Expert answer

Hi Sharon,

Those are three good choices. Obviously given the fact that you have had such great history with the Honda CR-V then it could make sense to get another one, but the CR-V doesn't really offer wonderful value. The cheapest one is a fiver under €40,000 and you can pay up to €50,000.

Honda CR-V

When you compare the BMW X3 to this, which is such a brilliant SUV, the CR-V looks expensive. We drove the BMW X3 last Christmas and it proved itself to be outstanding. Naturally you will have to spend closer to €50,000 to get a decent X3.

BMW X3

There is a problem at the moment with the X3 in that they are in very short supply, so there is a waiting list. Granted you are not taking delivery until January next year so perhaps you will have plenty of time then. Get the 20d rather than the 18d if your budget allows and choose the four-wheel drive ('xDrive') version too.

The last car you mention is the Subaru Forester and this is the best value car you choose. It is very good but certainly not as refined as either the CR-V or the BMW X3. Have you ever considered the Subaru Outback? That costs around €42,000 and it would be a better choice than the Forester in our opinions.

Subaru Forester

All of that taken into account Sharon, I would have the BMW X3 all day long. It is superb and miles better than the old one. But we would suggest that you will need to get your order in early because the waiting lists are long.

I hope this helps!

Expert answer

Hi Anne,

Firstly, congratulations on choosing the BMW 520d, which is a really excellent car. The latest model comes with a decent level of standard equipment. When it comes to options, you really must consider that these really are a treat to yourself and they probably won't affect the resale price of the car in the future so you are unlikely to regain the cost of these back when you trade-in later down the line.

Obviously metallic paint is an essential and you must go for that. I wouldn't really bother with the variable dampers if it were me, nor would I have the sunroof either. Given that the car has air conditioning, I wouldn't bother with it. The 18-inch wheels will look nice, but they will make the ride of the car quite firm, so bear this in mind. The reversing camera is also a nice addition, but there are already parking sensors on the car, which will prevent rear parking bumps anyway.

I hope this helps. Feel free to come back to us if you have more questions before you order the car.

Expert answer

Hi Cormac,

We drove the new Lancer recently here and as we pointed out, the performance is better than nearly all of its rivals at the same price. It drives really well, and will be reliable, but we felt that the interior felt a little bit dated. The Octavia is, as you will have figured out from your roadtest, very good too. I can't see where there would be a massive difference between the running costs, aside from the fact that the Lancer might have €156 road tax per year compared to the €104 in the Octavia.

Mitsubishi Lancer Diesel

They would have reasonably similar residual values and have similar warranties too. So, Cormac, I have to sound flippant, but I would really say that if I were you I would pick whichever car feels right for you. If you do mega mileage I might go for the Octavia, but the Lancer is so well-equipped for the money and the engine is really good.

Skoda Octavia

The only thing I would say is that time is running out on the scrappage scheme, so you would need to sort out your new car soon and there is a bit of a shortage on Octavias, so you need to act soon!

Expert answer

Hi Linda,

It certainly does sound like an injector issue - assuming the coil and plugs are fine. We'd suggest that the injectors are tested before hastily replacing them. Any decent garage will do that for you - it doesn't have to be a main dealer. From the information you've given us about the car, we don't believe you can re-program the injectors. It may be possible to refurbish them, but in most cases it's probably better just to replace it.

If that's what is needed, the cost of the part itself is well over €100, but no garage should charge you more than an hour of labour for replacing it, as it's a relatively easy job.

Hope that helps and you get sorted.

Expert answer

Hi Denis,

Yes it most certainly is. The i30 is a vastly underrated car and having tested it on a number of occasions we would conclude that it is more than a match to more established rivals such as the Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf. We really like the build quality and the high levels of standard equipment included.

If you'd like to know more, please get back in touch.

Expert answer

Hello Ailis,

Well for a start you have forgotten about the new Mazda5, which could be right up your street and it comes in €2,000 less than the Ford C-Max . It is a really impressive car and has a 1.6-litre diesel engine, which is frugal and puts it into Motor Tax Band B. It isn't quite as engaging as the C-Max to drive but it is well equipped and feels like a very high quality product. Here it is:

€24,995 will get you the entry-point into the Mazda5 and we think it is a really good car and would seem to suit your needs. 

While it doesn't have sliding doors, you simply must try the Peugeot 5008 because it is so good. Click on the link to read our full review. That would make a great buy.

With regards to the Ford Grand C-Max you need €26,995 to get into the 1.6-litre Activ model. 

Out of all of these, Ailis, I think you should really consider the Mazda5.

Hope that helps!

Expert answer

Hi Andres,

In terms of the amount of metal that you get for your money then it is really hard to look beyond the Peugeot 5008 because it is a massive car and really nice to put together. It is much bigger than the two other models that you mentioned. However the Grand C-Max is simply the best to drive in its class and if you don't need your MPV to be massive then this could be the way to go. The Verso is good too, but doesn't really have the class of either the Ford or the Peugeot. Twins can take lots of stuff with them I imagine, so you might want the bigger vehicle, but for me right now, I'd pick the C-Max. 

Expert answer

Hi Sean,

The simple answer is no. According to the Road Safety Authority (RSA): "Any person getting their first learner permit with a start date on or after 4th April 2011 must complete a minimum 12 hours of Essential Driver Training".

However, there's no harm in a little extra training!

Good luck with getting your full licence.

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.

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.