Can a 1.2 TDI reasonably do 150/170k?
Discussion
My wife's circumstances at work have changed and it means that rather than going to the office once a week, she will now be doing it five days a week.
The journey is 55 miles each way up the Fosseway which is a single carriageway A road at a fairly constant 50/60 mph. The journey takes between hour and a quarter and an hour and 20 minutes.
The car is up for renewal on the existing PCP and my suggestion is to buy it outright and use her current car until it drops rather than buy a new car.
Her current car is four years old and has done 40,000 miles and keeping it for another 4-5years when it would've between 140k and 170k.
This wouldn't be a problem if it will have a 1.6l or 2.0l diesel engine however she has a small 1.2TDI Seat Ibiza.
My question doesn't concern the costs as I know you will not find a cheaper car to run (zero tax, easy 65mpg and cheap maintenance) or the comfort (again, a known quantity). Also the purchase price from the PCP is way under market value at just over 4K.
My question is can a 1.2 TDI triple do 150k/170k without serious costs. I know it has been well maintained and serviced every 10,000 miles. I also know the car has not done short journeys, it has done long infrequent journeys so the DPF should be in good condition. I also know it's been driven well (warmed up nicely, not thrashed) and never been clocked.
If anybody could shed light on the high mileage reliability of the 1.2 VAG diesel, I'd appreciate it.
Or am I being cruel expecting my wife to drive over 25k/year in this type of car? (And before anyone asks, I'd do it! I took this car on a 2.5k Alps winter road trip last year!!!)
For clarity, all this car will do is 1 Up, commuting, nothing else as I have a nice company car that we both use at weekends.
I guess I won't be getting too many answers!
Thanks in advance.
The journey is 55 miles each way up the Fosseway which is a single carriageway A road at a fairly constant 50/60 mph. The journey takes between hour and a quarter and an hour and 20 minutes.
The car is up for renewal on the existing PCP and my suggestion is to buy it outright and use her current car until it drops rather than buy a new car.
Her current car is four years old and has done 40,000 miles and keeping it for another 4-5years when it would've between 140k and 170k.
This wouldn't be a problem if it will have a 1.6l or 2.0l diesel engine however she has a small 1.2TDI Seat Ibiza.
My question doesn't concern the costs as I know you will not find a cheaper car to run (zero tax, easy 65mpg and cheap maintenance) or the comfort (again, a known quantity). Also the purchase price from the PCP is way under market value at just over 4K.
My question is can a 1.2 TDI triple do 150k/170k without serious costs. I know it has been well maintained and serviced every 10,000 miles. I also know the car has not done short journeys, it has done long infrequent journeys so the DPF should be in good condition. I also know it's been driven well (warmed up nicely, not thrashed) and never been clocked.
If anybody could shed light on the high mileage reliability of the 1.2 VAG diesel, I'd appreciate it.
Or am I being cruel expecting my wife to drive over 25k/year in this type of car? (And before anyone asks, I'd do it! I took this car on a 2.5k Alps winter road trip last year!!!)
For clarity, all this car will do is 1 Up, commuting, nothing else as I have a nice company car that we both use at weekends.
I guess I won't be getting too many answers!
Thanks in advance.
Edited by A900ss on Wednesday 9th August 14:20
Edited by A900ss on Wednesday 9th August 14:21
Who knows? It might, it might not, but if you treat it right, service it well and generally keep it running as well as possible you'll obviously have a better chance of it making it. Can you make the figures work for say, 100k on the clock? That isn't an unreasonable amount of mileage for a modern car at all. Does it still look a reasonable proposition then? If so, everything beyond that is surely a bonus.
In so far as a quick internet search can tell me the only issue of note was related to the emissions diddling "scandal" that VW were caught up in.
In so far as a quick internet search can tell me the only issue of note was related to the emissions diddling "scandal" that VW were caught up in.
i'd say that is about perfect for that sort of car. as long as she likes the car and doesn't find it too pokey/uncomfortable then there is little concern about a 1.2TDI plodding along at 60 forever. the engine will be practically ticking over under very little load.
i can't, however comment on that particular engine having any fundamental weaknesses that would preclude it. i'd be amazed if it wasn't tested far in advance of that sort of mileage though.
i can't, however comment on that particular engine having any fundamental weaknesses that would preclude it. i'd be amazed if it wasn't tested far in advance of that sort of mileage though.
