is the 1.9 cdti engine as bad as the internet says it is?

[barracuda816]

why not get a megane?

On a serious note, i would whole heartedly recommend anything with the Pre PD 1.9tdi VAG engine. I had a 2000 reg seat toledo. I did 130,000 miles in it (i bought it with 50k and it died at 180k) and all it ever had was one set of brake pads, tires (a fair few sets) and a alternator clutch pulley. It had a very hard life with me (4 years) and was not often serviced. In the end the turbo went but im pretty sure that was down to the fact i only changed the oil about 3 times.

 

[Samson27]

We bought a Zafira 1.9CDTI a few years ago, mate who is a Vauxhall mechanic told us to stay clear of the 150BHP models as they have loads of issues. We got the 120BHP version and while its massively boring and bland it's been a good solid reliable car, we've done over 60K and apart from servicing, tyres and breaks it hasn't needed anything.

Before this we had a PD150 golf that killed an injector and Turbo at 50k, and before that was a 120D that needed a new dual mass flywheel at 68k, almost every car that you research on the web will have issues, some just have more than others.

 

[Chris Stevens]

We bought a Zafira 1.9CDTI a few years ago, mate who is a Vauxhall mechanic told us to stay clear of the 150BHP models as they have loads of issues. We got the 120BHP version and while its massively boring and bland it's been a good solid reliable car, we've done over 60K and apart from servicing, tyres and breaks it hasn't needed anything.

Before this we had a PD150 golf that killed an injector and Turbo at 50k, and before that was a 120D that needed a new dual mass flywheel at 68k, almost every car that you research on the web will have issues, some just have more than others.

Not sure that Honda Civic has many problems?

 

[octo0072000]

Not sure that Honda Civic has many problems?

i was referring to the petrol version of the civic the older one

 

[gerrymoore]

Not quite sure why everyone knocks BMW's...??

I've had mine for 2 years now..... 2010 320D MSport...most powerful (184 BHP), economical,comfortable, reliable car I have ever owned. I change the oil every 5000 miles costs me £30 including a filter and takes 15 minutes. I get around 50 mpg in town and best I've done was 62 mpg running up to Scotland 70 mph on cruise. Now done 146,000 miles and it looks and runs like a new car....I cannot fault it and will be buying the new 8 speed auto version next year....oh... and I do know where the indicators are (but I never use them)

 

[Chris Stevens]

Not quite sure why everyone knocks BMW's...??

I've had mine for 2 years now..... 2010 320D MSport...most powerful (184 BHP), economical,comfortable, reliable car I have ever owned. I change the oil every 5000 miles costs me £30 including a filter and takes 15 minutes. I get around 50 mpg in town and best I've done was 62 mpg running up to Scotland 70 mph on cruise. Now done 146,000 miles and it looks and runs like a new car....I cannot fault it and will be buying the new 8 speed auto version next year....oh... and I do know where the indicators are (but I never use them)

Maybe because many have problems, which are very expensive to sort out?

 

[dobbslc]

I had to get a few cooling system gaskets for my Toyota Surf when I did the head, they are OE only so expected a shafting at the main dealers. They only cost a few quid each and were in next day plus my truck is a jap import!
Sometimes it's worth trying the stealers first.

 

[Chris Stevens]

Generally, BMW problems are expensive because the usual fix is to hand the car over to someone and say "do what it needs"...

Parts are not expensive and are easily obtainable, ime more so than most other marques (pretty much in line with Land Rover).

BMW are one of the only ones that I would go parts shopping for at a main dealer. People don't seem to be aware that an awful lot of the oem parts are cheaper than aftermarket.

Mate has a newish 4wd Bmw, and wing mirror was over £400, headlight bulb £120, and most other parts are around the same sort of money. Parts for older Bmw are much cheaper, but talking pattern here, which might have issues with poor quality.

 

[winchman]

We have six cars all diesel
The 04 Micra with the 1.5 Reno diesel is the best on fuel ay 50-60 MPG urban and motorway
The 1.6 golf does 50 MPG but cost a lot as its newer
My 2004 Picasso diesel does 45MPG mixed urban and motorway
Land rover and Bongo well not so good
WE had a Bora with the PD150 engine can't fault it and would love another even with a knackered flywheel and 160K on it it still went like a rocket and did 50MPG
Basically I would look at The following
1 Anything with the Reno engine in but not a Reno as the rest of the build isn't too good, many Nissans have them
2 The VW PD150 is excellent, Skoda use them too
3 The XUD 1.9, 2.0 Peugeot fitted to Citroens, Peugeots, Suzukis etc are old technology but easily go for 200,000 miles + and are excellent on fuel, if you choose carefully many have no dual mass fly wheel or DPF, My 04 Picasso has neither, its not fast but a good work horse, paid £600 serviced it and just done 10K in it with no issues loads are used as taxis as they are cheap, easy to fix and economical. I didn't like them but once you drive one and see how big they are, rear seats clip out no problem.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Plenty of Hyundai diesels about, can't fault my IX35, no idea how much spares are because apart from servicing it's required nothing in 4 years.

Family have owned 4 other various Hyundai's and apart from steel worm killing the rear subframe on an old Matrix and an I10 needing a distorted brake disc changed ( was a cheap repair) they have served us perfectly.

Prices are usually cheap due to the 'I would not be seen driving' brigade.

 

[Laird Scooby]

If you want economical, reliable motoring, buy something Japanese (Honda are about the best on reliability) with a petrol engine and convert it to LPG - average price of 50p/L and much cleaner emissions too!

