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Showing 111 - 120 results (out of a total of 504) found for "fuel" in Ask Us Anything

How economical should my petrol Astra be?

Could you tell me how many miles per gallon l should be getting from my 2016 Vauxhall Astra Elite 1.4i turbo petrol? l use premium petrol, but only do mainly short journeys.

Thank you.

Max Cohen (Chester)

Oct 2016 Filed under: fuel economy and emissions

Expert answer

Hi Max,

Well, the official combined fuel economy figure is 51.4mpg, but that sounds a bit optimistic to us. Doing short journeys shouldn’t be a major issue as it’s a petrol engine, but a bit of gentle driving should get you at least past the 40mpg mark, unless you’re stuck in stop-start traffic all the time. I wouldn’t bother using premium petrol, as you’re just wasting your money. The engine is designed to work on standard 95RON pump fuel, so just use that, but make sure you buy from a reputable supplier.


What's the point of stop-start?

Whats the point of stop-start when your Volkswagen/Audi diesel is doing probably 60mpg? Is this just making a problem that isn't there or just another cost to the consumer?

John Craven (Blackpool,lancs)

Oct 2016 Filed under: fuel economy and emissions

Expert answer

Hi John,

No, it’s not just another cost to the consumer. Stop-start systems are designed to prevent the car from running the engine unnecessarily at standstill when doing so would be at its most wasteful of fuel. After all, if you’re not moving then what is the point in having the engine on? Stop-start systems are specially designed with either a beefed-up alternator or an integrated starter/generator so that it can handle multiple stops and restarts in rapid succession, and it’s estimated that on an average car, stop-start can save as much as ten per cent of overall fuel consumption – not to be sniffed at, never mind the benefits to city-centre air quality.

Admittedly, the car makers have brought in stop-start to bring their cars' official CO2 and fuel consumption figures down, and the benefits are only really felt if you are stopping and starting regularly. If you spend all your driving time on the motorway then you won't use the system at all.


How reliable is the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso?

How reliable is a the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso?

David Geoghegan (Mullingar)

Sep 2016 Filed under: reliability

Expert answer

Hi David,

They’re not bad actually. The only major mechanical items that cause regular bother are the engine’s exhaust gas recirculation valve (if the engine is down on power or putting out lots of smoke, suspect this…) and the fragile water pump on the 1.6 HDi diesel. That 1.6 also needs a steady diet of high grade oil at service time. The only other issues are minor electrical niggles, such as the electronic parking brake, sticking fuel filler flaps and the like. Buy one with a full service history and keep it serviced and you should be fine.


I need a huge car for my dogs and kids please!

Hi,

I'm looking for a recommendation. I have six big dogs (four labradors, two St Bernard) that need to fit in. A van is no good as I need seats for my two kids too. Currently driving an old Volvo 740 estate, but is getting too old/problematic now. Budget of max €15,000, fuel efficient diesel preferred as I average 700km a week. Two of the dogs are getting old so high up (off roaders) not really suitable. New Volvo V70 just not big enough.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Jennifer Rafter

Jennifer Rafter (Dublin 16)

Aug 2016 Filed under: family car

Expert answer

Hi Jennifer,

You could try a Skoda Superb Combi, but I think that many big dogs would overwhelm even that car’s massive boot. Perhaps you need to go down the road of a van-based MPV. Maybe try a Citroen Berlingo or Volkswagen Caddy Life? Seats for the kids and (hopefully) enough space for the dogs, plus their tailgates aren’t too high off the ground so the older dogs shouldn’t have too much trouble getting in and out.


Hyundai i40 or Skoda Octavia?

Hi,

I have a 131 Hyundai i30 Estate 1.4 diesel that has been reliable, good for bringing family and luggage in etc. I do about 15-20,000km p.a. Fuel economy has been alright if not as good as I expected, as maybe slightly underpowered sometimes and I have to accelerate it more than I'd like. It's a good car, but has always been poor for road noise even with tyre changes.

I am looking to change now to something a bit bigger, either a 151 1.6 diesel Skoda Octavia hatchback or a 142 Hyundai i40 saloon 1.7 diesel, mid-spec levels. I haven't really looked at specific examples of either yet. I only intend to keep the newer car until maybe 2018/19 and both above choices give me a good level of warranty cover until then.

Which do you think would be the better buy? Safety, more quiet on the move and decent handling (as my main everyday route is quite a twisty hilly road) are important to me.

Thanks

Mick, Gorey

Mick Walsh (Gorey)

Aug 2016 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Mick,

Well, given the list of priorities you’ve given me, either the Octavia or the i40 would seem ideal, although it’s the Hyundai that will hold on to its warranty longer, as it has a five-year warranty compared to the Skoda’s three-year one. The Skoda is by a very slim margin the nicer of the two to drive though, so you’ll need to bear that in mind. That said, the i40 is more refined overall (not to mention being a bigger car, with more space in inside), so it’s really a matter of deciding which of your priorities gets top billing.


