Focus ST – you'll absolutely love the sounds of the turbocharged straight 5 engine – awesome! Can be driven really gently on the old school run too.

I'd take a look at either the petrol Leon Cupra, as suggested above or if you don't need that size of car, the MkIV petrol (1.8T 180bhp) Ibiza Cupra or the diesel (1.9 TDi 160bhp) Ibiza Cupra TDI.

The new Ibiza Cupra also looks quite tasty with the 1.4TSi good for 170bhp & a DSG gearbox.

The Mk IV Ibiza Cupra diesel will remap to 200bhp without much bother, but you might want to budget for a clutch too.

Not sure if the new Ibiza Cupra will be in your price range – should be.

After a Mk1 and a Mk2 Golf why the hell did you buy a Mk4!?

Jump in the Mk5, you'll be surprised I think.

(ex owner of a Mk2 16v)

Seat still use the old PD engines for diesel I think – does not make for driving fun unless you like being punched in the back once every gear change.

Just get an old Mondeo.

And a new bike or two.

The 2.0TDi's are all common rail where as the 1.9 before it wasn't. Some of the 1.9s were a conventional diesel distributor pump and could be described as adequate, but later PD 1.9s were a different beast and generally a good engine. There was 130bhp versions of this engine and I'm pretty sure there was also a 150bhp version in a VW car too.

Not entirely right.

The earlier 2.0 TDIs are Pump Duse engines (NOT common rail) and they are effective but ear bendingly loud/aggricultural, especially in the A3 which has S*** sound insulation. I know as we have one on a 56 plate and it's shocking – I'd choose my diesel Ford over it for just about any journey.

The more recent 2.0TDIs are common rail (about 2 years or so IIRC) an Audi dealer would tell you.

The 1.9TDI engine was originally a normal TD, it then gained the PD technology, which was designed to achieve the same effect as a common rail (ie really high injection pressures) but in a very different way.

There were 100(?),105,110,130 and 150 HP versions at various points in its life – you can tell which is in the car by the number of red letters in TDI on a VW (eg my wife's old Bora was a 130 so had a red D and I).

The 105 HP version remains as a very frugal, refined engine (partly due to its lower output I suspect) in the current model range – essentially it's the budget diesel option. This a great set up and I had it in a Mk5 Golf, in which I did 30k+ a year but it won't set your world on fire.

I'd rate the Golf over the A3 for value and to drive and its more useful (better room in the back, taller doors, boots are similar).

On topic… Golf GTI (Mk5) or Focus ST would be my choice.

Current shape CTR. Forget what the press says about not being able to see out the rear window and that its only got 1bhp more than the old EP series. They're awesome… And really nice places to be in too (unlike the Focus).

Just dont buy a Toyota.

You bought a 6 series DIESEL… 😳

But the BMW diesels are meant to be very special or so I believe.

You could try http://www.jamesmiddlebrook.co.uk. He is a mate of mine that has been in the car trade forever. He has a nice ST for sale at the moment – pics on his website. He's a real enthusiast and has done a bit of rallying in his time so will be sympathetic to your taste in motors. He can pretty much source anything. I got a nice little hot Leon from him for the other half – very pleased with that.

Easy… (IMO if i had your cash ;)..

GTI Edition 30…

Loads on autotrader

But the BMW diesels are meant to be very special or so I believe.

The 'purists' will tell you its six-petrols the whole way but apperently a superchipped 3lt diesel is the nuts.

I remember watching an old Fifth gear program last week on the 335 diesel coupe- Twin-turbo. I'd love one 😀

Yeah I would never go for a diesel myself but if I had to have one I would look at theirs first.

Yeah I would never go for a diesel myself but if I had to have one I would look at theirs first.

I'd agree with you however a TDI would have to come first seeing as Im poor 😕

hora – Member

Yeah I would never go for a diesel myself but if I had to have one I would look at theirs first.

I'd agree with you however a TDI would have to come first seeing as Im poor

You'll change your mind on the 13th.

