Reliable motorway estate car, sub 4.5k, vag 1.9 engine?

[Petrol Only]

IanCress said:

cars1993 said:

The passat is one of the best vehicles in the world

Madness.

Unless you think bland is best?

[Hainey]

jason61c said:

Ideally I'd like 50mpg on the motorway. I'm guessing the volvo won't manage that?

I have a late Euro 3, on the 05 facelift. It does, using brim to brim, anywhere between 52-58mpg. The 58mpg was with cruise on, sat at 65 over a 300 mile run there and back. The low speed due to having a shock sensitive cargo of glass in the boot. The 52mpg was my last mix of motorway and local driving I bothered to check.

For a car I bought as a work hack to keep the miles off the fun stuff, I'm getting quite fond of it actually. The heated seats/winter pack is nice to have as well.

[jshell]

Just sold my A4 avant 19tdi 114hp 2006 model to a colleague. Bomb-proof engine, surprisingly torquey, nice to drive with the firm S-line pack. Will miss that car, though the later ones istr would regularly lunch the block with a wayward con-rod. Older is better here!

[anonymous-user]

The D5 is miles nicer than any 4 pot diesel, especially one as agricultural and old school as the VAG 1.9. If you're doing big miles you owe it to yourself not to have one of the roughest and nastiest engines going to do it with. I swear they are only so long lived out of spite, inflicting their rattly clattery sound and tiny power band on the world for many hundreds of thousands of miles

[halo34]

As a former Volvo addict I can echo the sentiments but watch for a few things;

Front suspension arms or whatever they are - anywhere from 80k up to 100k they need doing
Top engine mount
V70 rear brake shoes detaching and resulting FUBAR!
Intercooler holes

I have had them in various guises from an 02 manual S60 D5 to a V70 D5 both in single and twin turbo configurations.

The S60 was brilliant, comfy but started self destructing at 135k. Returned 45mpg on average even when wrung like a chicken due to the pre emissions gubbins.

The 06 V70 needed the arms and handbrake shoes doing at 85k with a set of injectors and a self destructing auto box near 65k!!

Watch for the swirl flap motors too - lack of power can be attributed to that.

Just go in with eyes open!

[Hainey]

Are swirl flap motors Euro 4 only?

The Euro 3 seems to have escaped a lot of that nonsense, thankfully.

[Bonefish Blues]

Hainey said:

Are swirl flap motors Euro 4 only?

The Euro 3 seems to have escaped a lot of that nonsense, thankfully.

Guess which one we bought in preference to Euro 4 after some advice from a specialist. No DPF, either.

Wife very happy.

[jason61c]

I'm now Looking at the v70's

I rang about this...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...


Sold yesterday. How much worse are the auto's on the motorway?(mpg).

I've had an a6/passat etc before, A4 is just too small, My lexus does about 42mpg on average so 50 would be nice, 45 good.

Which exact volvo should I go for, age wise to avoid the DPF rubbish?

[Hainey]

Bonefish Blues said:

Guess which one we bought in preference to Euro 4 after some advice from a specialist. No DPF, either.

Wife very happy.

Same

Confidence inspiring when the garage you ask for advice is servicing a bunch of Euro 3 150k-300k milers that haven't had major work apart from a clutch in their lifetimes. Not to say their aren't a lot of VAG products of the same vintage out there on the same miles though, there undoubtedly is.

[Sparkzz]

E46 320/330d touring?

[Bonefish Blues]

Latest is a 2005 Euro 3 163 bhp with a black engine cover, IIRC.

[jason61c]

Just to add, thanks everyone for their input.

[halo34]

Bonefish Blues said:

Latest is a 2005 Euro 3 163 bhp with a black engine cover, IIRC.

Agreed - powerwise is not much down on the 184 version due to lack of the gubbins.

Personally I would look for a car with the suspension and rear shoes done, that way peace of mind.

Upgraded sound system is awesome!!

[jason61c]

halo34 said:

Agreed - powerwise is not much down on the 184 version due to lack of the gubbins.

Personally I would look for a car with the suspension and rear shoes done, that way peace of mind.

Upgraded sound system is awesome!!

I'd like the upgraded sound system as I spend a lot of time in it. My current car has a Mark Levinson(sp) 15.1 system

[soprano]

halo34 said:

Agreed - powerwise is not much down on the 184 version due to lack of the gubbins.

Personally I would look for a car with the suspension and rear shoes done, that way peace of mind.

Upgraded sound system is awesome!!

Also agree. You want the latest euro 3 you can find, which will be some time in 2005 I think. Should comfortably achieve 50mpg on the motorway. I average very high 40's brim to brim,mid 50's shown on OBC, without being particularly mpg conscious. Autos are a fair bit heavier on fuel I think, something like 6-8mpg worse than manual.

[jason61c]

I take it the giveaway is black engine cover, 163bhp?

So

2005
Upgraded audio
Manual, unless auto hits within 2-3mpg of the manual on the motorway?
full history, sub 125k on the clock as i'll quickly run it up.

Now to try and find one.

What are the cambelt intervals on these?

[Royce44]

Can't believe I'm actually suggesting this but going from my experience, how about a vectra?

I paid 3500 for my elite estate, leather heated seats, climate, sat nav and electric boot means it was pretty good value for the spec.

I did replace the clutch/dmf and belts etc when i brought it but 23k miles later it has not missed a beat. Mapped for the last 20k and when I'm empty i get 52mpg sitting at 70mph.

Still hate vauxhalls but can't argue with the above.

[soprano]

jason61c said:

I take it the giveaway is black engine cover, 163bhp?

So

2005
Upgraded audio
Manual, unless auto hits within 2-3mpg of the manual on the motorway?
full history, sub 125k on the clock as i'll quickly run it up.

Now to try and find one.

What are the cambelt intervals on these?

Cam belts are every 96k and are relatively cheap. I paid 300 at an inde including changing the water pump and ancillary bits and pieces.

Eta and yes, black engine cover for 163bhp D5

[jason61c]

Royce44 said:

Can't believe I'm actually suggesting this but going from my experience, how about a vectra?

I paid 3500 for my elite estate, leather heated seats, climate, sat nav and electric boot means it was pretty good value for the spec.

I did replace the clutch/dmf and belts etc when i brought it but 23k miles later it has not missed a beat. Mapped for the last 20k and when I'm empty i get 52mpg sitting at 70mph.

Still hate vauxhalls but can't argue with the above.

Had one as a company car, hate the ergonomics of them.

[jason61c]

whats the give away for the upgraded stereo?