Michael McAleer answers your queries
From David Roche,Co Wexford:
Nearly everyone seems to think that Renault brought in the MPV concept with its Espace away back in the 1980s. Others have mentioned Chrysler and Mitsubishi. But surely the first MPV was the Fiat 600 Multipla? I was wondering if anyone in Ireland still had such an interesting car as I would be keen on purchasing.
We haven't seen one around but the 600 Multipla was certainly a strong seller in the 1960s when Fiat was in its heyday on the Irish market. Introduced in 1956, it had seating for up to six. The Multipla name, of course, has been brought back for Fiat's modern MPV. Maybe an original Multipla owner out there will get in touch with us.
From Seamus Gibbons, Co Mayo:
I want an old-fashioned British sports car, like the Morgan. It would be second hand. I've heard that there's a Morgan car club in Ireland. Can you give me details? Is Morgan still British-owned?
Yes, we hear the Morgan factory, at Malvern Link in Worcestershire, is still in the custody of the founding family and likely to stay that way. Morgan was established in 1910 and builds 600 cars a year.
A leading member of the Morgan car club here is Seanie Barry who's the dealer principal of Barrys of Bantry, Opel dealers in the Co Cork town. He would be delighted to help.
For all its quintessential Britishness, Morgan's latest Aero 8 has a 4.4 litre BMW V8 engine, while the more conventional roadster comes with a Ford V6 3.0 litre unit.
From Jim O'Halloran, Dun Laoghaire:
Are run-flat tyres likely to become more common on cars? I wished they had been fitted to my car - I recently had two punctures in two weeks, both in very awkward spots where changing wheels was dangerous. What's the position?
It's a very slow process and, apart from BMW, few car makers seem to be fitting them as original equipment. Sadly, you are statistically out of line. Motorists on average get a puncture once every six years which is why there's such a slow uptake. Some people have complained that on BMWs, run-flat tyres give a rougher ride on poorly-surfaced B roads.
The old Dunlop company first launched a run-flat tyre almost 30 years ago. It was called Denovo but never achieved commercial success because, even then, punctures were becoming rarer. Car manufacturers were not interested in it as original equipment but it did become standard on the old Mini Cooper.
From M. McDonell, Dublin 9:
Why do we have 24-hour bus lanes yet the buses don't run all night? I was stopped by a garda at 3 am for using the bus lane. I was incredulous. I couldn't believe he could keep a straight face while he cautioned me.
It's crazy to continue to introduce these dedicated bus lanes by stealth and swallow up valuable road space in the city for vehicles that use the lanes only once every 20 minutes or so, while motorists are stuck in the outer lanes.
Your point about the 24-hour corridor is relevant. The enforcement of the 24-hour bus lane rule at night-time would seem to be be simple pig-headedness. At 2am, the lane wouldn't be needed anyway so it's really an argument of principle. Certainly the idea of a garda enforcing the bus lane restrictions at 3 am seems a tad over-eager.
Of more importance is the use of the two-hour window after the morning rush for cars and delivery vehicles. It's proved very useful along Dublin's quays.
Recently four more quality bus corridor (QBC) projects reached the public consultation stage. In the coming years 11 new QBCs will be opened around the city. Motorists should lobby to ensure that common sense prevails in the operational times of these lanes.
The biggest problem, of course, is the fact that QBCs may benefit those living in their vicinity, but many commuters remain trapped in their cars by the lack of public transport in the area they live in. They are compelled to become a part of Dublin's traffic problem because the city does not have a park-and-ride facility.
Although authorities in Dublin have been talking about park-and-ride for at least the past 10 years, there are still no firm plans. The latest word is that a facility is being "considered" for Navan, Co Meath, while another facility "is being talked about" to operate alongside the N4 QBC route leading west out of the city centre.
From Cathal O'Connor:
Do you know when the new model Passat is being launched in Ireland? Any idea of what the changes will be to the current model?
The international launch is set for August 2005 so expect to see it arrive here by the end of next year.
Send your queries to
Motors Help Desk, The Irish Times, Fleet Street, Dublin 2 - or e-mail them to motorshelp@irish-times.ie