Diesels are amazing, literally no disadvantage (I await to be quoted on this and told i'm wrong)

b r, the 3 litre diesel thats in it is fantastic. Performance-wise its pretty fast, not too greedy and doesn't sound like a mini-cab. Its a nice car but its not really me which is why I want to change it. That, and the monthly payments are eye-watering and seeing as I'm going back to basics with my new company I need to keep things tight.

will I (might) have had the same engine in my old Seat Altea that I (possibly) took through 4 countries at an average of 100mph one early Sunday morning…(years ago guv)

Diesels are amazing, literally no disadvantage

I drove an A6 estate 20.l TDi last week and it went okay but nothing more – just a bit boring*.

Two days later I drove the A4 RS4 estate. Now THAT'S what a car should feel like 🙂

*I may well test drive a bigger diesel for my next car to see if it feels any more alive.

hora – Member
will I (might) have had the same engine in my old Seat Altea that I (possibly) took through 4 countries at an average of 100mph one early Sunday morning…(years ago guv)

Good man 😆

mastiles_fanylion – Member

Diesels are amazing, literally no disadvantage

I drove an A6 estate 20.l TDi last week and it went okay but nothing more – just a bit boring*.

Two days later I drove the A4 RS4 estate. Now THAT'S what a car should feel like

*I may well test drive a bigger diesel for my next car to see if it feels any more alive.

Ok, I stand corrected 🙄

Buy a Toyota. There'll be loads going cheap, just have the dealer fix the pedal first 🙂

Ok, I stand corrected

Well you did ask for it 🙂

You should definitely try the Mark V Golf. I test drove the Megane, Focus, and the Civic Type R before I got mine, after nearly 3 years I still can't find anything that seems worth shelling out any more money. Its really refined, comfortable, has a good level of kit, it is fine as a cruiser. When you hit a nice stretch of road it still has all the balance that the old GTIs had, and plenty of power. The Mk 4 was meant to be the worst GTI of them all, so don't let that put you off.

Re diesels, VW Passat comes in 140 and 170 bhp versions. Fuel economy on both is identical. Sweet 🙂

GTI Edition 30 is lovely, but would you not rather have something a little newer with a bit of a warranty?

Personally, I'm saving my pennies for a 1.4TSI Scirocco, although you would struggle to get a second hand one for £15,000 for a little while yet I reckon. In the event that my other half can't see out of the back window (small back windows, small fiancee, big rear headrests), we'll be looking at a Volvo C30 (second hand 2.0D with the R-Design kit sounds like it would fit the bill), or maybe a Seat Leon FR.

How about an Alfa MiTo (too small for you?) or the forthcoming Honda CR-Z? (I'm not totally sold on the former, and not yet sure about the looks of the latter).

I'm sure the diesels are now lovely and the bigger BMW ones are quieter than most – but to me they're all rough and noisy compared to a decent petrol car.

And TBH what I really don't like on later Beemers (and the like) are the huge low profile run flats and standard firm ride giving what can be only described as boneshaking on the average UK back-road – and then to have the diesel vibes 😳

And as no doubt you've found with the 635d, its not really the fuel that costs, but the lease/depreciation. And while I do run a car that manages 20-22mpg; I own it and it costs me about a £1k pa in running costs and depreciation – although it cost the previous owner £40k! while he had it…

If it was my money and I had 15k spare:

Skoda Octavia 2.0T VRS estate.

If I didnt have a baby on the way and that soddin dog – VW Golf GTI 2.0T

mastiles_fanylion – Member

Diesels are amazing, literally no disadvantage

I drove an A6 estate 20.l TDi last week and it went okay but nothing more – just a bit boring*.

Two days later I drove the A4 RS4 estate. Now THAT'S what a car should feel like

*I may well test drive a bigger diesel for my next car to see if it feels any more alive.

Thats not really that fair a comparison is it 😉
Depending on what you are looking for in a car then there isn't really any disadvantages with the diesel engines.

BMW 123d as mentioned above is pretty quick and should be pretty cheap to run to compared to your 6 series.

Bit small compared to some of the other hatches, but rear wheel drive and a sweet engine: twin turbo, no lag + high revving (for a diesel).

B r. You're not wrong. Fueling it isn't too bad. But f@ck me it's lost some value in 18 months. And tyres are 200 quid a corner.

I've just sung the 335D's praises…

BMW 123d

The 1 series copies Toyota/hyundia for plastic interiors and its a veritable reverse-tardis inside!

2ndhand 3 series 3.0 diesel estate? 8)

How much are you wanting for the 635d? any details?