HELPDESK: PADDY COMYNanswering all your motoring queries
From N Barron: I run a small independent dealership and have found significant delays with getting a date for the NCT. I need to have NCT certificates on these cars before they can sell and the earliest I have been quoted for one car is August 31st and the others are in September. I had thought that the NCT had cleared their backlog, is this not the case?
A spokesman for the NCT told Motors “because of the number of cars we are dealing with we are booking into August and September at the moment, but we are very accommodating to the motor industry and to motor dealers . . . There are always appointments becoming available and it is possible for people to get tests now in as little as two weeks due to cancellations. We would encourage dealers to work closely with their local centre and we will endeavour in this case to do something for the dealer involved.”
From TO’F: Electric cars have been getting a lot of publicity, but I have seen no mention of how they will be heated. As the only source of energy is the battery, in winter is there going to be a big trade-off between the range of the vehicle and the comfort of occupants?
We put this query to someone well qualified to answer and that is Chelsea Sexton, who helped develop the GM EV1 electric vehicle. She is executive director of Plug-In America and is involved in the making of the documentary Revenge of the Electric Car. She told us: “There are a few different ways to deal with cabin heating in an electric vehicle. Historically, cars have used a heat pump, a more traditional HVAC system that is electrically driven, or a small fuel-fired heater. In the first two cases, the use of the heater could indeed have an effect on range, though most highway-capable electric vehicles of the next generation will have enough range (around 160km or 100 miles) to be able to accommodate both an average commute, a few extra errands, and use of HVAC and other accessories. It should also be noted that the ‘accessory’ that has the biggest effect on range is the right foot of the driver.”
From AM: I’m interested in buying a new car but am stumped. I’m hoping you can give me inspiration and make a recommendation or two. I put up about 50,000km a year, live in the country and do a lot of country driving but am in and out of the city sometimes. I started driving an automatic a couple of years ago and don’t want to go back to a manual. I pull a horsebox at weekends during the summer so I can’t drive something too sporty. I want a decent boot space though for saddles, etc. Budget around 40,000. A 4x4 is fine if it is very comfortable and has plenty of zip. Maybe some kind of a coupé that won’t look totally bonkers pulling a box.
There are quite a few different criteria to deal with here. Because of the mileage you do a diesel would make sense and this would also be favourable because of the towing you do. A new car wouldn’t make sense because of how quickly it will depreciate with such high mileage, so you should look to a good used model. Since you want comfort with towing ability and some “zip” then a crossover vehicle would make sense. Since you spend much time in town and in traffic and you want an automatic this would steer me towards a Lexus RX400h. Granted this isn’t diesel but it is more than capable of pulling a horsebox, comes with a host of creature comforts and is certainly quick enough to leave most coupés standing. You can have a 2007 model from a Lexus dealership with small mileage for €39,900. Alternatively, you could have a 2006 Range Rover Sport for €40,000. Granted this might be expensive to run in terms of servicing but it is a great blend of luxury and performance – and it’s diesel. Finally, if you really did fancy a coupé that could cope with pulling a horsebox, we would point you in the direction of a BMW 3-Series 330d Ci Coupé.
A 2007 model is available in Joe Duffy Motors for €36,995; it has a powerful diesel, is automatic and would have the power and torque available to pull the horsebox when required although it might not quite cope with getting out of a muddy field too well. We were told it is possible to retro-fit a towbar.