JOHN COMER

ICMSA PRESIDENT

What car do you drive and why did you choose it?

Like many farmers, I have two vehicles in my fleet – a 2015 Volkswagen Passat diesel and an older 2003 registration Toyota Hilux crew car pickup for farm work. As ICMSA president, there is a lot of driving in the job, especially in the evenings at this time of the year. I find that the Passat is reliable and comfortable and, for me, reliability is all important as I’m not big on mechanics.

The Toyota Hilux is for farm work and it too is ultra-reliable. I use it for herding on a suckler cow out-farm that we have. I use it to pull a trailer and while, it is heavy on diesel, I find that there is not much difference in fuel consumption when I have a trailer on behind.

What is an important feature for you in a new car?

Reliability is the most important feature for me and I find that the Passat has been a reliable car for me for many years. I’m not as fussy about other aspects of the car, while comfort and economy are important, reliability is the most important of all.

What was your previous car?

Passat, Passat, Passat ... I’ve driven Volkswagen Passats for a good few years now and only once opted for something different when I drove a Ford Mondeo for a period. While it was a good car, I prefer to be back driving a Passat.

What was your first car?

My first car was a Fiat 127, which I had when doing my farm apprenticeship training course at McAulliffe’s in Castleisland, Co Kerry. This little car was fine until you faced into a hill and then it struggled. When I found that water was seeping into the sump, it was time for an engine head job and soon after I parted company with the loyal little Fiat.

SEAN FINAN

MACRA NA FEIRME NATIONAL PRESIDENT

What car do you drive and why did you choose it?

I drive a car-derived van version of the Toyota Auris, powered by a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine. I bought the car forward from my previous employment and it made good sense to buy it, because it’s reliable and economical. I chose the Auris van as it was one of a choice of vans available to me in my previous employment as a company transport. And I remain happy with that decision over four years later.

How long have you driven it?

I have driven the Toyota Auris since 2012 when it was bought secondhand. As Macra president, I travel the country with high mileage, so economy is important to me. I get about 18km/litre (50mpg or 6.6l/100km) from its thrifty engine. I get the Auris serviced every 15,000km as I believe that you get longer life from a car when it is regularly serviced and you are ensured of reliability. I get the car serviced in a Toyota dealership where I can avail of all service updates.

What is an important feature for you in a new car?

I like the fact that the van conversion means that I’ve loads of boot space as I’m often carrying lots of stuff around with me for Macra meetings.

What was your first car?

My first car was a Toyota Corolla. In fact, we have Toyotas at home on the farm where my father drives a Toyota Land Cruiser, and if I had to buy a new car in the morning I would definitely stick with Toyota and probably move up a level to an Avensis.

Anna Marie McHugh

National Ploughing Association

What car do you drive and why did you choose it?

I drive a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe and I love it. It’s the older type with lots of space and I bought it secondhand from Niall Lyng at Michael Lyng Motors in Carlow in 2008.

How long have you driven it?

I’ve driven it since 2008 and clocked up lots of annual mileage, both at home and abroad. This car has been to England and France and, more recently, I’ve fitted a towbar to it to pull a small pony-type horsebox.

What is an important feature for you in a new car?

The space and comfort are hugely important for me in my Santa Fe. I have had back problems and was advised to go for an SUV-type vehicle and it has made a big change to my travelling comfort. I need lots of space as I always travel with loads of stuff and the Santa Fe can take it all.

What was your previous car?

My previous car was a Ford Focus which I enjoyed driving too. The Ford cars have always been great and last forever. The new models are as strong as ever and so safe. In fact, that’s what saved my mother Anna May when she had an unfortunate crash some months ago.

What was your first car?

My first car was a Ford Fiesta, which I had when I started working with Foroige as a county organiser for Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath. I travelled the high roads and byroads of those counties and the Fiesta was well able for the hardship of these midland roads at the time.

JOE HEALY

IFA PRESIDENT

What car do you drive and why did you choose it?

I drive an Audi A6 since taking over the role of IFA president and I bought it on the recommendation of a friend. The car is comfortable and solid to drive and it’s the kind of car that you get out of fresh, when you are travelling around the country to many IFA meetings.

How long have you driven it?

I’ve driven the car since July of this year and it has lived up to its reputation for being comfortable and solid and economical.

What is an important feature for you in a new car?

Like any farmer, value for money is important to me and that includes good economy. I found the sat-nav system to be very useful and I’ve probably learned to depend on it. While I’m not into frills in a car, certainly the sat-nav is one feature that has been excellent and I would always want it included in my future cars.

What was your previous car?

My previous car was a Hyundai Tucson and, before that, a long line of Volkswagen cars.

What was your first car?

My first car was a Volkswagen Jetta (854 WIE) that I bought secondhand at Western Garages in Ennis. I have great memories of that solid car and it brought me around the country in my Macra days and was very reliable.

EDDIE AND ZARA LYNCH

WINNERS OF FBD FARMYARD AWARDS 2016

Eddie and Zara Lynch from Grousehall, Loughduff, Co Cavan, were the winners of the FBD Farmyard Awards for 2016. Eddie drives a 2010 Volkswagen Golf van for his everyday duties as a scanning operator.

What car do you drive and why did you choose it?

I love the Golf van lots and while I should have changed it, I like it so much I’m slow to let it go. I also use a Land Rover Defender on the farm for general work and towing trailers, because it is solid and durable and washes up the same as new no matter what work it has been doing.

How long have you driven it?

I have driven the Volkswagen Golf van since new in 2010 and now it has more than 300,000km on the clock. I get the Golf serviced regularly in my local Volkswagen dealer, Brady’s of Arva, and that ensures reliability.

What is an important feature for you in a new car?

Reliability and economy.

What was your previous car?

The Golf van replaced a Peugeot 307 van which was comfortable but not as reliable as the Golf has been. Over the years, I have driven Peugeot vans right up until the Golf arrived in 2010 and they were always comfortable.

What was your first car?

My first car was a Peugeot 406 imported from the UK. It was a great car, big and solid, very comfortable and economical. I followed that with some Peugeot vans, and a Toyota Auris van at one stage, before I settled into my current Golf.