How much is my Renault Grand Scenic worth?
How much is my 2007 1.6 petrol 7 seater Renault Grand Scenic "Dynamique Luxe" worth ?, mileage is 65,000 km or 40,625 miles, NCT until May 2013, full service history. Does the extra features in the "Luxe" model make any difference - the main differences are climate contol, hands free locking system, and double sunroof.
Donal Murphy (Cork)Oct 2011 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Donal,
The specification will help, but when you are trading it dealers tend not to pay too much attention to extras on the car, but in this case the climate control and double sunroof are a decent selling point. If you were to trade it in against a new car I would expect you to be offered around €9,000 for it and you could ask perhaps €10,500 if you were to advertise it privately, obviously to take less.
What mileage does the BMW 316i SE do?
Hi,
I am considering buying a 2008 BMW 316i se petrol. Any idea roughly what the mpg of this car might be (the dealer told me 49mpg)? I've trawled the net with not much luck. I do approx 13.5k miles per year, would I be better off with a diesel? Your advice is appreciated.
Thanks Gavin (Tipperary)
Gavin O Connor (Roscrea)Oct 2011 Filed under: running costs
Expert answer
Hi Gavin,
49mpg would be pretty ambitious and far fetched in a 316i. The official figure was 38mpg for the 316i and to get that you would be doing well. About 34-35mpg would be about right. A diesel will do better mileage, but if you want a 3 Series you will pay more for it and probably not make up the difference. The only thing I would say is that the 316i is not very fast and this can become bothersome on high mileage My advice? Consider a BMW 1 Series with a decent diesel engine instead.
Would a petrol Mazda6 be a good buy?
Hi,
Due to an economical write-off I'm being forced into a car change. Moving from a solid 1.8 Opel Vectra Comfort (Petrol)2003. My budget is €10k plus pre-accident value, approx €2.5 - 3K. Took a Mazda6 2.0 Diesel Exec. 2008 for a test drive and really like it. The mileage is high and I've been reading of a lot of problems with the engine in general. Not doing a lot of mileage these days so would consider a Petrol. Given the low value of Petrol cars at the moment and the problems with Diesel version, would a Mazda6 1.8 Petrol be a good buy?
Dee Kennedy (Cork)Oct 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Dee,
We have seen a lot written abotu problems with the diesel Mazda6 and some of it founded and some of it is plain fiction. What we would say is that like most modern diesel cars, when the mileage is high the cost of changing something called the Diesel Particulate Filter can be quite high and this is what is being reported quite a lot about the Mazda6. We get asked a lot about going back to petrol cars. We love petrol cars here and the simple fact is that if your mileage is pretty low it won't cost you all that much more to run it and there are massive savings to be made. These days, don't expect it to be worth much in a few years though, because most people are turning their back on larger petrol cars for good. But if you intended to get proper use out of it then it could be a super buy.
How much is my 2010 Toyota Avensis auto worth?
Hi guys,
I have a 2010 Toyota Avensis 1.8-litre petrol automatic with 34,000 kilometres on the clock for sale; how much should I be asking for it?
John Carey (Clogheen)Sep 2011 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi John,
You should ask for €26,000 and be prepared to drop down to about €24,500.
I hope this helps.
Is a Toyota Avensis a good buy?
Hello Paddy,
Great site. I'm looking at a 1.6 2008 Avensis Aura.Very low mileage. is it reliable and economical? I do approx 12000km per year.
Jose O Connell (Mayo)Sep 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hello Jose,
The Toyota Avensis has been a top seller in Ireland for years because it has always proven to be reliable and good value to run, so you are safe enough to assume that this 2008 model would be the same. Obviously as is the case with any use car purchase we would recommend that you buy from a SIMI-registered dealer or even better, to do a Cartell.ie check on the car's history as this can add peace of mind. Given that you do 12,000km a year, which is well below the average, then the petrol model should be fine for you, as a diesel model would most likely cost you a lot more to buy in the first place. Here is an example of a really good one with low mileage. You would pay around €2,000 more for a diesel and you might not get it back over the course of your time with it.
I hope this helps!
Will I buy a Volkswagen Passat instead of a Golf?
Hi Paddy,
Thanks for the answer above (Which VW will i buy? 06/09) but i have another question: looking around i've realised that i can get a 2011 1.4 Petrol Passat Comfortline for the price i'd be paying for a 2012 1.2 Golf Highline. As the family is growing should i consider this?
