Long time no post - car spec requested

Coco

Coco

Coco

Associate
Joined
16 Jul 2004
Posts
1,795
Location
Leicestershire
Morning all,

Corr blimey I haven't posted on here for quite a while!
I've had a quick sniff about & I can see that many of the members from a couple of years ago are still around including loads of the Manchester Meet peeps, do you boys still meet up every now & again!?! :cool:

I'm currently deciding upon a car to be used as my daily runner & seeing as I've got a few different choices I thought i'd head over to OcUK Motors for a spot of advice.
The specification i'm working towards is:

*Priority:
£2,000 - £3,000 budget
Realworld 45 - 50mpg :eek:
Upto 1,000 miles per week
Engine reliability

*Secondary:
100 - 150bhp
15" / 16" wheels
It at least attempts to go around corners
20,000 miles / 6 months replacement cycle

As you can see its a fairly low budget which is pointing towards an economical & reliable car capable of covering a fairly large number of miles each week, i.e. not particularly fun!
The secondary items aren't written in stone but offer an insight into the sort of cars i'm heading towards.
I'm also open to the prospect of a 20k/6month replacement cycle to minimise depreciation & to possibly sidestep any maintenance issues.

Thanks largely to the used-car market taking a battering I have the following cars in mind:
*Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi // Good: Running costs? Plenty of choice // Bad: Not very exciting
*Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi // Good: Loads of car for the £££ // Bad: MPG? Boring image?
*Volkswagen Golf TDi 115-130bhp // Good: Brand image, reliable? // Are they reliable!?!

So there we go, i'm sure theres plenty of people out there who know a thing or two about the above motors, I would welcome your experiences.
And what other alternatives can people suggest? Am I missing any other Germanic cars or even anything from our friends from the Far East?
Or should I seriously consider opening the budget up a touch to match the priority requirements?


What would the people of OcUK go for in my racing-shoes! Any help gratefully appreciated. Cheers! :)


Coco
'Buuurger'
 
HAHAH, welcome back lad, was wondering how you're getting on!

I'd decided you had crashed down a hill ont moors that why we hadn't seen you around for a long time!
 
Mondeos of that era have injector fun and also the DMF is known to fail, I'd keep a bit in the bank incase, or look elsewhere. New injectors are about £1k, and a new DMF £600 ish.

My vote goes with the Focus TDCi or a VW Bora 130 TDi :cool:
 
rover416i said:
Mondeos of that era have injector fun and also the DMF is known to fail, I'd keep a bit in the bank incase, or look elsewhere. New injectors are about £1k, and a new DMF £600 ish.

My vote goes with the Focus TDCi or a VW Bora 130 TDi :cool:
Click to expand...

Not at that age/mileage - 3k these days will buy you a 60k car easy and injectors dont tend to let go until double that. DMF is a possibility at that mileage but is much more likely towards 100k

Focus TDCi shares these issues although slightly less common because of lower torque. You're unlikely to average 45 from the mondy in mixed driving - low 40s/high 30s are more common although they'll stretch to 50 on a long run.

How about a Leon 130 or 150 if you can find one? A bit less boring/common than the golf but still has the build quality
 
You'll struggle to get a Leon 130 TDI for £3k, they are good cars mind.

A late, good condition, mk1 Focus 115bhp tdci zetec can be got for that money and would make a great daily driver. More fun to drive than the Leon imo (I've owned both), if not quite as punchy. Mpg in that range with a great throttle-steerable chasis on them.
 
Firestar_3x said:
HAHAH, welcome back lad, was wondering how you're getting on!

I'd decided you had crashed down a hill ont moors that why we hadn't seen you around for a long time!
Click to expand...

Alright mate!
Haha! I've managed to successfully stay on the black stuff recently which is always a bonus! :)
I hope all is well for you, the last I heard was that you we're running a supercharged MX5, which I do believe I seen on display at a Pistonheads show under a different owner?

Your current steed looks interesting, how do you find the VAG 1.8 lump?
I have just returned my daily runner, hence this thread. It was a 2007 Astra CDTi SRi estate, I've become a bit of a fan of the estates! Especially when theres some kit-weight in the boot to spice up the handling! :cool:



Many thanks for all the other replies.

Mondeo TDCI
So it looks like I would be after an '02 with 60k on the clock to give me a bit of head room for any DMF issues. Shame the economy isn't so great.

Focus TDCI
That sounds just the ticket sampo! And its good to hear iainds info about the lesser likelyhood of problems. Shame the mk1 looks really bland now.

Seat Leon
Arr the poor mans VW! Unfortunately to rich for my current budget. :(

VW Golf
Any recomendations for these porky pies? Could the diesel engine get me to the moon & back?


Once again many thanks for your replies I appreciate these aren't the most thrilling of cars!
 
The old shape leon is no way too rich for your budget, but I'd say you can do better!

Oh, and mine would've seen me "have" your cup if you'd have come to the Manchester Meet ;)
 
Another familiar face!
I see you still have the CupraR, you screwed it all back together now? :(
I cant believe that happened to you at Donny, gutted man.