With up to €5,000 to spend, what will I get?

Hi,  I'm starting a new job and will be travelling about 700km per week. I have €3-5k to spend and really need to keep costs down in relation to fuel costs. What would you recommend?

Thanks

Chris Dunne (Westmeath)

Aug 2016 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Chris,

You’re going to need something comfortable as well, doing that kind of mileage, so I’d suggest a MINI One D. There are a few around at your budget,  they’re exceptionally frugal, have good seats and are fun to drive into the bargain.


How do you rate the Ford Fiesta 1.4 diesel?

I am thinking of buying a 2008 Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi. How do you rate that engine and do they give much trouble?

Martin Doyle (Portlaoise)

Jul 2016 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

There are a couple of things to check - that engine needs a lower auxiliary belt change at around 120,000km so make sure that's been done. You need to be watchful for the diesel particulate filter clogging up and the return pipes for the fuel injectors can leak, so if there's a strong smell of diesel when you lift the bonnet, those will need replacing. 


Can I run my Kia cee'd on bio-diesel?

Hi,

Can I run my 2012 Kia cee'd 1.6 CRDi on bio-diesel?

Carl Odlin (Castleblayney)

Jul 2016 Filed under: diesel

Expert answer

Hi Carl,

Yes, theoretically you can run any diesel car on bio-diesel, but you need to be careful with where you're sourcing your fuel from - low quality bio-diesel can clog your injectors up. 

It's also worth bearing in mind that the environmental benefits of bio-diesel are somewhat unproven. There's quite a debate going on at the moment about whether the theoretically lower CO2 emissions outweigh the use of land for growing bio-fuel crops. 


I'm tempted by a new MPV for under €30,000.

Hi guys,

I am looking to replace my Renault Scenic automatic (06). I do about 10,000 miles a year. I know I am probably going to get a very low trade in for a car this age... Do I buy a new car and get a decent €3,000 or €3,500 trade in allowance? (If it's new it needs to be under €30,000) Or do I buy a second hand car?

Ideally I would like a seven-seater (I wouldn't rule out a five-seater just yet). If it is used I do not want anything older than 2013. the most important factor is reliability, as this next car needs to do me at least 10 years, and be very economical (in terms of fuel consumption and tax). It needs to be a manual car, too - I have an automatic at the moment, but I want to revert back to a manual transmission.

I am looking at the Ford Grand C-Max or the Toyota Verso. Which of these is more reliable? Should I be looking at anything else (not French ideally; I will not buy any other French car I think - I have owned three and had nothing but trouble)? I am also tempted to get a hybrid but for a people carrier does it even exist and what type of cost?

Thanks

Lurdes Power (Greater Dublin Area)

Jul 2016 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Lurdes,

OK, lots to deal with here. Let’s go through it piece by piece. Theoretically, you will always get better value buying second hand than buying new. 'Buy at three, sell at five' (years old) is the rule of thumb to maximise your value and minimise your exposure to depreciation. But, you’ve been burned in the past by unreliable cars (been there, I feel your pain) so I would say that buying new is actually the best thing for you this time around, especially as you want to hold on to the car for an extended period.

Of the two cars you’ve mentioned, the Toyota Verso should be the most reliable. Nothing much wrong with the Ford, but if reliability is your priority then always buy Japanese. Happily, a manual 1.6 diesel Verso seven-seater is just inside your budget, at €29,100 and there is currently a €3,000 trade-in offer on that model, which means you’ll get a lot more for your old Scenic than you would if you traded it in normally.

There is only one hybrid people carrier so far, and that’s the Toyota Prius+, but to be honest, we couldn’t recommend it. For a start, a new one will bust through your €30k budget barrier, but beyond that it’s a disappointing car – far too thirsty unless all of your mileage is done in town at low speeds. The Verso is a far more versatile car.


Hyundai Montana or Mercedes V-Class?

Hyundai Montana versus Mercedes-Benz V-Class? Which is the best one to run, fuel wise, resale value, tax and reliability? I know there's a big difference in price, but just wondering which is better to invest in long term.

Jenny Lynch (Navan)

Jun 2016 Filed under: commercial vehicle

Expert answer

Hi Jenny,

The Montana will be cheaper to buy of course, and I'd say overall reliability should be roughly similar. Tax is exactly the same if you're taxing them as commercial, but it gets a lot more complicated if you're taxing them as a private vehicle. Lots of hoops to jump through. 

I think the key thing here will be resale and I would suspect that the Merc will edge it there. Nothing wrong with the Hyundai, but if you look after the Merc and keep it in good nick then it will inevitably be more desirable come resale time. 


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