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Hi Shane,

I have looked back through the record of Euro NCAP (www.euroncap.com) and there is no major difference between the safety of a third row of seats and the second row of seats.

The modern SUV often has curtain airbags that run the length of the car and these can protect the rear seat passengers in the event of a side collision. There is also a row of seats in front of the third row of seats and this provides extra protection for the third row seats. 

Obviously they are closer to the rear of the car in a rear-end collision, but there is very little information about this available.

If there is anything else specific you'd like to know, please do get back in touch.

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Hi Ruairi,

While we'd always advise you to have it fixed properly, the workaround you're suggesting should work just fine. Though you'll be freezing! If you're doing this yourself, please ensure that you bleed the coolant system after it's all back together...

Good luck

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Hi Peadar,

Firstly it is hardly a surprise that your Saab has served you so well. Those cars are so well-built that they can go on for what seems like forever. I'm sure you realise that you probably won't get much for your Saab, unless of course you were prepared to opt for a new car and avail of the Government Scrappage Scheme, but since you mentioned 2008 cars we will deal with those first. 

My first choice for you would be a 2008 Saab 9-3 Diesel. Since you have enjoyed your previous Saab so much and it has served you so well, I thought that this would be the best place to start. You can have a 2008 model, in Linear Sport spec, with just 44,000km on the clock from a SIMI-approved Saab dealer for €19,950. The emissions are 147g/km so it sits in motor tax Band C, so will cost just €302 per year in road tax. This car is really nicely specced too. Plus, you will most certainly get the best price for your own Saab from here.

Another fantastic car that might not have considered is the Subaru Legacy diesel, a personal favourite of mine. This car has a brilliant engine, is beautifully balanced on the road and nicely equipped too. You would pay around €20,000 for a 2008 model. They don't come up for sale very often and can be hard to find but they are super cars. 

The same sort of money would get you a Volvo S40, although my only issue with this car is that it might feel a little small compared to the others. The S40 1.6-litre diesel has low emissions however, so you will pay just €156 per year on road tax. This car is okay, but I don't think it's anywhere near your best choice here. 

The Avensis is a good solid choice and should be reliable and comfortable, but after having quite an interesting car in the shape of the Saab, you might feel a little bit like you sold your soul with the Toyota. You will save some money though. A 2008 model from a Toyota dealer will cost you under €18,000. Sure this car will be a safe choice, but I think it might bore you a little. 

You will save even more money with a 2008 Skoda Octavia Diesel, which will cost you under €16,000 and just €156 in road tax. They are nicely built too. Or in the case of a Volkswagen Passat, you should best avoid the 1.9-litre diesel and get a 2.0-litre one instead - the 1.9-litre diesel is noisy. So this 2.0-litre diesel with 140hp will cost you €18,500 and will still just cost you €302 per year in road tax. 

Another one to consider, and a very under-rated car, is the Citroen C5. The newer model is really good and comfortable and you could have a 2008 version for around €17,500. Here is one.

If you ask me which of this lot you should buy, I would say the Saab or the Subaru. The rest are fine, but if you loved your Saab then those two will be the most interesting for you. 

I hope this helps! 

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Hi Sean,

Stephen McDonnell from Volkswagen Ireland contacted us with some really useful information on this. Apparently the sensors themselves are quite robust, but they can be fooled into thinking the level is low by poor quality coolant. So, if there's more water than coolant in the car it may not register properly. Likewise, if there's oil in the water it could throw up a strange reading.

So, the advice is to have a look at the quality of the coolant and ask the buyer when it was last changed.

It could still be the sensor, but it's more likely that the above is the reason for the warning light.

Hope that helps,

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Hi Eoin,

We are always very pleasantly surprised by that 1.4 TSI engine in the Golf or indeed the Passat. On paper it looks like it could be a bit weedy but it really is good. Now, it doesn't feel fast as such, but it isn't sluggish. 

It is a seven-speed DSG in the 1.4 with 122hp. Fuel consumption is 5.9 l/100km (or 47.1mpg). 

The Golf has better fuel economy with the DSG gearbox than with a manual and there is no penalty in terms of performance figures: 0-100km/h takes 9.5 seconds and they both have a top speed of 199km/h. 

