What price to trade my A3 in for new Audi Q2?
Hi,
What trade in price would you expect to get on an Audi A3 three-door, 141, 1.4 TSI petrol with 7,500 kilometres on the clock against the coming Audi Q2? My car was pre-registered, 500km, purchased September 2014 for retail price €27,000.
Frank Dodd (Dublin)Mar 2016 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi F D,
Somewhere around the €18,000 mark I would think.
Would a small new estate suit us?
We have two small kids. We live in the city but like to go camping in the summer. Can you recommend a car suitable for city driving but still with enough room to carry camping equipment? We currently have a Mazda5 diesel, but the DPF gives us trouble due to us doing mainly short journeys. I was thinking of a petrol estate such as Fabia Combi or a petrol Corolla. Any suggestions please ?
Ray Mehigan (Limerick)Feb 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Ray,
The new Fabia Combi might well be worth looking at as the boot is absolutely enormous, but you may find the back seats a little tight as the kids get bigger. A Toyota Auris Touring Sports estate would certainly make a good buy - roomy and hugely reliable and Toyota's old 1.4-litre petrol engine has always been a good unit. Also worth looking at the Kia cee'd Sportwagon or Skoda Octavia Combi.
Relevant reviews:
How much to change an Altea's head gasket?
How much should it cost to get the head gasket supplied and fitted on a 2006 SEAT Altea 1.6 petrol?
Tristan Jacobs (Galway )Feb 2016 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Tristan,
Prices for labour will vary depending on where you get the work done, but we spoke with a SEAT dealer to get an indication and were told that it really will depend on if other components have been damaged in the overheating process. An estimation was anywhere between €400 and €800. Best thing to do is bring the car to a garage you trust and get an estimate there.
I'm struggling with buying a petrol car...
Hi,
Trying to buy a replacement for my 1999 Avensis and the scarcity of petrols and abundance of diesels on the market baffles me. I don't think it wise to buy diesel for my standard drive of eight miles to work and home and same six days a week with road trip round 300 miles just six times a year.
This is supposedly "economical" and "green driving" even though in London it costs more for a permit going into city with diesel car and trends in London have historically impacted directly on us in three to five years. I would love to know of a diesel car 2008-2011 (for cheap tax) with no necessary DPF that I have to worry about, or will I stick to petrol believing that in five years time petrol is a more saleable/popular engine than diesel is? Then there might be a hybrid to suit. Volkswagen, Japanese or any good 1.4+ hatch or saloon suggestions?
Thanks,
Pauline.
Pauline Anne Connor (Galway)Feb 2016 Filed under: petrol vs. diesel
Expert answer
Hi Pauline,
You're absolutely 100 per cent dead right - diesel is not for everyone and especially not for those with overall low mileages and short commutes. And as the recent emissions scandal has shown us, diesel exhaust can be staggeringly bad for your health.
As for finding a diesel without a DPF filter, I'm not sure you'll be able to. In order to meet the particulate emissions legislation under EuroV and EuroVI regulations you pretty much had to have one. Some people have, of course, removed the DPF to avoid maintenance issues, but then you're just spewing out a plume of highly carcinogenic soot particles as you drive...
So, I think your best bet is to go for a compact turbocharged petrol engine or, just maybe, a hybrid. The Toyota Prius would potentially be ideal for your daily drive, but could be a bit of an over-thirsty pain on that six-time-a-year longer journey. Try instead a car fitted with the Volkswagen Group's excellent 1.2-litre TSI turbo petrol engine (Golf or Skoda Octavia are the best ones), a Ford Focus with the 1.0 EcoBoost engine or maybe an Opel Astra 1.4 Turbo. Here are a few relevant reviews for you to consult:
What new petrol SUVs cost less than €40k?
I hope to change my Kia Sportage soon. I do less than 10,000 kilometres a year so I may go for petrol and an automatic. Give us some SUV options south of €40k.
