You need a clear picture of its history

HELPDESK:Answering all your motoring queries

From D O’C: Are there regulations and definitions in Ireland that are legally binding regarding when a crashed car may or may not be repaired and go back on the road? If an insurance company writes off a crashed car, is there still the possibility that it could just be uneconomical to repair from their point of view, but still actually be roadworthy after some cosmetic damage – such as panels and bumpers – are repaired? Are there any helpful guidelines as I do not want to buy a car that is a danger to both me and the travelling public?

This is an area that needs addressing both by the insurance industry and the transport authorities.

Previous loopholes that allowed total write-offs to get back on the road have largely been closed due to the information on these vehicles being put on the National Vehicle File, thereby preventing them from being re-taxed or insured.

However, the situation with vehicles that are categorised as “beyond economic repair” is far less comprehensive. These vehicles are judged by insurance assessors to be more expensive to fix than to replace.

However, no comprehensive record is kept of these vehicles and, if the owner does put it back on the road, there is no requirement that they get any sort of roadworthiness certificate to show that the car was repaired to a standard that makes it roadworthy.

Some of these cars will be listed on a file held by the Irish Insurance Federation, but that’s not open to the public.

The obvious question that hangs over these vehicles is how the owner managed to put the car back on the road economically when the insurance company reckoned it could not. That begs another question: were corners cut during the repair process, and what implications arise for the car’s safety?

If buying a car, you need to ask very clearly about its history and if it has ever been in a crash. However, there is no requirement for a record of these vehicles to be kept, nor for them to undergo a roadworthiness test before they return to the roads with the rest of us.

I would suggest there is a public interest onus on the insurance industry to tackle this problem.

From PQ: Is the Garda’s new camera system for reading numberplates in operation yet? We were debating the reason for the system over the weekend and just want to enquire if it is simply to identify stolen cars or will it be used for things like tax and insurance as well? Are the toll cameras on the M50 recording the same information?

Yes, the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system is up and running. It comprises two cameras, one mounted at the front and one at the back window of a Garda car, linked to a microprocessor. The system is capable of reading five registration plates a second and is operational at night.

The system is programmed to identify the registration of untaxed cars. It is also uploaded each day with the details of cars for which insurance has not been renewed.

There are no details as yet on its success rate on our roads. As for the M50 cameras, they are only used to bill for usage and not for speeding, tax or insurance checks.

From S Murray: I’m looking for a small city car for my parents. They are both in the seventies and don’t need a large car. I was offered an automatic Nissan Micra by a used dealer we know but my father doesn’t like them.

Any suggestions as to what we might consider? Preferably, we’d like to buy new rather than used for the sake of having a warranty in case things go wrong, but the budget wouldn’t stretch to much over €15,000.

There are several cars to consider within that budget. First I would direct you towards the new Hyundai i10 1.2-litre that comes with an automatic transmission. It’s a smart little car that’s nimble around town.

If you want something a little larger then you should also consider the Daihatsu Sirion 1.3-litre. For €15,420 you can get the automatic version and, while it might not set many pulses racing, it’s very practical and reliable. Daihatsu has built up a good reputation over the years, despite being something of a niche player on the market.