Michael McAleeranswers your questions
From D Concannon, Galway:
In January I bought a new Seat Leon 1.6L petrol. Working from home I do very little mileage (just under 12,000kms so far this year).
I hope to trade in my car so that I can add some money to the sale price and upgrade my car to a different model. My question is: when is the best time to trade in a new car so as to get the best value for money from it? Differing advice ranges from 1.5 years to four years.
It would seem very early to sell your car on at this stage. If you want to convert it to cash then obviously every day counts. Selling it now will garner more money than in two or three years, but depreciation is a situation of diminishing erosion. As time passes the car is worth less, but the year-on-year falls become smaller.
Given that you can get a new Seat Leon 1.6 S for €22,770, you will likely find yourself getting in the region of €17,000 depending on specification and condition.
If this is a once-off event then change now to waylay the cost of the new car. However, changing every one or two years does not really work as you always need to consider cost of ownership when it comes to cars.
The first year is the largest lump sum depreciation. Ignoring running costs, this car will have cost you €5,770 to own if you get our suggested price.
By the end of next year the price may have fallen to €14,000, but that's now averaging out at €4,000 per year of ownership. By 2009 the sales price will probably hit €12,000 and by this time annual ownership costs are down to €3,590.
Obviously these figures are arbitrary and only there to illustrate my point, but you should consider cost of ownership rather than trade-in value.
You would also need to consider penalties that could be incurred through any financing deal you may have. My advice: wait for at least two years.
From T Geraghty, Dublin 14:
I sympathise with M Walsh (Helpdesk, November 14th) who is blinded by bright brake lights at traffic lights.
The likely explanation (given the identification of Mercedes drivers as the main offenders), is that the cars have automatic transmission with the driver keeping their foot on the brake at the lights to prevent creep. Apologies from one such offending automatic driver.
From D Scanlon:
I have just read with total amazement your response to M Walsh's letter on brake light usage. When I was instructed in both car and HGV driving it was always rammed home: when you stop at a junction, traffic lights, whatever, you apply the handbrake, and have your feet free for clutch and accelerator control. There is no need to keep your foot on the brake, while not applying the handbrake. This practice has been the cause of many needless concertina prangs at traffic lights, when cars, if the handbrake had been applied, would not have shot forward.
I'm aware of the concertina risk at lights. It's just one of a myriad of risks involved in driving. However, I would suggest that there is less chance of someone running into the back of you if they can clearly see your brake lights on and you have stopped.
I realise the official way to drive is to stop and apply the handbrake, and if you arrive at a traffic light that has just changed then that is what you should do. However, in rush hour traffic if every motorist at every junction stopped, took the car out of gear and applied the handbrake I would suspect the city's traffic would grind to a halt.
Again I return to the problem of not having a second amber at traffic lights to alert waiting motorists that the light is about to turn green and that they should prepare to move.
From Joe Mullarkey:
I'm a disabled driver. After many years of using hand controls during a long journey I now get pain in my hand/arm.
I'm looking for a small automatic car with cruise control fitted.
There are several options open to you. The first thing to note is that if you have a primary medical certificate then you should be claiming tax relief on your motoring through the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme.
Under the terms of the scheme, you can claim remission or repayment of vehicle registration tax (VRT), repayment of value-added tax (VAT) on the purchase of a vehicle and repayment of VAT on the cost of adapting a vehicle, up to a maximum of €9,525 for a disabled driver. With this in mind I think you should look to getting a new car with both automatic transmission and cruise control fitted by the manufacturer.
The latter can be supplied as a retrofit but it's always best to get these items installed while the car is built.
You have several options in the used and new market, but two I would identify early would be the Skoda Fabia 1.6-litre automatic that offers cruise control as an option.
The entire package can be got for less than €20,000, and less for that if you come across a used one.
Another Skoda you may find with both is the Roomster, which was launched last year and may have some dealer demos on offer with this higher specificaiton.
Alternatively you could consider the Peugeot 207 1.6-litre auto. It is €22,445 new with cruise control fitted for another €775.
Send your queries to Motors Helpdesk, The Irish Times, Tara Street, Dublin 2 or email: motorshelp@irish-times.ie