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Hi Kevin,

As discussed via email, as you knew from the outset that a six-month warranty was included and you never queried it then there doesn't appear to be be anything you can do after the matter. It's up to the individual seller/dealer/garage how much of a warranty to offer I'm afraid.

Hopefully your car will prove reliable in any case.

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Hi Jim,

Only if you go through the process of declaring the car off the road. You can get form RF150 from your local Garda station and the minimum time declarable is three months. And you can’t switch the declaration on and off as you like; the process has to be gone through again every time. To be honest, unless the car you’re looking at is from 1987 or before, you might just be better off waiting until the 30-year rolling limit for classic tax has passed.

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Hi Greg,

No, it will be valid from the point where the car should have had its NCT done, based on when it was first registered. 

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Hi Lisa,

It depends on how the conversion was done originally to turn it from a passenger car into a commercial, but to be honest, we wouldn’t recommend it. Removing and then replacing things like rear seat mounts, seatbelt points etc, not to mention cutting out the floor of the rear of the car to get at the structure, just seems to be asking for possible safety trouble.

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Hi Ronan,

Currently, legislation on tyre pressure monitors works like this. In the US, the National Highway Traffic Safety Authority has required all new passenger cars to be fitted with tyre pressure monitors since 2007. In the EU, all new models of cars introduced since November 1st 2012 must have tyre pressure monitoring, while from November 1st 2014, every model of car on sale must be fitted. The current gap between the haves and have-nots is simply down to model cycles and replacement schedules.

Hope that's a bit clearer

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Hi Shane,

As with any current turbodiesel model, the first thing to check is the diesel particulate filter. Drive the car at a steady 2,500rpm in fourth gear for around 16km and see if the DPF warning light goes out. If it does, all is fine. The 2.0 TDI engine needs a cambelt change every 110,000km so make absolutely sure that's been done as it's an expensive job and a total engine failure if it goes when you're driving.

If the car has the MMI infotainment system then make sure that all the functions are working, as problems are apparently hard to diagnose and expensive to fix. Check the front passenger floor mat for dampness - the air conditioning system can sometimes flood with water draining down from the windscreen and leak onto the floor. Glovebox catches and (more worryingly) seatbelt anchors are prone to wear, so check both. Watch for tracking issues on S-Line cars with sports suspension. A dull thudding noise from the front might be a worn anti-roll bar drop link too.

Hope that helps

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Hi Morgan,

We asked Cartell.ie to comment on this, as they're deeply involved in clocking legislation etc. Here's what they said:

"This is an interesting scenario. There are two issues here: 1 - On a legal level, in proposed legislation that Cartell drafted, seeking to criminalise vehicle clocking, we sought to accommodate this type of scenario in the drafting of the provisions. We certainly appreciate that a genuine attempt to represent fairly the mileage of the vehicle, where the original odometer of a vehicle no longer functions, should be accommodated by future legislation in this area. 2 - Practically, we feel this vehicle should be advertised with the true mileage, not the figure showing on the odometer. The seller can then clarify the issue of mileage where there is a query from a prospective purchaser. At Cartell we are happy to enter the correct mileage into the National Mileage Register for the vehicle, if the owner wishes to pass this along to us."

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Catherine,

OK, so what you need here is something spacious (kids, even just the one, take up a heroic amount of space, as you know), something economical for all that annual mileage and something comfy so that your buttocks survive all that mileage. I think you should stay with the current rough size of car, as some of the best bargains can be found in the mid-size saloon segment.

First up is a Volkswagen Passat. Ideally, you'd get the 1.6 TDI BlueMotion version, a car in which we once managed to drive from Galway to Glasgow and back on one tank of fuel. Or, what about a Ford Mondeo? You'll easily get a 2.0 TDCi model for that money, and there are very few cars quite so comfy on a long journey. Even BMWs and Mercs can't always match the Mondeo for seat comfort.

Of course, if you fancy the high life, and are prepared to compromise on space a little, then there's the BMW 3 Series. You'll get a 320d or 318d for that kind of budget, but shop around to make sure you get one in a dark metallic, with leather and preferably an automatic gearbox.

Finally, there's the Mazda6. Bit of an unsung hero of this segment, it's brilliant to drive, spacious, good looking and you should be able to track one down with Mazda's excellent 2.2-litre diesel engine under the bonnet. Reliable as it gets, it should chomp through your annual mileage with nary a worry. Find the even more handsome estate version if you can.

Come back to us if you need help narrowing this down.

Expert answer

Hi Philip,

You need to tread very carefully here. Theoretically a vehicle must be inspected, registered and have its VRT paid within a maximum of 30 days of entry into the state. The Revenue Commissioners can, retrospectively, apply a penalty charge if they believe that the vehicle was late being registered. If your dealer has not had the car inspected and registered, you need to ask why.

And if they are unwilling to pay the VRT, you also need to be asking questions. Anyone can pay VRT and have a vehicle registered; you don't need any special licence from a business point of view. It could well be that the dealer in question knows that the likely cost of VRT will outweigh any potential profit from the car and so is trying to pass the cost on to you. I'd be very suspicious and ask some hard questions before proceeding with this deal.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Gavin,

Here's the checklist for a 2002 Volkswagen Golf (hatchback or Estate):

- Check that alloy wheels have had copper slip grease applied behind them at each service, or the alloy can react with the steel hub and cause corrosion.

- Make sure the headlamps are in good condition, as they're a bumper-off job to replace.

- The rear screen wash-wipe can leak and run into the lock, shorting out the alarm and central locking. The door locks in general can give trouble.

- Most Golf engines need a cambelt change every 40,000 miles (64,000 kilometres). Diesel engines tend to get through a lot of oil.

- Clutch release bearings can wear out easily leading to a hefty clutch action.

- Ignition coils can burn out.

- A whirring noise could be a water pump failure.

- Slow starting or engine management lights often mean a temp sensor has failed.

- A tapping noise on start up may mean you need a cylinder head rebuild.

- If the car has sluggish acceleration it could be a crank or camshaft sensor failure.

- And if there are any issues with any of the main instruments then he whole display has to come out and be replaced.

That's a long list, we know, but if the car you're looking at passes those tests then it's likely to be a good one.