wizgti

After a major reality check today I've deceided to sell my 05 sti scooby and go for something far more sensible but need some recommendations. It's got to be diesel (for the torque and lower running costs and have 5doors due to 2 kids! I really like the new civic but it's out of my price range so any recommendations?????

Thanks
Andrew

chiark

Well, what's your price range then? new or used? preference for manufacturer? Front, all or rear wheel drive? Bothered about the driving experience or just want something cheap?

wizgti

good grip - open to manufacturer and upto £15k. Not bothered about the driving wheels and not bothered about new or used.

Ta

Brendan Hughes

A4 quattro estate?

chiark

BMW 330D touring , though the audi will probably have better grip if that's what you want over handling.

Mondeos get a very good writeup and are definitely worth a try.

I really didn't like the passat tdi estate that I tried, but it must have been a dog as some people rate them highly.

stilover

And VAG Group diesel will do.

A4 TDI 150 or 180
Passat
Bora

All quick, and can be easily chipped for more power/torque

wizgti

Thanks for the suggestions so far - are all the VAG group diesels that good?

Brendan Hughes

320D Touring not to be sniffed at over 330 if he wants sensible, I think the old ones can be chipped up to 180ish. Not sure I'd recommend someone to spend 15k on a Mondeo as a sensible buy, he'll lose a fortune at resale time unfortunately. (Unfortunately - damn, that was funny!!)

chiark

They were, but I think the competition has caught up and they're nothing terribly special IMHO. The ford or vauxhall engines are just as good... Even the 307 diesel I hired in france was good.

Brendan, you're right, 15k on a mondeo is rapidly going to turn into sod all, but then again I spent 15k on a 330d sport touring that's doing the same

wizgti

Not really keen on BMWs - hate the interior in most. And yeah with fords I don't want to be swapping it for a mars bar in a couple of years time!
I know the skoda octavia is a good sensible purchase but I really really can't cope with a skoda badge!

AudiLover

VAG diesels are the daddy in the higher displacement. 2 litre and below the competition has caught up. Should see next generation audi engines in the next couple years.

john banks

Mondeo 2.2 TDCI is a great value all rounder IMHO.

RS Grant

If you are looking at VAG, with a larger than 2.0 displacement, for £15k, you will buy an older 2.5 TDi... which are un-economical, noisey and not terribly quick either. So for this particular instance, they are definitely not the daddy.


Cheers,
Grant

taffyboyo

I've got a 54 plate a4 avant quattro sport 1.9 tdi, remapped to about 180bhp and I must say its a fine car, its got the ticks in all the right boxes, if you know what I mean

still hanker after a subaru again, I've had 6 in the past, so beware, you will miss the subaru grin

matchmaker

More fool you You're moving from a Subaru

chiark

The 2.5 v6 didn't do a thing for me at all - not much faster than the 1.9, and a hell of a lot thirstier. Not tried the 3.0 yet - worth another look? I guess you're going to say "yes" with a username like that

Looks like a shortlist is coming together - audi a4 1.9 avant quattro, 2.2 tdci mondeo, skoda octavia (how about the 4x4? unfortunately they only do the 1.9 engine - there's a marketing opportunity missed!), vectra ?
Buy a cheap second hand mondeo and someone else has already taken the hit, I suppose...

Jonathan Davies

Ought to be a good few Mondies about too. For sensible, a 2yo one with decent spec might be good.

I do like audis though. I was thinking of a sensible tdi a4 myself but got distracted by shiny S4s instead...

MarkWRX

Ive got a 2.5 v6 Quattro Avant tuned to 210bhp/310lb/ft by AMD and still get 35mpg average. Its fairly quick and the v6 sounds much nicer than the 1.9tdi IMHO even if it is more thirsty

AudiLover

agreed the 2.5tdi is poor.

AudiLover

If it was me id go for the 2.0TDI on paper the power and torque ratings seem much better for the ford 2.2tdci but the 0-60 figures and mpg figures favour the audi unit, whilst it being the heavier car, meaning that the audi must have a more beautiful power curve.

john banks

2.0TDI sounds very tractor like though unless it is in the A6 IMHO.

Edit - should say taxi, because tractors actually sound quite good

AudiLover

the 3.0tdci is a good performer, its apity they dont offer the 2.7tdi with the A4. Personally id go with the 2.0tdi, this is assuming your in the market for the model years that offer those engines.

chiark

I'm taking this off topic now, but personally I didn't rate the 2.0 TDI when it was in the golf. I'm not a fan of the VAG 4 pot diesel at all, but others rave about 'em so I'm in the minority.

scoobyjimbo

Hi

Just done the same thing as i am travelling miles and i also have a monaro for v8 fun.

I have just gone for a 3 litre diesel a6 saloon - SLine Quatro (6 months old demo) and am well inmpressed, it is conformable, very quick. handles well - is superby made and has every toy you can think of on. I am also getting an average of 38mpg and 45 on motorwaty trips, which for a 200BHP+ saloon is good..

PM if you need any more info..

J

GREGGYG

iTrader: (2)

Hi Andrew,

Test drive the new shape Ford Focus 2.0 TDCi.......must be the 2.0 diesel only, not 1.8 or 1.6. Also read all the Focus reviews. They cannot be matched for driving pleasure by either the new Astra or Golf. They are the only car in their class with independent rear suspension! Build quality is a lot better than their previous offerings. Handling is very good. The car is 135 bhp and 236 lbs of torque. This particular diesel engine benefits most from having a tuning chip fitted. Bhp goes up to 164, and torque increases to...............284 bhp, close to the torque of an STi PPP. (STEINBAUER Tuning Technologies). Check their website out, they are a very good German tuning company specialising in diesels. I buy my Focus 2.0 TDCi in October, after having 4 nice Scoobs and 2 Evo's!!!
Finally, another superb diesel is the BMW 120d, but that's expensive. A 55 plate Focus 2.0 TDCi with under 10k miles will cost you around £10,995.
And they are group 10 insurance and cheap to service!

wizgti

Thanks for all the excellent advice guys..

Sorta narrowed it down to the 2.0 focus, possibly mondeo, maybe a few audi's (a3,a4) and the astra.


Arrghhh - I'd love to keep the scooby but financially it's not really viable at the moment!

Ta
Andrew

wizgti

Pretty much narrowed it down to the focus uness somebody comes up with something else- audi's too expensive, I HAVE to have the top of the range model with all the toys! Astras seem way overpriced in comparison to the focus! I can get a year old 2.0 tdci titanium for around £12,500.

Really like the mondeo st diesel but it's out of my budget!

Ta
Andrew

ScoobyDoo555

The Audi V6 2.7 bi-turbo's quite nice

Dan