When five plus two won't make seven

MICHAEL McALEER, answering all your motoring queries...

From D Kennedy: We have €13,000 to spend on the biggest family car that gives us the option of seven seats on occasions. We are thinking of a 2007 Opel Zafira 1.6 petrol with very low mileage.

I don’t see any deals on offer that suit us as we are cash buyers. The new Peugot 5008 sounds lovely but is outside our price range. We have driven a Renault Grand Scenic but found the third row, when needed, was too small. Any advice would be welcome.

A full seven-seater with a boot that’s also fun to drive is still an elusive offering in the motoring world. The Opel is a good car, but if you found the Grand Scenic too small then you will not be enamoured by the Zafira either, particularly the bootspace when the third row of seats is in use. Most of the mid-range people-carriers are really 5+2 models, where the third row is only really for small children and even then they severely restrict bootspace.

If it’s space you are after then you are really in the market for proper seven-seat models such as the Ford Galaxy, Chrysler Grand Voyager or Seat Alhambra. I would also add a VW Caravelle to the list, if you don’t mind the van-like look and driving position.

You will probably be limited to a 2005 model for these cars, and that means they need to be checked over by a mechanic before you make a deal. After five years cars come close to several significant replacement issues, particularly if they have been driven hard by a busy family. It’s worth being forewarned about these costs before you face the bills. The personal favourite would be the Galaxy, but the others are reasonably good buys.

From L Spain: I am afraid of corrosion to the underneath of my car following the recent weather. Will putting the car through a carwash be sufficient or do I need to get a hose at the underneath of the car? Is there a danger of making things worse instead of better? Am I wrong to worry?

While modern cars come with corrosion protection, this might be chipped or damaged in places and that’s where the onset of rust can take hold. Salt leads to corrosion as it attracts water and can mix with regular mud and dirt to stick under the car.

It’s best to wash your car regularly during these times to remove salt build-up. While most cars are treated for rust and wheel arches are often lined with plastic covers, it’s best to avoid long-term damage by hosing underneath the car. Leaving it to the car wash may not be enough as the quality of these facilities vary greatly.

With water shortages in some places it might not be the ideal time to wash down your car, but if you concentrate on the wheel arches and sills, that should prevent the worst of the damage. Giving the car a good polish also helps protect it during the winter months.

From P King: There are a couple of options open to us: one of which is to trade-in my 2006 Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDI, while also scrapping my wife’s car and get one new family car. There is only 40,000 miles on my Skoda. Any idea what I would expect to get? Obviously I’d only get €1,500 for my wife’s car under scrappage. It was registered at the end of November 2000. Will I have to wait until November to do the deal?

If your wife is the registered owner of the car due for scrappage then she will have to be the registered owner of the new car. You can’t pass on a scrappage benefit. Second, scrappage only applies to car’s 10 years old from the date of registration, so yes you will have to wait until November. Finally, you can expect to get about €11,500 for the Octavia.

From Mark S: I’ve got a beautiful 1998 BMW 7 Series that would qualify for a €1,500 scrappage, but I can’t handle the idea of it being crushed and shredded.

In terms of securing the scrappage offer, the rules are quite clear: the car needs an ELV certificate confirming it was scrapped. But the scheme doesn’t mean that cars have to be scrapped: you can just as easily sell it on privately in the hope that you can secure a similar price from someone who shares your views.