Does the Dacia Duster have a wiper problem?
I read last year in a British review of the Duster 4x4, that the windscreen wipers are seriously inadequate, too small and too slow to deal with anything more than a light rain shower. I had been considering buying one until then. I drive a good deal on the M50 and even in a car with good wipers it can be a nightmare to get caught behind one of the thousands of HGVs using that road. It is akin to trying to drive while more than half blind, since the HGV creates its own mini Niagra of water and dirt.
So I decided to forget buying a Dacia Duster 4x4. Do you know if the situation is still the same now? The British site in question take cars on a week long test, and thus have a far better idea of what they are like long-term.
Cheers, DF Nolan, Dublin
David F Nolan (Dublin)Sep 2014 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi David,
OK, a couple of points to deal with there. I can well remember my first drive in the Dacia Duster, which was a left-hand drive 4x4 model and I happened to drive it from Galway to Waterford and back on some of the wettest days of 2012. I can honestly not remember feeling that the wipers were inadequate to the task, and I'm generally pretty sensitive to things like that, so I'd say you might be crossing the car off your list somewhat unfairly. I can certainly remember thinking that the Duster felt unusually well-planted on the road and sure-footed in what were truly appalling conditions.
Incidentally, it's worth noting that we also take almost all of our test cars on week-long tests, and occasionally even longer ones. The full CompleteCar.ie team also endeavours to drive each car personally so that we can put together a fully rounded opinion on every model, and we always try to drive them in as many different conditions as the prevailing weather will allow.
How good is the Ford Focus?
How good is the Ford Focus?
Charles Murphy (Dublin 17)Sep 2014 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Charles,
I've only this week driven the updated version for the first time and it takes a considerable step forward in terms of refinement, quietness and comfort, while also being far better to look at and astoundingly good to drive. The full report can be read here.
It could well be the best car in its class - we'll reserve judgement on that until we've tried an Irish spec car.
How much to fuel my BMW 320d for a week?
Is there a site where I can accurately forecast my projected fuel costs? I will be driving roughly 80km per day in a 2006 BMW 320d and would like to know my weekly costs for budgeting purposes.
Marcus Dillon (Dublin)Expert answer
Hi Marcus,
No, but we can work out a rough figure for you. The 2006 320d had a quoted combined figure of 5.7 litres per 100km (about 50mpg). Now, we know that official fuel consumption figures are basically rubbish so let’s be on the pessimistic side – the urban consumption figure was 7.8 litres/100km so let’s split the difference and say 6.8 litres/100km as the halfway point. On your 80km per day, therefore, you’re going to nominally get through about 5.4 litres of fuel per day. That works out at 37.8 litres per week, which at the current average price per litre of diesel comes to €42.90 per week.
Now, that’s an estimated figure, and everything from the traffic levels, to the type of road you use to your own driving style to how much weight you’re carrying in the car to the condition of your engine and your tyres to whether you use the air conditioning or not and so many more variables will have an effect on that figure, so consider it ballpark only.
What will I do with my two Volkswagen Golf diesels?
We have two cars at present: a 2008 Volkswagen Golf Estate 1.9 TDI diesel (low tax, 90,000 miles, does approx. 10k miles per year), which is a family car doing town trips and three days a week motorway driving 74 miles round trip on the M1 and M50. The other is a 2007 Golf Plus 1.9 TDI with 110,000 miles on the clock doing approx. 20,000 miles per year (mainly round trips of 74km per day seven days per week on the motorway). Very happy with both cars and not giving any problems, but have been told that both cars will need the dual mass flywheel changed at some point as this is often a problem with these Golfs.
Was going to change the Golf Plus for new family car worth approx. €17k - was going to get approx. €5-5.5k as trade in and a loan for €12K. Trying to justify changing car! Both cars are serviced at most 1,000km after service is due. How much is too many miles on these cars? Could I get high mileage on these cars without too much of an outlay on repairs or should I regularly update the car? If I'm to change I was going to look at a Volkswagen Passat, Skoda Octavia or a Toyota Avensis. Am I right in sticking to diesel?
Many thanks
Brian Byrne (Balbriggan, Dublin)Aug 2014 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Brian,
Yeah, I think you're probably right to stick with diesel with those sorts of mileages. Mind you, it's worth pointing out that those two Volkswagens you have aren't on mega-miles yet and it could be more cost-effective to spend a little on getting them spruced up and fit for thousands more miles than chopping and changing.
That said, if you're in need of a good, reliable family car then I'd have a long look at a Toyota Avensis estate. The 2.0-litre D-4D diesel engine is a good 'un and cheap to tax, it's comfy, ideal for long motorway runs and if it's not the most exciting car in the world, then at least it's solidly reliable. Spacious too.
Probably the most cost-effective option is to replace the high-miler with something younger and fitter and then spend a little extra to keep the runaround Golf fresh.
Let us know what you decide on.
Is there something wrong with my Volkswagen Polo?
Hi, I have a 2002 Volkswagen Polo Comfortline 1.2-litre. I bought it a few weeks ago and I have taken it for short journeys about two or three miles. It got its NCT five days before purchase, but I noticed the needle on the petrol gauge going down slowly, but on a two or three mile journey I didn't expect it to move at all? This is my first car so I'm panicking.
Thank you!
Bryan Barrett (Limerick)Jul 2014 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Bryan,
The fuel gauge should not visibly go down over such a short drive, no matter how fast you're going! If there's a fuel leak then it's a big one to cause that, so start up the car in neutral with the handbrake on in a safe location (in the dry preferably) and get out and look underneath for any signs. If there is one we recommend turning off the car and having it towed to a garage for a repair.
