Daily Motorway Hack?- Suggestions needed!

[320Touring]

So, my current carshare colleague will have herself a new job in the new year...

this leaves me with a delightful 50+ mile round trip on the m8

Rush hour both ways.
So, I need a steed that is

1. Frugal (min of 40mpg taking it easy)
2. Reliable
3. Comfortable
4. Fun to drive (FWD acceptable..ish)
5. No more than £2000

What would you suggest?

[Blitz]

A4 1.9 TDI avant?

[groovylee]

Alfa GTV? (also dons flame suit on unfounded reliability issue grounds and fuel consumption)

[HairyScreech]

mondeo diesel? pretty bland but cheep to run, reliable and do handle ok.

failing that the obvious things like a diesel focus, 520d/320d etc.

[capri_rob]

mondeo diesel? pretty bland but cheep to run, reliable and do handle ok.

Can vouch for this as I've got one.

Make sure you get the 130bhp version and look for at least a Zetec to get Alloys as standard and one or two other bits.

£2k will buy a very good one.

In terms of maintenance the only thing you should do straight away is remove the EGR valve and Inlet manifold and thoroughly clean it out - you'll need about 3 aerosol carb cleaners.

MAF sensor cab be cleaned with cotton buds and electrical contact cleaner.

Replace fuel filter if no evidence of if being replaced within the last 2 Years or 20k

All of these will maximise your MPG.

I usually change my cars after about 9 months because I get bored - had my mondeo over a Year and I've still got it because I can't find a reason to swap it ! _ Comfy seats, good stereo, good heater, quick enough, handles well, 45+mpg minimum out of every tank. Oh and the heated front screen is one of the best Automotive inventions ever

Much better value than a Focus, a much better car than anything french or Vauxhall and about half the price of anything German thats the same age/mileage.

[320Touring]

A4 1.9 TDI avant?

Had that suggested on another site- Are the much better than the VW or SEAT equivalent?

mondeo diesel? pretty bland but cheep to run, reliable and do handle ok.

Can vouch for this as I've got one.

Make sure you get the 130bhp version and look for at least a Zetec to get Alloys as standard and one or two other bits.

£2k will buy a very good one.

In terms of maintenance the only thing you should do straight away is remove the EGR valve and Inlet manifold and thoroughly clean it out - you'll need about 3 aerosol carb cleaners.

MAF sensor cab be cleaned with cotton buds and electrical contact cleaner.

Replace fuel filter if no evidence of if being replaced within the last 2 Years or 20k

All of these will maximise your MPG.

I usually change my cars after about 9 months because I get bored - had my mondeo over a Year and I've still got it because I can't find a reason to swap it ! _ Comfy seats, good stereo, good heater, quick enough, handles well, 45+mpg minimum out of every tank. Oh and the heated front screen is one of the best Automotive inventions ever

Much better value than a Focus, a much better car than anything french or Vauxhall and about half the price of anything German thats the same age/mileage.

Cheers- are you suggesting the TDCI one?its a rebadged HDI, yeah? any turbo issues?

[universal]

watch for fuel pump and injector problems on the mondeo, common problems and expensive.

[bss325i]

a much better car than anything french or Vauxhall and about half the price of anything German thats the same age/mileage.

+1000000!

[capri_rob]

Cheers- are you suggesting the TDCI one?its a rebadged HDI, yeah? any turbo issues?

I think all modern Ford Diesels are badged up as TDCI's - it will say on the slam-panel the power output - you want the 130bhp one

Fuel pump and injector issues happen to a cross section of all modern common-rail diesels but when you consider the amount of them on the road theres always going to be a few that go wrong.


Just make sure when you turn the engine on that you see all the lights come on ( particularly glowplug and engine management ) and go off again.

Flashing glowplug light is a problem and can point to lots of different issues.

These cars need clean fuel so look for evidence in the service history of regular fuel filter changes with either a genuine Motorcraft filter or equivalent. I think Ford specify 2 Years or 20k but I'd be doing it more ofthern than that - when I got mine it wouldnt rev over 3800rpm under load because the fuel filter was past its best - changed it and it pulls cleanly right through the range and fuel economy increased noticeably.

the EGR valve sooting up can put the engine management light on with later cars - up to the facelift around 2003/2004 you can put a blanking plate in which can be bought from ebay for a couple of quid and cures the problem - later cars cannot have the EGR blanked becaused the EGR is electronic and it will give you the flashing glowplug light of doom.

