Expert Gillian Keogh and Motoring Editor Eddie Cunningham answer your car queries

Car-value expert Gillian Keogh teams up with Motoring Editor Eddie Cunningham to help you make the right choice with your next purchase. Gillian is Editor of a monthly guidebook on the values of used cars produced by the Motor Trade Publishers team. The t

WE have two children (aged 4 and 6) and another on the way in October. We are looking to buy a new 7-seater SUV, but the main requirement is we must be able to fit three car seats (the baby seat is an ISOfix) in the second row. We have looked at the Skoda Kodiaq (you can’t fit three car seats because the middle one is simply too small) and the Peugeot 5008, which has three equal sized seats. Are there any other options out there? Ideally we’d like an automatic, leather interior and parking sensors front and rear. Budget (including tradein) is €40,000. Annual mileage 15,000km; present car a 2011 BMW 520D (132,00km).

Gillian: The new Peugeot 5008 is a good choice. The 1.6 dsl GT Line 120 auto is just in budget and has leather-effect upholstery and parking sensors. Its list of standard spec is impressive. If you fancy keeping onto some of that €40k, I’d suggest you look at a Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer 1.6 Dsl, although it’s more MPV than SUV. The Feel Exclusive model in Auto is around €35k and the second row is made up of three separate seats that all fold independently and so are perfect for car seats. It comes with half leather and reversing cameras and is worth a look for sure.

Eddie: Does it have to be a 7-seater SUV? Why not an MPV? I’m thinking here of the Volkswagen Touran with five Isofix points – three across the middle row. The same goes for the Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer. I know I’m losing the battle – sales figures reflect fewer MPVs are being bought – but do me and you a favour and look at those two before deciding. If they don’t change your mind, take Gillian’s advice. I drive an Avensis diesel (320,000km) but my high-mileage driving may be changing. I need a car that’s higher off the road. I prefer Google maps to built-in satnav so would like to be able to see that on dash or elsewhere. Comfort is the big thing. There is only myself and my wife with occasional other passenger(s). Budget €30,000 to €40,000. I’ve looked at the Volvo XC40, Audi Q3, Q5, A4, A6 and Mercedes.

Gillian: The A4 and A6 would be a similar height, so I’ll leave them out. The XC40 is excellent; no concerns about its resale value. As it comes with Apple CarPlay you can use Google maps from your phone. Your top-end budget of €40k will get you into the lower end of the spec range – still pretty good: a D3 Momentum FWD. If your mileage suits a petrol, go for a T3 R-Design for similar money. If you’re looking for something a bit bigger, the Q3 would be good.

Eddie: I like the XC40 and Q3 but really think you should also look at a top-end spec Toyota C-HR – really smart car and a nice height. You are spoilt for choice but if pushed I’d opt for the XC40.

I have a 2008 BMW 520d estate. I’ve been wanting, for about the past 20 years, a proper 4x4. I’m talking about something I could take to the Sahara on an overland adventure. I have a limited company so if practical and legal I can avail of the commercial road tax. I have small children so the 4x4 requires four seats at a minimum. I’ve always wanted a Defender but I don’t know if I could live with the noise and shoddy build. I have a soft spot for Jeep Cherokees (older boxy shape) and for Wrangler (4dr version). I could replace the BMW with say a Range Rover, but the road tax makes no sense. Budget: as a second car I might have up to €5k. As a BMW replacement (including trade-in) I might have about €15k. Buying from the UK is an option, but really a last

resort. Please don’t suggest a ‘soft reader’.

Gillian: My husband, who also drives a BWM 520d, bought a 1996 Defender pick-up last year. He has been working on it every Sunday in his mother’s garage since. He has built it into a beautiful machine, so I understand your love of the man-car, believe me. The Defender is bulletproof but suffers from a bit of classic car tin-worm. For your €5k, you could pick one up in need of work, so long as the chassis is solid, as parts are cheap and available from the UK. This would mean keeping the BMW and having this as a second car. There isn’t really anything else I’d suggest as a Mercedes G-Wagon is out of budget and parts aren’t cheap; older Wranglers are typically left-hand drive with large engines. For your €15k (and replacing the BMW), I’d suggest a Toyota Hilux or Mitsubishi L200, which would suit the family. They ain’t no Defender but do promise comfort.

