Expert answer

Hi Martin,

There were actually some significant mechanical changes for the Type-S, including wider-track rear suspension, an upgraded interior and a more aggressive body kit. That said, it’s still not THAT sporty, and a regular Civic is near enough as good to drive. The 2.2 diesel is an excellent engine, with good economy and very solid reliability. As for an ‘air energiser’ I’m guessing this is some kind of aftermarket add-on? Beware such things — they tend to promise much and deliver little, and usually aren’t worth the money. 

Expert answer

Hi there,

It depends on your driving style, and on where you do most of your driving. If you’re in town all the time, and stuck in stop-start traffic, then it could be worth tracking down a Toyota Prius or a Honda Insight hybrid, bot of which should sip fuel in such circumstances. If you’re up on main roads and motorways all day long, then diesel is still a good idea. A VW Golf 1.6 TDI BlueMotion would be a solid bet for maximum economy then, although if you fancy something a little more stylish, a MINI Cooper D (with the 1.6 diesel engine) will crack 60mpg on a long run.

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Hi Brian,

You have two options for orthopaedic seats in your Yaris. The first is to try and track down a Japanese import 'Vitz RS', which was a turbocharged sports version of the Yaris. This may be difficult due to their rarity in Ireland.

The other (much more troublesome option) is to fit off-the shelf orthopaedic seats from the likes of Recaro or Sparco. We say more troublesome as these seats are rarely car specific and will require you to fit separate rails in addition to the seats.

We hope this helps.

Expert answer

Hi Patrick,

On its own, the RAV4 2.0 D-4D is a fine car, with loads of power. It has plenty of low-down torque for towing too, though how heavy is your caravan? The manual Santa Fe has a higher towing capacity and it's a heavier car too, which will help in certain situations. Added to that, the Hyundai has more power and torque - (assuming you're talking about the newer 2.2-litre model) though obviously you pay for that with fuel consumption and tax.

Both cars have a good reputation for reliability though in fact it's the Toyota that has some history of issues - particularly with RAV4s used as tow cars. Apparently early versions (pre-2003) had transmission problems, though we'd hope the 2005 model is better.

Still, based on what you've said, we reckon the Santa Fe is the better bet in this instance, especially the newer model launched in 2006.

Let us know how you get on.

Expert answer

Hi Patrick,

That's a lot of questions! Let's start with the Santa Fe. Your budget is likely to limit you to the last of the older generation. It's a tough piece of kit, but not great on the road in terms of comfort. It's reliable, though expensive enough to maintain. Early versions had clutch judder, but this should have been fixed in later versions with a new flywheel. We've not heard about diesel pump and injector trouble.

Given that budget we'd rather the Hyundai Tucson. There are plenty of them about and it's much nicer to drive on the road. Saying that, it's a good deal smaller than the Santa Fe. It's not as expensive to service however. It's the same story with the older Sportage, though we'd prefer the Tucson.

The RAV4 is a fine choice all-round. It's generally reliable and good on the road. I wouldn't be very worried about extra wear and tear in the driveline.

Don't forget about the Nissan X-Trail, Honda CR-V and Suzuki Grand Vitara. All worth a closer look.

Has that helped you create a shortlist?

Expert answer

Hi Susan,

The variable dampers are a nice extra, but I would not say that they are necessary. We have used it in test cars for short periods and you invariably end up leaving it on the normal set-up. Unless you drive on really poor road surfaces or intend to drive the car on a race track then the normal setting is fine.

You won't get the extra money back in a few years when you trade it in again, so I would keep my €1,500 or else use it to get really nice leather upholstery.

Expert answer

Hi Nessa,

There are a number of companies that do GPS tracking in Ireland, so I guess that would be similar to the ones you are talking about. 

Here is an example of a company that does the service here in Ireland. 

Expert answer

Hi Ciaran.

Funnily enough, I was just last week at a tyre event and we got a full briefing on tyre wear, which I knew would come in useful somehow.

Firstly, no this isn't normal wear at all unless you were on a track racing. I take it that you aren't and from what you are saying the wear is even. Usually shoulder wear is a sign of under-inflation. Under-inflation can also lead to tyre blow-outs.

Drivers should check their tyre pressure every two weeks according to the manufacturers. One-sided wear is usually an alignment issue and that doesn't seem to be the case here.

Anyway, we contacted Bridgestone / Firestone on your behalf and they are happy to send out an engineer to inspect your tyres. I have sent you their details. They want to check out if there is a fault and we can take it from there.

What we will say about tyres is that it does not make economical sense to buy cheap ones. They tend to be of lower quality and there is no wisdom in having poor tyres on your car. See how you get on with the engineer and let us know by posting a comment back on this page.

Hope that helps.