Which saloon to get with under €12,000?
Hi,
Looking to buy a second hand saloon car for under €12k. Do about 10-15k km per year. Decent sized engine, four doors and fuel efficient and wanted to buy something other than the usual boring Toyota or Nissan! Any advice?
Thanks Michael
Michael Doran (Dublin)Feb 2017 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
You've got a lot of options depending on the year and size of car you want. How about an Audi A4 2.0 TDI? Perhaps a BMW 520d? Something simpler? How about a Ford Mondeo 1.6 TDCi? Or a Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 TDI? A Mazda6? A Lexus GS? There's a whole world of choice out there for €12k.
Would an electric car work for us?
Hi there,
My wife drives a 2005 Toyota RAV4 1.8 petrol. Over a year ago she changed jobs from a 6km commute to one with a 48km commute each way. This is half motorway and then mainly country roads. This coupled with kid taxi duties means she does nearly 650km a week (Mon to Fri) and spends around €75 a week on petrol. I do 900km a week and already have a car loan for a diesel car.
So my question is, an electric car feasible for someone with that commute and no option to charge at work, except for probably emergencies, and monthly repayments must be €300 or less? Which I assume means that the new Ioniq and new Leaf are out of reach.
David Delaney (Kells)Feb 2017 Filed under: electric cars
Expert answer
Hi David,
Yes, you could just about do 48km each way in an electric car, certainly in the Ioniq and just about in the 30kWh Nissan Leaf, although it would be hugely helpful if there could be some way of charging up at work. A Renault Zoe might do the trick too.
Hyundai asks for a minimum €5,000-odd deposit on a new Ioniq, and the repayments are quite steep so that one might be out of the question, although they come down to around €360 if you can put a €10,000 deposit down. A basic Nissan Leaf, with €6,762 down, will cost you just €264 a month, which might leave enough wriggle room to go for the bigger battery, and Nissan has some tempting free insurance offers on at the moment, while Renault asks just €179 a month for a Zoe, but the battery rental is extra and it comes with some quite tight mileage stipulations.
The other, possibly better, option would be to go half-electric. Toyota can put you into a Prius or an Auris Hybrid for as little as €199 to €263 a month (again, depending on deposits etc.) or you can get the rather impressive new Kia Niro for €353 a month with a €9,000 deposit. All of those should average as much as 60mpg, which would put a big dent in your fuel costs.
Read our relevant reviews here to help you choose:
Should we bring our car from Germany?
Hello,
Can I ask for some advice please? My girlfriend is a German national who has come to live in Ireland. She wants to sell her car here in Ireland. The car in question is a 2011 Nissan Qashqai - very good spec with a petrol engine. There is a Moldovian national who is interested in buying this car, but we are concerned that the car will not be registered in Moldova and we are aware that a lot of German cars are in Moldova on German plates.
Any help or advice would be appreciated .
Warmest regards
Michael Roche
Michael Roche (Cork)Feb 2017 Filed under: importing
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
I think your best bet is to sell the car in Germany first, but possibly not to this other person you’re speaking about. If you’re concerned about what a future owner may do with a car, then the best thing is to find someone else to sell it to. Bringing the car into Ireland to sell will involve a large amount of paperwork and a hefty price tag in Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT), so I think you’re going to be better off by far selling the car in Germany.
Nissan Pulsar or Skoda Rapid Spaceback?
We are looking for an automatic that will be our family car for the future. We are talking two kids in the back and a dog in the trunk when we go on trips. It's all about practicality for us, the car is for transport not for joy rides.
So far we have been looking at the Nissan Pulsar XE and the Skoda Rapid - and here probably the Spaceback to give the dog a bit more head room. But then it comes to features we aren't too picky, but we do want air conditioning.
So as the price difference between the Pulsar EX and the Spaceback Ambition is rather small, we are torn and would be grateful for some pointers.
Susann Burnell (Dublin)Feb 2017 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Susann,
The Rapid Spaceback is a decent car, but it’s actually quite small, and just a bit cheap-feeling, inside. In this instance, I’d advise you to go for the Pulsar. Not the most exciting car by a long chalk, but it’s roomy, well made and very comfortable. Here are our relevant reviews:
What's the best electric car right now?
Which is the best electric car in relation to performance and most importantly cost to buy and running cost?
