More specifically the 1.9tdi (130 bhp) engine used in various different cars. I've seen a car thats on a 55 plate, but it's got 139k miles on it, all on the motorway apparently. Anything to be worried about? Should I try and stay a bit lower as I'll be doing a fair chunk of motorway stuff too? I.e. clocking up the miles quite a lot. And I'd like to keep my next car for a few years, and the whole point is I want something reliable, but with a bit of extra poke with good mpg, hence the 1.9tdi.

Any help would be good!

Cheers.

Engines are great these days.

Look up that car in parkers prcie guide or Honest John car reviews.

Things is cars can be solid for yrs or breakdown all the time from new.

Buyer beware but check for turbo probs, mot, history, usual probs on that car and test drive a few of them.

Take a pal too.

I had my audi A4 1.9 tdi from new and passed it on to my son last year with 280K miles on it . Still going strong with 290k miles on it now and still returning 50 MPG.

the only time it let me down was once when the fuel pump went.

139k is a baby!

I've a 2.2d Honda Civic 56 plate and the engines fine.

The rest of the car is the worrying bit, with creaks and groans all the time and the suspension is crap now.

So your question old tdi engines fine, high mileage crappy cars not fine

Just make sure it's got a full service history with regular oil changes and when you rev it you don't get any blue looking smoke from the exhaust.

Mine's an 03 plate with 107k miles on it. I bought it 3yrs ago September just gone with 24k miles on it, so have racked up 83k miles in just over 3 yrs and only issue so far was a boost pipe blowing off. Turned out the wrong clip had been put on in the factory.

if it's got a FDSH then it should be fine.

our passat with the same engine is on 170K miles and all we have had done is a new cam belt tensioner. if they are well looked after then a car should be a pile of rust before the engine gives up nowadays

oil changes + Cam belts = risk minimised

timing belt and well serviced and it'll run up 300 000 no bother

I put 85k miles on a Ibiza with the VAG 1.9 130bhp derv lump.

The suspension was falling apart but the engine was great. Had no problems with it engine-wise at all and I reckon it would have done the same again without blinking.

52 plate, 142k Mondeo TDCi here. Drives lovely, very smooth.
FSH, one owner etc. I looked at loads of cars. Wanted a spacious diesel to drag our caravan. Will only be doing 5k p/a. Looked at V.A.G / GM / French etc. A buyer for a dealer chain told me to spend as little as poss on a high miles, well serviced TDCi. He reckons they have more problems with low-miles cars that dont get a good thrash now & again!!! It cost me £1.8k. I figure if I stick another 25k on over the next 4yrs it will have earnt its keep. Mondeo's have a bad rep' re: DMF's, Injectors etc. Dealers will charge big money, but most independant's can fix them & at least the bits are relatively cheap. Would have had a Passat, but they were a bit pricier & had a lower towing limit.

The best oil (and correct grade) money can buy and never exceed recommended service intervals. Check it every couple of weeks.
Cam belts and preventative maintenance.
I own an Alfa so its more important!