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I need a very large car for up to €16,000.

I have a budget of around €13,000 to €16,000 and and need to buy a seven-seater diesel that will accommodate two adults and five children aged 7, 10, 12, 14 and 17 years. Have no interest in what the car looks like, need the most reliable engine, with the most leg room possible and will not be trading up etc so maintenance costs a factor too. Will drive the car for as long as it lasts, live in the countryside so average weekly mileage around 130km.

Would be so grateful for some advice.

Jill Co. Waterford.

Jillian Wheaton (Carrick-on-Suir)

Jun 2015 Filed under: family car

Expert answer

Hi Jillian,

OK, there's a few good options out there. You could try and track down a Mitsubishi Grandis - think of it as a Japanese Ford S-Max, with space for seven and endless reliability, but I'm slightly worried that you might be caught for space as your kids get bigger. How about something van-based? A Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Life has seats for seven, lots of space and  based on a commercial vehicle means it'll go forever. That 1.6 TDI  engine makes it cheap to run too.

If you need more space than that, then you're into big van-with-windows territory such as a Ford Transit Tourneo or Volkswagen Caravelle, but these are really big and unwieldy and can be pretty thirsty. If you can all squeeze into the Caddy happily enough, that's the one I'd go for.


Mazda3, Skoda Octavia or Toyota Corolla?

Hi guys.

I currently drive a Volkswagen Golf (2007) and am looking to upgrade to accommodate a growing family (two young kids). I've narrowed my selection down to Mazda3 (saloon), Skoda Octavia, or the Toyota Corolla. Space is a main concern.

Any advice?

Cheers, Ronan

Ronan Murphy (Carrigaline)

Jun 2015 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Ronan,

Go for the Octavia. The Mazda3 is nice to drive and incredibly reliable and the Corolla is about as reliable and unbreakable as a granite rock, but the Octavia has the best interior space and reliability is generally excellent, so go for that. Case in point: once spent two consecutive weekends hauling my young family from Dublin to Waterford to visit relatives. First weekend with a Ford S-Max, second with an Octavia (this would have been 2006) and the Octavia carried the same amount of luggage as the S-Max...

Relevant reviews:

Skoda Octavia review

Toyota Corolla review

Mazda3 review


Why won't my Ford Focus start?

Hi,

I'm having a problem starting my Ford Focus TDCi 1.8. It won't turn over, yet I have all electrical power on my dashboard. Had problem with this some weeks ago and had heater plugs replaced with new ones, which seemed to cure the problem for a week or so but a slow degradation in starting on mornings over the weeks and now nothing. Is this going to be a costly diagnosis?

Thanks in advance.

Stephen Blower (Barnsley)

Jun 2015 Filed under: electrics

Expert answer

Hi Stephen,

If it won't turn over at all it sounds like the battery is flat (it takes a lot more charge to turn the engine than to light up the dashboard) or the starting motor has stopped working. As you mentioned slow degradation I'd suspect the battery, and perhaps the alternator isn't working to full efficiency. Best bet is to get a good mechanic or auto electrician to sort it out.


How best to export a high-end Mercedes?

I am buying a brand new and very rare model Mercedes from a Dublin dealer soon. I will have to tax, insure and register it as per any other car on the road. I have already sold it to a dealer in London for a good premium. Can I export it the very same week I buy it and reclaim the VRT amount via the reclaim scheme and also how best to make the car UK VAT qualifying? It will have 100 miles max on the clock. I can buy in my own name or that of an Irish company.

Thanks

Seamus

Seamus Murphy (Cork)

Jun 2015 Filed under: VRT

Expert answer

Hi Seamus,

This is quite a tricky one so we sought the advice of the car data experts at Cartell.ie. Here's what they came up with:

"This is an unusual query and you'll need to get confirmation from Revenue in Ireland and HM Revenue & Customs in the UK. Based on what we think, and we don't see this query a lot, you may be able to buy the vehicle brand new for export, meaning that the VRT isn't paid on it at all - so no need for refund. The vehicle may get a temporary registration so it can be exported. Also the VAT of 23% can be claimed back as it's a new vehicle and you'll have to pay the UK VAT rate when it's registered there. To be honest this is a bit of a minefield and we strongly advise getting all details and clarifications from the Revenue both in Ireland and the UK before proceeding."


What's wrong with my nearly new Golf TDI?

Hi,

I have a Volkswagen Golf Mk7 TDI diesel, just 10 weeks old, 6,600km on the clock. Engine management light flashing and loses ability to accelerate. Light goes off and acceleration restored once ignition turned off and on again. Gets a 90km spin almost daily. Second time it's happened in past four weeks.

