Donal Byrne answers your questions
From Mrs H by email
I have a child of 17 who is now driving and we would like to set him up with his own insurance in his own car - 1100cc or thereabouts. I have tried lots of places for a car to suit him but he is 6' 7" tall. Any advice would be gratefully received.
The problem for very tall drivers choosing a car is the fact that the motor industry works on averages. It produces most of its cars to suit average heights, average engine requirements, and so on. That rules out most standard models for your son. There is one car, however, that might suit and that is the five-door Renault Kangoo, which is designed as a mini MPV. It has vast interior space and more headroom than virtually any other car in its class. It will accommodate someone of your son's height easily. The Kangoo has a 1200cc engine and its cavernous interior makes it an ideal choice for anyone needing extra space. There are a number of Kangoos on the second-hand market and one garage in Cork has a 2003 car with 56,000 miles on the clock for €8,950.
From Paul Walsh by email
I have two questions: is it legal to park in cycle lanes, or are there time restrictions? Are motorcycles allowed to use bus lanes, and what about "E" bikes?
Talk to any cyclist and they will give you plenty of reasons why parking in cycle lanes is not allowed under the Road Traffic Regulations 1997 and 1998 - not least the obvious danger of being forced around a parked vehicle and into the path of traffic! Some councils do allow limited parking for commercial deliveries only.
Strictly speaking, motorcycles should not use bus lanes but there is an unofficial view that they are better using them for their own safety. Finally, I don't think energy friendly bicycles come under the umbrella of mechanically propelled vehicles - so they should be in the cycle lanes.
From Fiona Dillon by email
On a visit to the UK last month I hired a new three-door 1.3 Toyota Yaris. I had been intending to trade in my five-year-old Mitsubishi Colt for a new model but I loved driving the new Yaris and decided it was the car for me. However, despite being listed in dealers' price lists and advertised on Toyota's website, I discovered that there are no three-door models (either 1.1 or 1.3) available on the Irish market and no dealer I contacted could give me a time frame for their arrival. Do you have any indication from industry sources whether Toyota intend to sell the three-door model in Ireland or should I just go for another trusty Colt?
A spokesman for Toyota Ireland assures us there is a three-door version of the Yaris available with a 1.3 engine. It is available in three different trim levels with a starting price of €16,395. The problem here is due to the relatively low demand for three-door models. The delivery time is longer but Toyota Ireland say the car can be delivered within 12 weeks of ordering - not an inordinate length of time in the general scheme of things. If you are having difficulties with ordering from a dealer then a call to Toyota Ireland should resolve this fairly quickly.
From C Murphy
After being recently quoted an astronomical figure to have my car serviced by the garage I bought it from I have since been trying to find a reputable self-employed mechanic with all the necessary computer technology. You might come up with an advice column of dos and don'ts for those of us who don't want to pay €350 for a regular service check. Are you asking for trouble not getting your car serviced by a brand garage?
Car servicing is expensive and is an excellent source of revenue for car dealers. There are, of course, many other outlets that provide servicing and the best way to satisfy your requirements is to ask around and go by personal recommendation. Established dealers will argue they have invested heavily in the training of mechanics, new technology and servicing areas, whereas "backstreet" garages do not. This, of course, is not true in every case.
You can take a course in car maintenance and do the basics yourself.
Your warranty should not be affected, in most cases, by using non-dealer service outlets, provided genuine parts have been used.
From C O'Rourke by email
Could you explain what the term "ovality" means in the context of the brake test in the NCT test report? Why do brakes develop an oval shape?
Prolonged wear on brake drums causes them to develop an oval rather than a circular shape and reduces their efficiency in stopping the car. So a check for "ovality" is a vital part of the NCT test.
Michael McAleer, Motoring Editor, is on leave.
Send your queries to Motors Helpdesk, The Irish Times, D'Olier St, Dublin 2 - or email motorshelp@irish-times.ie