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Hi Aleksandrs,

The most common fault with the RX 400h, as with any hybrid, is that the fuel economy won't be half as good as you think it will. The last RX model we tested returned just 29mpg overall, a figure we've equalled in both a Land Rover Discovery 3.0 diesel and a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S!

That apart, they're incredibly solidly built, as are pretty much all Lexus models. The high-tech in-car entertainment system, with its touch-screen controller, can throw up an occasional glitch but the only other serious concern lies in the hybrid electric drivetrain. Generally, it's totally reliable but we have heard of an occasional one having an AC/DC power convertor fail, which is a massively expensive job to fix if it does go wrong. As we say, it seems to be an isolated problem but one worth bearing in mind.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Adrian,

Rather surprisingly, given Volvo's reputation for reliability and solidity, that generation of S40 was the subject of quite a few recalls in its lifetime, mostly for small niggly problems but some more serious ones too, including fuel leaks. 

The general feeling seems to be that if you get a good one, they're pretty well made and reliable, but a bad one is seriously bad with problems including air conditioning pumps, haphazard central locking and immobiliser units, faulty brake sensors and more.

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Hi Keith,

No, it's not a waste of time at all. It's almost always better value to keep and fix an existing car rather than pay the cost-of-change to upgrade to something newer. That said, if you're convinced you need a better solution, then you won't do better than to go for one of the many car-vans on offer now. The Renault Kangoo and Citroen Berlingo are the best known versions, but there are also similar models available from Fiat, Volkswagen and Peugeot.  My personal pick would be the Fiat Doblo, fitted with the 1.6- or 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel engines. You'll find the cabin surprisingly comfy, it's quite pleasant to drive, very economical and good on tax and massively spacious in the back. There's even a seven-seat version available if you want to be really popular at the school gate.

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Hi Frank,

It depends on the condition and service history, but I would suggest it’s worth around €4,000.

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Hi Aidan,

Go for the 530d. The engine is actually rather more robust than the 520d’s (although it definitely will cost more if anything does go wrong) and while you will pay a chunk more tax and fuel, you’re getting a much better car with exceptional performance and refinement.

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Hi Charlie,

Skodas tend to be very reliable and well-made, but there are a couple of recurrent niggles on the first-generation Fabia that need checking. Both fuel and water pumps can prove fragile, so check that the engine isn't cutting out and that there's plenty of coolant in the water tank. Check also for 'mayonnaise' - white deposits of mixed water and oil that give away a leaky head gasket.

The sensor for the power steering system can fail (a red steering wheel-shaped light on the dashboard is the tell-tale) and water temperature sensor failure is the most common cause of engine management warnings. The on-board computer that diagnoses when the car needs a service needs to have the correct grade of oil (it measures the quality of the engine oil to decide on the service interval) so check that the recommended oil has been used.

Check for a heavy clutch (the master cylinder could be on the way out), collapsing driver seat, broken speedo illumination and water getting in through the rear door seals. If the dashboard is rattling, it's usually a mounting bracket behind the air vents and can be easily packed with foam to stop it.

If it passes all of those tests you've found a good one!

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Hi Eoin,

OK, first off you're not mad and an M Sport spec BMW 318d or 320d is just about as perfect a car as you'll find. Mind you, test drive carefully before you buy as the M Sport suspension can be pretty stiff and unforgiving on certain roads, and the steering, while more incisive than what you'd get in the Golf, can also be a bit heavy and fake-feeling.

That said, there are things you can do to make your Golf drive with a little more sharpness and the first place I'd start is with the tyres. Most, if not all, cars these days come with high-efficiency low rolling resistance tyres that are there to maximise fuel economy, but don't do much for steering feel or handling prowess. So why not swap the boots for something a little more aggressive? A set of Pirelli P-Zeros or Michelin Pilot tyres might just make all the difference, so it's worth a try if nothing else.

You could also look at modifying the suspension to dial out that understeer, but we'd recommend you seek professional mechanical advice before going down that road.

Let us know what you do in any case.

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Hi Peter,

Nope, there appear to be no major issues with the Lacetti other than a tendency for water to get into the electrical system, causing some problems starting the car and with the alarm. It's not a complex problem, but it can take an age to find where the water is getting in so check and make sure that all the electrics are working properly on the car and if possible test drive on a wet, rainy day.

There have been some reports of Lacettis suffering from very high fuel consumption, but that could just be down to individual driving style.

Let us know if you'd like help finding an alternative.

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Hi Bartlomiej,

Well, it kinda depends what you mean by SUV. If you mean large, the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda CR-V etc, then it's probably best to wait until the new 1.6-litre, front-wheel drive version of the Honda arrives later this year, as that will be a big, spacious SUV that has emissions of under 120g/km, although the lack of four-wheel drive might not appeal.

If it's the smaller ones you're looking at then I'd suggest a Skoda Yeti. It bridges the gap, size-wise, between the very small Nissan Juke and the large stuff like Mazda's CX-5 and the Kia Sportage. Go for the 1.6 TDI Greenline version and you'll have a spacious, rugged, practical family car with Band A4 tax (€200 a year) and it should do a pretty steady 50mpg most of the time.

Want something a bit more flash? The MINI Countryman, with its 1.6-litre diesel engine, is super-frugal, but you do need to spend a bit on options to get the right look.

It may also be worth waiting a couple of months until the new Renault Captur and Peugeot 2008 arrive on sale, as both should prove very affordable to run.

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Hi James,

Actually, you mentioned the Ford C-Max there and, while we criticised it when new for not being exciting enough, it's a pretty canny secondhand buy, with good build quality and excellent economy as long as you go for the 1.6 TDCi diesel.

If it's a full-size seven-seater you want then your €8k budget will easily get you into a SEAT Alhambra seven-seater. It's the old shape model, so you won't get fold-flat rear seats, but the 1.9-litre TDI diesel engine is both frugal and largely unburstable.

Finally there's the good old Opel Zafira. Ever popular, it's not the most refined or sophisticated but the 1.9 CDTi diesel engine is frugal and the interior is hugely flexible and adaptable.

Let us know how you get on