Reliable and economical diesel

[AndyG]

Going to be racking up the miles with a new job so looking something reliable and economical enough, 50ish mog and above would be good but reliability is most important

Looking at pd 130 engined cars as I've read they're pretty bullet proof but anything I've seen is either too high miles or some walloper has wrecked it with mods

Wouldn't want to spend more than 1500 but open to ideas of what to buy or what you have

 

[Burt2000]

I’m in exact same situation as you and have just bought and 06 civic 2.2. Cdti. Engine wise they are supposedly a very reliable unit and don’t give bother, no DPF and chain driven. The only thing is clutch but most have had them done by now or buy one that’s recently had a clutch. It was doing over 60 mog on the test drive with the cruise on. Also they are in around your budget for an 06/07 with 100+ k miles.

More modern than the older VW and usually good spec, the one I bought has a panoramic roof n all lol. If maintained properly 300k miles is no bother.

 

[hippyross]

I'll sell you a nice Saab does 40mpg driving from Bangor to ARDS and running around town will be half your budget. You could run it on vegetable oil if you wanted lol

 

[BobSpounge]

Three of my work colleagues have 2.2 derv civics and swear by them. Very reliable cars. I've only heard them mention a couple of daft things like leaky fuel pipes. One of them has had 2 clutches inside a year but the second clutch could be down to a poor part or fitting of it.

I've two pd130's, a golf and Passat estate and also a pd100 golf and they're all great car's. The Passat was bought needing a bit of engine work but I believe most of it's troubles were caused by misdiagnosis of a simple fault and the resulting shoddy work by a previous mechanic. The Passat averaged 63 mpg from Lisburn to Tollymore forest and back today, which isn't bad for a 14 year old car of that size.

 

[Burt2000]

Yes doing a clutch on the civics is supposed to be a big enough job and some replace them with cheap brands, hopefully the one mine got isn’t made of *****

 

[RevT]

Going to be racking up the miles with a new job so looking something reliable and economical enough, 50ish mog and above would be good but reliability is most important

Looking at pd 130 engined cars as I've read they're pretty bullet proof but anything I've seen is either too high miles or some walloper has wrecked it with mods

Wouldn't want to spend more than 1500 but open to ideas of what to buy or what you have

What’s ‘too high’ miles? I got my daily with 320000 miles 18 months ago. Apart from regular oil and filter services it’s done 45000 miles and only needed a steering rack (£30), a couple of suspension arms (£70) and an alternator (£30). If a PD130 engined car has been looked after right then there is no such thing as too high of a mileage.

 

[BobSpounge]

155k on that Passat I bought and I stripped the engine down as far as the crank (there was no real need to lol). The original hone marks were visible in the bores and the con rod shell bearings had no visible wear. The valves, lifters, cam and cam shell bearings were all spot on too.

I had some cam wear on the 130 golf but I've put that down to the wrong lifters in it. OEM lifters are a double spring affair and you should be able to push them down around 1mm before they go solid. If non OEM lifters have been fitted they will be solid as soon as you push on them, don't use these. I've taken both type of lifters apart and there's a big difference in design.
If good quality PD oil has been used you shouldn't have to touch these engines unless someone has made a hack of working at them previously which is what I have found.

High miles and suspension components will more than likely be worn (same as any car). Suspension parts for the MK4 golf are cheaper and they are easier to work on than the Passat which has loads of front arms. Having said that good quality arms will last 100k if fitted right. In a lot of cases they aren't and will fail prematurely.

 

[AndyG]

More wanted lower miles so tge interior is still in decent condition and the things not knocking about over bumps.

To be fair I'd take a higher miles car if its well looked after. Looking to buy something in the next week or so if anyone knows of anything.

 

[AndyG]

155k on that Passat I bought and I stripped the engine down as far as the crank (there was no real need to lol). The original hone marks were visible in the bores and the con rod shell bearings had no visible wear. The valves, lifters, cam and cam shell bearings were all spot on too.

I had some cam wear on the 130 golf but I've put that down to the wrong lifters in it. OEM lifters are a double spring affair and you should be able to push them down around 1mm before they go solid. If non OEM lifters have been fitted they will be solid as soon as you push on them, don't use these. I've taken both type of lifters apart and there's a big difference in design.
If good quality PD oil has been used you shouldn't have to touch these engines unless someone has made a hack of working at them previously which is what I have found.

High miles and suspension components will more than likely be worn (same as any car). Suspension parts for the MK4 golf are cheaper and they are easier to work on than the Passat which has loads of front arms. Having said that good quality arms will last 100k if fitted right. In a lot of cases they aren't and will fail prematurely.

Would love a 130 mk4 golf 3 door but can't seem to find any anywhere.

What are they like with a map? Would you say to avoid them if they have been mapped?

Are the 2.0 tdi less reliable?

