Expert answer

Hi Marc,

I spoke with Mercedes-Benz Ireland and it suggested talking to the parts department of your local dealer. Price should be in the region of €30.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Fergus,

You've not told us the type of engine in the car, but for your information only the 1.6-litre petrol and 1.9-litre TDI diesel units have timing belts. The change interval is 75,000 miles (just over 120,000km) so if the car you're looking at has one of those engines then it should have had a timing belt change by now.

Other than that insist on a full service history and regardless of what the dealer says it's worth getting a car history check on Cartell.ie, as it covers UK and Northern Ireland cars in full.

Hope that's of help.

Expert answer

Hi May,

In general these engines are very robust and don't use much oil. Of course if any engine isn't serviced then its reliability will suffer. The Almera's can have timing chain problems in that case. If you're getting high oil consumption then you really should bring to a mechanic to ascertain why.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Derek,

First up, don't read anything into the Irish Army changing vehicles. That goes through a rigorous tendering process and no doubt price is a big part of it.

You're right though, the Patrol is known to have head gasket and gearbox issues from 60,000 miles on. Check the service history on the model you're looking at. If neither have been done then be wary.

Best bet is to have a full mechanical inspection done by an expert.

Best of luck

Expert answer

Hi Jonny,

In general this is a reliable engine and car, though there are a couple of known issues. These include the fuel sender in the tank and the variable geometry turbocharger actuator. The former you'll only spot if you know the fuel readout is wrong. The latter will be indicated by loss of power and the car going into limp home mode. This can often be cancelled by restarting the car so take as long a test drive as you can. No harm asking whether the seller has had either issue either and it's vital to have a full service history on this car.

Let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi there,

The original Audi guarantee will be long gone, unless the previous owner had paid to have it extended, and it would have to have been serviced at an Audi main dealer to still be under cover. The fact that you’re buying it from a Nissan dealer suggests that’s not the case. Nissan does offer a ‘Gold Standard’ used car programme, which comes with a one-year or 15,000km warranty on used sales, and which will have carried out a multi-point check on the car. You’d always be advised to get your own history and finance check done, but if it’s a main Nissan dealer, they’ll likely have already done that.

Expert answer

Hi Jackie,

We would expect a car's brakes to be thoroughly checked during a service for sure, though whether they warrant changing really is up to the mechanic doing the job. As that noise was not there when you bought the car it's fair to assume there was no issue with the brakes then - though clearly the pads didn't have much left on them. It's good that they're doing it now for you, even if the person you are dealing with is dismissive.

It's quite poor that the mechanic wouldn't find out what the code 82 was about, but there you go. The Insignia's engine management system monitors several parameters such as number of cold starts and engine speed and calculates when you need an oil change. If you use your car more frequent short journeys rather than longer ones then it may require changing earlier. Many people ignore this read out and just change their oil according to mileage or time, but the official word is to stick to what the engine management computer says. Just make sure the garage resets it again for you.

Last point: I wouldn't expect the garage to pay for this oil service. If they do, it's a bonus!

Hope that all helps put your mind at ease.

Expert answer

Hi Nuala,

Mileage alone is no major worry so long as you choose a reliable car in good condition - and preferably with a decent service history. The reality is that your daughter will change her car within a few years anyway. Hence we'd recommend focusing on safety, reliability and efficiency.

Come back to us if you/your daughter have a few specific cars in mind and we'll help you narrow your search if you wish.

Expert answer

Hi Sean,

Nice choice of cars to be thinking about. Before we look at the stats of the cars, the driving experience in the 3 Series vs. the Audi A4 is quite different - and will be the deciding point for many, so please do try to get a test drive in examples of both. That's the case whether you go for the older 3 Series Coupé or the newer saloon.

Personally, I prefer the way a 3 Series of this age drives in comparison to an A4. It's more 'dynamic' and engaging thanks to the rear-wheel drive layout. However, not everyone likes that and I've heard non-enthusiastic drivers call the feeling 'skittish'. There is no doubt that a front-engined, front-wheel drive car like the Audi A4 will find more traction on snow and ice than a rear-wheel drive BMW (assuming neither has winter tyres), but our climate is too mild for that to be a serious car-buying priority.

In terms of running costs, the early versions of the E90 BMW 320d saloon and Audi A4 2.0 TDI 140 are very close and, as you'll be buying a car registered before 2008 with that budget then tax will be the same, as it's based on the engine size. The E46 320Cd coupé is a little heavier on fuel, but not much.

The 320d saloon has the most powerful engine of these three, though there's not much in it really.

Both saloons are generally quite reliable, though we'd recommend getting full service histories and getting mileage checks with Cartell.ie as each car has its own known issues that crop up from time to time - like turbo issues on the BMW and burning oil in the Audi. The E46 coupé is also reliable, though it's built on older architecture so won't be as modern in general.

One final thing to bear in mind. While the S line Audi specification is highly tempting, it comes with firmer suspension, which may not be to everyone's taste. Test drive it before committing. Likewise an M Sport version of the BMW 320d, though you may not find many of those within budget.

Now, whether you should consider petrol instead of diesel is a whole other story. The decision really should come down to your average mileage. The diesel models will definitely be far more economical on a long run or commute, but not in town. Likewise, you can get lower capacity engines in the petrol cars bringing your annual tax bill down.

If you want to discuss the latter point in more detail come back to us and we'll go through options.

Hope this all helps

Expert answer

Hi Sinead,

First of all, take the sweeping remark by the mechanic with a pinch of salt. The latest Kias and Hyundais are great cars and so too are the later used ones. In terms of stuff you may already know about the Sorento, it's quite unrefined on the road and a bit rough and ready. Large SUVs like this can cost a little to maintain too, though the Kia isn't the worst of them.

Now in terms of reliability, the Sorento has proven to be very solid, with only tiny niggles reported. Try to get one with a decent service history as always and check its mileage and history on Cartell.ie.

Hope that puts your mind at ease.