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Hi Rosemary,

According to the official figure, you should be getting 33mpg. Bear in mind though that this is almost a ten-year old car, so its performance in terms of fuel economy may have tailed off. Nothing a good service and oil change wouldn't fix though, along with some decent new tyres.

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Hi Martin,

Ah, a split answer this one: Honda replaced the Civic in 2006 with a new model, so I don't know precisely to which one you're referring. If it's the older model, there are almost no major problems. As long as the car has been serviced on schedule (and preferably by a Honda main dealer or independent Honda expert) you should have no troubles at all.

If it's the newer, space-age-looking Civic you're talking about then there are a few minor niggles to check for. The dashboards can get a touch squeaky and rattly, the fuel filler cap can stick shut and the wraparound front lights can get condensation or water building up in them.

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Hi Philip,

Dialling 999 will still work, and will put you in touch with the local emergency services line.

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Hi Joe,

Not half so bad as their reputation would have you believe. Keep a close eye on the gearbox (mostly fine but occasionally prone to being fragile) and carefully check to make sure that everything electric works as it should. Any doubts in that area and walk away - even minor electrical glitches can be wearingly expensive to fix. Engines, especially the BMW-sourced 3.0-litre straight-six diesel, are usually fine, as is Land Rover's own 3.6-litre V8 diesel, but make utterly sure that the car has a full and comprehensive service and maintenance history. Anything less than a full set of stamps should trigger a walk-away.

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Hi Joe,

Land Rover's reliability has been improving out of all recognition lately, and the RR Sport is based on the third generation Discovery, which is a generally reliable vehicle, so that's good news. Watch for issues with the gearbox and anything that has an electric wire attached to the back of it. Check all buttons and switches work properly and that the car has a full and complete service history. Make sure the air suspension raises and lowers as it should too - leaking units can be expensive to rectify.

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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.

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Hi Michael,

Should be fine, but just check all the electrics and buttons on the inside, as one of the few weak areas on the Vitara is in its wiring. Also make sure that a recall to have the front suspension attended to has been done, and check the service book - Vitaras have rather short 10,000km service intervals so one or two may have been skipped. Other than that, it should be a good 'un.

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Hi John,

Great car, the Mazda6, and lovely to drive. Two things though: you may well find that 2.0-litre petrol to be both a touch thirsty and, consequently, very hard to move on again come resale time. And at that mileage it's imperative to make sure that the car has a full service history and that major maintenance work such as timing belt replacements and oil changes have been done.

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Hi Miriam,

It's rather hard to tell at this distance but a pretty safe rule of thumb is that, once you assume decent condition and service history, an average family car will lose between 50 and 60 per cent of its new value over the first three years.