Any ideas what could be wrong?

Olive Piercy (Meath)

Jun 2015 Filed under: fault

Expert answer

Hi Olive,

It's not easy to assess such issues from afar though it does sound as if the car is going into 'limp home' mode to protect the engine as the engine control unit (ECU) has sensed a problem. With such a new car it's most likely to be a wrong reading from a sensor rather than anything major.

As the car is new, bring it straight back to the dealer and we're sure it'll be sorted quickly.

Let us know how you get on and what the problem was.


What is the scrap value of a 2001 Toyota Corolla saloon?

What is the scrap value of a 2001 Toyota Corolla saloon?

Jerry Hough (Nenagh )

Jun 2015 Filed under: scrappage

Expert answer

Hi Jerry,

It depends. If you roll it up to a Nissan, Peuegot or Opel dealer in the next few weeks, then it could be worth as much as €4,500 off a new car. As a pure scrap value, at a breakers, it depends entirely on the condition of the car and the various parts that can be stripped from it.


Can you give me advice on buying a Peugeot 308?

Hi,

Can you give me advice on buying a 2008 to 2010 Peugeot 308? We do about 15,000 miles a year. Which would suit us better - diesel or petrol?

Thank you

Ruairi Mc Carthy (Mullagh Co Cavan)

May 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Ruairi,

With that kind of mileage you would probably be fractionally better off with a petrol, but the thing is that you're unlikely to find one - petrol sales collapsed in the wake of the 2008 change in the car tax regime, so it's very likely that all you'll find out there are diesels. 

Which is no harm - the 308 was always nicer to drive with the 1.6 diesel than with a petrol (unless you can track down a vanishingly rare 150hp 1.6-litre petrol turbo). You just need to watch for a few key items. Make sure the diesel particulate filter has been kept clean, and make sure you give the car at least one good long drive at motorway speeds every week to keep it that way. Check that the cooling system is working properly and that the (plastic) water pump is in good nick. Check the gearbox too - the five-speed manual can sometimes get jammed in neutral.


How do you rate the Subaru Forester?

How do you rate the Subaru Forester? I wouldn't use the back seats, but I do like comfort and a nippy response.

Pat Lough (Co.donegal)

Apr 2015 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Pat,

As luck would have it I have the latest version of the Subaru Forester on test this very week. It's powered by the 148hp 'boxer' diesel engine, which also has 350Nm of torque. Paired with the 'Lineartronic' automatic transmission it's surprisingly responsive. That's a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and it seems to do a great job of keeping the engine at its optimum operating speeds for a variety of situations. We've not fans of these gearboxes when fitted to petrol engines, but they work well allied to diesel and in the Forester it's a good match.

Officially this Forester 2.0D XC Lineartronic does 0-100km/h in 9.6 seconds, but even at motorway speeds it has plenty of go and it happily cruises above 120km/h.

In terms of comfort, the Forester scores well too. The suspension is quite soft and absorbent so bumps are dispatched with ease and it's relatively quiet on the motorway. The upright seating position is comfortable too.

Shame you don't need the back seats, as they're massively spacious.

Further reading:

Subaru Forester review (2013 manual model)


Is the Skoda Octavia TSI a good option for me?

Finally time to change my 2004 1.8 TDCi Ford Focus Estate. With 233,000 miles done, I think it has earned its keep. But what to replace it with? I only do about 20,000km now a year so dont really need the diesel though the torque is good for overtaking. I do need a decent boot as I fill it most weekends. Budget max €13,000. Interested in Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI in hatch or estate. Is this a reliable engine and does it have enough power for overtaking? Generally only me in car and occasional towing of 500kg trailer also done.

David Doran (Co.donegal)

Mar 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi David,

I'd say you've already picked out the ideal car - that Octavia 1.2 TSI is magic. Plenty of oomph, very economical and should have enough grunt to haul that trailer. One thing though - at 500kg, that trailer is getting on for the maximum braked towing weight of 610kg, so if it's an unbraked one it might be worth trading it for a braked version, just to keep some margin for safety.


What decent diesel suits a young driver?

I'm only 19 and buying a good quality diesel car in the next week. Looking at an Opel Astra 1.3 CDTi or a Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec. What would you reccommend? I'm thinking between 2005 and 2008.

David Egan (Kilmihil)

Mar 2015 Filed under: diesel

Expert answer

Hi David,

I would reckon you'd be better off going for the 1.3-litre Opel. If it's pre-08 it'll have cheaper road tax and given your age I would think keeping the engine capacity down as far as possible would be good from an insurance point of view.


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