Max milage on Diesel cars. (Same as Petrol???)

TechnoCorruption

TechnoCorruption

TechnoCorruption

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Joined
9 May 2005
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As title really, I have looked at a 2nd hand diesel car which appears to be perfect apart from a rather high milage, whats the average a 1.9 TD will do?

I guess the average for a 1.9-2.0 petrol would be 180k to 200k, is it about the same for diesel or would it be better/worse.
 
How much is it up for? Unless it's really cheap, I personally wouldn't bother.

Being an old school mechanical diesel engine, at least it's a lot less likely to have major problems, but still...
 
This also depends on the car aswell..

BMW 318 is more likely to last longer than your average ford/renault

Diesels in general last longer and most possible in the 200k+ mileage region

However the citreon you state might not have many miles left... if it runs smooth etc you might see it go into the 200k+ region
 
I was under the impression that petrol engines last 150,000 miles before you have major problems and diesels 250,000 miles.

Then again you do see very high mileage petrol volvos and peugot diesels still going.

I think the reason why diesels last so much longer is because the compression is many times greater than petrol so they are heavier and have to be better built.
 
im pretty sure in thinking that the guy who we do airport runs in has milage on his merc of something like 500,000 miles and still going strong

yeah petrol engines wont be good for much after 150k, diesal engines - sommat like a pug 1.9 will go on forever.....
 
Buying an old french car is just asking for trouble, especially at 175k. Even if the engine is OK, everything else will be falling apart.
 
Your slightly over optimistic, unless you know otherwise assume the worst.

100k for petrol and if you want to be generous 200k for diesel. The engine isnt the only factor, everything else will age just as fast as normal and diesels cost more if anything goes wrong apparently. I would also expect to pay a premium for a diesel even secondhand.

500 would be a nice price but nobody can guess properly from here

TDK said:
I think the reason why diesels last so much longer is because the compression is many times greater than petrol so they are heavier and have to be better built.
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Diesel is a lubricant, petrol a solvent
 
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the local garage my family has been using for yonks is adamant that a well maintained and regularly serviced car will easily see 250k without too much bother.

Though obviously the more the miles rack up the bigger any problems are likely to be. Highest mileage car i have driven was a 175k cavalier, got rid of it two years ago now but to my knowledge its still going strong.
 
My dad has a volvo 850 2.5 petrol auto with 180k on and thats still running fine (M reg)
My volvo 740 estate is a 2.3 petrol has 143k on (G reg)

and a 740 on ebay not so long back had 424,000 miles on and was still running fine (minus the headlining, which is a weak point!)

175k shouldnt be much of a problem, personally i wouldnt worry. If its only to get you to work and back and its cheap enough, then go for it :)
 
LOL at all the opinions in this thread.

There is no "max. mileage" for a particualr engine technology.

It all comes down to the individual car, how well it's been looked after and how it has been used.
 
I would imagine diesel cars are much more capable than petrol cars of achieving the higher mileages, but as mentioned, it depends on the individual car. My BMW 323i has done 160K and sounds like a dream. My old fiesta had 55K on it and sounded like a bag of bolts!
 
Tis a V reg R75 CDT round our way that has 270k on the clock (this is a 116ps BMW M47 engine), its a Taxi and its still on its original Clutch.

Nothing (i think apart from glow pulgs, normal consumables, etc) has been replaced.
 
MrFunex said:
I would imagine diesel cars are much more capable than petrol cars of achieving the higher mileages.
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As mentioned above, injectors and turbo's will probably fail before anything major on a petrol car. Although my boss has a Volvo 940 2.3T with over 200k on it and its still on original turbo (and clutch)
 
TDK said:
I was under the impression that petrol engines last 150,000 miles before you have major problems and diesels 250,000 miles.

Then again you do see very high mileage petrol volvos and peugot diesels still going.

I think the reason why diesels last so much longer is because the compression is many times greater than petrol so they are heavier and have to be better built.
Click to expand...

That you do, my old K reg Volvo 850 GLT had 225K miles on the clock before I replaced it, and it was still going strong too having just had its 1st clutch replaced.
 
it will depend largely on how well it has been looked after. ive got a high mileage golf (95N 150k miles), engine wise it is tip top.

ive also had a 150k mile diesel (a couple in fact). it just depends on how its been kept.

a friend of mine with an escort (98 or 99 1.8 "GTI") which has had almost endless problems and only has 70k miles on it
 
Agr3sive said:
Its a Citroen Xantia, just something to get me to work and back, its done 175k, not sure about having things replaced, it does sound mint and drives really well.
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Also, with these don't forget that the hydraulic system is an extra thing that may need attention. If possible check if the spheres have been replaced, from memory if there's a loudish ticking sound when cold the height adjuster may need replacing soon.
 
in my experience a well oiled engine will last forever, but the other bits like suspension, gearboxes, etc (which can be more expensive than an engine) can give up the ghost at any time.
 
The xant 1.9td engine will run for 250K miles easily, my local garage sees a few taxis with tha kind of milages on 'em.

It's possible to pick up xantias for next to nothing (less then £500) unless it's really mint, don't pay any more.

Check the strut top mounts at the front, these are starting to go in a lot of 10 yr old cars, and the part is about 90 quid to replace per side. Make all the usual checks. The TD is a bugger to work on. Timing belt + water pump is about 120 Fitted at a garage. The engine must be running to check the suspension properly (push each corner and it should react like a normal car) if you open the boot and sit in it it sould sink a good few inch and then lift up to normal height in less than a minute.

if the suspension looks gone, then it's about 25 quid a corner + extra sphere so thats probably about 150 quid all round (LHM, tools etc)
 
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