However, it may well be that the gauge or the sender unit in the fuel tank are themselves faulty and it could be an inexpensive fix. Either way you should bring the car back to where you bought it (assuming it was a trade sale and not a private one) and insist they accompany you on a drive so you can demonstrate the problem. If there's a warranty in place this kind of thing should be covered.
Let us know how you get on
I need help finding a diesel car for €2,000...
I need help finding a diesel car for €2,000: I need a car to carry two small kids also, something up to 1.6 maybe, was thinking of a car in the Peugeot 307 or Renault Mégane size, looking for something reliable to keep for a few years, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your help,
Barry
Barry Slye (Cork)Jul 2014 Filed under: diesel
Expert answer
Hi Barry,
To be blunt, you're going to struggle to get a decent diesel engined car at that price level. There do seem to be one or two diesel Peugeot 307s or Renault Méganes around at that sort of money but we'd advise serious caution before purchase - neither have a great reputation for reliability.
Unless you're covering mega-miles every week, you would probably be much, much better off getting a tidy 1.4 petrol hatchback, perhaps a circa 2002 Toyota Corolla? Really solid on the reliability front, excellent fuel economy and affordable motor tax. It would be a much better idea than going all out for diesel but ending up with a less reliable car.
What do you think?
Should this dealer replace my engine for me?
I bought a Hyundai i30 off a dealer last July; I paid €6,500 with my own car, which I got €1,600 for. I had six months warranty and in March I discovered an oil leak and brought it to my own garage just up the road. He put in a seal and it cost €100. Then in May the starter went in the car so I had to pay €400 for a new starter.
Then last week I was driving down the road and without warning the car just started to seize. I pulled in and turned off the engine. It was leaking a lot of oil and my local garage collected it. I decided to ring the person I bought it from when I discovered that the engine was gone in my car. I was shocked and expressed my concern to the dealer I bought it from. He told me my warranty was out and that he was not liable, though he said if I paid for an engine that he would fit it free of charge. This will cost me €800 to €1,000 on top of what I paid for the car. My local dealer told me that the engine had been opened before and he found this strange. My question is, is the dealer who sold me the car liable considering it was the engine?
Martina Murphy (Kerry)Jun 2014 Filed under: warranty
Expert answer
Hi Martina,
OK. In the strictest terms the dealer is right - if the car is out of warranty then there's nothing he legally has to do. The fact that you took it to your own mechanic in the first instance also probably gives him a get-out clause. Check the fine print of the warranty to see if it includes a coda about where the car must be serviced and maintained in order to keep the warranty in place.
Now, there are a couple of other things worth considering. If the engine was genuinely faulty, and you can prove that the dealer in question knew about this before he sold it to you, then you have a case under the Sale Of Goods And Supply Of Services Act. It would be very tricky to prove beyond a reasonable doubt though. The fact that he's offering a reduced rate to replace the engine could either be interpreted as a sincere gesture of goodwill or the act of a guilty conscience.
Either way, it's worth doing two things. Put pressure on the dealer, warranty or no warranty, to replace the engine free of charge - simply because a car is out of warranty, a major component like the engine shouldn't be failing in this day and age. Secondly, have a word with your solicitor and see what they make of it. You may have a case.
Finally, how old is the car in question? If it's under five years old, then it should still be covered by Hyundai's own unlimited mileage warranty.
Let us know how you get on
How do you rate the Volkswagen Scirocco?
Hi guys,
How would you rate a used Volkswagen Scirocco, say 2011/12 model? The majority of cars in the used market seem to be the 1.4 TSI 122hp model; is this engine strong enough for the car, or would I be better going for the 2.0-litre diesel? Majority of my driving is in town with some motorway driving at the weekend.
Thanks
Gary
Gary McClelland (Dublin)Jun 2014 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Gary,
We rate the Scirocco very highly indeed. It's peachy to drive, quietly handsome and surprisingly practical for a coupé. The 1.4 TSI petrol engine is actually fine in the Scirocco, although it can't really cash the cheques the body is writing. It's got more than decent performance, but if you want some proper thump, then the 2.0-litre 140hp diesel is definitely the better choice. Best of all though is the 2.0 TSI with the engine from the Golf GTI. It can get a little thirsty if you drive it like it begs to be driven, but as an all-rounder, it's very hard indeed to beat.
Should I go for 1.6- or 1.9-litre TDI Audi A3?
Hi,
I'm looking to buy an Audi A3 diesel, changing from a 2003 petrol Toyota Corolla. I would like to go up perhaps five to six years. There seems to be a lot more 1.9 TDI engines around than 1.6, which was what I had thought I would go for. Would you be able to tell me if there is much difference in mpg between them? I would do a good bit of driving per week and I want something that's more fuel efficient.
Jacinta Woods (Ennis)Apr 2014 Filed under: diesel
Expert answer
Hi Jacinta,
Essentially the old 1.9 TDI Pump Düse engine is just a bit less sophisticated than the newer, cleaner 1.6 TDI common rail engine. That said it's still pretty economical and while you could potentially get 60mpg from the 1.6 you should pretty easily get low-fifties-mpg from the 1.9.
How do I cure my BMW's overheating?
Hi, I have a BMW 320 Convertible, which had a reconditioned engine with new radiator about eight months ago, but it now keeps losing water! Sometimes I fill it and it will be fine for weeks; other times it empties in days. Now the temperature gauge is shooting straight into the red even when filled up with water.
What do I do?
Leah Johnson (Berkshire)Mar 2014 Filed under: fault
Expert answer
Hi Leah,
The first things we'd look at are whether the thermostat is stuck closed or the system needs bleeding of air. Please do not drive the car with the temperature gauge in the red for any length of time or you could cause major engine damage.
Let us know how you get on