Alma Bermingham (Dublin)Feb 2017 Filed under: electric cars
Expert answer
Hi Alma,
The Nissan Leaf is the most affordable electric car, but the cheapest versions have limited range (less than 160km on a single charge). The new Renault Zoe has a brilliant claimed range of 400km, but that's quite pricey for a small car. The BMW i3 is probably the best electric car around at the moment, but is very expensive, sadly. So, I think the best one for affordability and useable range is probably the Hyundai Ioniq. It gets an easy 200km in real-world driving, it's roomy and not too expensive. Read our test drives of each below:
Which €25,000 crossover to go for?
Hi,
I am looking at buying a second-hand (161 or 162) SUV, value approx €25,000. I drive 80 miles a day on fairly good roads for work, and mainly rural roads. Have had test drives on both the Nissan Qashqai and Renault Kadjar and they are both a bit big, although the Renault Captur is too small.
Any suggestions on "inbetween" sizes? Don't have kids so big boots and roomy cabins are not important. More interested in sturdy and reliable.
Thanks
C Power (Wexford)Jan 2017 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi there,
Have you thought of a Toyota C-HR? Size wise and reliability wise it would seem to suit you perfectly, and it's also sweet to drive with a really nice cabin. It's technically a brand new model but Toyota registered a lot in late 2016 as dealer demos so you ought to be able to pick up a bargain 'nearly new' if you shop around. Otherwise I think your best bet would be a Skoda Yeti.
Can I get a full refund on my faulty car?
I bought a 2007 Nissan Qashqai diesel from a SIMI dealer on Sat. 7th and 25 hours later into ownership it has developed the four following faults:
A) ABS fault light on dash after first test drive - solution agreed and accepted - a fault nonetheless.
B) Faulty driver side rear window - window does not rise up again after being lowered - this was noticed 1.5 hours after purchase.
C) Red engine warning light on dash after 2.5 hours of purchase - Nissan manual advises car needs to be reviewed professionally ASAP - thick white smoke from the exhaust.
D) 3.15pm Sunday 8th Jan. - car simply will not start. I have advised the dealer I want the car collected and a complete refund issued.
I believe I am entitled to do so under current consumer law (not of merchantable quality and unfit for purpose) - can you confirm?
Thanks.
Cathal Tiernan (Dunmore, Co.Galway)Jan 2017 Filed under: legal
Expert answer
Hi Cathal,
You are indeed entitled to a refund, but not immediately. Under the Sale of Goods and Supply Of Services Act, if a product is “not of merchantable quality” then you are entitled to a repair, replacement or a refund. It will be up to you and the dealer from whom you bought the car to discuss which of these will be the case, and most dealers will try at least to repair the car at first, as obviously that’s usually the most cost-effective route from their perspective.
You can demand a refund and nothing else, but I’d make sure you have a good solicitor on your side before doing that as technically if the dealer is offering you a repair then they are fulfilling their duties under the act.
Looking for an automatic Nissan Qashqai.
I am looking for an automatic Nissan Qashqai...
Rue M (Harare)Jan 2017 Filed under: automatic
Expert answer
Hi Rue,
No problem, have a look here: http://www.carzone.ie/search/result/cars/make/nissan/model/qashqai/transmission/automatic
Qashqai vs. Corolla reliability comparison?
Is the 2007 Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi comparable in reliability to the 2007 Toyota Corolla 1.4 D-4D? I most likely will be buying one or the other in the near future (but also considering the Toyota Avensis 2.0 D-4D) and my heart is saying Qashqai, but my head is saying Corolla (I do 20,000 miles per year).
I would appreciate an independent viewpoint
Thanks - Cathal
Cathal Tiernan (Dunmore, Co.Galway)Jan 2017 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Cathal,
The Qashqai would be a reliable car in general terms, although they do tend to suffer from sagging suspension and occasional turbocharger failure on the diesel model. The engine management system can also go awry. The Corolla is perhaps not as perfectly reliable as is sometimes painted, but overall I’d expect it to be a little more reliable than the Nissan.
Nissan Qashqai or Toyota Corolla?
Hi, would you consider a 2007 Nissan Qashqai 1.5 diesel to be as reliable as a 2007 Toyota Corolla 1.4 diesel of similar mileage and condition? I will be buying one or the other in the next week or so and my heart is saying Qashqai, but my head is saying Corolla - can you provide an independent insight please? I do 20,000 miles per year.
Many thanks
Cathal Tiernan (Dunmore, Co.Galway)Jan 2017 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Cathal,
The Qashqai is a reliable car, as are pretty much all Nissans, but the Corolla will still have the reliability edge. If reliability is ultimately your priority, then go for the Corolla. That said, if you really want the Qashqai, as long as it comes with a full service history and you keep it regularly serviced, we wouldn’t expect to see any major issues occur.