What roomy, economical car can I get for €5,500?
I have about €5,500 to spend on a secondhand car. I would like something roomy but economical - 1.6-litre max. What do you recommend?
Noel Grier (Dublin)Apr 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Noel,
A few of suggestions here.
€5,500 gets you into a nice 2005 Audi A3 1.6 petrol Attraction three-door, from a dealer. Albeit it does have quite high mileage. Not necessarily a problem, but you would want to check and make sure all the paperwork is in order and the service record is complete.
Or, you could be really daring and go for a 2007 Daihatsu Copen two-seat cabriolet, with its zany combination of turbocharged 700cc motor and folding steel roof. Oddball but oddly appealing and we found one for €5,750 with 31,000 miles (about 50,000 kilometres) and a six-month warranty.
Going down the much more sensible route, how about a Fiat Panda 1.1 Eco? €5,950 (and you could probably argue that down a little), still fun to drive but very practical and more reliable than the reputation would have you believe.
Finally, and this is possibly the most sensible solution, a Honda Jazz 1.2 Sport, from a main Honda dealer, for €5,490. Spacious, comfy and as reliable as it's possible for a car to be.
If none of those work for you come back to us and we'll have another think.
How to change my Octavia's oil filter?
I was going to give my car a service, but before I start, I was wondering is the oil filter hard to gain access to, as there are two pipes running above it; it's a 2011 Skoda Octavia 1.6 TDI.
Any advice would be great
Thanks
Kevin O Donovan (Dublin)Apr 2013 Filed under: servicing
Expert answer
Hi Kevin,
The first piece of advice we'd give is that, if you're not experienced in changing many different types of oil filters, don't do it. There are several things that could go wrong and cause engine damage.
Many oil filters are best accessed from under the car. Be prepared for oil dripping down from it once you loosen it, even if you have already drained the engine oil...
Can you help me to find a cheap to tax car for under €7,000?
What would be the best car to go for within a price range of €6,000 - €7,000 with a low tax rate?
Sandra Doran (Dublin)Mar 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Sandra,
Bit of a tricky one this as you haven't specified what kind of car you're talking about, but the fact that you want low emissions (which would suggest a post-2008 car to keep the road tax low) and want to keep the budget below €7,000 means things are a bit limited. So how about a Peugeot 207 1.4 HDi diesel hatchback for €6,950? That price includes a three-month warranty and the example I found has a full service history.
Come back to us with more information if you'd like us to narrow your search.
Audi A5 or BMW 3 Series Coupe?
Hello,
I am looking at buying a used car at the moment. Trying to decide between an Audi A5 and BMW 3 Series Coupe. The 2.0-litre diesels look like the sensible option. I would like low mileage, but don't want anything newer than 2008 really. I would get M Sport if I end up going for BMW, but S line not so important for the A5. Max budget is €25k.
I'm interested in your general opinion of both cars. Would you have a preference? Is there anything in particular that I need to watch out for? Better engine options keeping in mind the tax, resale etc? I only do about 10k miles per year...
Thanks in advance, John
John O'Connor (Celbridge)Mar 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi John,
At 10k miles a year, to be honest, you’d be better off going for a petrol model as you’re just not going to get the fuel savings out of a diesel to justify the extra cost, plus you might be running into issues with exhaust filters. Of the two cars, the BMW is without question the nicer to drive, and it has a fractionally more spacious interior than that of the Audi. The Audi is seriously well-made though, so from a reliability point of view, we’d probably give that one the nod. Just make sure you buy one with a full, preferably main dealer, service history.
Talk me through the Passat trim lines...
What is the difference between the VW Passat Comfortline/Trendline etc? The one that I am currently considering is a Volkswagen Passat 1.6 FSI four-door B6 115hp. Also are Audi/BMW generally expensive to service and maintain in comparison to a VW?
Bryan Molloy (Dublin )Mar 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Bryan,
Trendline is a the most basic VW trim level, so it’ll be pretty bare inside, and lacking for ‘toys.’ Comfortline is a step up, and on a model of that age should include such things as climate control and cruise control, amongst other niceties.
