Three-cylinder turbo or four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine?
Hi.
As a long-term keeper would you recommend a turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine or would a four-cylinder non-turbo be a safer bet?
We'll be buying a new car next year. There are so many variants out there it's doing my head in.
We're not quite ready for all electric yet.
Margaret (Clare)May 2025 Filed under: future engines
Expert answer
Hi Teresa,
I'm afraid there's no definitive answer to that as every engine is so different. There's generally less to go wrong on a non-turbocharged engine, but they're usually less efficient and less powerful as well.
Feel free to come back to us with your detailed requirements and we can try to help you narrow down your search. Tell us your budget, your annual mileage and how many people you have to carry regularly. Also any preferences you may have.
What size is the MG HS PHEV's fuel tank?
I have the new MG HS PHEV and have noted that you say that the fuel tank is of 55-litre capacity. I live in England and all the literature over here states 37 litres. But today I drove into a petrol station with 50 miles of petrol range on the clock and without filling up I put 44 litres in.
Is the 55-litre tank an EU market thing? If it is I would seem to have an Irish model as it's right-hand drive. Can you share any insights you might have on the tank size?
Bernard Bradbury (Chatham)Expert answer
Hi Bernard,
The UK and Ireland cars are more or less identical and, according to this official MG Europe document, the 55-litre tank is standard across the board in the new MG HS.
Timing belt or chain in a 2023 Audi A3 2.0?
Timing belt or chain in a 2023 Audi A3 2.0-litre petrol?
Jeremy Smith (Oklahoma )May 2025 Filed under: timing belt or chain
Expert answer
Hi Jeremy,
That engine has a timing belt.
Which side does the MG HS PHEV cable plug into?
Which side does the MG HS PHEV cable plug into? I assume the gasoline filler is on the opposite side?
Tad (Murcia International)May 2025 Filed under: hybrid
Expert answer
Hi Tad,
The cable plugs into the left-hand side of the 2025 HS PHEV above the rear wheel (the passenger side of the car in Ireland) and yes, the petrol filler is on the opposite side. The flaps covering them look identical.
Can the fuel I put in affect my car's emissions?
I accidentally put E05 petrol in the car immediately prior to its NCT test last week. About 11 litres was put in with the remaining seven litres of E10 left in the tank. The CO emissions were off the charts (1.41 instead of 0.11 in March). I was wondering if, given that E05 is more like 97 octane, would it be the reason for the high numbers? If I had known that E05 was like 97 octane I would not have got it as it was not an emergency.
Regards
Joe Ball (Murcia International)May 2025 Filed under: NCT
Expert answer
Hi Joe,
There's no easy answer to this as every car has a different set of sensors and calibration. In short, the level of ethanol in the fuel can certainly affect a car's emissions, but we're surprised by the jump in the level recorded and don't think that alone would account for it unless something very odd is going on with the engine control unit.
Should I change my BMW 520d?
There is only 33,250km on the clock; am I mad to be thinking of changing the car? I have been driving BMW 520ds for years and I am not very happy going back to petrol. I love the diesel as I have my own tank in the yard and never have to worry about getting fuel when I go on holidays down to Cork or Kerry.
Michael Smyth (TINLOUGH Carrig Birr Offaly )May 2025 Filed under: petrol vs. diesel
Expert answer
Hi Michael,
If the car suits you now then there's no reason to change it. Sounds like it's barely broken in. Saying that, low mileage at low speeds does not suit diesel engines and their exhaust systems so make sure you take it for a good spin at higher engine speeds regularly to keep it in good condition.
The latest petrol engines are quite efficient, though, so you should go test one out to see what you think of it.
Will I swap my Velar for a Nissan Qashqai?
I am currently driving a 2021 Range Rover Velar PHEV, which I bought new. It has only covered 8,500 miles to date. It's in perfect condition. Silver metallic paintwork, with black top and it also has a full fixed-glass roof with automatic blind.
I was thinking of changing for a Nissan Qashqai e-Power hybrid, or a Mazda MX-30 with the petrol engine to charge the battery. This seems to be a big improvement on the original launch model which had a very limited range.
I may be moving to an apartment which does not have a car-charging facility, and I am not quite ready to go fully electric yet.
I have a buyer interested in my Velar and I was wondering what value you would put on it, if I was to sell privately, and purchase the new car in a straight deal?
Patrick Devery (Blackrock, Dublin)May 2025 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Patrick,
First up, if you're not going to be able to charge a car up at home, we'd recommend you do not buy the MX-30. Yes, it's much improved with the 'range-extender' engine on board, but it's still a car designed to be plugged in and charged up. Without that, it would be a very frustrating petrol car with a tiny fuel tank. Read our review of the MX-30 R-EV here if you're still interested.
We're big fans of the Qashqai e-Power. It feels very like an EV at times to drive, giving you a flavour for that, yet you don't plug it in to charge it up. Go take a test drive for yourself to see if you agree with us. And read our detailed reviews of the Qashqai e-Power here. https://www.completecar.ie/car/search/car-reviews/Nissan/Qashqai
There are 2021 examples of the plug-in hybrid Velar in the classifieds varying from about €49,000 to as high as €75,000, though none are as low-mileage as your car, so that will help get a strong price for sure. That €75,000 example is an anomaly though so bank on somewhere slightly north of €50,000.
Do all Peugeot PureTech engines have wet-belt issues?
I want to know about the timing belt issues in Peugeot's 1.2-litre PureTech petrol engine. Do all cars have the same issues?
Ann (Ireland )May 2025 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Ann,
The issue with early PureTech petrol engines is well documented. They use what's called a “wet belt”, which means the timing belt actually runs in oil. Most timing belts do not. Unfortunately, many of these engines have reportedly suffered from premature timing belt degradation. This can lead to lots of other engine issues caused by the presence of bits of the timing belt in the oil system. This did not affect every example of the engine, though.
In an attempt to fix the issue, there was a change to the material used in the timing belt from about 2021.
Aside from that, using the correct oil at service time is key, and perhaps shortening the time between oil services is to be advised. Likewise, we'd urge owners to change the timing belt a little earlier than the official interval.
Is it worth buying this 2007 Audi?
Is it worth buying a 2007 Audi A4 Sport 1.6 petrol for €3,200 with 113,360 miles on the clock?
Adam Humphreys (Ireland )Apr 2025 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Adam,
That doesn't seem like very high mileage for the year, so maybe get a history check on the car to look into that, and ask for as detailed a service history as possible as well.
Our top tip for buying used cars is to test drive as many examples of the car from other sellers as possible so you get a feel for which is a good one.
As with any used car, check it drives well, there are no warning lights on when it is up and running and try to get a look underneath to make sure there's nothing drastically wrong.
Ideally a mechanic you trust would take a look at it for you, but I guess you can't expect perfection from a 2007 car.
The price sounds ok rather than amazing, but if the condition and history are good then it's probably worth it.
When does the Citroen C3 Aircross arrive in Ireland?
When will the new Citroen C3 Aircross be available in Ireland? Will it be available in a manual petrol version?
Thanks
Margaret Mcshane (Ireland )Apr 2025 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Margaret,
The first examples of the C3 Aircross will arrive in the third quarter of the year according to Citroen Ireland. And yes, the 100hp petrol model will be available with a manual gearbox.