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Hi Tom,

OK, you've got a couple of choices here. You could trade it in under one of the current 'scrappage' schemes and make potentially as much as €4,500 on it, depending on what car you're trading in against. 

Or you could junk it or sell it for parts and grab another Bangernomics special. 

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Hi Robert,

I'm afraid it's impossible to assess such a thing from afar. You say you had everything checked, but did you actually hook the car up to a diagnostic tool to see if the engine control unit has any error codes to report? That would be the first port of call. After that, it boils down to fuel, air and, if it's petrol, spark, so you need to check all the sub-systems.

It'll only fail the NCT if the problem is having an effect on the pollutants coming out of the exhaust, by the way.

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Hi Sally,

Generally speaking, automatics and small engines don't go well together, but there are a few good ones. Any Volkswagen Group cars using a combo of either 1.2 TSI or 1.4 TSI petrol with the DSG gearbox should be pretty smooth and there are some Toyota Auris 1.4 D-4D diesels around with self-shifters. The Auris, while not exciting, is certainly smooth and comfy.

Actually, your best option could be to go hybrid or electric. The Honda Insight has a 1.3-litre hybrid powertrain and is an automatic and is surprisingly good to drive. Or what about the Nissan Leaf? If the roughly 160km electric range suits your lifestyle, there's nothing smoother than an electric motor.

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Hi Bryan,

Go for the petrol 1.2 TSI. If most of your mileage is short hops then, even with a regular motorway run, you're not going to get the benefit from diesel. And a 1.2, driven with reasonable care, should get close to 50mpg on the motorway anyway. Plus, you'll save a good chunk of money at purchase time, which will easily outweigh any potential diesel fuel savings. 

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Hi Mary,

It could well be a good idea. If you like the looks and the cabin of the Sportage, there's no questioning that it's a sensible, reliable and frugal car. Well priced too. Read our Kia Sportage review here.

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Hi Catherine,

It really does depend on your mileage and driving conditions, but a good rule of thumb is at least once a year regardless. We'd recommend every 15,000km on a car like that as well, but even if you don't do that in a year it's best to get the car serviced annually.

It's definitely overdue one!

Expert answer

Hi Catriona,

Go for the petrol Golf. It's a hugely economical engine anyway, but if you're doing short hops and low mileage then there's just no point in buying a diesel. You'll never make back the extra purchase price in fuel savings and you'll run into problems with clogged diesel particulate filters, etc.

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Hi Ola,

That depends on what year it was registered. If it’s an original Irish car registered before Jan 1st 2008, then it’s on the old engine capacity tax system and will cost €710. If it was registered after 2008, or is a UK import brought into the country since then, it’ll be on the CO₂-based tax system and, with CO₂ emissions of 198g/km, it’ll cost a whopping €1,200.

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Hi Don,

I'd say it's a tied vote between the Honda Jazz (amazingly roomy and reliable, but a bit pricey), the Skoda Fabia (as solid a choice as the day is long) or the Ford Fiesta (brilliant to drive and has a wonderful EcoBoost petrol engine).

Relevant reviews:

Honda Jazz review

Skoda Fabia review

Ford Fiesta review

Expert answer

Hi Aisling,

Not a huge seller, the Rapid, but it's a perfectly decent car. Skoda designed and built it as a more affordable alternative to the Octavia - it kind of sits between the Octavia and the smaller Fabia in price and space terms. The upsides are a big boot (huge, actually) and a decent line-up of petrol and diesel engines. The downsides are a slightly narrow cabin and bouncy, skippy rear suspension. Plus the interior doesn't look or feel as sophisticated as that of the larger Octavia. It'll be an affordable and very reliable family car though.

Read our Skoda Rapid review here