Expert answer

Hi Gerard,

That is a bit of a hard one. To be honest I would probably be looking in the direction of a pick-up truck and a Mitsubishi L200 would be the one I would go for with your budget. You would have to add a cover or find one with one, but something like this could really work.

Or if you needed a van, then this Renault Master could be ideal. It is within your budget and has lots of seats!

Expert answer

Hi David,

According to the NCT website:

"All cars should be tested on or before the anniversary date of first registration of the car in the country of origin. There is no link with motor tax or insurance expiry date.

PLEASE NOTE: NCTS can issue your certificate up to six months early for a first time NCT and three months early for subsequent NCT tests. For example, a car was first registered on the 5th June 2006. The car was due for its NCT on the 5th June 2010, the car is brought for its NCT on the 26th January 2010 and it passes. An NCT Certificate is received with an expiry date of 4th June 2012"

If your car is eligible for the NCT (please refer to the testing chart) then please phone us on 1890 412 413 or you can check our on-line service by simply typing in your car registration number and date of first registration of the vehicle (which can be found on your vehicle registration book, registration certificate or licensing certificate."

So, it would appear that you need to contact the NCT to check if your car is eligible for a test. 

I hope this helps. 

For more visit the National Car Test Website.

Expert answer

Hiya Kevin,

Well it depends on what you covet most about your car. If you want something that is decent fun to drive on a back road as well as one that is comfortable then the Mondeo is still the better buy in that regard. The Passat feels more upmarket though and more like an executive car.

I would say it is probably more comfortable on a long journey than the Mondeo, so if you do a heap of miles and spend a lot of time in your car you might favour the Passat. Since they are both 2009 models you are talking about, me personally, I'd have the Passat, although you need to check it carefully. That electronic handbrake was a real problem area in some cars so make sure it all checks out. 

I hope this helps! 

Expert answer

Hi Des,

You've identified two great choices there. With our own money we'd buy the Skoda Superb Combi. It's a cracking estate car with a huge amount of room, great quality, good comfort and the 1.6 TDI engine is refined and economical. Unless you intend to tow regularly I wouldn't worry too much about the performance. This engine may not have a lot of power (105hp), but it has plenty of torque low down in the rev range, which is far more useful in everyday driving.

Admittedly, the Opel will feel faster and it's a nice car too, but make sure you test drive as many alternatives as you can. Where as Skoda only appears to offer one version of the Superb Combi that qualifies for the scrappage scheme, Ford has several Mondeo Estates that do - and it's a great car.

Worth paying a little more for is the brand new Volkswagen Passat Estate. It's a fabulous car and there are several Band A and Band B options.

If you need any more assistance come back to us of course.

Expert answer

Hi James,

Firstly, sorry about your Caddy being stolen, trust me I know what that is like. Secondly as this question came in yesterday I happened to be with Finbarr Garland who is the head of the Garda Stolen Vehicles Unit and I put it to him. He said that this year so far they had seen quite a spate of Caddy thefts, which they were looking into. He said that it is very likely it was towed away, but they are also looking at the likelihood that thieves might have a new device that can by-pass the engine immobiliser.

If we hear any more we'll let you know.

Expert answer

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.

Expert answer

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

Expert answer

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! 

Expert answer

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,

Expert answer

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.