Expert answer

Hi Philip,

In very simple terms, the jack must be able to take at least half the car's weight. Actually, to be safe, you'd have to say a little more than half, just in case there is any variance between passenger and driver side. Every car has its own weight distribution and centre of gravity, but for the purposes of this, imagine a car with its weight perfectly distributed. Position the jack in the middle of the side of the car and jack it up. When viewed from the front or back, the centre of gravity moves to the side of the car not being jacked up, so as the car goes up, the jack is actually under less strain than when it started.

With all of these things, we would recommend building in a safety factor, of course, and use a fixed stand to hold the car up before you go underneath it.

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Hi Andy,

While I don’t think a diesel car is going to be worthless by the time you trade it in, it might well be worth less, if you see the distinction. That said, with your mileage, I’d say you should be looking at petrol or hybrid all the way. A 2.0 TFSI A6 Avant sounds ideal if you can find one and assuming that you’re already happy that all three kids can fit safely and comfortably in the back. A BMW 520i Touring would be the most obvious alternative (and a darned fine one at that) and a Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate even better again (assuming you can find one with a petrol engine) and you can find them with seven seats. Volvo’s old-shape V70 is also worth a look, not least from the safety point of view. That said, make absolutely sure you check out a current-shape Skoda Superb Combi estate too — they’re actually roomier inside than any of the premium-badge stuff, and very comfortable too.

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Hi Deborah,

That sounds to us like one of the safety systems, such as lane-keeping assistance, giving a momentary warning. It probably does show something on the dashboard, but only for a very short amount of time. It's very difficult to assess such a thing from afar, so it's probably best to see if you can replicate conditions that make it happen and then report back to us, or get a good mechanic along to have a look.

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Hi Sean,

I agree to a certain extent with this, but not completely. Rear-wheel-drive cars with their engines up front (as with your Mercedes) really struggle with traction in icy conditions, but front-wheel-drive cars are no better when it comes to braking and turning in the same conditions so if such a law was to be brought it, it really should apply to all cars, as winter tyres provide much more grip whether you're accelerating, braking or turning.

However, despite the crazy week we've had here in Ireland with snow and ice, long term weather stats clearly show that we don't get enough cold weather in most parts of Ireland (i.e. the temperature below seven degrees C) to warrant forcing everyone to change to winter tyres. Above seven degrees C, winter tyres are not as good as all-weather/summer tyres and they wear much quicker.

The Irish motorist already feels hard done by in terms of taxation and running costs so I don't think any government would bring this in here, but to be honest, I don't think they should, either. It really should be up to the individual. And that's coming from someone that has expereinced how brilliant winter tyres can be. Other opinions area available...

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Hi Justin,

If reliability is a key factor, then leave out the Land Rover. We love the Discovery to bits, but they just have a poor reputation for reliability. Of the other two, the Audi would likely be the most reliable overall, but we have a big soft spot for the XC90, which isn’t far behind on reliability and has the edge when it comes to safety, plus there’s a little more room in the third-row seats. Make sure it comes with a full service history, and if it’s a four-wheel-drive model, get it checked to make sure that the clutch that controls the system hasn’t burned out.

Expert answer

Hi Sharon,

If it’s safety and reliability you’re looking for, choose from either the Yaris or the Fabia. They’re the safest bets in the car market in general, and certainly the strongest cars of the ones you’ve suggested. The Yaris, with its insurance-friendly 1.0-litre engine, is probably the best overall. Here are our reviews of each:

Skoda Fabia review

Toyota Yaris review

Hyundai i20 review

Suzuki Swift review

Opel Corsa review

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Hi Debbie,

The EcoSport got four stars out of five on the Euro NCAP tests, with a 93 per cent adult protection score, 77 per cent child, 58 per cent pedestrian and 55 per cent safety assist. That makes it safe in an accident, but lacking a bit in standard active safety equipment.  

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Hi Colin,

Yup, first world problem right enough, and actually not a new phenomenon at all. The old left-hand-drive-right-hand-drive swapover has been done better and worse by various car makers down the years, and it varies hugely from model to model. Anyone who’s driven a Mazda RX-8, and found the handbrake digging into their left thigh, for example, will have no doubts that even the Japanese, in spite of their right-hand-drive home market, often design cars for left-hand drive and then switch things around on the cheap.

Generally speaking, there should be no safety issues from the switch (wipers, as you point out, should really be swapped across and I can’t think of a model in recent years that hasn’t had that) although there was the old issue with the second generation Renault Megane that used a rod to switch the brakes across and which could still be activated by a passenger poking their shoes into the footwell…

As you point out, some buttons, switches, etc are often left the same and it’s all down to the investment needed to swap them around and the likely return on sales from right-hand-drive markets. Car makers do the maths very carefully, and while you’re right that it might only be €100 a car, that’s a multi-million up front investment, and one with no guaranteed return.

Incidentally, if you think it’s bad now, wait until after Brexit — if the UK car market slips, then the business case for right-hand-drive cars will fall further still.

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Hi Pamela,

Yes, this seems to be a very silly oversight by Revenue (possibly they’re a bit petrol-blind because of the preponderance of diesel imports). The VRT on an equivalent 2.0 TDI Alhambra would be in the region of €6,700, so given the 1.4 TSI’s higher CO₂ rating, we’d put around another €1,000 on that for safety’s sake and that should put you in roughly the right ballpark.

Beware though — even once you bring it in for an inspection, you might get some odd valuation simply because there are few, if any, 1.4 Alhambras already in Ireland for them to base a valuation on. It might be a good idea to approach some SEAT dealers and ask them to give you a rough valuation of the car so as you can back yourself up if you have to query Revenue’s OMSP prediction.

Expert answer

Hi Leanne,

The set interval is every 160,000km or 10 years, but we would recommend getting the belt changed sooner than that — say at around 80,000km, just for safety’s sake. It’s a small extra expense to save a potentially catastrophic engine failure. Also, on that engine, beware of the oil pump leaking on the cam-belt and causing it to slip.