I’ve got a Golf 1.9 TDI PD130, been great. Needed new DMF at 95k miles (I blame previous owner), which was pretty painful, otherwise no complaints.

My pug HDi engine has been absolutely superb. All the bits bolted to it have been absolutely shite.

Ha. Someone in the business said that about the 320D Beemer engine- amazing engine yet all the ancillieries around and on it are shite.

[quoteLenHankie – Member
If this helps… the VAG group 1.9 TDI 130 in my car has now done 157k. It’s still on the original clutch, has only ever needed a preventative cam belt and water pump replacement at 130k. According to the full Audi service history, it’s only ever had four oil changes !!! ( Was on the long life servicing scheme, now switched to every 10k.)[/quote]

Are you me?

A4 with 1.9 tdi130 here. Had it 10 years and 180,000 miles. Original clutch (it is a bit high now, but still doesn’t slip) original exhaust, no mechanicals or breakdowns ever. Was on long life servicing up to 120k when I was advised to move to 10k (under the arches style VAG specialist who’s looked after it since the warranty ran out)

In my case, its probably down to the fact its only ever used for commuting (30 miles each way, free flowing dual carriageway) and long motorway journeys.

We also have a vauxhall with a 1.9cdti 150 with 100k which has only ever needed an alternator. Apparently the lower powered 8v units are more troublesome. That car does have a much harder life tho dealing with general family duties.

Highly rate my Alfa sport wagon with the 2.0 diesel engine (170bhp)… granted fairly new and not many miles on it yet 🙂 Picked up not so long back!

Guessing this will get slated, but BMW 320D’s seem pretty indestructible. Last one went to 256k before it got passed it on, and replaced it with another on 150k. Plan is to keep running that to 250k plus as before. Cam chain (not belt), reasonable poke and alwayspassed emissions test, and returned 58mpg throughout.

Ultimately any car is a risk.

Still seems that your jumping out of the frying pan and in to the fire by refusing to spend 1k on your own car (which up until now has been problem free?) to spend 5k on a car with an unknown history which could also go pop at any moment.

You may have a warranty with a new purchase, but any claim you’d try to make would probably cost you more in time and hassle to get to a resolution than just fixing your current car.

Can we make a definitive list of things which a good (reliable) engine
and then see which one has those?
I’ll start with no DMF or DPF and timing chain instead of belt.
I also like easy access to regular service parts, sump plug, oil & fuel filters etc, glow plugs maybe.
.
My Transit fits the bill nicely. 2.0L Dura Tec.

no turbo.

If its diesel…
no EGR
no swirl flaps

or an EGR that can be blocked off with a penny 😉

i actually have no issue with timing belts , im not maintainance adverse.

i wouldnt discount an engine just because it has a belt , chains do have a maintainance schedule its just most engines/cars dont live that long. When the chain goes flappy you know about it

Echo trail_rat –

I don’t understand why people are so averse to cam belts, they’re not expensive to replace.

Xcstu a beautiful shape but why the plastic skirts?

Had 2 Fords, both with known DMF and clutch issues, one with known injector issues. I just budgeted so that I could either a) afford to fix a big fault and consider it still good value or b) throw it in a skip if it broke. Once you do that, there’s no such thing as a bad engine.

08 Ford Focus petrol

If its for towing look at the E46 330D Touring with the sport box 😉
No DPF, no DMF, no known EGR issues, etc.
Mines just being checked before going on sale as with 3 vans, 2 m’bikes and another 2 cars something has to give….

I would agree with trail rat regarding the 1.6 HDI, You NEED to be very particular regarding the oil you use (I only use manufacturers recommended type), you NEED to be sympathetic the way you treat the engine (let it properly heat up and take the last couple of minutes of your journey home sedately) and you would be strongly advised to change the oil more often than manufacturer requires (it only costs about £35 quid in parts and takes an hour).However as mine has 90,000 and I got it at 60,000 I have bottled it and bought a new car (with a 4,000 mile 1.6 HDI)

Just had to have the timing chain replaced on my 2.2 Mazda 6 . . . .

Pieface – Member
Ultimately any car is a risk.

Still seems that your jumping out of the frying pan and in to the fire by refusing to spend 1k on your own car (which up until now has been problem free?) to spend 5k on a car with an unknown history which could also go pop at any moment.

You may have a warranty with a new purchase, but any claim you’d try to make would probably cost you more in time and hassle to get to a resolution than just fixing your current car.

POSTED 5 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Bearing in mind that i spent £972 yesterday and £146 on Tuesday – you talk shite :_)

I was Given an old r reg 1.9 passat 90bhp with 145k on it
When I have it back it was on getting on for 200k one clutch and regular service all good

Almost seemed a shame its owner swapped it in on the scrapage things a few years ago
Guess it got crushed , utter waste still did 50mpg on a run

I don’t understand why people are so averse to cam belts, they’re not expensive to replace.

Depends on the car… In theory on my old Mi16 you had to drop the engine, or in practice break the belt cover – and if I remember the Fiat Coupe’s needed the engine dropping too.

But, tbh I have to agree with you, except most people don’t maintain their cars/vehicles properly.

I’ve got an old (2001) Seat Vario estate with the 1.9 SDI engine. Dead slow and noisy but so far 172k and going fine. Rest of car is a bit of a shed though and will be up for sale shortly (if it passes MOT next week) or of to the scrappie as I no longer want / need 2 cars.

Bearing in mind that i spent £972 yesterday and £146 on Tuesday – you talk shite :_)

Which is pretty much exactly what I spent in the summer on my current car:

My 1.9PD (100bhp?) Passat never missed a beat engine-wise apart from an injector wiring loom issue. Managed 219k miles until it got written off.

