A decent diesel for £7,000??

MrWulf

MrWulf

MrWulf

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21 Sep 2012
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I have been a 'reader' of these forums for a long time but never posted.

I am just after some advice really. I am looking for a reliable, economical sporty looking diesel - that needs to handle quite well.

I've been looking at A3's and 3 series but most have over 100,000 on the clock. I don't want huge bills to deal with. I have heard the 2.0 TDI's in the Audi's can be a bit problematic? The E46 3 series are getting on a bit now and I don't think the 320cd would offer the performance I want. The 330cd is more the kind of power I am after but they only do about 40mpg combined I believe.

Astra 1.9 cdti 150 sport hatches are another motor I have been looking at but depreciation worries me about those and a few engine niggles I have read about. Good looking car though and apparently they handle quite well.

Seat Leon Cupra TDi 150's fall into budget, seem to be quite bomb proof reliabillity wise but the interior is a tad bland.

Is there you a car you think I should be looking at? Any suggestions?
 
If you don't want to deal with bills and you want a sub £7k used car then don't buy BMW's, Audi's etc. Go for something newer instead.
 
Mondeo or focus or even a fiesta.

All good handlers and all have a good diesel engine to go with it.
 
You aren't far off the budget for a Mk.2 Leon FR TDI. Just try and get one without a DPF, and watch out for ones with high miles as it means it's coming up needing injectors doing.

Looks are subjective and it's a marmite car on here but worth a look?

Beware though - I only get 40-45MPG out of mine, even on a run. So you might be best advised looking at the petrol version as it's not going to be far behind in terms of economy but without all the niggles and bills.
 
I was thinking that Fox. Especially the Audi's, heard injector failure is common, I don't want that.

Are the E90 320d's solid? The E46 diesel's were quite problematic.

I'm not sure how an Astra would handle 1,600 miles a month. I've heard the Fiat engine in those suffer DMF failure.
 
The E90 320d has the M47 2 litre engine just as the E46 does. Different revisions but the fundamental engine itself remained the same until much more recently.
 
MrWulf said:
I was thinking that Fox. Especially the Audi's, heard injector failure is common, I don't want that.

Are the E90 320d's solid? The E46 diesel's were quite problematic.

I'm not sure how an Astra would handle 1,600 miles a month. I've heard the Fiat engine in those suffer DMF failure.
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The fiat 1.9 is bulletproof as long as you look after it
We have two 150 vectras both over 200k miles

Only issues were inlet manifold on the 06 needed changed to the revised manifold clutches done at 142k and 164k respectively due to dmf failure on one and a slipping clutch on other

Ignore vauxhalls service plan. Filters every 10k and belts at 60k and they run forever
 
The Astra will handle 1600 miles a month, I do more than that in a VXR. But I would avoid the Astra like the plague!

Anything with a M32 gearbox in it has disaster written all over it IMO. The 1.9cdti are even worse than VXR for gearbox failures. But i am someone who now despises the M32 gearbox and vauxhall :)
 
[TW]Fox;22816794 said:
The E90 320d has the M47 2 litre engine just as the E46 does. Different revisions but the fundamental engine itself remained the same until much more recently.
Click to expand...

The M47 after 2004 was quite reliable in the E46 wasn't it??
 
Rybo89 said:
The Astra will handle 1600 miles a month, I do more than that in a VXR. But I would avoid the Astra like the plague!

Anything with a M32 gearbox in it has disaster written all over it IMO. The 1.9cdti are even worse than VXR for gearbox failures. But i am someone who now despises the M32 gearbox and vauxhall :)
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heard a few horror stories about the astras eating boxes.

funnily enough never a bit of bother with the f40's in the vectras :)

this thread is crying out for a bit of MMMMMMMMMM
 
Rybo89 said:
The Astra will handle 1600 miles a month, I do more than that in a VXR. But I would avoid the Astra like the plague!

Anything with a M32 gearbox in it has disaster written all over it IMO. The 1.9cdti are even worse than VXR for gearbox failures. But i am someone who now despises the M32 gearbox and vauxhall :)
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I've just got shot of a Clio 182 that had a gearbox failure. I really don't like the sound of that then with the Astra.

As for the Mk2 Leon, not really a fan. I do like the Mk1 though, shame the interior is a bit bland, would be better if they had put the seats out of the Cupra R in. I have driven one and the torque comes in one big dollop, not like the Astra I drove which was more refined.

The 1.9 VAG in the MK1 Leon's is quite a solid engine isn't it?
 
Delta12 said:
heard a few horror stories about the astras eating boxes.

funnily enough never a bit of bother with the f40's in the vectras :)

this thread is crying out for a bit of MMMMMMMMMM
Click to expand...

Yep IMO a massive design failure not making the F40 fit into the Astra vxr with all the torque it has got.
 
thepharcyde said:
I get average of 55mpg out of mine.
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Is that from the trip computer or from actual diesel usage - my trip computer is wildly optimistic, everyday use I get 40-42mpg. That's in the original 2.2 model, I think the replacement engine that came in later on made an improvement to fuel economy, but at the expense of the refinement that the original engine had. The new model that is out now is complete **** though.
 
thepharcyde said:
I get average of 55mpg out of mine.
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Wondering if we drive the same car....45mpg far more realistic I would suggest. Good all rounder though especially for that kind of budget. Mine is a remapped EX you'll struggle to get the same level of kit from anything else.

I have very recently encountered a problem (p2004) it I suspect once I've got the plastics off it'll just be a 2 quid hose needing change. Servicing is not cheap for a boggo hatch and neither are parts, I've had to do very little to mine though
 
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