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Hi Michael,

Well, it kind of depends on the car. If you mean something along the lines of a Hyundai i10 or even a Peugeot 208 (ok, so that one's a 1.2 but still...) then the answer is not much. Fuel economy should work out at around 50mpg depending on how you drive; emissions should be under 120g/km; and insurance should be dirt cheap.

If you're talking about an older model, the waters are a bit muddier. Smaller engines generally mean lower running costs but there are cars out there with underpowered smaller engines, and you have to spend so much time ragging them to keep up with the flow of traffic that your fuel consumption goes through the roof.

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Hi Tom,

That one came with the first generation of Land Rover's own V8 diesel engine (the Range Rover had exclusively used BMW's 3.0-litre straight-six diesel prior to that) and brought with it much more power and torque and better fuel economy too. Good points are the comfort, the style, the on-road deportment, the off-road capability (mountain goats glare jealously at you) and the image. Bad points are fragile gearboxes and electronics and the mammoth running costs - you CANNOT run a Range Rover on the cheap, even if you can buy them quite cheaply now.

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Hi Pam,

It's pretty close to brilliant as a second hand purchase - there are no major reliability or warranty issues to report on the FR-V. The only things to really look for are obvious signs of damage or abuse on the inside (they are used as family transport, after all) and the outside (they're wider than most cars so check for bashed panels or kerbed wheels). That 1.8 won't be the most economical engine ever, but it probably won't break the bank as long as you're not doing lots of long motorway miles.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Rowland,

OK, there are a lot of parameters to go with here, but the basics are that you need a car that's cheap to buy (so it can't, sadly be too new), has affordable running costs and won't break down every time it rains. I reckon that gives you a choice of three or four key models: Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla or Auris, Kia cee'd or Hyundai i30.

Have a shop around and you should be able to find several of those all well within your purchase price range, while they all have efficient engines and excellent reliability records. In the case of the Kia and the Hyundai, they also have lengthy warranties, which, even if there's none left on the one you buy, at least means that they're more likely to have been looked after. My personal choice would be the Honda. Track down a nice 1.4 petrol Civic and I don't think you'll look back.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Jason,

Depends what you mean by 'best' really. I'm going to assume, though, that what you mean is the best all-round; something that's fun to drive and good to look at, but also spacious, reliable and practical with an eye on fuel economy, right?

In that case, and at that budget, you're looking at three main cars: Honda Civic, Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. All three are reliable and well made (the Civic the best in that sense), all three are good to drive (the Focus is the best to drive) and all three are economical (few cars are as good, real-world, on fuel as a diesel-engined Golf). Shop around, because there are loads of each one out there and your €6,000 will go a long way. Insist on a full service history and make sure you do a background check on the car if you're buying privately (we recommend Cartell.ie). Beware of silly boy-racer mods (especially on the Golf, but the other two are prone to such things too) and try to find something that hasn't been used and abused by a legion of crisp-munching kids.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Emma,

It's not bad, and the 207 represented a major leap in quality over the old Peugeot 206. That said, it's heavier (to the detriment of fuel consumption) and that folding roof mechanism can be worryingly unreliable. Keep an ear out too for any unhappy noises from the suspension - wheel bearing and suspension damper failures are common while a malfunctioning radio LED display in the cabin is an expensive, and all too common fix. 

In terms of a small SUV, that kind of budget will get you in to a Hyundai Tucson (very, very reliable but you'll only get a petrol version for that budget) or a Toyota RAV4 (likewise), both of which are fine purchases. You could think about going up a size to, perhaps, a BMW X3 or Mercedes-Benz ML-Class, but at that money you're into a world of potential unreliability so tread carefully.

Let us know what you go for

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Hi Adrian,

Nope, not wrong at all. Unless you're doing big, regular mileage you won't recoup the extra purchase cost of buying a diesel for several years. If you want to be really scientific about it, take careful notes of your mileage, your specific fuel consumption (not just what the dashboard is telling you, carefully note how many litres you're putting into your tank and then work out how far you get on them) and then you'll have an accurate picture of how much each trip is costing you. Unless the price of diesel, and its potentially greater economy, works out at a lot, lot less, then it's best to stick with petrol. That's especially so if you're buying new. Some of those new small capacity petrol turbos are exceptionally fuel efficient.

Here's an article we did on the subject a while back

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Hi Rosemary,

According to the official figure, you should be getting 33mpg. Bear in mind though that this is almost a ten-year old car, so its performance in terms of fuel economy may have tailed off. Nothing a good service and oil change wouldn't fix though, along with some decent new tyres.

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Hi Martin,

Ah, a split answer this one: Honda replaced the Civic in 2006 with a new model, so I don't know precisely to which one you're referring. If it's the older model, there are almost no major problems. As long as the car has been serviced on schedule (and preferably by a Honda main dealer or independent Honda expert) you should have no troubles at all.

If it's the newer, space-age-looking Civic you're talking about then there are a few minor niggles to check for. The dashboards can get a touch squeaky and rattly, the fuel filler cap can stick shut and the wraparound front lights can get condensation or water building up in them.

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Hi Michael,

The official average economy for a 2005 1.9 TDI 105hp Golf is 53mpg, and assuming the engine has been reasonably well cared for down the years, I'd say you wouldn't have too much trouble matching that figure in day-to-day driving. As for switching to 1.4 petrol, it kind of depends on your driving style and habits. If you're doing lots of long journeys, especially ones with lots of motorway mileage, then diesel is a no-brainer. If your driving is mostly done at low speed, around town, for short hops then it might well be worth sticking with petrol. Basically, you need to get your pen and paper out and work out what mileage you do, and then compare the prices you're seeing for both the petrol and diesel versions of the cars you want. If the saving on the fuel isn't more than extra price of buying the diesel car, then it's worth considering sticking with petrol.

Let us know how you get on