Expert answer

Hi Rowland,

OK, there are a lot of parameters to go with here, but the basics are that you need a car that's cheap to buy (so it can't, sadly be too new), has affordable running costs and won't break down every time it rains. I reckon that gives you a choice of three or four key models: Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla or Auris, Kia cee'd or Hyundai i30.

Have a shop around and you should be able to find several of those all well within your purchase price range, while they all have efficient engines and excellent reliability records. In the case of the Kia and the Hyundai, they also have lengthy warranties, which, even if there's none left on the one you buy, at least means that they're more likely to have been looked after. My personal choice would be the Honda. Track down a nice 1.4 petrol Civic and I don't think you'll look back.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Gary,

Very, very hard to go wrong with a Golf for your starter car. Cheap to buy and maintain, but if you get a nice one, clean it and care for it, it'll look every bit as classy and desirable as a brand new one. The 1.4 has all the performance of a slow moving glacier, but that's probably why the insurance is so cheap. It's also worth having a look for a nice 1.4-litre MINI One, if only for the sheer fun of the thing, or if you wanted to be really, really sensible (and shave even more off the insurance) you could track down a 1.0-litre Toyota Yaris.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Sinead,

Okay, so you want to stick with Citroen, need three across the back and an engine under 1.6 litres. That's a tricky combination, but why not try a C3 Picasso? That's a crackingly good small MPV and it comes with Citroen's super economical 1.6 diesel. Or, with a bit of searching, you may be able to track down a 1.4 petrol version. 

As for the back seat, I've personally managed to get three child seats in, but it can be a bit of a squeeze. Depending on the age of your granddaughters though I may have a solution. Have a look online for a company called Bubble Bum. They make inflatable booster seats that both store flat when you don't need them and which are usually a little narrower than the bigger boosters. That could save you a crucial bit of space.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Kal,

Right, you need to be aiming for an engine under 1.0 litres to keep the insurance costs as low as possible. If you're buying new, how about a Volkswagen up! or a Hyundai i10? Both excellent, both very safe. If you're buying used, stretch the insurance budget to a 1.2-litre engine and track down a nice, well cared for Nissan Micra - safe, easy to drive and ultra-reliable.

What do you think?

Expert answer

Hi Elaine,

If you want to stay with a small car then can I suggest tracking down a nice Ford Fiesta? Your €8k budget won't quite stretch to a new EcoBoost model, but the older 1.25 petrol engine is still a sweet, economical and reliable unit.

If it's maximum economy you're after then you need to think of a small diesel. How about a Peugeot 207 1.4 HDi? Hard to track down but 65mpg is easy.

Better yet, you could trade up altogether. €8k should get you into a nice 2008 SEAT Leon 1.9 TDI - hugely reliable, spacious, economical and really good to drive.

Let us know what you think

Expert answer

Hi Ash,

It very much depends on your price bracket and what your requirements are in terms of size. If you want something small, cheap and fun to drive, why not try either a Nissan Juke or MINI Countryman? Need something with a bit more space and practicality? Nissan Qashqai then, or better yet, a Skoda Yeti. Want to get something with a lot more size and some proper 4x4 ability? Go for a Honda CR-V, a Hyundai Santa Fe (you can get those with seven seats by the way) or, a Nissan again, this time the under-appreciated X-Trail. Want something seriously big and impressive? Well, a Range Rover Sport is always a good buy but be sure to put aside plenty to cover the running costs. A Toyota Land Cruiser is rather less exciting to drive or to look at but its reliability is little short of legendary. Or, if you want something really cheap and old that can pack some abuse and come back for more, try either a Suzuki Grand Vitara (smallish) or a Mitsubishi Pajero (big). Both are reliable, both can off-road properly and both can be tracked down at bargain prices, as long as you buy according to condition, not age or mileage.

Come back to us if you need more help

Expert answer

Hi Dawn,

Well, according to the official figures, a 2008 Yaris 1.4 D-4D should give you about 62mpg. But, it's a car you're probably going to have a deal of trouble tracking down as few will have been sold here in the first place because of the price premium over the 1.0 and 1.3 petrol versions. A 1.0 petrol Yaris won't be quite so economical on a long run, but the fact that it will be easier to find and cheaper to buy may well outweigh that.

Expert answer

Hi Brid,

You might be able to but I'd suggest if you're buying it for your daughter you may not want to! Make sure you get a good one and be aware that the Focus didn't have anti-lock brakes (ABS) as standard back then and many cars were sold without it. Worth tracking down one with that life-saving tech.

Let us know how you get on or if you need more help

Expert answer

Hi Rafal,

There are no problems that suggest themselves as a likely culprit. The Bora is more or less mechanically identical to the Golf, so has the same solidity and suffers the same basic niggles - if there were a problem causing Bora NCT failures, it would be happening to Golfs too. Certainly, Volkswagen Ireland is unaware of any particular Bora issue when we asked for a comment. 

The only thing we can think of is that the Bora has slightly stiffer, sportier suspension than the Golf and that could potentially lead to wear and tear on things like bushings and track rod ends. Given the age of the cars you're looking at, that could be the problem, although in fairness, any 10 to 14-year old car could be suffering from that kind of problem, especially if it's an original Irish car.

Expert answer

Hi Stella,

OK, the good news is that your Yaris is an in-demand model and values for cars from around that era are holding up well because of the scarcity of new car sales since the financial crash. I'd hope that you'd get around €8,000 for it, but let's play safe and assume you get €7,000 and you can add your €1k to that. That opens up an entire world of MINIs to you, and not just old models - you should be able to get into the second-generation post-2006 model, which is noticeably more refined and well made. I'd suggest trying to track down a nicely specced 1.6 Cooper and enjoy the heck out of it. As a MINI owner myself, I can tell you that they're great fun to drive and not quite as impractical as you might think.

Now, reliability. There's no two ways about it - Toyotas are staggeringly reliable and break very rarely. MINIs aren't bad, not bad at all, but they're just not quite as bank-vault solid as the Japanese car. Buy carefully, make sure you get one with a full and complete service history and you should be fine. Regular servicing isn't too pricey (about €190 for a normal service) and fuel economy should be pretty good too.

Hope that all helps