It's feasible and not too costly to do a DIY conversion, many of the SGi (Sequential Gas injection) systems simply use the cars original engine management and perform as a slave system to operate the gas injection. This means a minimal amount of setting up is needed and performance is pretty much the same. Fuel consumption will increase a little on LPG compared to petrol because of the differing calorific values of petrol and LPG but it's still a large saving.

To give an example, i recently converted my 1995 Rover 827 coupé to single point (aka mixer) LPG operation. Before the conversion it did about 25-27mpg on high octane unleaded and returns about 20-22mpg on LPG. Round my neck of the woods BP Ultimate is 124.9p/L (call it 125p as it makes the maths easier) and LPG is 49.9p/L (50p/L for the maths) so the pence per mile cost has dropped considerably and in terms of "real world cost", i now get the equivalent of 50-55mpg. I work this out as cost of petrol/cost of LPG x LPG mpg so 125/50 x 20 to 22 = 2.5 x 20 to 22 = 50 to 55mpg.
Cost of converting including some new bits i had to buy came out at about £150 and since fitting it, i've put 6 tankfuls in (each about 9 gallons) at a total cost of about £120 but the same mileage would have cost me about £300 on petrol. I think it's safe to say it's already paid for itself and i'm about £100 to the good!

 

[Chris Stevens]

If you want economical, reliable motoring, buy something Japanese (Honda are about the best on reliability) with a petrol engine and convert it to LPG - average price of 50p/L and much cleaner emissions too!

It's feasible and not too costly to do a DIY conversion, many of the SGi (Sequential Gas injection) systems simply use the cars original engine management and perform as a slave system to operate the gas injection. This means a minimal amount of setting up is needed and performance is pretty much the same. Fuel consumption will increase a little on LPG compared to petrol because of the differing calorific values of petrol and LPG but it's still a large saving.

To give an example, i recently converted my 1995 Rover 827 coupé to single point (aka mixer) LPG operation. Before the conversion it did about 25-27mpg on high octane unleaded and returns about 20-22mpg on LPG. Round my neck of the woods BP Ultimate is 124.9p/L (call it 125p as it makes the maths easier) and LPG is 49.9p/L (50p/L for the maths) so the pence per mile cost has dropped considerably and in terms of "real world cost", i now get the equivalent of 50-55mpg. I work this out as cost of petrol/cost of LPG x LPG mpg so 125/50 x 20 to 22 = 2.5 x 20 to 22 = 50 to 55mpg.
Cost of converting including some new bits i had to buy came out at about £150 and since fitting it, i've put 6 tankfuls in (each about 9 gallons) at a total cost of about £120 but the same mileage would have cost me about £300 on petrol. I think it's safe to say it's already paid for itself and i'm about £100 to the good!

Seems a good idea to me, and far more sensible than thinking about Vauxhalls with Indian made engines, or anything European which all seem to have built in and very expensive problem areas.

 

[HughF]

Petrol Honda is the way forward... Forget diesel these days unless mk5 transit

 

[winchman]

@winchman - there wasn't a 2.0 XUD PSA engine, only 1.9 or 2.1 - there was a 2.0 XU (petrol).

afaik, none of the XUD engines were ever paired with a dmf or dpf, that was later, like on the 2.0HDi (DW10 engine) etc.

Sorry my mistake, My Picasso is a 2.0HDI but with no DPF or dual mass, you have to be on the ball and shop around

 

[octo0072000]

Were those prices including fitting? My dad was quoted over £200 for a headlight bulb on his megane...

Also, price up a wing mirror for any car - the prices are shocking.

Older BMW parts don't have to be pattern to be cheap either - when I was getting a couple of oem bits for my 1988 bike (from the local BMW car dealership) I got chatting and the car and bike parts are the same - i.e. most are still available oem and a surprising amount are cheaper than pattern.

megane front bumper has to come off to fit headlamp bulbs i believe

 

[octo0072000]

Sorry my mistake, My Picasso is a 2.0HDI but with no DPF or dual mass, you have to be on the ball and shop around

mine is also a xsara picasso 20.HDI 90bhp year 2004 no DPF or Dual mass
it's the 1.6 HDI 92 bhp and 110bhp that has dpf and dual mass also rear discs
so if it's got drum rear brakes safe to say no dpf etc

 

[octo0072000]

Yes, it's supposed to - along with a fair bit of other attached bodywork. You remove all that to gain access to the headlamp mounting screws, remove them, and replace the bulb on the bench...

Or, you can do what I did:

Shove a coolant hose out of the way and stick your hand down to change the bulb 'blind'.

does that apply to HID bulbs or just Halogen bulbs

 

[octo0072000]

I've only done it on halogen units so can't say about HIDs.

I would assume it'd be very similar though.

I can see why the book procedure is to remove everything as it's a very tight squeeze and fiddly - but it's 10 minutes max per side vs something like 3 hours on book.

It's strange though that a French designed car has that procedure to swap a bulb when one of the rules there is to carry spare bulbs and be able to replace them...

Sure there was a court case about that in france on autoroutes the police just call out a garage and renault has to pay all you pay is for the bulb or supply it

 

[MoreWellie]

Thank you to everyone that responded, astra gate has been averted as he bought an E46 320d today, lovely condition and runs like new, lets hope that continues.

Home maintenance is very much the status quo so now we have something new to learn. It will be nice to stop trawling through cars ads and get back to fixing the ones we already have

 

[dobbslc]

I think you dodged a bullet there mate!
In fact a whole bleeding ammo box.....