Best diesel car under £2.5k

mjt said:
Something with a VAG PD engine.
Click to expand...


and make damn sure the belts/waterpump have recently been changed as 1) it's expensive if you can't do it yourself, 2) it's expensive/terminal finding out the hard way if it hasn't been done.

As others have said, and from personal experience, it's a bulletproof enough engine providing it's been looked after. Other than that it's got torx and a turbo so feels faster than it actually is and will eat motorway miles for breakfast/lunch/dinner/midnight snacks without complaint. If I missed anything important I'm apologising now before the motors lynch mob get here (saaaaaaaaaarcasm!). ;)
 
I'm just about to advertise my Mazda 6 diesel TS 110k T&T 54 for around that figure, should last for another 50k easily and 100k with crossed fingers, Passats of that year and cost have 200k on them and golfs of the with less miles are 10 yrs old.

However I do rate A/T for confidence in motors quality, there's more 200k VAGs than there are Mazdas
 
How many miles a year to do you do? If you can possibly dodge the minefield that is buying a cheap commonrail diesel, you'd be very well advised to do so. You'll get a better, newer and more reliable car for your money.
 
As above, a cheap diesel will probably land you in all sorts of bother if you don't pick carefully.

PD is probably the way forward, I'd just avoid anything that's not had any work done, is commonfail and above 100k, as that's when things seem to go wrong.

Mondeo diesels are good enough, but I'd keep some pennies in the bank for a DMF and some injectors, as they could go at any time.
 
Any modern VAG tdi will do. A decent 130 might be a little over budget but the 115 does more mpg anyway so look for one of those. ;)

Failing that, Vectras are cheap and plenty around to choose from.
 
As already said a VAG 110 1.9 tdi is doable. Hold out for an se spec of whatever you buy if you can be bothered- the differences are small but worth it. Go for the best condition Leon, Toledo or Passat you can find. Avoid the golf and A3, you'll be wasting your time with the premium these go for over the Leon, which has the A3's interior anyway.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201047373666162
 
Last edited:
[TW]Fox;17869231 said:
What, a scam?



A selection of completely rubbish cars?
Click to expand...

It was an example, not that exact one.
Also, they are in the price range & do pound the miles out before any major problems will occur...
 
meh I've got a mk4 astra, but it's the 1.8 125bhp petrol which is ok and was fantastic value for money.
I wouldn't recommend the diesels, the old 2.0dti's are very old rather crap, and the newer 1.7 cdti only has 80bhp on the mk4 making it rather... slow.

mind you it's not as bad as a 1.4 75bhp petrol golf/octavia (torx y0) or a golf sdi, but it is a rather slow car that.

I'd go for a vag in 1.9 form as well.
 
Ok thanks for the suggestion guys,

I actually already have a 115bhp Passat but as my wife will be having this car I was looking for another one for me so Volkswagens aren't out of the question was just after something a little different.

I have seen BMW 320d come up in my price range about 120k upwards mileage wise, what do you think on these or even a Volvo S60 D5?
 
The 320d and D5 both use early common rail engines, so I'd steer clear. Get a problem with the injectors and the car effectively becomes a financial write-off. It's more likely with the big mileages on cars in your price range.

It's a risk I wouldn't be prepared to take.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom