E36 touring tds

[stew72]

Quite fancy an older german estate thats not vag to replace the 10 year old scenic I currently suffer. I've got used to mid to high 40's mpg but don't mind a slight drop.
Whats are the 318 and 325 tds like in the real world? Thinking about it, how bad is the economy on a 6 cylinder?

[mcbonio]

6 pot with autobox will give you low 20's, a manual box will be a few mpg better.

Look for an e46 320d touring.

[stew72]

Don't fancy a e46 though.

Think I might look for a E36 325 tds, any suggestions of what faults to look for?

[mcbonio]

Suspension and cooling system are the areas to look for mechanically. Look out for corrosion on the arches.

[Andyboy]

The 318tds ad 325ts are more agricultural than the 320d, but it's old school knife and fork engineering. However, an E36 318i Touring is probably a better plan.

[harry_p]

I expect a 318i on LPG would be more refined, no slower, and more economical than a 318tds.

I seem to remember mags at the time slating them and suggesting tds stood for tedious.

[Andyboy]

A 318i will easily do 35 mpg on a run and high 20's around the houses. The TDS will do about 5-10 mpg more but they only make sense if you can run it on a bit of red or a 50/50 pump diesel/chip fat mix. The 318tds is a bit sluggish - they do the same 90 bhp as the 1.9TDi VAG stuff but as it's only 1650cc, it's at the top end of the rev range and they're a bit flat up to then. But they run the same type turbo as the 1.9TDi and are easy enough to work on. No swirl flaps, easily blocked off EGR, no variable vane turbos, no common rail. They will keep running after appalling abuse. A decent well maintained one (if there is such a thing) is worth having.

[stew72]

What about the 325 tds, whats that like compared with the petrol and diesel 318's?

[darkchild]

The 325tds' are decent cars and go reasonably well. Its just most are tired scrap now and the diesel pump is big £ to replace when it dies.

A nice 318i touring (there are a few left!) is infinitely preferable to a 318tds IMO.

[Neilios]

Pumps and hot starting issues on high mile TDs but generally strong engines we have ran them in Range-rovers as well.