Has the budget tipped the balance in favour of electric cars?
Posted by Michael Rochford on 24 October 2017 in Electric Cars | Comments Off
Electric cars bring great value for a low-mile driver buying a used EV, now doubly so for 2018 if you can avail of the 0% business BIK.
continue reading
Beware of cars with no MOT
Posted by Michael Rochford on 28 September 2017 in Used Car Buying Tips | Comments Off
Any change to the MOT means we need to be more guarded & careful than ever before when buying a car from the UK.
continue reading
Tips For Buying A Used Car, From The RSA
Posted by Michael Rochford on 21 September 2017 in Importing from the UK, Road Safety, Used Car Buying Tips | Comments Off
We saw a great article on used car buying tips from the RSA (Road Safety Authority) recently. The article has some great independent advice so its well worth a read. It’s the sort of stuff that’s worth repeating again and again. So we’ve condensed most of that and added our own slant.
continue reading
Motorcheck Used Car Guide: Hyundai i30 Estate & Hatchback
Posted by Michael Rochford on 13 September 2017 in Used Car Buying Tips | Comments Off
The Hyundai i30 was always well-equipped, especially compared to contemporary competitors such as VW Golfs, Toyota Auris, & Ford Focus models
continue reading
Changing emissions tests will have knock-on effects on vehicle values.
Posted by Michael Rochford on 6 September 2017 in Motorcheck Mechanic | Comments Off
A new range of emissions tests will have a very significant effect on the types of cars we buy, and their second hand values.
continue reading
Motorcheck Used Car Guide: Audi A8
Posted by Michael Rochford on 30 August 2017 in Used Car Buying Tips | Comments Off
The Audi A8 is understated which is not good for show-offs, perhaps, but ideal for those who like luxury with a side order of discretion.
continue reading
PCP is making clocking worse
Posted by Michael Rochford on 23 August 2017 in Used Car Buying Tips | Comments Off
The practice of clocking, to boost the value of an ageing car, is as rife as ever, thanks to PCP and their strict mileage limits therein.
continue reading
Motorcheck Used Car Guide: Renault Laguna MkIII
Posted by Michael Rochford on 16 August 2017 in Used Cars | Comments Off
The Renault Laguna was the last big Renault saloon sold on Irish shores. This is certainly a car that deserved better than that.
continue reading
New Car Sales Down 11.4% to end of July 2017 whilst UK Imports soar
Posted by Michael Rochford on 10 August 2017 in Importing from the UK, New Cars | Comments Off
Its officially the worst July registration period since 2014 with new car sales down to 25,170, but it’s not really all doom and gloom for the Motor Trade, is it?
continue reading
Car imports are only going to grow next year
Posted by Michael Rochford on 8 August 2017 in Used Cars | Comments Off
Car imports from the UK are growing rapidly this year, being driven by the increasingly good value offered on the Sterling-Euro exchange rate
continue readingCategories
Search
Features
Is a diesel scrappage scheme next?
There are so many bad stories in the press about diesel cars right now that you’d seriously start to wonder why anyone still buys one?
Autonomous cars – should we just sit back and enjoy the view?
How far away, exactly, is the self-driving car?
Motorcheck Used Car Guide: Volkswagen Jetta
Years built: 2009 to date
Bodystyles: Four-door saloon
What is it?
Motorcheck Used Car Guide: Lexus IS
Years built: 2005 to 2013
Bodystyles: Sports saloon and convertible
What is it?
Motorcheck Used Car Guide: Ford Kuga
Years built: 2008 to 2012
Bodystyles: Five door crossover SUV
What is it?
Motorcheck Used Car Guide: Volkswagen Touareg
Years built: 2002 to 2010
Bodystyles: Large SUV
What is it?
Potholes are the dark secrets lurking in a car’s history
We have long since suffered a pothole epidemic on Irish roads, so much so that it has become a running joke, and even lead to an outbreak of people ‘helpfully’ drawing attention to potholes by drawing, um, shall we say ‘male members’ around them.
Cars and water: safety reminders for all of us
The recent events in Donegal will have left so many of us numbed with shock, and most will be simply unable, even unwilling, to imagine the terrible emotions being experienced by those close to the tragedy.
Fuel consumption figures are good news but there’s a Co2 sting in the tail.
This past week, PSA Group, which basically means Peugeot and Citroen, released what it calls ‘Real World’ fuel economy figures for three of its key models.
How much car mileage is too much?
