Expert answer

Hi Sean,

The last-generation Primera was generally speaking not as solidly built nor as reliable as earlier models, but it’s still a cut above average for its age, and should be solid enough as long as it comes with a full service history. That 1.6-litre will struggle with the weight of the car, though, so don’t expect to get much better than 35-40mpg out of it in daily driving, and check to see if it’s been used as a taxi in the past, as many were.

Expert answer

Hi Eddie,

You've not told us how old the cars are that you're looking at, nor whether they are petrol or diesel, but it's pretty much the same answer in both cases. They share the same basic six-cylinder, 3.0-litre engine, but in different states of tune. The 525 has less power and torque effectively. It usually has a different emissions rating too so come back to us with more details and we'll give you the full picture.

Note: this is not the case with the current BMW 525d and 530d. The former now uses a twin-turbocharged four-cylinder 2.0-litre engine, while the 530d sticks with the 3.0-litre unit.

Hope that helps in any case

Expert answer

Hi Martin,

The 2007 2.0-litre petrol saloon returns 35.3mpg or 8.0 litres/100km officially. The average driver won't get those figures, but they're a guide to compare with other models.

Hope that helps

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Hi George,

We spoke to Volkswagen Ireland and it confirmed that yes, it is. Prices start at €23,175 for the Golf Plus Trendline 1.2 TSI 85 and rise to €29,355 for the Life 1.6 TDI 105 DSG version.

Engines are 1.2 TSI petrol in 85- and 105hp guises or 1.6 TDI diesel in 90- and 105hp outputs. DSG automatic available with both 105hp engines. Trim levels are Trendline or Life.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Garath,

Yes, absolutely. True, diesel values are softening a little with all the adverse publicity, but the 520d is a car that’s going to retain its allure for a while yet, and in the meantime it’s frugal, refined and brilliant to drive. If you’re a low-mileage driver, it’s very definitely worth considering either a petrol 520i or a plugin-hybrid 530e, but for long-distance driving the 520d is still king.

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Hi there,

A rate of €570 per annum would put the car in Band D based on its emissions, which is 155- to 170g/km. Our initial investigations suggest that this car should have emissions of just 134g/km, which would put it in Band B2 for an annual tax bill of €280, however, that's for a newer car than you're talking about. The older one has emissions of 165g/km, which would indeed mean a €570 tax bill.

Hope that helps clear it up

Expert answer

Hi Shay,

You've not told us which engine your car has, so we're going to assume it's the 1.6-litre petrol version. The change schedule is actually 160,000km, but no harm doing it early of course. 

As to the cost, I'm afraid that will vary depending on where you bring the car to have it done. The work should take no more than three hours. The auxiliary belts should be changed at the same time, so make sure you factor that into your costing.

Expert answer

Hi Ollie,

Generally speaking, you should be OK, as that 30-min run each day should be enough to keep a DPF hot enough to clean it out, but that’s if and only if that 30 mins is all run at high-ish speeds, say above 80km/h most of the time and in a lower gear. If you’re spending a lot of time in stop-start traffic, I think a petrol option might still be the better one. Mazda’s 2.0-litre petrol engine can be a bit thirsty, but the 1.4 TSI option in the Passat and A4 is a very frugal engine, and still has peppy performance.

Expert answer

Hi Jack,

Assuming you're talking about the 1.4-litre 16v petrol model, that relay is in the fuse box under the bonnet. It should be labelled "2" and is next to fuses F10 and F15.

Expert answer

Hi Veronica,

The S40 is pretty solid, and that 1.8-litre engine is more or less unburstable, but there are common problems with the ignition and central locking systems, and on a car that old you’ll need to check for a full service history, and have a good, long inspection to look for signs of excessive wear and tear.