Expert answer

Hi Tom,

OK, you've got a couple of choices here. You could trade it in under one of the current 'scrappage' schemes and make potentially as much as €4,500 on it, depending on what car you're trading in against. 

Or you could junk it or sell it for parts and grab another Bangernomics special. 

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Hi Robert,

I'm afraid it's impossible to assess such a thing from afar. You say you had everything checked, but did you actually hook the car up to a diagnostic tool to see if the engine control unit has any error codes to report? That would be the first port of call. After that, it boils down to fuel, air and, if it's petrol, spark, so you need to check all the sub-systems.

It'll only fail the NCT if the problem is having an effect on the pollutants coming out of the exhaust, by the way.

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Hi Bryan,

Go for the petrol 1.2 TSI. If most of your mileage is short hops then, even with a regular motorway run, you're not going to get the benefit from diesel. And a 1.2, driven with reasonable care, should get close to 50mpg on the motorway anyway. Plus, you'll save a good chunk of money at purchase time, which will easily outweigh any potential diesel fuel savings. 

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Hi Angela,

I think a PCP plan would be entirely wrong for you, because they really only work if you're intending to come back in three years' time to trade in again. I'm guessing you don't want to do that.

Your Audi is worth about €2,000 so put that together with your €3,000 and we're looking at a budget of around €5,000. That's great because that will get you into a 2007 Honda Jazz - one of the best small cars around. It's spacious, comfortable, frugal and above all reliable. You simply can't go wrong with one.

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Hi Claire,

Well, with a bike, why not go for a compact estate instead of a hatch? Same driving experience and same running costs, but a bigger boot by far. Best of the breed is a Kia cee'd SW, which is hugely reliable and has a massive boot. With you just driving at the weekends, I'd say it's worth trying to track down a petrol model, rather than the more popular diesel.

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Hi Joanne,

The RAV4 is most definitely worth the price, and it's one of the best cars Toyota currently makes - spacious, reliable and not at all bad to drive. Worth looking at the Nissan Qashqai and Renault Kadjar too, as well as the Skoda Yeti and Mazda CX-5. You won't go wrong with any of those choices, but given your high mileage take a very close look at the Renault and the Nissan - they'll be the most economical overall.

Relevant reviews:

Toyota RAV4 review

Nissan Qashqai review

Renault Kadjar review

Skoda Yeti review

Mazda CX-5 review

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Hi Elaine,

You're kind of on the cusp of being better off with a diesel with that kind of mileage. There are a few cars that are worth looking at. Sticking with petrol? Try a Honda Jazz - small but very spacious, and the 1.2-litre engine is pretty frugal. Want to go for a small diesel? Try a Volkswagen Polo. Want something a little more fun, but still very frugal (albeit not very roomy in the back)? Try a MINI Cooper D.

Expert answer

Hi Niall,

We asked Ford Ireland about this for you. First of all, it was confirmed that your car has a timing belt, not a timing chain.

With regards to the injectors, a longer response was given:

"Mondeo DV6 has a Continental fuel system and the fuel injectors fitted on this system have correction factors on them. What this means is that they have a unique ID number that the engine's PCM need to know so it can operate them. The pump has nothing to do with how the injectors operate and its role is simply to bring the fuel up to the high pressure demanded by the system. When an injector is replaced the PCM needs to know the new number of the injector installed. This is inputted using Ford IDS Diagnostic tool. If the injector is installed and the correction factor is not learned using the Ford Diagnostic tool the vehicle will not run at optimal level and the engine may exhibit excessive noise and emissions."

Finally, with regards to a shaking steering wheel, that could be something as simple as a wheel going out of balance, so check that before you consider changing any brake items. Whether the dealer should replace warped discs after six weeks is not so clear - it really depends on the terms of your warranty.

Expert answer

Hi Prince,

That’s a tricky one. In terms of your consumer rights, you are most certainly entitled to a replacement car if this one is not up to scratch and the dealership has not been able to repair it to your satisfaction.

However, you’ll need to establish that there is a specific fault or faults with the car first. I’d recommend getting it inspected by an independent motor vehicle assessor (you can find them via a quick Google search) and get them to give you a full report on it. Then you need to bring that report to the dealer and demand that either the car is fully repaired (it’s still well within its original five-year warranty after all) or give you a replacement.

Let us know how you get on

Expert answer

Hi Simon,

The only potential fly in the ointment here might be resale value, but we honestly don't think it'll be as big a factor on the 2 Series Coupé as it would on a 'normal' car, such as a 3 Series Saloon or a Ford Focus, for example. There is an element of risk on that, though not if the buyer is going for finance with a guaranteed future minimum value...

All that aside, we'd wholeheartedly recommend the 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. It's astoundingly good in the MINI, marrying ok economy and low runnings costs with cracking performance and bags of personality. Admittedly, we've not had a chance to drive the 218i for ourselves and though the rear-drive chassis should be a hoot with that engine, it's worth noting that the 218i M Sport is about 300kg heavier than a MINI Cooper. In an ideal world your friend would get to try it out first to make sure they're happy with the performance.

As an aside, with such low mileage, and most of it in the city, a petrol car would be best in the long run for your friend to prevent DPF clog-ups and the like.