I love the DSG gearbox, though it isn't cheap to buy.

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Hi Mick,

Yes we have driven the 120hp 1.4-litre TSI in the Passat and we are just heading off to drive the new one in Barcelona as we write this. Believe it or not, this engine copes quite well with the Passat's bulk. It is by no means a rocket and doesn't really have the torque of the diesel models, but it certainly copes quite well. 0-100km/h takes 10.5 seconds and the top speed is 203km/h. Fuel economy is 8.6 l/100km and CO₂ emissions are 157g/km.

Is there anything else you'd like to know?

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SIMI are the Society of the Irish Motor Industry and as such, buying from one of its members is the closest you can get to total security when buying a used car. Of course there are no guarantees when buying a used car but at least here you are getting a car that has gone through a thorough car history check, and the dealers also have signed up to SIMIs code of conduct so they are answerable to a higher power. 

A spokesperson for SIMI outlined some of the benefits of buying from a SIMI dealer. "SIMI have high membership standards. To become a member of SIMI the garage must pass an audit and inspection. The dealer must submit among other documentation a tax clearance certificate, proof of planning permission, and be nominated by 3 existing members. Should a dispute arise we have a standards department that will investigate the consumers complaint. The first step is mediation between the customer and the garage. If that does not resolve the issue we have an independent tribunal that is headed up by a former rights commissioner and also a consumer group. The tribunal decision is binding on the SIMI garage."

Cars from SIMI dealers tend to be better, but this is not to say that there are not good independent dealers who choose not to become members of the SIMI and pay their fees. There are good independent car history check websites around such as Cartell.ie and Motorcheck.ie and for a fee there are several layers of check you can do on these cars. So, no, we wouldn't say to avoid non-SIMI dealers, but SIMI dealers do come with some security as-standard. 

If you want to come back to us with an idea of your budget and needs, feel free and we will guide you a litte bit more.

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Hi Alan

The scrappage scheme has been good news and as you might have seen today SIMI is calling for an extension of this. Unless this happens, there would be no point in you getting a new car at the end of the year under scrappage because the €1,500 that you would get off this in the case of something like an Insignia would not be as much as you could lose eventually by buying a car later in the year. 

Sure enough, you could buy the Laguna and get €3,000 off. It isn't an awful car, but there really isn't anything remarkable about it and I personally wouldn't spend over €20,000 on one. I actually think the Renault Fluence is a better buy than the Laguna and it costs much less. It is a fine big car and really well equipped. 

However, with your budget we could do a whole lot better. Supposing that you get at least €1,000 for your Corsa, then you still have a generous budget. There is always the temptation to look at the German cars and as long as you realise that these can get pricey to service and run as they get older, they can be a great buy. 

You have a staggering amount of choice. For sheer ease of ownership I have noticed that Lexus IS models are really good value now. You can get a 2008 IS 220d for under €25k and that would be a pretty nice car to own. Here is an example. 

If you were buying new or almost new, this 2010 Subaru Legacy diesel is also within your budget. 

However, you could go a little larger and get yourself a 2007 BMW 520d. This example is from a main dealer and has tiny mileage and would be a really nice car to own. It has done just 20,000km and is an automatic too with a nice spec for just €28,000. I would find it very hard to pass up on this car to be honest. You could opt for one with a manual gearbox and get lower road tax, but to be honest, this is where my money would go.

I hope this helps

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Hi Emma,

It's likely that the brakes have seized on that wheel. Don't worry though, it's usually not a big deal to sort out. It happens a lot to cars that are not used regularly.

If at all possible, move the car to a safe, flat piece of ground. This may require more revs than usual and in fact, doing this might be all it takes to unstick the brakes. If they are still stuck, then jack up the car and take off the wheel. Release the handbrake and tap the hub firmly with a rubber-coated mallet.

If that still doesn't do it, then you'll need to enlist the help of a mechanic, but in most cases just moving the car will do the trick.

In future, if you know you'll not be using your car for a while, don't use the handbrake. Park the car in gear and put blocks in front of the wheels.

Hope that helps

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