Expert answer

Hi Tanya,

OK, prices for a 2007 Kia Sorento range from as little as €6,000 for a commercial model to as much as €15,000, which seems a bit hopeful to me. Let's play reasonably safe and suggest that you should get about €9,000 to €10,000 on trade-in. 

Now, the 5 Series. The E60 5 Series that ran from 2002 to 2010 is one of our all time favourite cars and the 535d is one of the very best. Powerful, smooth, reasonably economical and able to spin the rear wheels in third gear. Ahem.

It's worth considering other models though. The 535d is a twin-turbo version of the same 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine that you'll find, in single turbo form, in the 530d. You won't save any money in terms of tax (it's the same capacity), but the 530d will be better on fuel and cheaper to insure. If you really want to save some money, look for the ever-popular 520d, which is almost ridiculously cheap to run and far more powerful than you might expect. 

As for things to look for, the suspension is the 5's weak point so if there are any nasty clonking noises or if the car feels unstable on the road, or the steering feels inaccurate, walk away. The iDrive infotainment system has also been known to give bother so check and make sure that it is working and, as with any prestige car, make sure it has a full service history.

With a car like this, I'd never advise buying privately or from an unfranchised dealer. SIMI membership should be at least the bottom line and you'll get a better deal from a BMW main dealer than you might expect, especially if the car is part of their approved used programme. 

A 2005 530d or 535d seems to hover around a similar asking price to your Kia so you'll just have to negotiate carefully to get the best price.

Let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Jonathan,

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.

Expert answer

Hi Paul,

OK, the good news: the SLK 230K (built from 1996 to 2004) is from an era when Mercedes engineers built the car the best they could, and then the accountants had to go away and figure out how much to sell it for. That changed later with disastrous consequences for Mercedes' reliability reputation, but the good news, as I say, is that the original SLK was built tough. There are few regularly reported issues, so the thing to check for here is maintenance. If the car has been obviously cared for properly, has a full set of service stamps, receipts and previous NCTs then you're probably on to a good one.

That regular servicing is vital to keep the supercharged engine in good shape (the supercharger itself needs a regular top up with high quality oil) and it's a good idea to very carefully check the operation of the folding steel roof. Any hesitation, vibration or grinding noises are bad signs. Check also for condensation or water in the lights front and rear, and check the interior for any obvious signs of excess wear and tear.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Jason,

Depends what you mean by 'best' really. I'm going to assume, though, that what you mean is the best all-round; something that's fun to drive and good to look at, but also spacious, reliable and practical with an eye on fuel economy, right?

In that case, and at that budget, you're looking at three main cars: Honda Civic, Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. All three are reliable and well made (the Civic the best in that sense), all three are good to drive (the Focus is the best to drive) and all three are economical (few cars are as good, real-world, on fuel as a diesel-engined Golf). Shop around, because there are loads of each one out there and your €6,000 will go a long way. Insist on a full service history and make sure you do a background check on the car if you're buying privately (we recommend Cartell.ie). Beware of silly boy-racer mods (especially on the Golf, but the other two are prone to such things too) and try to find something that hasn't been used and abused by a legion of crisp-munching kids.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Nicola,

It depends on the year, but judging by the price tag, you're not looking at the newer end of the scale, so I'd say that starts to look like a good price for that mileage. 

As for reliability, you shouldn't have any problems. Micras are tough as old boots. Just make sure there's some history with the car and that it's been regularly serviced.

Expert answer

Hi Niamh,

You shouldn't have a major problem as long as you look after the car and keep the service history up to scratch. Opels are perennially popular second hand buys, so while the badge means you won't get the value retention of, say a BMW or an Audi, there should always be a reasonably willing audience out there for one.

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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.

Expert answer

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.