IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

due to a possible change in my work circumstance will possibily see me commuting twice as far, so dont want to use my scooby for that!

I'm after a diesel runaround, could spend up to a grand on it, want something reliable etc

any tips?? I've been told to stay away from early ford diesels but wondered about peoples experiences with other makes

thanks

Dieseldog

1.9tdi vw's. Driven gently you will get 60 mpg. My old Golf's at 210,000 miles - apart from the normal consumables it's had 2 starter motors and nothing else in the last 11 years (not even a clutch), and I believe nothing for the 3 years prior to my ownership. Can't be worth much more than a couple of hundred quid. No car's as relaxing to own as a sh1tter, though I'd look elsewhere if you want to enjoy the drive.

The Chief

Mk3 Golf TDi

as above 50 plus Mpg dead reliable. My mate bought a VX220 and commutes 60 miles a day but ended up selling his Golf, he regrets it now as he should have kept it and saved himself a fortune.

He sold it to a next door neighbour for 600 quid and it hasn't missed a beat.

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

thanks guys that sounds promising

not bothered about the drive too much just want to make sure I can get at least 400 miles out of a tank!

The Chief

A golf will sit at 80-90 all day long although dont expect loads of ummphh on the motorway - although up to the legal limit its fine.

How much do you want to spend btw?

EddScott

This and learn how to make bio-diesel. I love mine

2000 Jeep Cherokee 2.5 Turbo Diesel Sport Manual on eBay, also, Jeep, Cars, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 07-Nov-08 15:50:49 GMT)

I know someone who runs one of these on 90% bio-diesel. Costs him next to nothing to run it. Only downside is the diesel engine is a bit rubbish and not nearly as smooth as the petrol (what I have) but then at 4.0 it makes a scoob seem economic on fuel

I've also got a MK3 golf and in the 10 years we've had it its had one starter motor. Its done more miles than the other two cars in the house put together and is by far the cheapest car we have.

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

no more than a grand

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

big up for the VW golf then!

my mate had a mk1 golf which he sold for £25 when it stoppped changing gear, turned out to be a 50p plastic thing lol

logiclee

Look for anything with the 1.9 110bhp VW TDi engine.

Golf, Octavia, Leon, etc etc.

It still holds the record for the most thermaly efficient engine fitted to a road car. The old direct injection 1.9's (90/110bhp) are ultra reliable if serviced correctly.
I used to run an Octavia to get to work in and to be honest it was about on par with my current work runabout a 1.4TDCi Fiesta for economy. The Octavia felt more at home on the motorway and had more grunt. (Especially after I fitted the dragon performance box which didn't hurt economy)

Cheers
Lee

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

been finding some golfs on the autotrader up to a grand, around 100 - 150,000 on the clock between 94 - 98.

Think I'll avoid the ones which quote 'goes like a bomb' and the one with the 12" sub in the boot lol

The Chief

Sorry i should have read your original post properly

Andy M3

Golf non turbo diesel is ok too - I had one briefly, it was insane on juice and was much nicer to drive than the only slightly faster 306 D-Turbo that I replaced it with. I too used bio diesel - I had no problems running both cars on recycled chip fat.

RS Grant

Just wondering why that is?? Only reason I'm asking is that I'm thinking about a 1995 MK6 Escort 1.8 (non-turbo) Diesel van as a runaround...


Cheers,
Grant

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

cant explain why that is, my mate said so .. which I know isn't very helpful lol
guess he had a bad experience or that they took a while to develop a good engine
I'm sure someone on here has had a good one

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

need to up my chip intake then

Andy M3

All you need: Biodiesel Outlets in the UK

Dieseldog

I used cooking oil in my 90bhp Mk3 (straight from Tesco) for about a year, but the price suddenly jumped as Diesel increased - now it's hard to find for less than a quid a litre which defeated the purpose, especially as I found the mpg was about 5% worse with the cooking oil, and it was down on power a tad. And it smelt.

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

anyone had any experiences with a peugeot 306?? over 100,000 miles etc ?? seem to be quite a few roud my way

gpssti4

iTrader: (6)

306 diesels are great mile munchers. I worked with a guy who commuted 150miles a day, his was sat at about 270k last I heard of. Not the same build quality as a golf, but economical and quite reliable if serviced and treated with a bit of care. I had a 206 diesel and it would easily do 60+mpg. The 306 I had also did well over 50, 60+ on a long run.

scooby(puppy power)

i had one a cple of cars before the scoob at about 100,000 miles nothing went wrong with it when i had it, i sold it to my mums mate and all shes had to do is brakes and a new rad, will say that soem of them have dodgy electrics, the loom for nearly everying goes through the drivers door for some reason, and the wires split, still its a good car and quite nippy round town ive tried getting her to sell it back to me a few times since getting my economical scoob but she keeps refusing