Eddie: Gillian is really putting it up to you on your €5k budget. Makes a lot of sense. As do the pick-up suggestions (but keep away from older Nissan Navara ‘bargains’ as some had chassis issues). I’d be concerned about trouble from old Cherokees too – please don’t let sentiment fog your financial perspective on this adventure. Me? If you are serious about the Sahara gig, I’d go the whole hog and buy a Japanese proper 4x4 for reliability. And they don’t come much better than a reasonably fresh 5-seater Mitsubishi Pajero or Toyota Land Cruiser. When it comes to used 4x4s you’ve got to quadruple check out use and mechanicals because they can have serious attrition rates if not properly maintained. I’d go Pajero or Land Cruiser 5-seater.

I currently drive a Peugeot 407 (2007) 1.8l, mainly short journeys (town, school run) and maybe a monthly long one. I’ve two children (5 and 6). I want to change. Tax and insurance are crippling and the engine is too big for my requirements. My budget is around €10k but could be extended slightly. What are the best options? Gillian: There are plenty of models to suggest as most from 2008 have low road tax. But to keep the insurance down, I’d go for a smaller engine. I’m sticking with as new as possible on the reg plate to allow you to keep it for longer. I suggest the following: Ford Focus 1.0 Style or the nicer Zetec spec. Plenty around with different specs. You should get a 2013 plate; Seat Leon 1.2 Style/SE – also a current model and a 2013 would suit budget. If you wanted to stay in the saloon segment, and there plenty of bargains on these lately, I would suggest a Toyota Avensis 1.6 with a 2013 plate.

Eddie: Your €10,000 gets you into a lot of cars, but the danger is they are at an age where things can go wrong. I’d look for a 132-reg Toyota Corolla 1.33-petrol or a 1.5 petrol Mitsubishi Lancer (scarce too but like the Toyota will go for ever). You might have to stretch a little bit on budget to get low-mileage versions (relatively speaking) but it’s worth a grand or two more (Gillian adds: I was going to suggest a 132 Corolla 1.33 too Eddie but dealers have hinted they are in short supply. So keep an eye out for one as they don’t hang around for long).

I am a disabled driver and with an automatic diesel 131 Hyundai i40 (I don’t require any modifications apart from the automatic). I have three children and put up serious mileage. While we love the Hyundai, it doesn’t allow us take any additional passengers. And with my kids getting older, we need a 7-seater. I detest the standard 7-seater stereotype so have been looking at models like the Tucson, Peugeot 3008 and Mitsubishi. I reckon our Hyundai would fetch about €16k because it’s business class. All in, by the time I trade in and take account of the VRT I get back, I usually end up having to put around €10k towards a new car but I’m open to secondhand as well. On another point, can anyone explain why car garages only open a half day on a Saturday?

Gillian: I think you are overestimating your i40’s value. I will work with a total budget of around €20k to €25k. So here’s a few: Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 dsl Executive Auto: you’ll have to stick with the same year but you’ll have plenty of space. Nissan X-Trail 1.6 Dsl SV Auto: these came into the market mid-14 so you could find a 142 for around €22k; a 15-reg would be a great buy for another €3k. A 2017, last of the old model, Peugeot 5008 would also suit, but if I have underestimated your budget, I would recommend looking at the new 5008. On the garages question, work-life balance I think is the reason for Saturday afternoon closure. And I hope it stays. People browse during the week and physically shop until Saturday lunchtime or thereabouts.

Eddie: I suggest you buy as fresh a KIA Sorento 7-seater as you can. Totally underrated proper 7-seater SUV. It’s well up to serious mileage and value for money.