Downsizing the family's fleet of cars

HELPDESK:Answering all your motoring queries

From M Power, Bantry: I suffer from muscle atrophy. My requirement is a 1.8-litre or 2-litre automatic, with a driver seat 28 inches above road. Can you recommend a make or model, SUV or otherwise? My choice on the Irish market appears very limited.

There are several models that fit the bill, though most reside in the SUV segment. You are looking at an outlay in the region of €30,000 for a new model, though in most instances you can pick up a used car that will fit the bill.

The problem is that there are few in that smaller SUV segment that offer automatic transmission without falling into the upper tax bands. In the case of the Kia Sorento and its sister model the Hyundai Santa Fe, they fit the bill in terms of seat height but come with a €1,050 annual road tax bill when you opt for the auto version. And their auto transmissions are not the best on the market.

If your absolute limit on engine size is a 2-litre, the Skoda Yeti would be our choice – if you can accept a seat that’s 27 inches off the ground. The firm is about to launch a 1.2-litre version with the DSG automatic gearbox that will come with an annual motor tax of €302 and prices are likely to start below €22,000 for the entry-level version. It’s not underpowered for your needs – despite the smaller engine – and it will save you significantly in terms of motor tax and fuel consumption.

If you want to stick with a higher-set SUV styling, the VW Tiguan is a great buy (€39,000). Other alternatives are the Chevrolet Captiva 2-litre diesel, the Opel Antara 2-litre diesel and the Renault Koleos. Our favourites would remain the Yeti and the Tiguan.

From SB: I’m looking to downsize our family motoring fleet but it will require a tight budget. I’ve got a Nissan Almera, Mazda 323 and a Toyota Avensis driven by my wife, my daughter and myself. All have to do the NCT and all have been into the garage in the last year. I reckon it would cost me less to sell the lot and cut down to two new cars instead: a saloon family car and another as a small town runaround.

The good news is that dealers are no longer averse to trade-ins and all of the models you have are usually popular in the used market. You don’t state the years of registration so I can’t work out the estimated values. If any of them apply for scrappage then you can make some good savings. There is a limit of €1,500 per scrapped car, but dealers offer additional deals on trade-ins these days.

At Renault, for instance, you can pick up a Clio III five-door 1.5 dCi for €12,200 (includes €1,500 off for a trade-in and €3,000 off as part of Renault’s deal to double the Government’s scrappage scheme). If another of your car’s is old enough you could then get a Laguna III 1.5 dCi dynamique for €22,790. If the dealer allows further discount on the final trade-in you could walk away with two new cars for under €30,000. Similar deals are on offer from some other brands.