Obviously look for excessive black smoke on startup and under load - worst case this is a knackered turbo but won't necessarily be so as a stuck EGR valve will also cause the car to kick out excessive smoke.

The other common problem is split boost hoses - the most common of which is the one from the intercooler to the EGR - about £50 dealer only or you can get Silicone one s but these are much more expensive - when they're knackered its obvious - no boost - but when they're starting to go not so easy to spot - just a whistling or whoosing noise to listen out for.


The A4 TDi Avant is also an excellent car but for £2k you're looking at one thats either well over 10 Years old or one which has been to the moon and back. - for the same £2k you'll get a Mondeo which is 4 or 5 Years newer with sensible mileage.

[Jhonno]

My mate had one of those Mondeo things. Worst car he's owned apparently. The injectors needing replacing @250 each was the last straw.. It was chucked through the auctions and he lost 2k odd!

[TheHeap]

A4 1.9 TDI avant?

Had that suggested on another site- Are the much better than the VW or SEAT equivalent?

They are all the same cars vw, audi, skoda, seat and even the galaxy and the sharan are the same.

I would opt for the Audi as it is a smarter looking car then the rest but the same car all the same

[pacerpete]

A4s are good but the estates have a lot smaller load area than the mechanically similar and much cheaper passat. I have just bought a '54 plate passat TDI 130 shooting break to replace my trusty / rusty fellatio for £1500.
50+mpg, cold a/c. lots of room and a poo brown paint job, what more can a man want from a daily turd ?

[e30topless]

I have bought a Focus diesel estate as a winter shitter/frag carrying chariot, 2002 full mot 6 months tax for a grand,

it is so far coping very well with the major abuse and exellent on fuel

[Ninja_Penguin]

Bora tdi sport? can pick up quite a clean one for £2k

[oomz1975]

Mercedes e300d, loads of them around 2 grand.

[HairyScreech]

think we put about 60k on my dads diesel one with no trouble at all, biggest issue i remember was a wheel bearing (genuine one £140) and the petrol one before that did 160K with no maintenance for the last 20K (thought it was destined for the breakers) and after that my sisters bf did an oil change and ran it for another 40k.

[pony]

BMW E46 330Cd Coupe

"Sporty" handling
Good fuel economy
Good performance
As long as you do not mind it sounding at idle like a tractor.

Can you get Mark V Golfs for under £2000 yet?

[bss325i]

Can you get Mark V Golfs for under £2000 yet?

No.

[capri_rob]

BMW E46 330Cd Coupe

"Sporty" handling
Good fuel economy
Good performance
As long as you do not mind it sounding at idle like a tractor.

For £2k ? Good luck - the cheapest E46 330Cd on an Autotrader national search is £5250 !

[pony]

Yeah sorry i typed it out then suddently realised you wanted one for under £2k.

Me bad.

[capri_rob]

Yeah sorry i typed it out then suddently realised you wanted one for under £2k.

Me bad.

Thought I was going mad then ! - If you could get a 330Cd for £2k there would be one on my drive

[lyricalnut02]

mark4 golf gt/se tdi 1.9 pd 130-150bhp, Good cars and reliable from my experience along with very good fuel average.

[daimlerman]

How about a 320touring?

One here;

[320Touring]

How about a 320touring?

One here;

I would, but it's wasted on the m8..much better "free range"!

[lugy]

My mate had one of those Mondeo things. Worst car he's owned apparently. The injectors needing replacing @250 each was the last straw.. It was chucked through the auctions and he lost 2k odd!

My mate had one, it kept cutting out intermittently and no one seemed able to diagnose what was wrong. He eventually got fed up with it and managed to punt it on. I've also heard some horror stories from my old man (mechanic) about them. He still insists that you wont go wrong with a 1.9 VW.

But then again, because I hardly ever listen to him I'd be looking at an Alfa 156 1.9 JTD - there are some pretty positive reviews out there and it's got to be one of the nicest "rep-mobiles" to sit in - or being sensible would be a SAAB 9-5 TID.