Small diesel engines, your thoughts…
Discussion
Ok at some point next year I am going to find myself moving locations and for a few months doing a thousand miles a week whilst I am changing jobs 😬 so I am going to need something boringly practical and economical to do it in. My 2.0 TFSI TT is not up to the challenge so I am looking at diesel estates under £3000.
The journey is motorway all the way so I shouldn’t have DPF problems (I wouldn’t normally buy a ‘modern’ diesel otherwise) and the estate bit will help with the move.
For economy reasons I am looking at all of the 1.5/1.6/1.7 options out there rather than the standard 2.0+ Diesel. As long as the 0-60 is under 12 seconds that’s good enough for me.
So obvious choices are Hyundai i30/Kia Ceed with the 1.6, Vauxhall Astra in 1.7 Isuzu flavour, anything VAG 1.6 TDi, anything Ford/PSA 1.6 HDi or Renault 1.5 (My price range means all these cars are around the 2010-12 models)
What’s your thoughts people? My other car is a Mazda CX-5 petrol because modern diesel’s scare me with their unreliability (DMF, injectors, turbo, DPF, EGR problems etc….) but in this case I’m going to bite the bullet and hope for the best!
The journey is motorway all the way so I shouldn’t have DPF problems (I wouldn’t normally buy a ‘modern’ diesel otherwise) and the estate bit will help with the move.
For economy reasons I am looking at all of the 1.5/1.6/1.7 options out there rather than the standard 2.0+ Diesel. As long as the 0-60 is under 12 seconds that’s good enough for me.
So obvious choices are Hyundai i30/Kia Ceed with the 1.6, Vauxhall Astra in 1.7 Isuzu flavour, anything VAG 1.6 TDi, anything Ford/PSA 1.6 HDi or Renault 1.5 (My price range means all these cars are around the 2010-12 models)
What’s your thoughts people? My other car is a Mazda CX-5 petrol because modern diesel’s scare me with their unreliability (DMF, injectors, turbo, DPF, EGR problems etc….) but in this case I’m going to bite the bullet and hope for the best!
Don't rule out a 2l diesel.
I spent 18 months driving from Leeds to Chertsey every week. I didn't have my company car at that time, so I was on a long term rental. Every few weeks I would get a different car and I actually found the smaller diesels less efficient at motorway speeds than the bigger diesels.
Also at steady speeds, I also invariably found the autos to be more economical too
Edited to add, I think it's mostly down to the larger engines having more torque and therefore able to run at typical m/way speeds at a lower rpm
I spent 18 months driving from Leeds to Chertsey every week. I didn't have my company car at that time, so I was on a long term rental. Every few weeks I would get a different car and I actually found the smaller diesels less efficient at motorway speeds than the bigger diesels.
Also at steady speeds, I also invariably found the autos to be more economical too
Edited to add, I think it's mostly down to the larger engines having more torque and therefore able to run at typical m/way speeds at a lower rpm
I think, if you don't mind driving an older car, you'll find something like a Mk3 Mondeo 2.0 TDCI with the 6 speed manual is hilariously good on fuel for a big car. In estate form, it's huge in the back and as practical as a small van. Cheap to fix too. Stick the cruise control on at 63 and watch it return over 50mpg all day long.
BenS94 said:
163bhp Euro 3 Volvo 2.4 D5 is stupidly economical too. As seen in cavernous V70s and the like.
I've seen 96 mpg out of an S60 with one of these engines in. Older diesel engines tend to be better on fuel due to a higher compression ratio, plus no DPF or piezo injectors or DMF, or motorised turbo activation.
This is what I would go for, even though the engine sounds like a tin of nails at idle.
I think it depends on the specific engine, you can't just say all small diesels are rubbish, etc.
You will be using the diesel properly for what it was intended, so as you say that should mitigate things like DPF failure, EGR failure, coking up, turbo failure, etc.
Also make sure you change the oil regularly with good quality stuff - if you are doing 1000 miles a week, I'd maybe look towards changing the oil every 2-3 months to keep the engine in top condition.
Try to avoid anything that uses AdBlue if you can.