It’s an oft-asked question when it comes time to shop for a second hand car.
Motorcheck Used Car Guide: Peugeot 308
Years built: 2007 to 2013
Bodystyles: Five-door hatchback, five-door seven-seat estate
What is it?
Motorcheck Used Car Guide: Volvo S80
Years built: 2006 to 2015
Bodystyles: Four-door executive saloons
What is it?
Motorcheck Used Car Guide: Santa’s Sleigh
Santa’s sleigh luggage space is the real selling point – room for toys & treats for every child, plus some space for a few lumps of coal.
Diesel cars: Should I stick with one or go back to petrol
In 2008, when the motor tax system was changed from the old by-engine-capacity rates to the current Co2-based rates, we became a diesel society.
I know, I know.NCT Fail Dangerous cars are cause for concern
The number of dangerous cars on our roads are a serious risk to all road users. NCT stats & research on write-offs cars highlight the problem
Car Safety could become a key sales tool.
There is new high-tech safety equipment out there for our cars which can save lives, and yet we’re being charged huge amounts extra every time we fit it to our cars.
Car recalls – What to do if your car gets recalled.
With more than 50,000 Irish cars about to be recalled to have defective airbags replaced, there’s a pretty good chance that you’re about to get a recall notice in through the letterbox, asking you to visit your local franchised dealer to have a repair and replacement carried out.
Motor Data – Who monitors the monitors?
If you haven’t yet heard of Big Data, then hello and welcome to the 21st Century – was it a pleasant trip in your time machine?
New Car Sales increase but Used Car Sales decrease in Q1 2015
New Car Sales for Q1 2015 continue to increase, but a worrying trend has emerged in with a Used Car Sales decrease for the same period
New Car Sales January 2015 up 25%
Figures released today show new car sales January 2015 are up 25.4% on 2014 but used imports have declined for the first time since 2008
Motorcheck Used Car Guide: Opel Corsa
Years built: 2006 to 2014
Bodystyles: three-and-five-door hatchback
Opel Corsa - What is it?
Car Sales and the Economic Recovery
What have car sales and the economic recovery got in common?
Getting the perfect new car bargain is all about timing.
June and December are now the ideal months for new car buyers seeking the best bargains to get out and spend their cash, according to research by Motorcheck.
Motorcheck Used Car Guide: Audi A4
The user car guide is the Audi A4. The perfect car for saying you’ve arrived, but it’s subtle enough to say it softly.
New Car Sales up 24% for first half of 2014
New Car Sales figures released today show that 2014 has delivered the highest New Car Sales in six years. The figures show an increase of 24% against the same period last year with almost 66,000 units sold to the end of June this year
Pass Your NCT with our 10-Minute 10-Point Check
If you want to pass your NCT there are some very quick visual checks that you can make before attending the test that will dramatically increase your chances of passing first time.
Texting while driving a menace but change needs to start at home
Irish drivers are fully in agreement with the recently introduced legislation on texting while driving, a fifth say they frequently use their phones behind the wheel and there is still confusion over what the legislation actually covers.
Consumers missing out on protection against car write-offs
Need for an official mandatory car write-offs database, fed by the insurance industry. This would afford Irish used car buyers more comfort.
Car Clocking to become a criminal offence
Clockers thought to cost car buyers up to €60m in inflated car values annually are to be criminalised under Irish law
Leo Varadkar the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is today set to propose an amendment to the Road Traffic (No.
Ireland AM Features Motorcheck.ie & Car History Checks
This morning we were invited into the Ireland AM studios at TV3 to chat with Mark Cagney about some of the more common problems we come across daily. Car clocking, insurance write off’s, outstanding finance and a variety of other important pieces of information we report on for Irish car buyers were all featured.
Motorcheck.ie – Drives Renault’s ‘Carculator’
Today marks the launch of Renault Ireland’s ‘Carculator’.
TextCheck.ie – A Great New Way to Get a Car Value
TextCheck.ie is a new SMS based service from MotorCheck.ie – the Car History People.
Text VALUE followed by the Reg to 51155 to receive an instant valuation and a free identity check. A great new service that gives buyers and sellers alike the ability to Benchmark the price of any car (or van) in Ireland.
Motorcheck.ie Highlights Car Clocking on RTE News
A study by Motorcheck.ie shows that as many as 1 in 5 cars for sale in Ireland may have been clocked. RTE’s Nine O’Clock News picks up the story.
