Expert answer

Hi Alison,

It should be pretty solid. Kia has always had a good reputation for quality and reliability, even back before the days of the seven-year warranty. We have heard of old-shape Carens having engine failure problems, but it’s a difficult issue to diagnose ahead of the fact. Just make sure it has a full (or at least close to full) service history.

Expert answer

Hi Colm,

Of the ones you’ve suggested, I’d say that the Octavia is the best bet, not least because a Mazda6 or Toyota Avenisis with a 1.8-litre engine is going to be at the very bottom of the range. Your budget should get you an Octavia with the 1.2 TSI turbo petrol engine (which is actually a better choice than a naturally aspirated 1.6 or 1.8) and probably with a 131 numberplate.

Yes, you might have to swallow a high-is mileage, but as long as you get one with a full service history, that shouldn’t be a major issue as the Octavia is a reliable car. Other models worth considering are the Toyota Corolla, VW Jetta, SEAT Exeo (if you can find one) and Honda Civic.

Expert answer

Hi Mary,

Expert answer

Hi John,

A lot will depend on the condition and service history, but it should be worth in the region of €9-10,000 — maybe €7-8,000 as a trade-in.

Expert answer

Hi Hank,

Probably not great. There are so few of these on the market that it’s hard to get a solid handle on how good or bad they are. The engine was donated from an old Mitsubishi, so in basic mechanical terms it should be OK, but Jeep does not have the best reputation for solidity of build, so expect lots of small, niggling issues. If it doesn’t have a full and complete service history, that should raise some alarm bells.

Expert answer

Hi Katy,

Well, the value of your car will depend on its condition and service history, and don’t forget that trade-in value is usually €1,500 to €2,000 less than retail value. A 2011 Polo is going to be worth around €6,500 to €7,000 on sale, so around €5,000 as a trade-in.

Expert answer

Hi John,

Put simply, the RX-8 is usually costly to run and requires a lot of maintenance. Make sure you go into it knowing what to look out for and what it will cost you. In general, you'll want to ensure that the previous owner stuck rigidly to the servicing intervals and regularly topped up the oil. Stay away from cars that have no service history.

It's worth having a mechanic do a compression test of the engine too to check it and ask them to look at how old the spark plugs and leads are, as these are costly to replace.

Other than that, the suspension components are prone to wear, so watch out for slack responses and body control while cornering, which may indicate that it needs new dampers and anti-roll bar bushes.

Best to pay for a full mechanical inspection from an expert in this case.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Nigel,

It depends on the condition and service history, but it should be worth in the region of €2,000.

Expert answer

Hi Michael,

Your Lexus is probably going to be worth around €5-7,000 as a trade-in, depending on the condition and service history. The Q5 has a 540-litre boot, so it’ll be a touch smaller than what you’re used to, but still pretty roomy.

Expert answer

Hi Kevin,

As is so often the case, the best answer here is ‘get a Golf.’ Or possibly a Passat. Or maybe a Volvo S80 1.6d. Any of those, if you can find them with a full service history, would fit the bill rather nicely. The Volvo is a great choice actually — comfy like an armchair, and can go 1,500km on a full tank of diesel. The Golf is probably the best value option — get one cheap, with the old 1.9 'Pump Duse' TDI diesel engine, and it’ll sit on the motorway doing 50mpg all day long, and it’ll be comfy too.