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Hi there,

The Mercedes EQC comes with ‘heat-insulated dark-tinted glass’ fitted as standard, and it is part of the overall energy efficiency of the vehicle, as the heat insulation means that you need a little less air conditioning in the summer, and a little less heating in the winter. It could be worth asking your local Mercedes dealer if the tint can be removed as a delete option, but it may not be possible. 

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Hi Catherine,

At the moment, the only Kuga model with standard-fit heated seats is the top-spec Vignale model, but you can have them on a Titanium or ST-Line version by simply ticking the box for the Winter Pack option, which also comes with a ‘Quickclear’ heated windscreen, heated washer jets and a heated steering wheel, for €450.

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Hi Mat,

The Tarraco XCellence Lux isn’t actually officially offered in Ireland, but it is available in the UK. It’s basically an XCellence with 20-inch wheels, leather sports seats, electric seat adjustment, ’top view’ parking camera and a winter pack with heated front and rear seats and headlamp washers.

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Hi Sean,

I agree to a certain extent with this, but not completely. Rear-wheel-drive cars with their engines up front (as with your Mercedes) really struggle with traction in icy conditions, but front-wheel-drive cars are no better when it comes to braking and turning in the same conditions so if such a law was to be brought it, it really should apply to all cars, as winter tyres provide much more grip whether you're accelerating, braking or turning.

However, despite the crazy week we've had here in Ireland with snow and ice, long term weather stats clearly show that we don't get enough cold weather in most parts of Ireland (i.e. the temperature below seven degrees C) to warrant forcing everyone to change to winter tyres. Above seven degrees C, winter tyres are not as good as all-weather/summer tyres and they wear much quicker.

The Irish motorist already feels hard done by in terms of taxation and running costs so I don't think any government would bring this in here, but to be honest, I don't think they should, either. It really should be up to the individual. And that's coming from someone that has expereinced how brilliant winter tyres can be. Other opinions area available...

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Hi Jane,

I would say that if you're driving as you describe then sDrive is fine, as not only is it entirely capable it's also much better from a point of view of running costs. For normal on-road driving it's perfectly good enough, and if you're worried about winter conditions then consider fitting some winter or all-season tyres. 

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Hi Philip,

That only really applies to front-engined, rear-drive cars, as opposed to rear/mid-engined models. It comes down to weight over the driven wheels. In a front-drive car, the engine is right over the driven wheels, helping it find traction in low-grip situations, but in a rear-drive car there's not enough weight over the rear wheels to help with that.

They aren't a complete disaster, though. Have a look in Germany the next time you go there in winter and see how many rear-wheel drive BMWs and Mercedes you spot getting stuck in snow and mud. The problem is that most drivers these days are only used to front-drive and worse, many often don’t know that the drive goes to the rear in most BMWs, Mercs, Lexus, Jaguars etc. So they end up using a front-wheel drive driving technique when presented with a slippery surface, which is to add power and try and force your way through. That doesn’t work – rear-drive cars need a more delicate technique for dealing with slippery surfaces, but in the right hands they can be just as capable.

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Hi Mike,

The A6 is a cracking choice - reliable, frugal, stylish and hugely comfy, but it's not as sweet to drive as the 5 Series. That said, it is more spacious and if you can track down an Avant estate you'll have one of the best looking cars around. 

If you're concerned about driving on snow and ice there are two avenues you should explore, no matter which car you go for. One is to look into fitting either winter tyres (which you'll need to swap back over to normal tyres in the spring) or all-season tyres, such as the new 'CrossClimate' one from Michelin. Better again, go on a winter driving techniques course. BMW runs one at Rally School Ireland in Monaghan and the skills you'll learn there would get you through even the worst blizzard, no matter which set of your car's wheels are driven.

Further reading:

Audi A6 review

BMW 5 Series review

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Hi Martina,

There are many possible reasons for this drop off in your fuel economy. Start with the easy things - you'd be surprised how important they are.

1 - Are you carrying extra weight in the car now than you were before? Golf clubs (or bricks!) in the boot? It can have a large effect.

2 - Have you fitted a roof rack/box? Again, can have a massive effect.

3 - Check the air pressure of your tyres. This is very very important. Underinflated tyres cause extra drag, requiring more fuel. Don't over-inflate either though, as that could lead to a blow-out. Follow guidelines for the car/tyre.

4 - It's winter so you're most likely using the lights, heater and demister a lot more. Those all use fuel. In particular, make sure you turn off the rear window demister when it's not needed - it uses a lot of energy.

All the above you can do for yourself, so do and then see if things have improved. After that we would suggest that you have your car serviced if it has been a while. The air filter and/or fuel filter could be clogged and it's a good time to hook the car up to a diagnostics machine to see if there are any error codes indicating other issues.

Let us know how you get on

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Hi Pat,

I'd say you could potentially get between €4,500 and €5,000 if you sell it yourself, or probably between €3,000 and €3,500 if you trade it in. One tip though - don't try to sell it now. The value of cabriolets drops sharply in the winter. If you can hang on until the summer you'll potentially make a few more quid, or at least find it easier to sell.

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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!