are VW worth the hype?

Second was a B4 with the legendary 1.9 TD fully mechanical engine.

Errrmm- “legendary” in what way?!

It was very reliable… Plus in its original form it was the first (I believe) big step along the road to today’s refined diesels and as such was a pretty important motor I reckon.

I read a VW internal white paper from the mid 70s where they were putting forward their plan for making nice passenger diesels. I think their first diesel came out in 76.

I see – my sister has that engine in her 130bhp diesel mk4. So far so good.

Not nearly as angry as I was expecting. Shame 😉

That’s the 1.9 TD not TDI. I don’t think there was a 130bhp version. Mine was 75!

TD = turbo diesel, TDI = turbo direct inkection. Direct injection is more efficient but noisier and smokier, until someone invented computer control. The TD was very smooth indeed though, almost as good as a CR though and better than my PD.

Hers is a 130PD – whatever that is. Never really got “into” VW diesels after disappoinment with the 150PD.

The first ones were TD, indirect injection. Then it was TDI for electronic direct injection. Then PD was the next thing, where instead of one rotary injector pump you have one injector per cylinder embedded in the head, driven off the camshaft. It gives very high injection pressures (higher than CR) which is good, but the timing of the injection is limited because you can only inject when the cam is on. That’s why PD engines used to give a huge slug of torque at low revs then fall flat.

Then they finally went to Common Rail long after everyone else had – you can inject at any time in the cycle which means you can advance it loads at higher revs for better pulling. And you can pre-inject lots of tiny bits of fuel for better smoothness.

Sorry – got carried away there…

Mol – I lap this kind of stuff up so carry on!

Well that’s about it really. Except that explains why they sell special oil for PD engines. Because there are cams for activating the valves but also another set of cams for the injectors, the cams are half the size so to avoid wear you need special lube. It must work though because 1.9PDs are very reliable – although if you are buying an old one a home mechanic might not’ve realised it.

I made a point of trying to understand everything about my TD engine. Lovely piece of kit, and some mental enthusiasts in Canada and the US. The 75bhp 1.9 could be made to deliver 230bhp. Now that’s tuning.

Yes, I am an owner of VW Golf for nearly 12 years, will buy another VW car again, very solid and reliable, plenty of VW’s out on the roads so they must be good.

So a total of 204k miles in VWs. You win!

We had two mk1 VW Caddys, one did 270k the other 160k. Nothing more than regular oil/fuel/air filter changes, brakes, exhausts and tyres. Rust did for them in the end.

Edit My old Passat tdi did 160k when the the crankshaft pulley came loose in Perpignan.

Circa 590 miles in 3 VWs

Old ones were a cut above. Since the MK IV that’s no longer the case.

My dad bought Golfs regularly since the 1970s and I’ve been driving my aged Polos into the ground for 20 years. Until the late 90s Golfs were among the nicest cars in their class. Not the fastest or liveliest handling, but solid and reliable, just like the adverts.

On the MK 4 Golf and the subsequent 52-reg Polo he’s had recurring issues, mainly gizmos rather than mechanical breakdowns. The Polo’s filler cap solenoid failed twice. Heater probs and other niggles (leccy mirrors and/or windows IIRC) too. To date the 57-reg replacement has been fine.

And VW dealers are invariably arrogant tossers.

I sold my MK2 Polo with 190k on the clock, running as sweet as a nut. The current one shows 160k, now doing 5k p.a. as I ride my bike to work. I’ve clocked up 210k between them.

We’ve a 130hp TDi in our Galaxy, & 130 TDCi in our Mondeo. The TDi is leagues ahead in terms of refinement. The TDCi sounds rough even when young.