In terms of small diesel engines I rate, I like the following
VW group 1.6 TDI
BMWs B37 1.5 diesel triple
Fiat/Alfa 1.6 Multijet
Ford 1.5 TDCi
Honda 1.6 i-DTEC
Hyundai/Kia 1.6 and 1.7 CRDi
Renault 1.5 dCI
You will be using the diesel properly for what it was intended, so as you say that should mitigate things like DPF failure, EGR failure, coking up, turbo failure, etc.
Also make sure you change the oil regularly with good quality stuff - if you are doing 1000 miles a week, I'd maybe look towards changing the oil every 2-3 months to keep the engine in top condition.
Try to avoid anything that uses AdBlue if you can.
In terms of small diesel engines I rate, I like the following
VW group 1.6 TDI
BMWs B37 1.5 diesel triple
Fiat/Alfa 1.6 Multijet
Ford 1.5 TDCi
Honda 1.6 i-DTEC
Hyundai/Kia 1.6 and 1.7 CRDi
Renault 1.5 dCI
MustangGT said:
Skoda Octavia 1.6 diesel for economy with a large boot.
I would run a very long way from this piece of rubbish engine. I think it is comfortably the most chocolate engine on the market. It managed to wrest that crown from the old DV6 unit, and that took some doing. What a pile of rubbish this unit is. 
te, especially that 3 cylinder BMW/Mini unit. bearman68 said:
I would run a very long way from this piece of rubbish engine. I think it is comfortably the most chocolate engine on the market. It managed to wrest that crown from the old DV6 unit, and that took some doing. What a pile of rubbish this unit is.
I feel the DV6 gets a lot of 'hungover' negativity. It really is a solid lump with the Euro 5 8v versions and later, not exciting admittedly but they just keep going.DW10 is the larger 2.0 Litre lump to get if in budget, much more effortless.
Avoid AdBlue, doesn't really matter what its on as it will probably be a pain either way.
I've currently got a megane estate I picked up cheapish, it's the 1.6dci which is an improvement on the 1.5 I believe.
It's s great little engine at 130bhp it never feels underpowered, it's obviously not fast, but I was surprised as expected it to be gutless but it lugs around the megane nicely.
£20 a year tax and average about 50mpg if driven sensibly.
In all honesty it disappoints me how much its grown on me.
It's s great little engine at 130bhp it never feels underpowered, it's obviously not fast, but I was surprised as expected it to be gutless but it lugs around the megane nicely.
£20 a year tax and average about 50mpg if driven sensibly.
In all honesty it disappoints me how much its grown on me.
The Ceed/Hyundai 1.6 is decent enough in 115BHP.
I had a 2008 hatch for 7 years and passed onto a colleague who ran it for for another 5 or so.
Very little went wrong with it until oil in water @250K. Original clutch was on it's last so he moved on.
No DPF on pre-2010 but not aware they are problematic anyway.
No DMF.
Boot on the hatch is a decent size.
Drives alright, goes alright, MPG reasonable, comfortable enough. Reilable.
Mrs Imck summed it up perfectly. Functional
I had a 2008 hatch for 7 years and passed onto a colleague who ran it for for another 5 or so.
Very little went wrong with it until oil in water @250K. Original clutch was on it's last so he moved on.
No DPF on pre-2010 but not aware they are problematic anyway.
No DMF.
Boot on the hatch is a decent size.
Drives alright, goes alright, MPG reasonable, comfortable enough. Reilable.
Mrs Imck summed it up perfectly. Functional
I am getting 1.5dci Renault's and 1.6hdi ford/psa cars in alot and they are a pain in the arse. Sometimes its replace a part and fix it (easy and normal) but way too often its spend a day stripping egr, inlet manifold, multiple flushes of oil, cleaning pick up gauze, turbo oil feed gauze, send injectors for recon or change seals.
2.0hdi engine rarely a problem.
2.0hdi engine rarely a problem.
MustangGT said:
Skoda Octavia 1.6 diesel for economy with a large boot.
This would be my pick as well but the 2.0 is just as economical and more flexible. I'd happily have one.Currently have 1.6 tdi Skodas in work, pleasant to drive and return great mpg. Previously had fleets of 1.7 Astra diesels, decent car to drive, engine was great when you got them wound up but utterly dismal interior, not a pleasant place to spend multiple hours everyday.
Edited by Bobupndown on Saturday 25th November 10:40
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