What's the best second-hand seven-seat MPV?
I am looking for a seven-seat MPV. What do you think of a 2007 Citroen C4 Picasso Grand manual - or a 2008 automatic? Was told Renaults were unreliable, what do you think? Any other suggestions?
Niamh Clarke (Naas)Apr 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Niamh,
We spoke by e-mail and now I have a better idea of your budgets there are a few good ideas. I think the Ford S-Max is probably my favourite car of this bunch. I quite like this one. It is diesel, looks great and has low mileage. We reckon you could get them down in price a little too.
In relation to the choice between manual and auto in the C4 Picasso, that really is down to personal choice. It isn't the greatest auto ever but it isn't the worst either. You really should try it and see. The EGS box is a little jerky. Personally I wouldn't really fancy it but you should be the judge. This one is quite nice and has really low mileage.
I wouldn't say not to consider Renaults, but they weren't a good vintage at the time, so personally I don't think I would be spending money on a 2007/2008 Scenic. They have got a lot better since then though.
Lastly, you could try a VW Touran. It isn't that exciting but they hold their value really well and are nicely built.
Anyway Niamh, if it were my money, I'd have the Ford S-Max.
I hope this helps.
Safety of occupants in third row of seats
Hello
I am looking at buying a second hand seven seater. When I was checking the compatibility of my car seats with the seven seaters I had in mind (Ford S-Max, VW Touran and Citroen C4) the car seat manufacturer recommends not putting any car seats in the third row.
On further investigation it seems when the third row is in use the safety of people (i.e mostly kids as most adults would not sit in third row) is very poor. Can you shed any light? Besides going for the bigger seven seaters like the Ford Galaxy (which is out due to budget reasons) is there any seven seater safer in this regard? Am I overthinking this, is this the case with most five seater cars or is the boot space a big plus if a car is rear ended?
Linda Keane (Meath)Mar 2011 Filed under: safety
Expert answer
Hi Linda,
I can totally understand your concerns. Anyway, to start, here are all the EuroNCAP reports on the cars you were looking at so you can have a good look at them.
Ford S Max / VW Touran / Citroen C4 Picasso
The placement of ISOFIX seats often dictates where child seats should go and in a lot of MPVs there is still only two and these are usually in the outer two seats of the second row. We answered a question on this recently.
This article by JD Power and Associates is good. As regards the rear row, the information is a little unclear on whether there is a greater danger to be in the rear seats in a rear impact, but it is something that we will investigate further. The strength of the modern MPV at the rear is pretty impressive though and as long as the child is front facing they are well protected.
How reliable is the latest Renault Laguna?
How reliable is the latest Renault Laguna?
Brian McGill (Waterford)Mar 2011 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Brian,
The previous generation Renault Laguna had an awful reliabilty record, but this has certainly changed with the latest model. It actually ranked first in its class in the German JD Power reliability survey.
There was a recall over a defective seatbelt, but this isn't mechanical and by and large the latest model has been pretty solid.
That is about all the evidence we have so far on the car and up until now anyway the 2007 Laguna has been fine.
I hope this helps!
Who can sort my Mazda6 problem?
I currently drive a 2006 Mazda6 TD Sport with 260,000km on the clock - I'm a taxi driver so I do big mileage: over 200,000km in two and a half years. Needless to say I've had problems with the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and had to have it regenerated six or seven times. Now the DPF has run it's course and can no longer be regenerated. The price is very prohibitive to get a new DPF, as it costs about €2,500 before fitting.
I couldn't afford to go for this option so decided to have the DPF removed and get the ECU remapped. This has worked to a certain extent, economy has improved and power has been increased. Only problem is that the DPF light is still flashing and engine management light is on.
Would you be able to recomend somebody who can sort this problem for me?
Ronan Laverty (Bettystown )Mar 2011 Filed under: taxi
Expert answer
Hi Ronan,
We asked Ciaran Lowe, a former service manager for Nissan Ireland, to answer this one. He told us. "I can understand your reasoning for removing the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) because of the excessive cost of replacement. However, the DPF on diesel vehicles plays an important roll in reducing vehicle emissions. In fact these filters can reduce diesel soot emissions by up to 80 percent, so by removing the DPF it is interfering with the emissions on your vehicle. By re-mapping the ECU it is only tricking the engine management system to see emissions within spec regarding the DPF system. However even with the ECM re-mapped the vehicle will still fail any future emissions tests. The fact your light is on indicates the system has identified out of range emissions."
I'm afraid the best solution all-round is to seek a used DPF filter.
We've talked to a few people in the industry and short of messing with the actual lights in the dashboard there is no way around this. We can't recommend this route, but it could be done by any auto electrician.
Which is the best four-door coupé?
Which is the best four-door coupé?
Tridjojo Tirta (Jakarta)Mar 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
We could do with a little bit more information, but the best four-door coupé is probably the Aston Martin Rapide!
What would you choose between a Ford Focus and VW Jetta?
What would you choose between the Ford Focus saloon 1.6-litre TDCi or Volkswagen Jetta 1.9 TDI? I need a car with a large boot to do about 30,000km per year. Any recommendations would be welcome.
