Expert answer

Hi Karla,

That budget is plenty to find a decent automatic runaround that's big enough for the two of you and relatively cheap to keep on the road.

A few models that are worth looking into:

Ford Fiesta: plentiful, reliable, inexpensive to maintain
Honda Jazz: not so common, but exceptionally reliable and very spacious (also badged the Honda Fit if a Japanese import)
Kia Picanto: you'd get quite a modern one for your budget, though they are smaller than the above cars, and again, not so plentiful
Mazda Demio: this is a Japanese import, badged the Mazda2 here – nice car

There are loads of other options of course, but those are good starting points to begin your search. Sites like Carzone.ie have good search filters to allow you to put in your budget and an automatic gearbox.

In terms of general tips, we'd give you the following advice:

1 – Prioritise the condition and service history of a car over its age and mileage.
2 – If you decide on a particular make and model that you like, seek out different examples of it from various sellers and test-drive as many as you can so you get a feel for which one 'feels' best.
3 – Don't view a car at night or in the rain as that can disguise issues with it.
4 – I would suggest that a diesel car would be a bad fit for you unless you spend a lot of time on the motorway every day covering long distances – they can come with higher maintenance costs.
5 – Make sure you get an insurance quote for any car you are considering before you commit to it.
6 – If at all possible, bring a friend or family member with you when looking at cars, preferably one that has a bit of experience in such things. It's quite a daunting thing to do on your own for the first time.
7 – Ask to see the paperwork on any car you're serious about before you talk about the price.

Hopefully all that is of help. Don't hesitate to send us another question if you'd like more assistance.

Expert answer

Hi Nick,

It might be tempting to go with the newer car, but the Peugeot engine has what's called a 'wet belt' and these can be problematic. Unless it has had more oil changes than is recommended, we'd shy away from this car. Shame as it's otherwise nice, and newer than the Fiesta.

Still, the Fiesta (and we're assuming you mean the 80hp non-EcoBoost one) is a great choice. The Peugeot and Ford are contemporaries when it comes to safety equipment and standards with the Fiesta slightly better anyway.

All in all, if those are the two cars on your shortlist, we wouldn't hesitate to say go for the Fiesta.

Expert answer

Hi Seraphina,

Either of those cars should serve your needs well, especially if you remove the rearmost seats from the Jogger to allow space for your dogs (it's an easy thing to do).

However, the Bigster – aside from being the newer and more impressive vehicle overall – comes with the added advantage of a higher driving position and so-called “hip point” so it should prove to be easier to get in and out of.

About the only downside to the Bigster that I can think of is that its boot lip at the back is higher up than the Jogger's, though that'll only affect small dogs or those that struggle with jumping up.

I highly recommend you pop along to a Dacia dealer for yourself and take both for a test drive.

Expert answer

Hi Haris,

It will be difficult to find a car that will fit two large rear-facing child seats and a booster in a single row without going for much larger vehicles. The alternative is an SUV with a third row, but that comes with compromises as well.

Anyway, searching within your budget, there are options. Large SUVs such as the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 would fit you all in, but at €25,000 you'd be buying relatively old ones with high mileage and likely high maintenance costs. Same for the BMW X5.

The Hyundai Santa Fe would be a better bet, as would the Kia Sorento or indeed the Nissan X-Trail. All of these are large SUVs and well-priced, reliable and decently equipped.

Finally, and I think this might be the best option, there's the Peugeot 5008. It has three separate seats in the middle row, so should fit all the kids in and you can fold away the rearmost seats to maximise boot space. There are petrol and diesel variants within budget with far lower mileage than the premium-badge options mentioned above.

You've not told us about any other preferences in terms of fuel, size of vehicle or anything, so come back to us if you want us to help narrow down the search further.

No matter what you decide, make sure you bring the child seats with you on any test drive and ensure they fit in properly.

Expert answer

Hi Edward,

That's not so easy to answer definitively, but I suspect the Toyota could be a little cheaper to run. It does depend of course on which version – and year – XC70 you have. The latest GR Yaris costs €790 a year to tax, for your reference.

Unless you're doing track days, wear and tear in the Yaris should be no more than it is in the Volvo and with a new-car warranty you're isolated from high-value maintenance costs for a few years in any case.

The big unknown is insurance, but only you can determine that by ringing around and getting quotes.

We'd be interested in the outcome if you want to drop us a line after.

Expert answer

Hi Rachel,

We'd certainly recommend the Tucson over the Kona. It's a larger, but crucially, more comfortable and refined vehicle. What's more, there are loads of them available in the classifieds within your budget - though we'd suggest seeking out one with the newer 1.6-litre diesel engine as it's a bit quieter and more efficient than the 1.7-litre.

What you might not know is that the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson share the same mechanicals, so it's worth taking a look at examples of both so you can choose which you prefer.

Note that most of these vehicles are front-wheel drive only, which is perfectly fine for driving on the road most of the time. Don't buy a four-wheel-drive one unless you reckon you need the extra traction and ability during winter months on slippery surfaces, as they are not as economical.

Both Kia and Hyundai have a great reputation for reliability, though the Kias were sold with a longer new-car warranty so there may even be a portion of that still active, depending on how old a car you go for and its mileage. Ask the seller about that.

Our top tip to buyers of used cars is to test drive several different examples from different sellers so you get a feel not only for which you prefer, but also for how good – or not – a given car is.

Expert answer

Hi John,

We prefer the look of the Citroen outside and in and how it drives, but the Long Range version of the Model Y has a much longer range, faster charging and much more performance as well. And of course you can use the Supercharger network if you're on the road a lot and can't charge at home.

But the thing is, that variant of the Tesla costs a few grand more even than the most expensive version of the electric Citroen, so you need to weigh up what's important to you.

First thing to do though is to go get as long a test drive as you can in both, as the cars drive very differently.

Expert answer

Hi Alan,

The Inster is very comfortable and quiet, even at motorway speeds. It would have no difficulty with doing the journey regularly. 

As ever, we encourage buyers to go and test drive a car they're interested in before committing to it.

Expert answer

Hi Peter,

It is really difficult to get the official CO₂ and NOx figures for an imported Japanese car unless the seller provides it.

However, in your situation, it probably doesn't really matter as that car would likely be in the highest band for CO₂ (over 191g/km for VRT purposes) and NOx. The NOx levy is actually capped at €600 for petrol-fuelled cars.

Go back in and tell then you can't get the values and so I believe they'll have to put down the highest rates. This means you will pay €600 for the NOx levy and VRT at 41 per cent of the car's Open Market Selling Price (OMSP – the value Revenue believes the car to be worth after importation). There is a minimum fee for the latter, however, at €820 for cars in the highest band.

Unfortunately, as your car isn't quite a classic yet (it will be next year when it turns 30), you will pay motor tax at a rate of up to €2,400 if it is put into the top band for tax at over 225g/km. But that will only be for one year and from 2027 on you can pay classic car tax of just €55.

Don't hesitate to come back to us if you need anything clarified.

Expert answer

Hi Leslie,

It's much better than hybrid Toyotas used to be for sure, though it still makes a bit of racket when you put the accelerator pedal all the way down for maximum performance. And it'll be noisy for short periods of acceleration as well, for example when joining a motorway.

But it's fine when up to speed and even at motorway speeds. And it drops into fully electric mode in stop-start traffic a lot so there's no issue there either.

Go test drive one for yourself before you commit to buying it though.