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Hi Robert,

Not even slightly. There was a fad of buying bi-fuel cars about five years ago, thanks partly to an experimental push on E85 bio-ethanol from fuel supplier Maxol, but mostly because such cars got a €2,500 VRT rebate due to their supposedly 'green' credentials. That all fell apart once (a) the new CO₂-based tax system came in and (b) people realised that there simply isn't enough arable farmland to grow enough crops to make E85 for all of us, and still be able to feed ourselves. As far as we know, there are not even any E85 filling stations still running, so you're effectively just buying a standard 1.8 petrol, and not benefiting from the original VRT rebate.

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Hi Karen,

You’ll need to, within seven days of arriving in the country, inform the Revenue Commissioners that the car is here, and book an appointment at your nearest NCT (equivalent of MOT) centre for an inspection. If you’ve owned the car for more than six months, and can provide proof of both previous tax and insurance, and change of address, then you will only have to pay a nominal administration fee to re-register the car here, and not the dreaded VRT import tax.

Read our guide to importing a car from the UK

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Hi Kevin,

I'd say your choice is a pretty good one. The first generation Focus C-Max wasn't the most exciting car around, but it was pretty well put together, comfy and good to drive. You can get them up to 2007 with the 1.6 TDCi 90hp diesel, which should suit your driving pattern pretty well. At 15k a year, even mostly urban mileage, I'd say you definitely need a diesel just to keep the running costs down.

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Hi Susan,

Well, strictly speaking the Santa Fe isn't an MPV, it's an SUV (I know; Captain Pedant strikes again...) and that does have a pretty unpleasant effect on its CO₂ rating. A 2008 2.2 CRDi diesel Santa Fe emits 190g/km of CO₂ - enough to land you with a €750 annual bill. That aside it's a very fine car, with reliability, looks and practicality all on its side.

If it's lower CO₂ you're looking for though, you may well have to consider an MPV. The Ford C-Max is only capable of taking three child seats once you get into the current model, and that may still be too pricey for you. Likewise, the Mazda5 needs to be a recent model if it's to have the current 1.6 diesel that brings with it lower tax bills. So, try and track down a 2009 Citroen C4 Picasso with the 1.6 HDi diesel and the EGS automatic gearbox. That has a 140g/km CO₂ emissions figure, so you'll just scrape into the top end of Band B with a €280 tax bill.

How does that sound?

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Hi Willy,

The latest Volvo V60 D2, whether maual or automatic, is in Band A3, which costs €190 per annum. The V60 D3 with a manual gearbox is in Band A4 (€200 per year) and with the Geartronic automatic it moves into Band B1, which costs €270 per year.

Hope that helps

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Hi Caroline,

That's pretty much the only one, to be honest. At least so far. The front-wheel drive version of the RX 450h has CO₂ emissions of 140g/km, which means you'll pay just €280 a year to tax it. Not bad for a car like that. The problem is that you'll never get the kind of fuel economy that Lexus quotes for it. Around 30mpg will probably be the best you'll achieve. 

Later this month though, Honda will launch a 1.6-litre diesel version of its CR-V. It's not quite as big as the Lexus but is really very spacious and has a massive boot. With Band A4 emissions (€200 a year) of 119g/km, a smooth chassis and impeccable build quality, it could be your best bet.

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Hi Ian,

There are really only two options when it comes to S-Max engines and those are the 125hp 1.8 TDCi diesel and the 2.0-litre TDCi diesel in 140hp form. There was a 163hp version as well, but they're pretty thin on the ground and forget about the rarer than hen's molars 2.5-litre 212hp petrol version with the engine from the Focus ST; it was fantastic fun but nobody bought one as far as we can tell.

Now, originally both the 1.8- and 2.0-litre engines shared the same 164g/km CO₂ rating, which makes road tax a bit on the pricey side (€570 a year), but in 2010, Ford facelifted the S-Max, dropped the 1.8 TDCi and introduced an updated 2.0 diesel with emissions of 143g/km, making for a much more palatable €390 a year tax bill. So, that's the one we'd advise you go for and as long as you get either a Zetec or Titanium spec version, you'll get a reasonable amount of toys to keep you happy in the cabin.

Cracking car, the S-Max actually. Spacious but terrific to drive. Let us know how you get on.

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Hi Myles,

With that length of a daily commute, I'd reckon that you should definitely go for diesel and back in 2008 there was actually a choice of Focus diesels, with the run-out 1.8 TDCi and the incoming 1.6 TDCi both available. Both are excellent choices, with the 1.8 possibly having an edge on overall reliability (it's an older and more proven design) but the 1.6 having the edge in terms of fuel economy and emissions. Find a well-cared for example with full service history (those diesel injection systems are complex and need looking after) and you won't go wrong.

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Hi Ronan,

The officially quoted fuel consumption figure for the Passat B6 model with the 1.4 TSI 122hp engine was 7.5 litres per 100km (or 39mpg) combined, with the urban and extra urban figures working out at 10 litres/100km (28mpg) and 6.1 litres/100km (46mpg).

Hope that helps.

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Hi Erin,

Well, I have to put my hand up and declare an interest. I own a MINI , a Clubman Cooper D, and it's fab. Fun to drive, funky to look at and super-economical (it averages better than 55mpg). So I'd say if you're interested in a MINI, go for it. 

Just make sure anything you're looking at buying has a full service history. Don't forget that these are small BMWs with plenty of complex bits and need to be cared for accordingly. It's worth looking at MINI's 'cherished' second hand programme, from franchised dealers, which a gets you a two-year warranty and a full check over.