Second hand diesel that isnt a liability after 60/70K miles!

[greenarrow]

With the prospect of a new job in Feb and potential 700 mile weekly commute, again I've been pondering a change of car, especially as my current petrol Mazda 6 is reaching the end of its usefulness.

Trouble is, you read any forum/internet search on any diesel car and there are horror stories aplenty with higher mileage ones. DPFs, EGRs, timing chain issues, injectors and so on...

I'd be happy enough with the default 320d type choice, but for my budget you risk the dodgy N47 engine with its timing chain issues...

I COULD lease, but being a contract worker, the uncertain annual mileage makes it hard to know what mileage allowance to pick and that puts me off, because 15K+ a year sees the leasing costs ramp up

I don't want to spend tons of money on a newer car, because potentially I could be sticking 25K a year on it! So the sensible option appears to be a 5-6 year old car (or older) already well down its depreciation curve but with some life left in it...

So anyone got any knowledge or insight on what are the "less troublesome" diesels out there?!! If they exist!!!

[wemorgan]

Buy a Honda Civic/Accord

Reference leasing: the more miles you do the cheaper ppm miles it becomes. Excess mileage fees are usually only 6-10p which is very modest when you consider it's for a new car.

[clockworks]

I bought a 2007 E61 525d, with 94k on the clock. I ran it for nearly 3 years, sold it with just under 130k. I had no engine or transmission problems at all, just routine servicing and consumables, plus a dodgy air ride relay, rear hatch microswitch and failed passenger side wiper linkage.

[lee_erm]

In my opinion, there isn't one. There was 20 years ago, the likes of the PSA XUD, Ford Endura-D, early 1.9 VAG TDI's would go on forever with no issues. Modern diesels are a complete nightmare.

[CaptainMorgan]

greenarrow said:

I'd be happy enough with the default 320d type choice, but for my budget you risk the dodgy N47 engine with its timing chain issues...

If it's not too old for what you're after go for a M47, no DPF, no timing chain issues, they seem to go on to do decent miles without major issues tbh. I've read the odd turbo going but decent oil/regular servicing should reduce the chance of that, plus it's not thousands for a new one if it really come to it. I have one for the Mrs, E90 pre LCI, lovely place to be (IMO)

[Hainey]

Volvo s60 D5 Euro 3 engine. Exactly what your looking for. Have a jump into the Volvo section on this site

[littleredrooster]

With current (post 06) diesels, stuff like EGRs and MAFs have effectively become service items at anywhere north of 80k miles. As are, to a perhaps lesser extent, DMFs and DPFs. The thing to avoid is anything with internal engine woes, they can be ruinous - chains, flaps, cracked heads, ingested turbos etc.

My current steed is a diesel V6 S-type with about 120,000 miles on; it has had EGRs and MAFs, and is going well. The same motor in LR Discos will happily run to about 300k without major disaster usually.

My best advice would be to look at the local taxi rank - those lads know what costs the least long term and the popularity of some cars may surprise you...!

[Glasgowrob]

Any of the psa 2.0 diesels all bulletproof. Especially in theirnford guises with no sheep pee

[blueacid]

Hainey said:

Volvo s60 D5 Euro 3 engine. Exactly what your looking for. Have a jump into the Volvo section on this site

Seconded; no dieselly problems so far with my S60 D5 E3 in 3 years. You can pick one up and have change left from £2,000, so the worst case is that if it does end up knackered after a year or two then it's worked out a damn sight cheaper than the lease would have!

Of course the other option is to get something petrol and convert it to LPG; since LPG is priced at around half the price of Petrol per litre then (allowing for slightly greater LPG consumption than petrol) it can work out quite cheap, fuel wise. If you're throwing the miles on something then this can be good, although lots of research is needed first to make sure it's suitable for the engine & you don't mind losing space to the tank etc.

[CubanPete]

My 2003 320d did 175k before I sold it, with 2 injectors at about 160k. Swirl flaps were removed.

Current 2010 320d has just turned over 90k and feels very tight.

I don't think you need to worry about 70k being problematic unless you are very unlucky.

[ZX10R NIN]

The 2.7 Mercedes diesel which has no swirl flaps or DPF's is a good pick depending on how big/small your budget is.

[Sheepshanks]

ZX10R NIN said:

The 2.7 Mercedes diesel which has no swirl flaps or DPF's is a good pick depending on how big/small your budget is.

It does have swirl flaps. Otherwise good suggestion. Probably. I've got one.

[Rockmonkey]

I'd go for a Mondeo 2.0 tdci 2007>
It's surprisingly good to drive, does 50+mpg and in the three years and 40k miles mine did I didn't have a single issue. It had 85k when I bought it.
Go for the Ghia or Titanium model to get decent toys.
DPF and EGR are only an issue if you're doing short trips. No problem on long commutes.

[jonwm]

I ran a 2011 318d from zero to 127k in 3 years, it was serviced at halfords after 60k (lease company chose that) it never missed a beat.

If you read the forumS about that engine you'd never buy one, it's usually a small percentage that have issues

[markirl]

ZX10R NIN said:

The 2.7 Mercedes diesel which has no swirl flaps or DPF's is a good pick depending on how big/small your budget is.

Good shout, same can be said for the 2.2 4 pot and 3.2 6pot. I have the 2.7 at the moment too, go for either a w203 or a w209 as the w211 suffers a bit reliability wise (pre-facelift). Look at mid 03 onwards too as they are galvanised from then on..

[greenarrow]

Rockmonkey said:

I'd go for a Mondeo 2.0 tdci 2007>
It's surprisingly good to drive, does 50+mpg and in the three years and 40k miles mine did I didn't have a single issue. It had 85k when I bought it.
Go for the Ghia or Titanium model to get decent toys.
DPF and EGR are only an issue if you're doing short trips. No problem on long commutes.

Thanks, I have considered a Mondeo, especially the ST TDCI, despite my derogatory comments on another post about it being a "fake" ST - lol...but I know the DMF is almost certain to go at any point over 80K and that's a £1000 + bill.....I guess you could try and find one where its been done..

Volvo is a good shout, the S60 has a small boot for the size of car which puts me off as its a family car as well as a work hack I need, but how about a V50 estate with the D5 engine? They quite appeal to me...bit cramped in the back perhaps, but its not a large car.

Merc- good shout but my wife hates Mercs.....

TBH I really quite fancy a 520d, I feel it would be a great m/way express, or the 525d mentioned by the first poster. One came into the local car supermarket supermarket on Thursday, but had been reserved by Friday. It was a Sport model, LCI edition, right price etc...but they seem to be very popular