Helpdesk

THIS WEEK:Changing the plate and opting for an automatic

From K Wolfe: In response to the letter about the Irish numberplate system and the cost of changing the system: why not simply use odd-numbered plates (12-D-1, 12-D-3, etc) sequentially from January to June each year, and even-numbered plates from July to December?

That’s a good idea that would work well and not require a major system change. Hopefully the motor trade will pick up on this in its proposals. Another proposal is that they will simply opt to change the numbers at the start of every 100,000 registrations, so the first digits will last until 99,999 new cars are sold and then move up one. That way you could have 1 D 99999 but regardless of the date, it will move to 2 D 1 when the next new car is registered.

From AT: I am currently driving a 2005 Landrover Discovery 3 manual. After an injury on my left foot, I am considering a change of car. I love the versatility and space of the Discovery, however the running costs and motor tax are high. One option could be for me to trade-up to another Discovery but this time with an automatic gearbox as one dealer has said that fuel consumption would be better (as gear selection is chosen by the engine management system). Could this be true? Another option could be to trade to a BMW 5 Series estate automatic.

Automatics have dramatically improved since you were last on the market. As your dealer said, engine management systems have become better than the average human at prejudging changes. That said, even the latest generation Discovery 4 with its automatice transmission is not exactly eco-friendly, putting out at least 248g/km. That means annual motor tax of €2,258.

I would have no qualms with moving from manual to automatic these days, particularly if we’re not talking about a soft-top roadster or the like, and in the large premium cars you are considering then automatic is a must if you want to have any sort of resale value on the way out.

You mention a BMW 5-Series Touring as an option and if that fits the bill for space then I think it’s the obvious choice. You could look out for one from the current model range with its eight-speed automatic. While it starts with the 520d, I’d personally try for the 525d. This car is faster and more economic in automatic than the equivalent manual, and with emissions of 135g/km incurs a motor tax bill of €225 a year. I expect that’s a big saving on what you are paying at present.

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