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Hi John,

A very good point — basic VW Polos have always been rather underpowered and the fact is that, for the same price as a basic Polo 65hp, you can have a basic SEAT Ibiza with the more powerful engine. Or for the same price as the 80hp Polo in basic Trendline form, you could have an Ibiza with the same engine but in higher SE trim. We’d say definitely go for the SEAT in this instance, as you’ll get better spec, or better performance (especially for that M4 run), or both.

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Hi Joe,

I think a good bet here, if you want to buy new, is the new Mazda3 2.0 M-Hybrid. It’s only a mild-hybrid, but it’ll be good on fuel, yet it has decently punchy performance and is really enjoyable and engaging to drive. Looks great too, but not as tempting to the criminal fraternity as a Golf R. If you fancy something with a bit more grunt, but still understated styling, how about a Skoda Octavia RS? Quick and agile, and not too shabby when it comes to economy. 

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Hi Tracey,

OK, the Triton is basically the same as our L200 pickup, so it’ll be assessed for Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) at 13.3 per cent of the Irish market selling price. An L200 of that sort of age, depending on condition, will be worth around €10-12,000 so you’re probably looking at around €1,500 or so in VRT costs. Because it’s an older car you won’t  need to worry about VAT, but because it’s coming from outside the EU, there will be customs duty to pay, which is usually charged at 10 per cent of the vehicle cost plus shipping. When you bring the car in, you have a week to officially notify Revenue that the car is in the country, and then 30 days to book your VRT inspection appointment and complete the process. 

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Hi Chris,

The answer here is Skoda Superb. Nothing else, at least nothing else affordable, has the sort of rear legroom to truly allow a very tall driver to get comfy in front of a rear-facing infant seat, and the Superb has the kind of massive boot that every parent of two growing kids will truly need. They’re not expensive, either — go for the second-generation or later model (which first launched in 2009, although the current version, launched in 2015 is nicer still) and you’ll be onto a winner, just make sure to get one with a full and comprehensive history and make sure that it’s not been previously used as a taxi (many have). Even better — get the Combi estate for maximum practicality. 

Read our Skoda Superb reviews for more

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Hi Margaret,

That's a tough call. I would agree that it sounds as if the valve is only beginning to stick, but it's quite a bit of work on most cars to take it out and then clean it and replace it. You're taking the risk by cleaning it that you will end up paying the same labour cost twice when it comes to replace the valve at a later date.

Ask the garage to quote you for removal and cleaning and then make your decision based on that.

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Hi Eimear,

It’s a tricky one and it kind of depends on what age of car you’re looking at. I think with your driving profile and the fact that, as you say, you don’t drive much in town, hybrid may not be right for you. Emphasis on the ‘may.’

If you’re buying a new hybrid, that equation changes a little. The current Toyota Prius, for example, gets an easy 65mpg on the motorway, which is better than I’ve ever got out of any diesel. Ditto the Kia Niro plugin-hybrid. It’s not just new cars either. A few years back I squeezed better economy out of a Lexus GS 300h on a run from Dublin to West Cork and back than I did on the same route, in the same week, with a Ford Mondeo Vignale diesel.

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Hi Anne,

There are loads of different reasons why a stop-start system won't work as you might expect it to. Most of the time it's down to the condition of the battery or the drain on it, though it could be due to the ambient temperature, too. Here are a couple of items on the site to read through before you consider having the car looked at:

Why won't my car's stop-start system work?

Why does my stop-start not always work?

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Hi Corionna,

We're going to assume that this is a relatively recent Mokka, using the 1.6-litre 136hp diesel engine. That car has rated combined fuel consumption of 4.3 litres per 100km, so you’re going to burn roughly 8.7 litres covering 201km, and that’s going to work out at about €11.22 in fuel costs each day. Except, of course, you’re not going to get 4.3 litres per 100km, not unless you drive like a saint anyway. Safer to assume you’ll burn through 6.0 litres per 100km of fuel, which means you’ll pay around €15 in fuel costs for each 200km journey. Depending on fuel prices, obviously.

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Hi Anthony,

That’s a big question, and it really comes down to how you drive your car and, just as importantly, where you drive it. If you’re someone who drives long-haul on motorways week-in, week-out, then diesel power is still the best option for you, as for longer journeys there’s nothing more frugal. Some hybrids are getting closer to diesel economy on longer runs, but they’re not quite at parity yet. If you’re mostly doing short hops, or driving around town most of the time, then either petrol or hybrid power is the right way to go. Those are generalisations though — a lot will depend on your specific needs and tastes, and what sort of car you want. 

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Hi Stephen,