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Hi Sarah,

It's a little bit high, but it's all down to the service history and the overall condition of the car. If it comes with a thick wad of receipts and a service book full of stamps that show it's been looked after properly, and if its overall condition shows that it's been cared for, then it should be good for plenty of miles yet. If it looks and feels shabby though, and if any of the services have been skimped or skipped, walk away.

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Hi Michael,

Very, but listen carefully for any worrying knocks or clonks coming from the steering or suspension and insist on a full service history.

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Hi Enda,

I'd tread carefully here. If you don't like the semi-auto box on the Citroen then just let it go - it's not going to get any better and it'll bug you for the rest of your time with the car. 

As for the Renault, I'm just not confident predicting reliability. Generally, Renaults are now a lot better built than they used to be, but long-term they can still be a bit shaky. Also, the reason it's a high-spec 2010 model for such a small price is because Renaults depreciate faster than snow in summer. 

So, I think you might need to shop around a bit and buy something on the basis of reliability and condition rather than year. Have a look at the likes of a Ford S-Max, Toyota Verso, Volkswagen Touran or, if six seats rather than seven will do the trick, a Honda FR-V. You might need to go back to a 2008 or 2009 model to get one within budget, but buy with a full service history and keep the maintenance up and any of those should give you long and hopefully reliable service.

Last, but not least, Shane, our Editor, is in the same position as you right now and he has homed in on the Mazda5, which has an exceptional reliability record.

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Hi Pearse,

I wouldn't be too worried. You have a couple of things in your favour, first and foremost of which is that the Auris is about as solid and dependable as cars get, so even if it has been thrashed a bit, it can take it. Secondly, it's a long way from being the favoured car of boy racers, and a 2007 version would in any case probably be too expensive a car for the sort of person who adds a three-foot rear wing and goes doing handbrake turns in McDonald's car park at night. Basically, go with your gut. If the car seems to have been cared for, comes with a full service history and the dealer is willing to give you a decent warranty (one year at least) then it should be fine.

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Hi Peter,

It depends on the year and service history to be honest but it sounds ok from here. Make sure you know the ins and outs of importing the car though. Has the seller paid the VRT yet? Has it been properly re-registered? Worth doing a thorough history and background check too, on any car, with Cartell.ie, but especially a UK import.

Read our guide to importing a car from the UK here

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Hi Maureen,

I think you might need to bring it in to your local dealer to have it looked at. When was the car last serviced?

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Hi Zubair,

Nope, not at all. In fact for a car of that age that's pretty much average mileage. The trick is to make sure it's been looked after. A fully-stamped service book and a thick sheaf of receipts showing that it's been properly cared for should mean it's fine. 

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Hi Michael,

I'd say, as a trade-in, you'll make somewhere in the high-thirties, probably €36 to €37k.

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Hi Nick,

It is a good buy as long as you're not planning to do big miles in it - it's a good bit less economical than the diesel you see, so regular long journeys aren't a great idea. The old Sportage is a good thing though - simpler and more rugged than the current version, and very practical. With four-wheel drive it has decebt off-road ability too, if that's any use to you. No major reported problems or unreliability black spots - just make sure it has a full service history.

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Hi Christian,

I'd say you should get in and around the €27,000 mark for it.