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Hi Susan,

Wow, you're a glutton for punishment aren't you? You pretty much couldn't have picked two less reliable cars. The Discovery is best avoided. If you could afford to trade up to a third-generation model I'd say that's worth a go, as Land Rover was starting to get on top of its quality issues by then, but the old Series II is just bad news. Gearboxes go, electrics go and even the suspension can fail. I know what you mean about falling in love - it's happened to me too with old Land Rovers, but you're looking at a very high-maintenance partner there.

The Espace is a little better, but not by much. The diesel engines are very fragile - check for smoke, check for oil levels and if there are any signs of overheating, run don't walk away. Check anything with an electrical wire coming out the back of it too as it can all go wrong, although the electronic parking brake and electric windows are especially prone to wrongness. Also, keep an eye on the tyres. Espaces go through them like butter and 20,000km is about as much as you'll get out of a set.

If you really want a seven-seater that works properly, can I suggest either a Mitsubishi Pajero or Toyota Land Cruiser? Not as cool as the Discovery, but they won't let you down.

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Hi Robbie,

It could well be a wheel bearing. Though it could just as easily be a tyre. Best bet is to bring it to a different mechanic to have it checked over.

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Hi Vittorio,

You've got it all answered yourself there. The BMW's overall residual value will indeed be slightly better, but, long term, the Mazda should prove to be much more reliable and rugged. Both are excellent to drive. The BMW's classic rear-drive chassis is slightly the superior, but the Mazda's muscular steering feel and firmly sprung chassis makes it one of the best front-drive saloon chassis around. 

Nothing major to watch for on either - just make sure there's a fully stamped up service history and check the BMW carefully to make sure that all the electrical bits work and that it's been topped up with high grade oil at each service. Both cars may have been driven hard by previous owners (many will be ex-fleet) so check carefully for thinks like uneven tyre wear or noises from underneath that indicate worn or out-askew suspension.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Paul,

It could be down to a number of factors, but excessive fuel consumption can usually be traced to a few specific areas:

Are the tyre pressures correct all round? Tyres that are under pressure can seriously increase your fuel consumption.

Are you using a roof rack or roof box, or are you constantly carrying around heavy loads in the boot?

Has the engine been serviced recently?

Finally, there’s your own driving style, which is often the bigger contributing factor to fuel consumption. If you’re trying to save fuel, try accelerating a little more gently, anticipating the traffic flow a little further ahead, backing off earlier and not idling the engine when standing still for long periods.

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Hi Jaro,

Are you talking about the E46 model (1998 to 2006) or the E92 (2007 to 2013)?

If it's the E46, check carefully for any suspension problems - listen for clonking noises from underneath and look closely for uneven tyre wear. There was also a problem with radiator cooling fans failing. It's easily replaced but the problem is that the damage may already have been caused so if the car you're looking at has had a new fan, check carefully for any signs of head gasket damage or overheating.

If it's the E92, then cabin rattles and nosies are your biggest problem. They can be fixed but they can be a nightmare of trial and error to do so. Some electronic systems can also give trouble, especially the optional Bluetooth phone system, but that can usually be fixed with a software patch from a BMW dealer. The petrol 320i version can burn through a lot of oil, so take a long test drive to check for any signs of leaks or a smell of burning oil or blue exhaust smoke. There have been reports of total engine failures for the 320i too, but thankfully they seem to be very rare.

Hope that all helps

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Hi Eddie,

There are certainly no reports out there of any persistent handbrake issues with the FR-V so it could just be a specific problem with that car - the handbrake may have been over-adjusted at the last service, perhaps. Try another one and see if you feel the same problem. Otherwise FR-Vs are, like all Hondas, staggeringly reliable and well made. There are just no repeated problems with them, so, as long as the one you're looking at has a full service history and is in good nick, you should be fine.

Just watch for two things; check the interior and especially the boot for signs of excess wear and tear - these are hard-working family machines and many have been treated with a fair amount of disdain. Then check the tyres for signs of uneven wear - that could mean that the suspension has been knocked askew, something that's easily done as the FR-V is a little wider than most cars.

Hope that helps

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Hi Eileen,

First up, we believe you mean rear-wheel drive cars. All BMWs (up to a new one launching later this year anyway) send their power to the rear or all wheels, and most Mercedes-Benz models do as well (though that's slowly changing). So, what's the 'problem' with rear-wheel drive? The stories you are referring to probably started off when we had those particularly long icy winters a few years ago. Many drivers of rear-drive cars found themselves stranded when others sailed past. This is down to lack of traction.

In a front-engined, rear-drive car there is very little weight over the driven wheels so in very slippery conditions it can struggle to put its power down. Most normal cars (i.e. not executive or sporty) are front-engined and front-wheel drive, where the weight of the engine over the wheels helps in low-grip conditions. Saying all that, sales of BMWs and Mercs etc. with rear-wheel drive are very high in countries that consistently have much worse weather than us, but the difference is that they habitually change over to winter tyres for a fixed portion of the year. These have a massive effect.

Back in Ireland, BMWs and Mercs are bought in relatively large numbers due to their status and image, yet they're not as expensive as they used to be. Most of the time here the lack of rear traction is not an issue, though some drivers don't like the feel of a rear-drive car in wet conditions. They're no less safe though, especially the latest models with all their driver aids.

Personally, I prefer rear-wheel drive, but I'd advise all buyers to try a range of cars to see what they like.

Hope that helps you understand those stories a little!

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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

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Hi Patrick,

We haven’t been able to find any evidence of a Volkswagen-instigated sensor replacement programme, but it seems that there are two possible issues here. First, some of the problems may just be brake and tyre dust covering the sensor and a proper clean might do the trick. Secondly, it could be that the wheel-hub is failing, and that is what is triggering the sensor issue so we’d advise getting the car inspected properly to see if that’s the case.

Expert answer

Hi George,

Oh dear, where to begin? Warranty Direct describes the 9-5 as one of the most troublesome cars it's ever surveyed. Electrics are the most common problems, so make sure all the buttons work, then check the suspension for signs of wear, tear or incoming failure. Uneven tyre wear is an early sign of problems there.

Approach with caution basically.