"You almost had me? You never had me" !!!
Alas the Cup has long since gone, she was briefly replaced with a 182 Trophy which I got for a cheeky trip to the Nurburgring. I now have a rather splendid Lotus Exige for my dirty weekend fun! :cool:
 
Coco said:
Alright mate!
Haha! I've managed to successfully stay on the black stuff recently which is always a bonus! :)
I hope all is well for you, the last I heard was that you we're running a supercharged MX5, which I do believe I seen on display at a Pistonheads show under a different owner?!
Click to expand...

Hi mate, yea supercharged the 5 for a while got bored stripped the charger and other mods off and sold it to a memeber on this forum, great car but only having two seats cheesed me off!

The Passat is erm diferent to the MX5 in just about everyway, its the 1.8T does the job alright, looking to upgrade to a newish S4 Avant early next year though :)

You need to post a thread about the Exige mate, epic car
 
Was the MX5 your only motor? I imagine only having a pair of seats & a lack of boot space could grate after a while!
The Passat looks great in your sig, Audi wheels? The V6 engined S4 I assume, lovely stuff.
I'll see about getting a thread knocked up on the Exige in the near future, a meet would be spiffing mind!


Can anybody offer any insight into the Golf MK4 diesel engines?
Its mainly what kind of mileage they can run upto before the big bills come out to play.
 
A Manchester Meet is always worth the journey and i'm very well cheers mate, good to be back!

How about yourself chap? 250 horses from the ol' boy is bloody good going! :)
 
I havent read the entire post, but i would think you will get better mpg from a VW than Ford, I have a Mondeo which gets high 30s low 40s for most mix driving, however i have read numerous times that the VWs can get high 40s and 55+ on long trips.

MK4 Golf i think were mainly 1.9TDi, 100ish bhp 115bhp 130bhp and 150bhp, not sure about bills etc.
 
Coco said:
Was the MX5 your only motor? I imagine only having a pair of seats & a lack of boot space could grate after a while!
The Passat looks great in your sig, Audi wheels? The V6 engined S4 I assume, lovely stuff.
I'll see about getting a thread knocked up on the Exige in the near future, a meet would be spiffing mind!


Can anybody offer any insight into the Golf MK4 diesel engines?
Its mainly what kind of mileage they can run upto before the big bills come out to play.
Click to expand...

Well i had a 1.2 clio (same shape as yours) as well but that never got used so sold it, having two seats for a while was great and i had a huge laugh but it became more of a blag than fun in the end, need more of a toy to go alongside a proper car, even with the supercharger i always wanted more power out of it :)

Cheers chap, Its the 1.8T mate, VW never fitted the S4 engine into the B5 / B5.5 Passat, specs are http://www.motorsforum.co.uk/motors/Firestar_3x/424 for its job its not a bad motor :)

The 1.9TDI Vag unit is ok, bit loud but if you get the GT TDI they can be remaped to 170bhp iirc and that makes it a good motorway tool - 60 - 90mph isn't too bad at all!
 
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Hells bells, thought you'd been abducted by aliens mate! Thought about an Octavia? VAG running gear for less money that the equivalent VW.
 
Thanks for that chrislusty, I guess it makes sense that the VAG units produce better economy what with having invested far more into the technology than Ford have. Following on from that with Goliaths comment, it really looks like a VAG unit is the way to go especially as it means I've got plenty of options as to what body is bolted on top!

Still no bad words regarding reliability!?! They really cant be that good surely!!!


Firestar,
Looks like I created a spot of confusion, I know its the 1.8T in the Passat, I meant your future S4 being the V6 engined version as opposed to the V8 monster?

Goliath,
Good to hear from you again big man, even better to see you've still got the RS. I smiled when I read your comment in the '1 picture 3 words' thread - 'nothing else matters', love it! :)
 
Coco said:
Firestar,
Looks like I created a spot of confusion, I know its the 1.8T in the Passat, I meant your future S4 being the V6 engined version as opposed to the V8 monster?
Click to expand...

Ah lol, sorry mate, really want a newer shape one. i'd love the older 2.7 S4 engine since its so easy to get loads of power from it but i'm not sure i want the previous shape A4, only one i would consider in that shape is the RS4, looking at the 4.2 V8 currently, they've come down in price really nice recently (2003 onwards plate) and i feel its a good upgrade, shame its going to suck petrol like no tomorrow!
 
Sorry for raising this thread from the dead, just wanted to thank everyone for there help.
I ended up getting a black Golf GT TDI jobby with a 6 speed, leather, 6 disc changer etc.
Currently easily getting a sniff over 50 mpg from mostly motorway journeys at 80mph & when in towns giving it a decentish launch from lights etc.
It has got quite horrific UNDERsteeeeeeeeeeeer, which becomes very comical with a splattering of rain.
All in all though its doing the job, cheers.
 
Coco,

Whats this I hear about you being beaten at UFC by 2 girls? :P If you're still planning the ring trip for sept keep me informed. I still want that ride in the exige am free on sunday :D

Aero
 
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