Over the last 7 years I’ve driven (long enough to assess)

’53 Mazda 6 2ltr 140bhp TD
’56 VW Passat 2ltr 140bhp TD
’06 BMW 318 2ltr 120bhp TD
’08 Toyota Avensis 2ltr TD ???bhp
’06 Audi A4 1.9ltr 120bhp TD

The Mazda was a great car, the Audi mebbe ok, but very tired, hated the beemer, the Avensis was quite possibly the shittest modern car I’ve ever had the misfortune to drive.

The Passat was head and shoulders above all of them. Maybe not the most involving car to drive, but for build quality, comfort, refinement and a touch of class it has the rest beaten hands down. They notoriously use oil though.

My current drive is totally different, being a Ford Ranger pick-up. Love it to bits though.

Why did you hate the BMW out of interest?

Also I don’t think a lowly 318d (the 120bhp version being the lamest they’ve done more or less) is a great car to judge the entire BMW brand by.

It gets out-dragged by old ladies in wheelchairs.

He isn’t judging the entire brand, is he?

I’ll stick to my Alfa’s at least i’ll look good in my broken down rusty car 😉

He isn’t judging the entire brand, is he?

He might be.

Lol@Mat!

Never driven any other than the one in question, so no I’m not judging the brand as a whole, just giving my opinion as I find.

Despite being underpowered, it probably was about as quick as the 140bhp cars I’ve had. However, considering it probably costs as much, if not more thant the Passat, I found it small (inc tiny boot), cramped, uncomfortable, had no standard equipment and was a totally bland environment to sit in.

I had 5-6 years driving lots of VW golfs / passats as company cars ~30K pa(2000-2005 ish). Generally OK reliabilty wise but nothing special compared to other makes (as seen in reliabilty surveys). The dealers though were terrible. Amazingly bad in fact. Maybe I was unlucky but it put me off the brand.

I had a 318d M Sport saloon loan car for a couple of days. Just over 140bhp so pretty slow yet with the kit it had, it added up to £30k – for a bottom of the range saloon with a weeny engine! I felt a right t1t in it – all show, not much go embodied in one car.

Higher end models get a lot more kit as standard, get better seats and obviously go a lot faster.

Just over 140bhp so pretty slow

140bhp is a lot for some of us! Most powerful car I’ve ever driven.

390bhp (inlaws 355) for me, then 375bhp (750i), then 366bhp (Evo FQ-360). Not beaten 400 yet – dammit.

BM is the torqueyest car I’ve ever driven 😀 but a mere 286bhp.

Had 2 Polos, a Passat and now a Bora

The Bora’s a cheap runabout second car, not bought because it was a VX but because it were cheap. I’m happy with the “build quality” a few issues though in designs such as the drinks holder completely obscuring the radio when in use and a protective sump guard that everytime you go over a bump smacks off the sump guard and makes your bum go funny because you think there’s something wrong with the suspension.

(inlaws 355)

You marry into money then, or have yer own to start with? 😉

I thought despite being 2ltr, 318’s were all 120bhp, with the 320’s being 140bhp. M-Sport badge making no difference.

Made our own but they paid for the wedding 😉

BMW 318i (current shape which yours would have been) – some were 127bhp then 140bhp
318d – 120 then 140bhp.

Think the higher outputs came later on.

M Sport simply adds some bodykit, bigger wheels and some slightly tacky “M Sport” badges. If anything, the added weight probably makes them slightly slower.

My VW is going strong after 45 years. Although it is a bit like Trigger’s broom, it has had a body resto and a new engine.

My sensible family car is a 2005 Passat 1.9 TDI and I have had no problems with it. I bought it at 100k and it now has 120k on it. It feels like it will go for another 120k. A colleague had one with well over 300k on it. Engine was fine but mounts / bushes were past their best.

Just sold my Golf MK4 TDI Estate. Very reliable but possible the worst handling car I’ve ever had. Nicknamed the Barge. Dynamically poor in just about every regard. Having said that it was cheap to run, easy to fix when something failed and always passed its MOT. The hand me down Focus from my wife has been just as reliable though and is 10 times better to drive.