Before anybody suggests 'shed', not a chance she'll do bangernomics and in my head this must be saving £200/month at least in fuel/a PCP costs over a new car which is a lot of slush. I also think it is still a fairly new car with only 40k in it. All my company cars go from zero to at least 100k before they are sent back (admittedly they have been 2.0 diesels)
Edited by A900ss on Wednesday 9th August 14:30
An engine is an engine imo, cant see any difference from a 1.6 tdi
I can see the car outlasting her patience tbh
I used to do that kind of commute and I hated it , kills your body as well if you already have a sedate job , body just goes numb and back/hip issues ensue
Also better the devil you know, if car is well proven then stick to it
One pain I found with using a older private car for longer commutes was the extra maintenance needed. Its a pain driving lots in the week having to spend your weekend getting bits fixed and replaced, such as tyres and servicing
Also she might hate the commute, so I would stick with existing car. Or if she sticks at it she can work out what she wants from a car for that kind of distance
I can see the car outlasting her patience tbh
I used to do that kind of commute and I hated it , kills your body as well if you already have a sedate job , body just goes numb and back/hip issues ensue
Also better the devil you know, if car is well proven then stick to it
One pain I found with using a older private car for longer commutes was the extra maintenance needed. Its a pain driving lots in the week having to spend your weekend getting bits fixed and replaced, such as tyres and servicing
Also she might hate the commute, so I would stick with existing car. Or if she sticks at it she can work out what she wants from a car for that kind of distance
Sounds like just about the ideal scenario for minimizing mechanical wear, that. Short runs from cold are (obviously) the worst, steady-state cruising just about the best, assuming the DPF can regen at 50-60mph. If it's clogging up, maybe do part of one trip in 4th gear?
If she's happy to do it, why not give it try.
If she's happy to do it, why not give it try.
Seems to be 15 ibizas 2008 + for sale over 125k on autotrader, only 2 are the 1.2 tdi
We had a 2008 model that needed a new engine (albeit a 1.4) at 100k, we put the engine in and used it for a few more miles but in all honesty the interior felt like it had done 300k so we traded it in
Id be more likely to say would she want to spend another 110k in the one small car?
Personally I would take the money you would spend buying it and get a bigger engined version.
We had a 2008 model that needed a new engine (albeit a 1.4) at 100k, we put the engine in and used it for a few more miles but in all honesty the interior felt like it had done 300k so we traded it in
Id be more likely to say would she want to spend another 110k in the one small car?
Personally I would take the money you would spend buying it and get a bigger engined version.
strain said:
Seems to be 15 ibizas 2008 + for sale over 125k on autotrader, only 2 are the 1.2 tdi
Could that be because most of them are bought for a life of short journeys in town, and die long before they get to that mileage? Equally, in reply to the OP, could the reason that 2.0TDi engines have a reputation for lasting a long time be because they're bought by people like me who do 30k miles a year at 1400rpm in top gear driving in straight lines for long periods of time?... So it's not the cars per se, it's their use? Just my thoughts - I'm not saying that's what's happening, but it seems like a possible explanation that should at least be considered.RobM77 said:
strain said:
Seems to be 15 ibizas 2008 + for sale over 125k on autotrader, only 2 are the 1.2 tdi
Could that be because most of them are bought for a life of short journeys in town, and die long before they get to that mileage? Equally, in reply to the OP, could the reason that 2.0TDi engines have a reputation for lasting a long time be because they're bought by people like me who do 30k miles a year at 1400rpm in top gear driving in straight lines for long periods of time?... So it's not the cars per se, it's their use? Just my thoughts - I'm not saying that's what's happening, but it seems like a possible explanation that should at least be considered.So really, OP, it's an experiment you should carry out for the good of all future buyers of VAG's 1.2TDI.
The 1.2TDI is essentially the same engine as the 1.6TDI (which itself is a smaller version of the 2.0) with a cylinder lopped off. It's the same engine family, and all of the parts and ancillaries are the same.
There's no reason why the engine wouldn't be up to doing that kind of mileage.
There's no reason why the engine wouldn't be up to doing that kind of mileage.
mgv8 said:
Advert said:
DPF issue
Not the best fact pattern...I'm almost certain that the engine will have been put through all of the same duty cycle tests as all of the other engines in the range .
Also, you speak like your wife's car will be like a medieval torture device, when it has probably got all of the thing you really need to be comfortable. Cast your mind back to 1985 and reps were doing 50,000 miles a year in MKII Cavaliers and Sierras
Also, you speak like your wife's car will be like a medieval torture device, when it has probably got all of the thing you really need to be comfortable. Cast your mind back to 1985 and reps were doing 50,000 miles a year in MKII Cavaliers and Sierras
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