 

[BobSpounge]

Would love a 130 mk4 golf 3 door but can't seem to find any anywhere.

What are they like with a map? Would you say to avoid them if they have been mapped?

Are the 2.0 tdi less reliable?

England's the place to go for them. There's a few good ones left but they're demanding strong money. Give the entire length of the underneath of the sills a good push with your thumb as they can rot. They go very well with a map and no problems to report, I'd try to buy standard and then get it mapped though.

Not sure about the 2.0 but avoid anything with a 1.9 BXE engine (Mk5) as conrods love to play peek a boo out of the block.

 

[Burt2000]

I was going to view this before I put a deposit on mine, new brakes and clutch.

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They are a nice driving thing, very smooth engine and the interior is miles ahead of the older VW’s (but I do have a lot of love for them) but I just think the civics are very good VFM very comfortable seats too.

 

[Lee]

Would love a 130 mk4 golf 3 door but can't seem to find any anywhere.

What are they like with a map? Would you say to avoid them if they have been mapped?

Are the 2.0 tdi less reliable?

Thats what I drive. I don't know why I have it as I've only done 20k in 3 years. But can't part with it. With a map they have stacks of overtaking power. Don't think it'd do them any harm but more the point of if its been mapped theres a higher chance its been owned by someone who has been sore on the car.

Mines on a genuine 121k now. I put a lot of new parts in mine a year two back, basically it should be good for at least 100k trouble free miles. But that would easily take me 10 years. So it will never see it in my ownership

 

[AndyG]

Will keep an eye out for a civic also.. Saw this on gumtree. Although the miles are high it seems well looked after and totally original.

Going to try and get a look at it today



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2003 Full years MOT Owned by a district nurse for past 14 years for work purposes so was regularly serviced and maintained Winter pack (heated seats & headlight washers) 130 bhp 1.9 pd 208k miles Standard car from factory, ie. no mods Car in overall good condition mi

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[RevT]

Red is lovely in them but lacquer peel is a nightmare.

If that car has been well serviced then it’s a no-brainer. Just make sure clutch/flywheel, intercooler/turbo pipes and the heated seats (both top and bottom) are all good and you’ll be laughing. Winter pack is handy to have.

 

[Burt2000]

What are mk4’s like for rust? It’s usually what kills off the PD cars before anything mechanical does.

 

[BobSpounge]

What are mk4’s like for rust? It’s usually what kills off the PD cars before anything mechanical does.

Front wings and sills. Seem to be fine otherwise.

 

[purplea4T]

What are mk4’s like for rust? It’s usually what kills off the PD cars before anything mechanical does.

As said, wings and sill ends at the back. Wings can be bought new painted for less than a £100, don’t know what the fit is like though. We’d 5 mk4’s together today and only 1 was suffering a wee bit of rust on the front drivers wing - mud flaps are a curse for that.
England is the place to go for a mk4 TDI - they don’t seem to be as sought after as over here.

 

[Coog]

I ran a MK4 TDI from 60 to over 150k odd miles over 5/6 years. It literally just needed a couple of bushes in that time and normal services. It sold, within hours of advertising it for about 1500 less than what I paid for it all those years earlier. Its still taxed and MOTd today. Must be on 300k miles by now lol

 

[Lee]

As said, wings and sill ends at the back. Wings can be bought new painted for less than a £100, don’t know what the fit is like though. We’d 5 mk4’s together today and only 1 was suffering a wee bit of rust on the front drivers wing - mud flaps are a curse for that.
England is the place to go for a mk4 TDI - they don’t seem to be as sought after as over here.

I was told it was some foam liner behind the wing that causes it. It holds moisture. My front drivers side wing is getting soft, not coming from the mudflap area though.

 

[southsky sunrise]

07 2.5 v6 tdi 147k
Dec 05 Passat 2.0 174k
06 Octavia 1.9tdi
All can come as are or years tested with price adjustment

 

[Michael M]

I ran a MK4 TDI from 60 to over 150k odd miles over 5/6 years. It literally just needed a couple of bushes in that time and normal services. It sold, within hours of advertising it for about 1500 less than what I paid for it all those years earlier. Its still taxed and MOTd today. Must be on 300k miles by now lol

No, probably still 150k on it!

 

[BobSpounge]

I was told it was some foam liner behind the wing that causes it. It holds moisture. My front drivers side wing is getting soft, not coming from the mudflap area though.

Yes the wings rot from the inside out because of the foam. B5 passats are the same.

First job if you buy a mk4 is mudflaps and archliners off the front. You could grow a forest in the muck and crud that lies in behind the archliner just above the mudflaps. The edges of the mudflaps can rub the paint off the wings through time and will cause rust.

 

[Coog]

No, probably still 150k on it!

Haha

 

[AndyG]

Bought a 2006 A4, sline for stupid low money. 2.0 but will keep it well serviced and hope for the best!