Expert answer

Hi Peter,

Yup, the Mazda2 is an excellent vehicle, very reliable and good to drive, and decently spacious too. I wouldn't, however, have thought that there was very much difference in the seat quality between a SEAT Ibiza and a Mazda2. I would also suggest that the dealer might be lo-balling you a bit on the trade-in value of your SEAT. €3,750 doesn't seem much for a six-year old car, if it's in good condition and has a full service history.

Two things I'd suggest. Ask if you can have the Mazda2 for an extended, preferably overnight test drive so that your wife can make absolutely certain that the seat is a genuine improvement. If not, then have you considered fitting an aftermarket seat to the SEAT? The likes of Recaro and Cobra make excellent bucket seats that are often approved by back and spine care associations.

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Hi Dawn,

The problem here is that you need space for three child seats across the back, and it's getting harder and harder to find a car that can accommodate that. The Qashqai is a fab car, no doubt, but yes, unless it's the 1.5 dCi diesel model you're talking about, they can indeed be hard on petrol. Besides, it will also fall down on the three-across-the-back test. The Xsara Picasso should be able to manage three across though, so is the best suggestion out of the ones you've been looking at, but here's another possibility: if you're looking for space on a budget, try going for a van-based MPV such as a Citroen Berlingo or Renault Kangoo. They're surprisingly nice to drive, have masses of space both in the back and boot, and both can be found with 1.4-litre petrol or 1.5- or 1.6-litre diesel engines so tax and, generally, fuel economy shouldn't be an issue. Also, being van-based, they're often more reliable and ruggedly built than their car cousins.

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Hi Mary,

Both equally reliable but the Auris is by far the safer car. On the independent EuroNCAP crash test, it scored a full five-star rating while the Urban Cruiser managed just three. As an aside, the Auris is also a lot more sophisticated and comfortable to drive.

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Hi Fidelma,

Yes. Porsches are built like tanks and the brand is regularly right up with the Japanese brands in the JD Power customer satisfaction survey. 

Just make sure that it has a full Porsche main dealer service history, or at least a history with an experienced independent Porsche specialist. It's a complex, high performance vehicle so if the maintenance and servicing hasn't been done on the button, every time, or if you get the faintest whiff that the car has been abused or run on the cheap, walk away.

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Hi Cormac,

Interesting one this. To be frank, it was news to us. We don't have a standardised headlight test on CompleteCar.ie (perhaps we should), but a trawl of the Audi-based internet forums does indeed seem to show that many C5 owners do have doubts about the power of their lights, especially on dipped beam.

While we can't find any definitive evidence that the facelifted model is any better, it seems that there are two potential fixes to the problem. One is to replace the standard bulbs with better models - and we've seen German-made Flosser bulbs recommended. Philips also produces a line of higher-output bulbs that may be worth a look. The other issue may be the state of the headlamp lenses, and any problems there can potentially be fixed by a good clean. Cleaning kits are available from most good motor factors. Incidentally, beware an aftermarket upgrade to a HID or Xenon headlight set. If it doesn't conform exactly to the original equipment specification, then there are doubts over the legality of such units and it could potentially lead to an NCT failure.

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Hi Gareth,

Go for the Skoda. Dave Humphreys (also of this parish) and I recently drove the latest Octavia RS diesel from Goodwood to Dublin and frankly, you'd be hard pressed to find a car with a broader spread of talents. Go for the estate to get the best looking (as well as most useful) version.

Let us know what you do

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Hi Brian,

Wow, I hardly know where to begin. If you're looking at a car with little or no history then you are taking a major leap into the unknown. Essentially, you're going to have to check everything, including major mechanical checks for items like timing belts, head gaskets and gearbox issues. BMWs of that era are generally pretty tough but beware ageing electrical systems and don't assume that if there are no warning lights on the dash that there are no underlying problems. 

If possible, get the car to a BMW dealer to be checked on a diagnostic system to see if there are any hidden maladies. 

Seriously though, tread carefully. If a car has no history, there's generally a reason why. Normally we'd recommend leaving it well alone.

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Hi Tricia,

The new Mazda6 is a fantastic car and definitely comparable to the Audi A4 of equivalent value. The Mazda comes with a powerful and economical 2.2-litre diesel engine, which is refined and decently fast when needed. The car itself is more spacious than the Audi inside, plus of just as good quality. It's also comfortable and good to drive. In all, we thoroughly recommend it.

Here's our Irish test of the Mazda6 Tourer for reference.

Let us know how you get on.

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Hi Jack,

The Toledo is too new for us to have any angle on its reliability but you'd have to say the prospects are good. SEATs in general are exceptionally robust (we have family experience of four that have been near faultless) and the new one is based on the latest, highest Volkswagen Group components, so we'd be surprised if it's anything over than very reliable. The only concern, we suppose, is that there are a lot of high-tech electronics on even the base model so the potential for issues there is higher than once it was. The same can be said of any modern car really.

As for the Yeti, again, Skodas tend to be very reliable indeed, usually right up at the top of customer satisfaction surveys with the likes of Toyota, Honda, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz. We have heard some isolated stories of issues with fuel pumps and power steering, but they appear to be just that: isolated.

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Hi Jim,

Well, the rule is never buy on mileage or even age, but only on condition and history. If the higher mileage car has been better cared for, and has a fully-stamped up service history, then it could well be just as good as the older but lower mileage one. Basically, take both for a thorough test drive and see which one 'feels younger.' If one has had a hard life, and the other an easy one, it should be pretty apparent which is the better purchase. 

Same goes for the 5 Series, but try not to get the less desirable manual. You may pay more for an auto now but it will be worth it come resale time.

Let us know how you get on