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Hi F D,

There is a very, very slight difference. The A3 1.4 TFSI 125hp accelerates from 0-100km/h in 9.4 seconds, while the 1.2 TFSI 110hp does the same job in 9.9 seconds. Half a second is a lifetime in F1, but if you can actually tell the difference in the road then I'd suggest you change your name to Raikkonen and give Ferrari a ring...

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Hi Pat,

The RX 400h has CO₂ emissions of 192g/km so that puts it in Band F, which means annual road tax of €1,200. You might be better off trying to get a current-shape RX 450h, which is in Band B2 in front-wheel drive form. 

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Hi Ann,

It's not always possible to know exactly based on what you've just told me, I'm afraid, so you should check with Revenue. The value of the car it works with is not what you paid for it, but what it determines to be the Open Market Selling Price (OMSP) - and it will take into account optional extras fitted to the vehicle.

Nonetheless, assuming that the OMSP is £8,500, that equates to about €12,000 at today's exchange rates (13 March, 2015). A CO₂ figure of 154g/km puts it in Band C, which is 20 per cent VRT, or €2,400.

Further reading:

Our guide to importing cars from the UK

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Hi John,

There are two schools of, quite influential, official thought on this. If you consult reliability expert JD Power, which conducts an annual vehicle reliability and customer satisfaction survey, the 206 is pretty dreadful. JD Power rates its reliability as below average, with poor interior quality, and it regularly finishes in the bottom ten of vehicles surveyed.

Over at Warranty Direct though, which independently insures vehicles against mechanical failure as part of its aftermarket warranty products, the picture is a little rosier. WD rates the 206's reliability as good, and certainly ahead of most of its French rivals. Problems tend to stem from the electrical system, and most of the time they're pretty cheap to fix.

To be honest though, in general, if you're looking at an older French car, you're looking at trouble.

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Hi Bernard,

An individual injector is going to cost in and around the €170 mark, depending on where you source it from. After that, it’s down to the garage you bring it to and what kind of labour rates they charge.

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Hi Chris,

The thing to bear in mind here is that the engine rarely has to directly power the wheels; most of the time it operates (at set optimum speeds) to turn the generator and charge the battery pack. Other than that, when it does power the front wheels it's at specific speeds in particular conditions, for which we assume it has been calibrated. The addition of a CVT may well enhance the situation, but it would add another chunk of weight to an already heavy vehicle.

Electric motors don't need a continuously varying gear ratio to operate efficiently.

You can read our drive of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV here

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Hi Kellie.

Generally speaking, they should be OK. All the mechanical bits are old, proven Renault and Nissan parts, and thanks to the fact that Logans are pretty well shorn of equipment, there's not that much that can go wrong. Dacias also come with an optional five-year warranty, which should put your mind at rest.

However, it's worth pointing out that the Logan estate we tested recently had a wonky driver's door, putting some doubt over the quality of the assembly and the German TUV (the national safety and quality testing organisation) rates the Logan as having a 13 per cent fault rate. Now, that figure is only a guideline and it does encompass the old Logan (the one that was never sold here) as well, but just for comparisons, the TUV rates a Ford Fiesta at a 4.8 per cent fault rate.

In other words, they're probably fine, but try and make sure you buy one with lots of warranty left, just in case.

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Hi Michael,

As long as the repair is carried out by an accredited main dealer, and you keep all the receipts, any effect on the value of the car should be negligible. A few photos (before and after) and perhaps a letter from the garage itemising all of the work done and parts replaced probably wouldn't do any harm either. As with any car, the more paperwork you can show a potential buyer that demonstrates you've been taking care of the car, the better.

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Hi Martin,

We asked Audi Ireland about this one. Here's the answer:

"The standard screen for the MMI system is automatically retractable. It electrically pops up upon engine start and reclines upon engine cut.

It only operates for satnav if that is fitted to the car. If the screen does not automatically retract then the Audi owner should get his car checked by an authorised Audi service centre.

There is a button that you can click to retract the screen, but this is only once the car has started. It should automatically come up next time the car starts regardless."

Sounds like you need to bring the car into Audi I'm afraid. Let us know how you get on.

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Hi Sue,

There's only one serious recurring problem and it's an issue with the diesel injectors that can be very expensive to fix. If the car is reluctant to start or accelerates sluggishly, leave it and walk away. Otherwise, you just have to make sure that it has a full Volvo service history - the XC90 is quite a complex vehicle and needs to be properly cared for, so if any servicing has been skipped, it's starting on the road to trouble. Likewise, have a careful check for ill-fitting body or interior panels. Everything should be straight and true (XC90s are high in quality) and if it isn't then you need to suspect accident or off-roading damage.