Thanks
Eamonn
Eamonn McAndrew (Mayo)Feb 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Eamonn,
Auto petrol SUVs are hard to find in most manufacturers' ranges, but there are a few you can have a look at - Skoda Yeti 1.2 TSI DSG, Nissan Qashqai 1.2 DIG CVT or Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI DSG, for example. All frugal, good to drive and well under €40k even with options.
Lexus IS 300h or BMW 330e hybrids?
Hi there,
I need to make the move back to petrol from diesel as I am not doing the mileage and concerned about reliability of a modern diesel with DPF blockages. I would like a small comfortable automatic saloon. I don't have options to charge an EV car at work or at home. Should I go with the Lexus IS 300h over the BMW 330e?
John, Dublin.
John Cronin (Dublin)Feb 2016 Filed under: hybrid
Expert answer
Hi John,
The BMW 330e is, I have to say, a hugely impressive car and based on a recent drive you can squeeze as much as 65mpg from it. You can charge it from a domestic socket if that's any help, but if you're put off by the charging thing then the Lexus IS a great choice. Aside from the occasionally irritating CVT gearbox it's delightful to drive and, with a bit of practice, you can get decent economy from it. It should be staggeringly reliable too. Here are our reviews to help you choose:
Is the 1.0-litre engine enough for the Astra?
Hi,
I'm considering buying the new 1.0 litre petrol Opel Astra. I live in West Cork and most trips would be local most days between five miles and fifteen miles and a trip to Cork (50 miles) every couple of weeks. My present car is a 1.6 diesel Golf, but I want to move away from diesel. Do you think the small engine of the Astra would be enough for my needs?
Thanks.
Mark Kearney (Cork)Feb 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Mark,
Based on personal experience (and as someone who grew up in West Cork) I'd say yes - the Astra 1.0 is really sweet to drive and should easily crack 45mpg in daily driving. The only thing to watch for is the small fuel tank, which means you'll be filling up on those journeys back from Cork.
What is the best hybrid car to buy?
What is the best hybrid car to buy?
Kathleen Cleary (Thurles)Feb 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Kathleen,
The new Toyota Prius looks to be rather impressive, and with just 70g/km of CO2 it'll certainly be cheap to tax. We reckon you should probably look beyond the Prius though, to the new generation of plugin hybrids that can offer significantly longer electric-only range (as much as 50km) and which still have a petrol engine and a decent fuel tank for longer journeys. Have a look at the Volkswagen Golf GTE or Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV for example.
Thinking of down-sizing to a Suzuki SX4.
Thinking of downsizing to a second hand Suzuki SX4. Any thoughts on fuel consumption/reliability or other things to look out for? Looking at a 2008-2010 model.
Thanks, Tom
Tom Tyner (Cork)Feb 2016 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Tom,
A really good car the SX4 - it's hugely reliable and if you can track down a 1.9 diesel 4x4, you'll find it has genuine go-anywhere capability.
The more common 1.6 petrol is a bit thirstier though, with official economy of 42mpg and you'll struggle to match that in daily driving. The boot is also a bit on the small side. Worth looking for deals on the current SX4 S-Cross - a really good and very underrated car.
Will the Volkswagen Golf be updated in 2016?
Is Volkswagen planning a facelift for the Golf this year?
Gary Murray (Dublin)Feb 2016 Filed under: future cars
Expert answer
Hi Gary,
Yes, but it's not due to arrive until late this year. It'll likely have only very small exterior changes (expect a more Passat-like front end), but there will be some bigger changes to the interior, including a new centre stack with the option of a big, Tesla-like tablet-style touchscreen with 'Gesture Control.' We may also get sight of the new family of 1.5-litre turbo petrol and turbodiesel engines this year (although they're more likely to be reserved for the all-new MkVIII Golf in a couple of years' time), but we'll definitely get to see the ultimate hot Golf - a four-wheel drive 420hp version of the Golf R designed to take on the Ford Focus RS.