with. The updated Passat GTE (2020) was available as an estate, too...