Advcie on buying a 525tds please.

[Eddiejt2]

I am doing a lot of miles in my new job, so am thinking about going for a diesel. I have my eye on an L-reg (E34?) 525tds. However I have no experience of diesel or turbo charged engines. How do I check the turbo unit is good for example?

Thanks

[JohnnyThunders]

I am doing a lot of miles in my new job, so am thinking about going for a diesel. I have my eye on an L-reg (E34?) 525tds. However I have no experience of diesel or turbo charged engines. How do I check the turbo unit is good for example?

Thanks

I always think of what Clarkson writes about diesels in the UK.. So if i'm just blindly repeating what he has already wrote then sorry, but he reckons there is no point having a diesel in the Uk as diesel is not cheap enough, it is more harmful to us (carciogenics etc) than petrol, and sounds crap with performance issues, he says in Europe the diesel is much cheaper hence diesels make more sense, however in the Uk the slight amount less you pay on diesel is eaten by the premium you pay for the initial car purchase.

[Eddiejt2]

Well yes I agree with that, but when I would be paying less than a grand for the car and it will do 15 more miles per gallon than my current car, it makes sense.

[JohnnyThunders]

Well yes I agree with that, but when I would be paying less than a grand for the car and it will do 15 more miles per gallon than my current car, it makes sense.

ah cool, worth buying then i guess! Sorry i don't know a thing about turbocharged diesels tho ):

[Eddiejt2]

Don't suppose you know whether an E34 is 4 stud do you?

[JohnnyThunders]

Don't suppose you know whether an E34 is 4 stud do you?

Almost certain they are 5 stud.

[pnd]

e 34 diesels aren't that good on fuel 30 mpg is about all, christ you can get that out of a properly set up 325 they are not like modern diesels for fuel economy you have been warned.

[Eddiejt2]

Oh really? Well that is a big contributing factor. I read they were on the 40-50 mpg range. What you have said has put me off then.

[Quaser]

I had one - ok - for long journeys, very comfortable, but drank a lot around town. also, the fuel pumps are known for needing rebuilting after about 150k and that costs £1k!

My advice, get a cheap golf tdi for commuting.

[Eddiejt2]

A fuel pump costs £1k. WTF! Forget it then.

[Andyboy]

The MPG on these really isn't that great as the E34 is a heavy old car. The only one worth having is a manual E36 325tds, 35-42 mpg and they go okay too. Avoid high milage stuff because of the diesel pump. A new one is £700 minimum and they are not DIY to fit. The actual pump swap isn't too bad but it's impossible to reset the pump timing without the special tools.

As Quaser says, go for a latish Mark 3 Golf TDi or if you want ultimate economy, the non turbo Golf D. A bit sluggish but 50 mpg. P-R reg ones are about £1500, cheap to fix.