HELPDESK:Michael McAleer answering all your motoring queries
From Andy Brennan: I am the proud owner of a 07 registered Mercedes E220 with factory-fitted satellite navigation. My problem is that the mapping is not up to date. For example the extension to the M50 beyond Shankill is not shown, nor is the new (well two-year-old) N2 bypass to Ashbourne.
It is possible to buy a considerably cheaper TomTom or Garmin system which includes both routes mentioned above. On enquiry with my garage, I'm told officially that the system is updated annually, but unofficially that Ireland is a relatively unimportant market and thus the relevant CD-ROM is not updated as regularly as it should be. Furthermore they were unable to confirm that the road network issues I raised had been updated in the 2008 version.
Mercedes has informed us that they are currently testing the 2008 maps to ensure it is not missing the roads you identified, and you will be provided with the updated system later this week.
A spokesman said the systems are updated twice a year and that any dealer should be able to source the latest maps. I have no doubt that the size of the Irish market has been a factor in the delays in getting us on to the Sat-Nav system and keeping our maps updated.
I also agree that in the vast majority of instances you would be far better with a cheaper TomTom or Garmin than factory-fit device. However, it is like any optional feature on a car: no one expects it on a Ford Fiesta - or will pay for it - but on a mid-range Mercedes it's seen as a good addition and on the likes of a Porsche 911, it's a must if you want to resell the car.
If any reader is buying a car with a factory-fit device, be sure to enquire about system updates, the cost of these and the method of doing it. The best systems can simply be updated from a laptop and the internet for a nominal fee.
From Michael Bruton: We returned from living in England in January 2008. In 2007 we had bought a Honda Civic Hybrid there. We are told that the annual rate of car tax will be based on the old system, and not on the CO2 rates. Can you explain the logic of that to me please, as it seems daft?
It may seem unfair if you have gone out of your way to "go green". However, the point being made by the Government here for not imposing CO2 tax on used cars (and the same point being used in Britain over the debate in penalising older, more polluting cars)is that the tax would be retrospective and thus penalising motorists who were not aware of the punitive taxation or even perhaps the pollution they were creating.
Older, more polluting cars are also generally owned by people who may not be in a position to afford a new cleaner car. Ultimately what you may see is a return of the scrappage scheme to remove older, more polluting cars from the road and giving owners some financial bonus to buy a newer cleaner car that would then fall under an emissions-based road tax system.
From Joe Mullarkey: Disabled driver looking for small car with automatic transmission and cruise control. Any suggestions?
If you have a disabilty then the first thing you should do is apply for tax relief - available for both VRT and VAT - under the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme.
The problem with regular production models is that there is a limited number of small cars with automatic transmission and for those that do, the new CO2 tax means that due to higher emissions generally with automatics, they are often significantly more expensive than a manual equivalent.
The good news is that the Honda Jazz with its Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) has actually gone down in price by €1,609 as of yesterday. Falling into tax band B with emissions of 139g/km, it's now €18,406 with annual road tax of €150.
Unfortunately the Jazz does not come with cruise control as an option. That's going to be a lot harder to find on a smaller car. One model that does is a Mercedes A150 automatic.
It starts at €25,625 with cruise control as an optional extra that adds about €500 to the price.