Now have a 2.5l beemer which is a good engine apart from the injector consumption but it comes with a complicated car with lots to go wrong…

I’d be prepared to go back to a Passat tbh.

Also, I’ve never had a new clutch fitted since one replaced in an AH Sprite Mk4 – and the previous owner had fecked that. Modern cars don’t seem to get through them.

Most modern engines now have DMF’s. It’s the huge torque of modern diesels that leads to the issues with the clutch. Most petrols have far fewer issues because they have about 90 less ft/lbs of torque. The DMF is there to prevent vibration from the engine damaging the gearbox. The Vag TDI’s at about 2004 are reputed to be the best with the best injectors. A lot of ford tdci’s didn’t have DPF’s until 2007-8. They all have problems. I picked the cheapest one to fix without a DPF and that was the 2.0 TDCI 130 mondeo 2004 with the chain cam engine. I did look at a merc estate diesel auto but the mondeo was far cheaper to repair.

My oil burning stove of a Focus TDDi has proved reliable and cheap. Low tech rocks!

Ooh you’ve jinxed it now tomaso, I predict a clutch slave cylinder failure next time you drive it

Pieface – Member
Echo trail_rat –

I don’t understand why people are so averse to cam belts, they’re not expensive to replace.

Because they were an unnecessary step that only increased the chance of engine failure when compared to chain driven cams.
Unfortunately we’ve now got DPF, DMF, EGR etc etc so the engines can pass the ridiculous EU emissions test that is meaningless as it doesn’t reflect the real world. Also it allows them to achieve unrealistic headline mpg figures to sell cars.

My latest car has an old (’04) 2.9 CRD Hyundai engine and I’m very impressed. Being averaging 3k a month in it, although that’ll drop to 2k now. Fuel is good at 30mpg. Cambelt sadly, but I’ve got a year before I worry about changing it.

The Old Pug 1.9 TDi was amazing, and the old Vag 1.9 TDi was great if serviced well.

I’m almost certainly going to get a VAG 1.8TSI petrol unit next (Octy 4×4), chain cam and none of the fragility of a modern diesel.

However any engine is going to suffer if it hasn’t been serviced regularly and the turbo is still redders on shutdown.

I would echo a lot said on here… Just looked for diesel and went for an older Vrs Fabia because,

VAG 130 pd. Long term proven engine. (some company cars did 300k with similar). This engine has been in loads of their cars across Audi, VW, Seat, plus I think it has been an industrial static engine.

Relatively simple, no electronic sensors everywhere
No diesel particulate filter (this can be mapped out and removed if fitted though)
Cam chain if possible though not a deal breaker as belts are pretty good
Preferably not a dual mass flywheel as they seem more fragile
Very simple catalyst with no electrical sensors
Exhaust Gas recirculating vale can be turned off by mapping
Proven service history of belt, water pump and oil changes if possible with the exact specific oil.

It seems that the more emissions gubbins fitted has resulted in more fragile engines being choked, or vunerable due to the many sensors monitoring everything from direction of wind to sea level. Simple, in this case IMHO is sometimes better.

German cars, French wine, not the other way round ! (some pug exceptions, I agree)

HTH

Aye but if you think a belts expensive to repair – new chain and timing gears to sort out the chain clank once you get into the higher milage. Not that most people would notice or care but its a horrid sound listening to a worn chain.

Almost all modern vehicles have issues..

I reckon that I’d be looking at kia or Hyundai if I wanted reliability and less mechanical issues.

I just picked up a Renault laguna, basic 130bhp no particulate filter estate for cheap as chips.

Yes it’s a Renault, but the motor was originally Nissan and all the parts bolted to the engines are exactly the same as other manufacturers. Most car builders are just putting them together from a list of off the shelf partsthese days !

Yep. Bosch, magna, Gates etc etc etc supply car manufacturers..

Oooft im aff hyundai for life.

Had the misfortune of a lantra se on a 00 plate from new.

Been cared for and serviced to the book all its life ( parents owned )

Gave it to me for graduation present as my rusty escort wasnt fit for a graduate ( ????) had 44k on the clock at 7 yes old

Horrible hate box , 2 weeks later filled it up with fuel to go to sswc in aviemore , wouldnt start on the forecourt.

Ecu had died. Woooooo , couldnt find a scrappys with a lantra cause hyundai sold about 6 of them .

From our ownership:-

50k – 80k Rover 25 TDi. Fairly unrefined & not particularly edonomical, but got the impression it would just go on & on.

60k – 70k Rover 420 SLDi. L-Series engine I think. Got the impression these were bullet proof. In the time I had it is was fine.

19k – 40k Rover 25 TDi. L-Series again. As above. No problems at all.

60k – 98k 04’Toyota Verso 2.0 D4D. Nice engine. Not aware of any major issues. Had a split turbo hose, but can happen on any diesel. Towed caravan with it.

130k – ongoing (170k now) 52′ Mondeo 130 TDCi. Wifes regular commuter (20 miles dual carriageway blast each way). Sounds awful but drives lovely. Loads of torque. Towed 1500kg caravan with it with no issues. Split turbo hose once. Flashing Engine light & limp mode once, feared turbo / injectors. Garage recoded the injectors for £100. Fine for last 15k. Mechanic said Mondeo TDCi issues arent as common as the internet makes out. That theres thousands of them out there, & when they do go they are fairly cheap to fix.

60k – ongoing (90k now) Ford Galaxy 130hp TDi. (VAG engine). Probably the best diesel we’ve had. Drives nice, sounds more refined than the Mondeo, but not as good as the Toyota. Would happily buy another.

When we’ve paid off all our car loans etc, I’m going to look at leasing. I like the concept that its a new car, any problems will be covered & I’m not too fussed about “owning” a car any more. If I can pay £50 a week, drive something thats safe for my family & is covered for any break downs then I’m happy.