Wet or dry belt in my Ford Kuga 1.5?
I have a Ford Kuga Titanium 1.5 petrol with a manual transmission. It is not an EcoBoost so does it have a wet or dry belt please?
Pam Wilson (South Wales)Feb 2026 Filed under: timing belt or chain
Expert answer
Hi Pam,
You didn't tell us the model year, but anyway, the only 1.5-litre petrol engine in a Kuga that is not referred to as an EcoBoost unit is the 'Flex Fuel' engine of 2019-2021.
It uses a dry timing belt.
What to replace my Mondeo with - for up to €40,000?
Looking to replace my 2020 Ford Mondeo Vignale with a budget total of €40k including trade in. I like the size, heated seats, fast window demister and auto lights. I also like the look of the Audi Q3, Mazda CX-5 (I had two Mazda6s in the past).
Any suggestions? Needs to be manual as my kids are starting to drive soon...
Edel, Galway (Oranmore)Jan 2026 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Edel,
Not many cars have the same windscreen demister that Fords do, so you may have to compromise on that. Most at your budget will have heated seats and auto lights though.
You can afford a 2023 Audi Q3 with a manual gearbox and there are plenty around within budget whether you want a diesel or a petrol engine.
For the same price, you'd get a year newer Mazda CX-5, again with a manual gearbox if you want it, and the option of petrol or diesel power.
The Mazda will be the better-equipped of the two and the more enjoyable to drive.
Then it just comes down to which you prefer the look of (the Mazda wins that one hands down).
Is there a manual version of the Fiat Grande Panda?
Does the Fiat Grande Panda have a manual gearbox?
Raymond Sweeney (Mohill)Jan 2026 Filed under: gearbox
Expert answer
Hi Raymond,
Full details of the Irish lineup for the new Fiat Grande Panda have yet to be confirmed, but so far all versions revealed - fully electric and hybrid - are automatic.
Is there an automatic Citroen C3 Aircross?
Does the Citroen C3 Aircross come in an automatic version?
Neil Brown (Wicklow)Dec 2025 Filed under: automatic
Expert answer
Hi Neil,
Yes, in fact most versions of the new C3 Aircross are automatic. There are electric and hybrid models that are automatic. Only the regular petrol engine can be had with a manual gearbox.
Looking to buy a compact automatic car...
I am looking to buy an automatic small car as my first car. My partner has a small manual Toyota Aygo and we think it would make sense for my car to be bigger/or with a bigger engine anyway so that we can use it for longer journeys and have the Aygo for around the city (Dublin).
We have been looking between years of 2012-2018 at the Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, MINI Cooper, Volkswagen Polo/Golf, Audi A1 and Hyundai i20/i30... but we are stuck and getting more and more confused...
We were leaning towards the Peugeot/Renault because of great prices/low mileage but we don't know what to do.
Any advice/recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Dawn Byrne (Dublin)Dec 2025 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Dawn,
Most people in your position – i.e. a new driver – consider the cost of insurance when choosing their first car. You'll need to keep the engine size down for that reason, though there are plenty of small-engined cars that should still fit the bill. Just keep it in mind and maybe get insurance quotes before you commit to any car.
I would suggest that you're better off going for a slightly larger car if it's to be used regularly for longer journeys as they are generally more comfortable at motorway speeds. From your list, the VW Golf and Hyundai i30 would be good options, but you could also seek out the SEAT Leon, Peugeot 308 or Mazda3.
I've probably given you more to think about there…
Come back to us with a budget in mind and we'll try to find some specific cars for you to consider.
Thoughts on my Kia Rio's clutch?
Having an issue with a 2021 Kia Rio (manual transmission) which I bought new.
A couple of weeks ago, it got stuck in second gear while driving. I pulled in, turned the engine off: gears working perfectly. Turned engine on: it got stuck in gear again. After a few minutes it came right again by itself.
Got it checked in the garage where I bought the car, but they found nothing wrong with it. The car was driving perfectly fine then for nearly three weeks. Then the same thing happened again.
Brought it to the garage again. Was told it was a slipping clutch. I doubt that very much as the car is just four years old with 75,000 kilometres on the clock.
They took their sweet time with repairing it! I received no phone calls from them, no quote, nothing. I had to keep ringing them for updates.
Today out of the blue, I got a text message saying my car had been repaired: "Full clutch replacement" at €1,400. I'm still in shock.
What's the story with the Kia warranty: seven years or 150,000 kilometres? I think a clutch shouldn't fail abruptly after four years and 75,000 kilometres.
I reckon it's a faulty component, rather than wear and tear.
Silvia (Offaly)Nov 2025 Filed under: warranty
Expert answer
Hi Silvia,
Though it's not ideal that the garage went ahead and did the work without providing a quote and your permission to do so beforehand, I fear there's very little you can do now. Ideally you would have brought the car to an independent assessor to verify the issue.
Clutch wear would never be covered under warranty as I'm sure you know and yeah, it could wear out in such an amount of time, depending on how and where the car is driven, though I must admit that the symptoms you've described don't seem to tie in with the diagnosis provided.
I'm not sure what route you have for any recourse at this stage.
Trade-in value of this 2017 BMW X1?
What would you value a 2017 BMW X1 sDrive18d manual with a panoramic sunroof and 145,000km on the clock, in good condition, for on a trade in?
Martin (Meath)Nov 2025 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Martin,
You could be offered as low as €12,000 we suspect. Sell it yourself and you may get over €15,000 depending on a variety of factors, but that takes a lot more effort, obviously.
What is "m" on a car's drive selector?
The panel that has the buttons for drive, parking and reverse also has a button that says “m” - what is the m for?
Neil Brown (Wicklow)Nov 2025 Filed under: gearbox
Expert answer
Hi Neil,
You've not told us which car you are referring to, but we suspect it's a Stellantis one with an automatic gearbox. The "m" in that case would allow the driver to select a manual gearchanging mode and they change gears via paddles behind the steering wheel.
Where to stick a toll tag on an Opel Grandland?
Where can you place a toll badge on the windshield of an Opel Grandland GS electric? The entire windshield is covered in heating wires, and there are no black dotted areas where you'd normally place a badge.
Or wouldn't the heating wires interfere with the badge? I haven't received a satisfactory answer anywhere, not even from Opel, where it simply says, "Just stick it somewhere on the windshield, it'll work."
Thanks in advance for a reply
Eric De Bruyne (Belgium)Aug 2025 Filed under: miscellaneous
Expert answer
Hi Eric,
The heating element should have no effect on the toll tag being read at all, but if the glass has a layer to help reduce noise etc. that can have an effect.
Near the very top and as close to the middle as you can ususally works, but no harm trying a few options manually (with a passenger holding the tag in place) to ensure the chosen location works.
Have I been overcharged for a timing belt change?
Have just paid for a timing belt on a ford focus 1.6 Zetec TDCi manual and it has cost me €1,650. The mechanic said he had skimmed the head gaskets as well. Have I been over charged? Your answer would be much appreciated, thank you.
David (Belgium)Jun 2025 Filed under: repair
Expert answer
Hi David,
Unless the timing belt broke, leading to you getting this work done, then I see no reason why the garage would have removed the cylinder head while replacing it. That is not routine.
It also is not possible to skim a head gasket, so presumably the mechanic said he skimmed the cylinder head itself. If they removed the cylinder head to do that as well as replace all the parts associated with the timing belt then the price doesn't sound unreasonable, but I'd question why the cylinder head was removed if this was supposed to be a regular timing belt change.