Michael McAleer answers your questions
From J Mangan:
Last week's edition raised some queries in my mind about the viability of opting for a new Toyota Prius.
I have been considering a purchase but, as yet, I have not driven any hybrids. Instead, I've always opted for diesel cars in the past.
My Peugeot 206 1.4-litre HDi manages about 50mpg on a weekly basis. However, the official listing is somewhere around 65mpg.
That's the same as the official listing for the Prius. I'm now wondering if it's worth changing at all. Is diesel still better than hybrid?
The fuel figures belie the fact that the Prius is a significantly larger car than the 206. It's a proper family model and comparing the two is like comparing a 407 with your car.
That said, there's no doubting that diesel still has its merits, particularly if you are spending most of your motoring time on national roads or motorways.
On these roads, the Prius spends a good deal of time running on its 1.5-litre petrol engines, and so it will benefit only marginally from the hybrid technology.
However, if you spend any length of time in town traffic, then the benefits of the Prius's start/stop approach will pay dividends.
From P Duffy:
I have recently moved back from London and find the whole process of insurance over here a complete nightmare. I understand it was much worse in the past - though I cannot imagine how.
What strikes me is the complete lack of transparency. In Britain, buyers are given a clear indication of where the car is likely to be positioned for insurance purposes.
Indeed, most dealers carry such information on the windscreen of the cars they are selling, along with with make, year, mileage and of course, cost. Why is it not done here?
We concur, though transparency is a word rarely used in relation to insurance quotes.
Just to clarify, the British ratings system involves car models being placed into groupings ranging from 1 to 20 (this is due to expand to 50). The higher the group, the more expensive a vehicle is likely to be to insure.
These ratings are purely advisory, but do help inform potential buyers during their purchasing decisions.
According to the Irish Insurance Federation (IIF), the British system is less relevant in an Irish context for underwriting purposes. "This is because insurers in Ireland tend to place significant emphasis on the driver - such as their driving experience, claims history, convictions etc," according to a spokeswoman from IIF.
"The system, in theory, could be introduced in Ireland but would be less meaningful as a guide to car buyers regarding the potential cost of their insurance. In addition, IIF is not aware of any demand for the system from the motor industry here."
One potential source of information is the Financial Regulator (ifsra.ie) which publishes regular cost surveys on motor quotes.
It's a good indicator of what premiums to expect.
However, we would certainly support such a grouping system here, providing motorists with indications of what to expect to pay and highlighting when they are being charged over the odds.
From T Williams:
In all the coverage of the "future of the car" last week, there was no mention of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas).
Why not?
LPG was the flavour of the times 20 or more years ago. Essentially, it meant a separate, or ancillary, tank of fuel.
It never took off, partly because of the rather awkward conversion jobs required on cars and also because of fears about the safety of having a tank inside the car.
It got some bad press when a botched conversion job caused an explosion in the boot where the LPG fuel tank was located and there were serious injuries.
LPG is still around and you can locate a local outlet through the website of the Irish LPG Association (ilpga.ie).
Ultimately, the problem is that LPG needs a big fiscal incentive. While it's cheaper than petrol or diesel, it has higher consumption figures that often offsets that advantage. It also reduces engine output, so you are unlikely to see any GTi owners lining up beside the LPG tank.
From LH:
I recently bought a BMW imported from Britain with a lovely set of alloys.
However, when I went to the garage to get brake pads fitted, the mechanic told me I had to change three of the four wheels as they were buckled.
I live in the city and haven't been down the country with it since I purchased. Do I have any recompense? The new wheels have set me back over €1,200.
If you have no evidence of the damaged wheels on the car when it was sold, then you have no recourse back to the seller.
Similarly, you would have little recourse against Dublin City Council.
However, for future reference, you can take action against local authorities if your wheel is damaged by a pothole.
The essential thing is to prove, what is called in law, a misfeasance. In other words, it must be shown that the pothole had been repaired previously and the incident is therefore the result of inadequate repair. Most potholes meet this requirement and show it by a patch of old tar around the hole.
Motorists have told us in the past about successfully suing in the Small Claims Court.
They were clever enough to carry a camera in the glove box and it provided the necessary evidence for the court. Otherwise, making a claim could be a lost cause.
The best advice for your situation would be to see if you can exchange your new alloys for four wheels of a more sensible, smaller diameter with deeper profile tyres.
Depending on the conditions of the country in which it was sold, the Small Claims Court might agree it was of "unsatisfactory quality'".
From TA:
I have a bad odour problem in my Opel Vectra. Milk has been spilt in the boot and the smell has now worked its way into the cabin.
I've tried various sprays and chemical solutions but none of them seem to kill the stench. Any ideas?
This column has dealt with odious odours on a regular basis and every query heralds a host of suggestions from readers.
The most recent solution we came across was forwarded to us from a reader in Britain who spotted the following in a British paper: first use bicarbonate of soda to get rid of the bacteria, then leave open bowls of malt vinegar in the car and boot overnight.
We can't stand over this particular odour-eater, but it's definitely worth a try.
Send your queries to Motors Helpdesk, The Irish Times, Tara Street, Dublin 2, or e-mail motorshelp@irish-times.ie