I really like the Passat and the 1.4 Petrol would be ideal for me as although i drive every day, it's all city driving with only the occasional long trip outside Dublin. Anyone i say this too thinks i'm mad buying petrol as when i come to trade the car in up the line, no one will want a petrol car? I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks.
Brendan Cullen (Dublin)Sep 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
The arguement for petrol is growing Brendan. While everyone is fixated on diesel the petrol engines are getting cleaner and will come back into fashion. When it comes to fuel economy the gap between petrol and diesel is getting closer and in a lot of cases there is little difference between the road tax.
The 1.4-litre petrol engine in the Passat is more than good enough. So if you want a Passat then you could go for it. There could and perhaps will be less value in the petrol model later on, but if you keep it long enough suddenly this won't become that much of an issue and since you go low mileage then you could keep it for 5 or more years.
How much is my 2005 Ford Focus worth?
How much is my 2005 Ford Focus LX 1.4 petrol with 70,000 miles on the clock worth?
Thanks
Wayne Rowan (Athy)Sep 2011 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Wayne,
You would probably get offered around €3,800 from a main dealer for your car and you could expect to sell it privately for around €4,300, so you should advertise for around €4,600. Remember if you are trading in then concentrate on the 'cost to change' rather than the value of your car.
I hope this helps?
What car to replace my reliable Volvo?
Hi folks,
I drive 500 miles a week at my own expense to and from work on the N24 - one of the worst national routes in the country. My 2001 Volvo S60 2 litre Turbo (Petrol) has been mostly a great servant and now has almost 240,000 miles on the clock. The running costs have become a bit tasty in recent times. I have a budget of around €15,000 to replace it with a second hand motor. I'll consider most any marque of car. Running costs, reliability and safety are my most important considerations. Any chance of a few suggestions?
Noel Carroll (Tipperary)Sep 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Noel,
You obviously spend a lot of time in your car on a very bad road so the Volvo would probably have been ideal for you. In that case I am recommending that you get something with super comfy suspension and super comfy seats. You have probably extracted all of the value from your Volvo, so you can't really expect to be offered much more than a token gesture of up to €1,000 for that car, but I imagine that you know this.
So, with your budget of €15,000 then what should you buy? I would imagine that you keep your cars for a long time so future depreciate probably isn't a major factor for you, but you say that running costs are.
The first car I have picked is a Saab 9-5. Saab are in a little bit of trouble, but their cars are so comfortable, with great seats. This one has a diesel engine and will be cheap to run. It would be a great car to own long term and is well under your budget.
We really like the Mazda6 here at CompleteCar.ie and here is a nice one with a diesel engine and low mileage. This is a great car for mega mileage and would be super for your needs.
Another brilliant choice would be the Skoda Superb which is massive, comfy and really well built. This one has low mileage, the right engine and is great value. It is amazing value at under €13,000. I think I would buy this to be honest.
I hope this helps!
How economical is the Toyota Corolla?
What is the combined fuel economy of the Toyota Corolla?
Gerard Goggin (Waterford)Expert answer
Hi Gerard,
You didn't specify if you're interested in a new Corolla or a used one, but here are the figures for the latest model:
- Toyota Corolla 1.3 Dual VVT-i (petrol): 5.8 litres/100km (48.7mpg)
- Toyota Corolla 1.4 D-4D 90 (diesel): 4.7 litres/100km (60.1mpg)
Come back to us if this doesn't answer your query.
Which Volkswagen Golf will I buy?
Hey, i'm looking to change my car at the minute and am thinking of the VW Golf 1.2 as i like the look of it and it will be cheap to insure, tax and run but as myself and my wife have a baby on the way i'm worried this won't be big enough. I don't do enough mileage to justify the extra cost of a 1.6 diesel and would like to stick to a max of 1.4. Do you think i should go ahead and get the Golf or is there anything else i should consider? My budget is 20k but i don't want a car older that 2010.
Brendan Cullen (Dublin)Sep 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Brendan,
Having just come out of a Volkswagen Golf long-term test car I feel like I can speak with some authority on the car. For a start, it really depends on where you are driving and how far, when it comes to your engine choice.
The 1.6-litre TDi diesel is really good, but it probably isn't worth the extra cost unless you commute is quite long. Otherwise the 1.2 TSi is fine and while it isn't a rocket, it is perky enough. In terms of the the car being big enough, well yes it is. The Golf is fine for one baby and the boot is big enough to take the truly obnoxious buggy I put into it.
With your budget of €20,000, you would really have your choice of petrol or diesel models so it is really down to what you prefer. I really like this one. And although it is over your budget you would probably come in under as a cash buyer.