Kevin Reilly (Longford)Feb 2011 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi there Kevin,
I am not sure whether you are choosing a new or used car. There is a brand new Jetta just gone on sale and it is absolutely massive - quite close to the Passat. This would probably be the better of the two at the moment, but then there is a new Focus arriving in April.
The new Focus is really good too and that comes with a 1.6-litre diesel engine, while the Jetta also comes with a 1.6-litre diesel. I haven't driven the new Jetta yet personally here in Ireland, but we have driven it and I have driven the new Focus, which is brilliant.
Out of the two, if I was doing lots of mileage, then the Jetta would probably be the better of the two, but without totally sitting on the fence the best thing to do is to try them both for yourself.
Let us know how you get on.
What car has three ISOFIX points?
Hi
We hope to trade in our 2005 Skoda Octavia during the summer for a car that has three isofix points in the back. We would prefer not to get a seven-seater as we don't need that many seats. Our wishlist would include the three isofix points, a big boot to accomodate a double buggy, low tax and fuel efficiency. We have been looking at the Peugeot 307 SW. The trade in value of our present car seems to be in around the €5,000 mark. We can afford to add another €,5000 to that.
Any advice greatly appreciated! Many thanks.
Feena Farrell (Kilcock)Feb 2011 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi there Feena,
The Peugeot 307 SW would be a good solution for you and it is great value and cheap to run. The 1.6-litre diesel engine is the best-seller in that model, is fuel-efficient and has low road tax. You would get one for within your budget alright. My sister has driven one for the last few years and apart from some loose bits of trim it has been a very solid car. Unfortunately there are only two ISOFIX points in the centre row.
Absolutely brilliant is the Fiat Multipla. Is it a little on the unusual side, but has a really clever 3+3 layout that your kids will really enjoy. The difficulty is that there are only two ISOFIX points in this too.
A little bit of research seems to suggest that there are normally only ISOFIX on the outer seats in the second row of a car. There are exceptions though, with the latest Renault Scenic (late 2009 on) having three ISOFIX points in the second row of seats. But this is outside your budget.
The Citroen C4 Picasso can take three ISOFIX seats across the rear and this might be a little bit outside your budget too, but perhaps you could haggle a little. Here is an example of one.
However, I reckon the solution for you is a Honda FR-V, which has three ISOFIX points across the six seats and it is a really good car. It only came as a petrol model early on, but if you don't do too many miles it should be okay. Here is one from 2006 within your budget.
Hope that helps.
Will the new driving licence rules affect me?
Do the new rules that are coming into force in April apply to people with learner permits or do you need your full licence to avoid these new rules?
Adrian Noonan (Cork)Feb 2011 Filed under: driving licence
Expert answer
Hi Adrian,
From April 4 2011 all new first time learner permit holders for cars will be required to undertake mandatory essential driver training (EDT) with an approved driving instructor (ADI). The course will be 12 hours. The learner will be able to take the lessons at any point during the learning process and can practise with an accompanying driver during the time while taking lessons. Evidence of completing the lessons will be signed off in a learner's logbook by the ADI. Evidence of having taken the lessons will have to be presented before taking a driving test.
Hope that clears it up
How do I know if my car is due an NCT?
I have a 2007 Opel Corsa. I know I need to get the NCT done this year, but I don't know when it is due or anything. Friends of mine are saying that they write out to you and let you know; others are saying that you need to ring up. My question is, does the NCT company write to customers who are due an NCT?
David Phelan (Dublin 17)Feb 2011 Filed under: NCT
Expert answer
Hi David,
According to the NCT website:
"All cars should be tested on or before the anniversary date of first registration of the car in the country of origin. There is no link with motor tax or insurance expiry date.
PLEASE NOTE: NCTS can issue your certificate up to six months early for a first time NCT and three months early for subsequent NCT tests. For example, a car was first registered on the 5th June 2006. The car was due for its NCT on the 5th June 2010, the car is brought for its NCT on the 26th January 2010 and it passes. An NCT Certificate is received with an expiry date of 4th June 2012"
If your car is eligible for the NCT (please refer to the testing chart) then please phone us on 1890 412 413 or you can check our on-line service by simply typing in your car registration number and date of first registration of the vehicle (which can be found on your vehicle registration book, registration certificate or licensing certificate."
So, it would appear that you need to contact the NCT to check if your car is eligible for a test.
I hope this helps.
For more visit the National Car Test Website.
Do Renault Méganes have electronic issues?
Do Renault Méganes have a reputation for electronic problems?
I'm seeing a lot of complaints online about electric window problems and dashboard displays failing and they seem pretty expensive to repair if out of warranty. Has Renault said anything about these being faults? I know there was something in the UK about the dashboard problems. Would be good to know where I stand. I had a problem previously with one window on my old Mégane, but my mechanic repaired free of charge.
Sharon Newmn (Dublin 17)Feb 2011 Filed under: reliability
Expert answer
Hi Sharon,
Earlier Renault Méganes were not without their problems, but the latest ones have improved a lot. If you could let us know what year your Mégane is we can investigate your problem with Renault and see what they say.
Let us know.