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Hi Niamh,

The current Hyundai Santa Fe 4x4 has a maximum towing rating of 2,500kg when fitted with the manual gearbox, or 2,000kg with the automatic.

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Hi Roland,

Learning to drive and need an automatic? Frankly, you can't go wrong with a Nissan Micra auto and there are lots around. I just spotted a nice, old-shape one from 2006 with an auto box for just €4,995. As reliable as the day is long, nice to drive and perfect for a learner.

One thing though, yes, it's entirely possible to take your test with an auto, but then you will be only licenced to drive automatics from then on. It might be worth your while braving the transition to a manual for the test, just so as you're not restricting your car choice further down the line.

Best of luck with it

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Hi Sharon,

Short answer - yes, the clutch is one of the few major reliability weak points on the RAV4. The gearshift was always a bit heavy, so ignore that, but if the clutch feels wrong or is making any untoward noises, it needs replacing. Of course, an automatic version would get you around that issue, and there's no tax penalty for the extra emissions - both versions will cost you €750 a year to tax. Generally speaking it's best to get the lower mileage car, but the rule, as ever, is to buy on condition and history, not mileage. If the higher miles car has been better cared for, it's the better option.

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Hi Auke,

We asked Mazda about this and the official response was: "Simple answer is it is not available in Ireland unfortunately. There are only 1,000 examples of the limited edition 25th anniversary in the world and we have one press model for marketing/PR purposes really - not for sale."

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news

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Hi Marcus,

For 2006 and 2007 (and up to July 2008) the BMW 320d was taxed according to its engine size, which is 1,995cc. That is currently €710 per year (€394 for six months or €200 for three months).

If the car was registered after July 2008 then it is taxed according to its CO₂ emissions. Our data shows us that should mean emissions of 128g/km for a manual 320d or 144g/km with an automatic gearbox. The annual tax disc costs for those is €270 and €390 respectively.

Hope that helps

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Hi John,

Yes, by and large Golfs are well enough built to withstand years of abuse, but then this is an older car so there are some areas to check...

Make sure the cambelt has been changed, check that the water pump is working (quick warm up from cold, but no issues with holding the temperature at idle), listen for noises from both the front suspension and steering, check that the air conditioning (if fitted) is working OK and make sure that the gearbox (manual or auto) is shifting cleanly.

Oh and avoid the FSI petrol model - they don't like regular 95RON unleaded petrol.

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Hi Claire,

The revised Polo is now in Ireland, so we assume you mean that one. The 1.2-litre TSI petrol model is in Band A3, costing €190 to tax. That's the case whether it's manual or DSG automatic and for both three- and five-door body styles.

The only 1.4-litre Polo on the Volkswagen Ireland price list is the TDI diesel. It's available in 75- and 90hp guises, in both three- and five-door bodies and with a DSG automatic for the higher power unit. It doesn't matter which of all those you buy, they're all in Band A2, costing just €180 per year to tax.

Hope that helps, but please do check out our first drive of the revised Polo here as well.

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Hi Gordon,

Well, as with any high performance model, check first for signs of abuse. Are the wheels in good order? Do the tyres look knackered? Does the engine smoke or the clutch smell? If it seems that it has been wrecked and ruined by a former hot-shoe owner, then walk away. Aside from that, check that the gearbox (manual or auto) picks up gears crisply and cleanly, listen for grinding our graunching noises from the suspension and check the paint carefully for excessive stone chipping or damage. It's also worth winding up some speed and then heaving on the brakes to check that the anti-lock brake system is working OK - some ABS control units were reported to have failed.

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Hi Simon,

That’s absolutely top-value for a 2005 Focus, so the car would want to be in exceptionally good condition and come with a full and complete service history and a decent warranty to command that kind of price. You haven’t given us a year for your Polo so it’s rather difficult to value but we think you could potentially find better value on the Focus out there.

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Hi Brian,

Generally speaking, the Sedona should be as close to utterly reliable as is possible. A 2008 model will still have up to a year's warranty left on it, which is reassuring, and the only repetitive niggle we can find with them is that the electric sliding side doors can have a mind of their own and you will probably often have to resort to manual control. Kia dealers don't seem to be able to locate the source of the problem, for some reason. 

We have heard reports of a few 'Friday afternoon' cars that have had troubles with clutches, brakes, air conditioning and gearboxes, but these seem to be very rare indeed.