Michael McAleeranswers your questions
From A Costigan:
My mother is currently thinking of upgrading her 2005 Toyota Avensis Sol to a brand-new car. The main problem is we can't seem to find a car which suits.
The car we are looking for would have to have the same or greater height as the Avensis, as my mother requires a car with easy access.
We have looked at some small SUV's such as the Toyota Rav4 and the Corolla Verso, but my mother would prefer a saloon-type car. We have looked at a few cars such as the Lexus IS250 and loved the car, but the height didn't suit my mother's requirements. The budget for this car would be between €37,000-€45,000.
Saloons by their very nature are not that tall, and the Avensis is one of the tallest in the saloon market. If the criteria is for a tall saloon, then another Avensis would seem to fit the bill.
If you want an upgrade to a premium saloon, then one of the tallest of these in your price bracket would be the Saab 9-3, a new version of which is being launched before the end of the year.
It's still not as tall as the Avensis, but it's the closest we can find. Alternatively, she may find the Honda Accord a reasonable height and spacious inside. I think if comfort really is a factor, then your mother should consider one of the smaller SUV crossovers, like the Nissan Qashqai 1.5d.
From PD:
Is €7,000 too much to spend on a 1994 Jaguar Sovereign V8? I've been offered the car by a colleague as a potential restoration project.
It totally depends on the state of the car, but I'm sure you could pick up a nice one for that price which doesn't require too much restoration, particularly from Britain, where there is a larger pool of old Jags for sale.
Be aware that even the best of these may suffer a little from electrical problems, the bane of many a big cat from that time. If the idea of restoring a car only started with the offer of this vehicle, then think long and hard about the workload you are taking on and the potential cost in parts and professional labour you may incur. The restoration programmes on TV make it look relatively easy, but your mood might change after another cold, wet Saturday spent cutting your hands to ribbons under the bonnet.
From JC:
A friend told me that Lancia was coming back to Ireland. Is that true? I used to own an old Delta Integrale and it was the best car I've ever driven.
Yes, Lancia is set to return to these shores next year. All new models are being developed in right-hand-drive, so the new Delta will be the first of the range to be introduced.
From Martin Bracken:
I'm having terrible trouble with my alloy wheels. Others who drive my car keep scuffing them. Is there no way of coming up with a tyre that has a protective lip to cover the outside rim?
Sadly, not at the moment. We spoke recently with a leading car engineer about the problems with alloys, and he expressed a similar frustration. He told us that engineers are always seeking higher tyre walls for comfort but the designers want thin strips of rubber for good looks. Compromises are invariably the answer, but the designers sometimes get their way on the options list.
As for quick repairs, there are various companies that will patch up the scratch marks but it can cost €100 per wheel.
Alloys really add to the aesthetics of a car but owners should be aware that a combination of low-profile tyres and alloys not only make the ride harsher but can invariably lead to serious scuffing on footpaths.
From M Heaney:
When are the proposed changes to VRT coming in? Your supplement has reported the potential changes on several occasions but there doesn't seem to be any mention of the date of introduction.
As yet there are no concrete dates set for the introduction. Submissions were requested up until March 1st and the promise at the time was to introduce the changes for all new vehicles registered "on or after January 1st 2008". Officials are currently in talks with those who forwarded submissions and after this a decision will be reached as to the weighting of engine size and carbon emissions.
The industry is keenly awaiting both the weighting and the date of introduction, for there are fears within the industry that any changes will impact on particular model sales and dealers do not want to order cars for the January rush that may suffer from higher tax come January 1st. We will keep you posted on any confirmed dates.
Send your queries to Motors Helpdesk, The Irish Times, Tara St, Dublin 2, or e-mail motorshelp@irish-times.ie