Beware though — that 1.6 FSI engine was not the most reliable thing that VW ever made, so make sure it comes with a full and complete service history. As for servicing, generally a VW will indeed be more affordable to service than one of the premium brands, but if you’re interested in buying a BMW or Audi then you can bring your servicing costs down a lot by going for a good independent specialist rather than a main dealer.
Audi Q7, BMW X5 or Toyota Land Cruiser?
Hi,
We are looking at buying a 2007 Audi Q7, BMW X5 or Toyota Land Cruiser with around 60,000/70,000 miles on the clock. We need four-wheel drive and seven seats. Are there any reliability issues with these SUVs? What would you recommend?
Any advice would be great.
Thanks
S Walsh (Waterford)Mar 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Siobhan,
The Audi should be pretty solid, but make sure you buy with a full service history. Ditto the BMW, but they do occasionally have turbo issues, so watch for that. The Land Cruiser is basically indestructible, and if it’s reliability you’re looking for is definitely the best of the three.
Value of a 2002 Honda Civic Saloon?
What is the value of a 2002 Honda Civic Saloon 1.4, 74,000 miles and NCT for nine months?
Sunny Varg (Dublin)Mar 2013 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Sunny,
It will depend on the condition and service history, but probably around €1,200.
How best to put my Avensis through NCT?
I had my car serviced in November with four new tyres and is now due for NCT in April, it is a 1999 Toyota Avensis. Should I just do the test and fix anything that fails if it fails? Car is serviced every year.
Ronan Ballantine (Sligo)Mar 2013 Filed under: NCT
Expert answer
Hi Ronan,
Generally speaking, it’s best to get the car serviced beforehand, and let the garage know that it’s going in for its NCT. That way you’re dealing with all issues that are there, not just what the NCT picks up on. That said, with it being a Toyota, and you having serviced it every year already, you shouldn’t have any major issues I suspect.
Read our Eight top tips on how to prepare your car for its NCT feature
Market value of 1998 Toyota Corolla?
What is the current market value of a 1998 Toyota Corolla for insurance purposes?
Sandra Bickerdyke (Millstreet)Mar 2013 Filed under: used car values
Expert answer
Hi Sandra,
Should I go for a Skoda to replace my Golf?
I currently drive a 2009 Volkswagen Golf and am looking for something a bit bigger. I'm six-foot five and my problem is that, with the driver's seat in the correct position for me, you cannot fit our rear facing baby seat, or the first forward facing seat behind me. The only option is to place them on the passenger side, which leaves my older daughter sitting behind me, with her knees in my back, resulting in pins and needles for her and and an uncomfortable drive for me. The other issue is that the frame of the buggy takes up all the boot space, leaving no space for the weekly shop, or for luggage etc. I know the Skoda Superb has miles of leg room, and boot space but are there any other cars I should be looking at? I have always driven diesel and would prefer to stick with it, so I think 2009 would be best in terms of tax and getting two years before the next NCT. A lot of the Skodas on Carzone.ie seem to have huge mileage; what would you consider excessive for a 2009 car?
John Maher (Ennis)Mar 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi John,
The Skoda Superb or Octavia would have been our first suggestions. The Octavia hasn't quite as much rear legroom as the Superb, but it's still better than the Golf's - and the boot is huge. High mileages on diesel Skodas are nothing to worry about so long as it has a proper service history and is in good order. Taxi drivers regularly do hundreds of thousands of kilometres. Avoid high mileage DSG automatic gearboxes, but otherwise they are really robust. So long as the history and price are good I'd not worry about buying one with over 150,000 kilometres on the clock.
One last thing to consider: if you do less than 20,000 kilometres a year a petrol car may suit you better. They're generally cheaper to buy and better suited to low mileage use. They're also quieter!
Hope that helps, but do come back to us if you need more assistance and have a budget in mind so we can narrow down the search for you.