Michael McAleer answers your questions
From F Sumners
We run a small hardware store and previously had no need for a company vehicle. Now we are expanding our service and we've been looking at two rather attractive SUVs that would allow us to benefit from the tax rebates on commercial vehicles but would not mean we have to drive around in vans. The two vehicles that we're looking at are the Land Rover Discovery and the Volkswagen Touareg Business, although the Toyota LandCruiser is an outside choice.
Unfortunately I'm not as well briefed on commercial vehicles as I should be but thankfully my colleague, Jarlath Sweeney, is more attune to these vehicles.
From a non-commercial point of view I would choose the Toyota but there is a significant price difference and when you match that with the expertise on commercial vehicles of my colleague then I must bow to his superior judgement.
His answer to your question is as follows:
If you are using the vehicle around town then the Land Rover Discovery Commercial (starting price €39,600 plus VAT), with its angular and more compact dimensions, is best suited for this environment. The VW Touareg Business (from €42,000 plus VAT) is bigger, wider and needs more skilful negotiations in tight confines.
Matching the six-speed automatic transmission to the 190bhp 2.7 litre V6 diesel in the Discovery is my preferred option while the VW offers a choice of (174bhp) 2.5 litre or (225bhp) 3.0 litre TDI diesels with either manual or automatic six-speed transmission. Both are all-wheel-drive and come with high levels of standard specification.
In short, the Toyota would be my choice, though the price may stymie that, but for Jarlath the Land Rover is the one.
From D Murphy
For all the criticism of car drivers in Ireland, cyclists need to learn a lot about the rules of the road as well. Regardless of the fact that they cycle on pedestrian footpaths and disregard public roads, at night there are a large number who disregard not only their own safety but the safety of others. Surely the gardaa should chase them for non-compliance of rules as much as they do other drivers.
Cyclists are daring enough to take to the roads in our towns and cities without further criticism of their habits. Personally I would not cycle in Ireland without a very good assurance policy (and perhaps some deathwish complex).
The rules are actually quite specific: regardless of the light, all bicycles must have a rear red reflector. Once the street lights come on they must have a front and rear lamp.
I have seen numerous cyclists stopped by gardaà for not having adequate lights and similarly I have seen several cyclists taking stupid risks. They are no better or worse than the rest of the road users. Both motorists and cyclists have the same problems: a lack of decent infrastructure. We should stop sniping and start calling for decent space to be given for one another. Cyclists should remember that many motorists commute from distances that it is not possible to cycle from and similarly motorists should remember that if it were not for the cyclists, the city streets would be even more congested.
From Michael C, Co Cork
I've been a loyal follower of the French brands ever since I was a child. The Citroën DS has been a dream car for me since I was a teenager but I never got round to buying one. Are they still a radical brand worth investing in? I'm considering buying a C4.
It's a difficult question to answer. Citroën was certainly far more revolutionary in terms of technology than it is given credit for.
The problem is that many of its innovative features have been copied by others who have been given the credit. This has been coupled with reliability problems over the years, all culminating in a downturn in the brand's fortunes.
Nevertheless, the Citroën engineers remain determined to develop new and innovative products and features. The problem seems to arise in marketing and pricing. The C4, for example, is a really good car, but its success is being undermined by a policy of discounting that impacts on residual values. Unless the parent company, PSA Peugeot Citroën, takes the brand seriously and stops trying to undermine it with discounted prices within months of launch then Citroën will never reach its true potential. In short, the C4 is a nice car to drive and has many positive features, but I can't help but wonder about its residual value in the years to come.
Send your queries to Motors Helpdesk, Irish Times, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 - or e-mail motorshelp@irish-times.ie