Can a 1.2 TDI reasonably do 150/170k?

[Over over under steer]

Vaud said:

5 x 2hrs 40mins a day commuting.

Car aside, I'd be putting every effort into finding a new job...

Agree completely with this point.

[A900ss]

Hi, I'm the OP and after getting home and opening my post, the car certainly will not be purchased at lease end.

Seat have sent us a letter as our car was one of the emission fixed cars. The letter basically says that they take their responsibility seriously and have further decided that if the EGR, fuel injection system or emissions after treatment system fails within 2 years of the fix (which it had a few months ago), they will 'consider the complaint very carefully' blah, blah, blah, goodwill policy,etc.

No way are they sending that kind of letter out of the goodness of their heart. The emission fix obviously puts more stress on other parts of the car and they know it, so I think I'll just send the car back at end of lease and buy a different car

Thanks for all the feedback though, very appreciated.

[anonymous-user]

Over over under steer said:

Vaud said:

5 x 2hrs 40mins a day commuting.

Car aside, I'd be putting every effort into finding a new job...

Agree completely with this point.

I was about to post exactly that. You can put up with it for a few weeks/months at a time for sufficiently high pay but you'd be mad to piss away so much of your life on a commute like that. You can count on massive delays once or twice a month when some idiots crash into each other at rush hour too.

[Pistonheader101]

Quite possibly. Our 1.9 tdi golf has ticked over 230k, still on the original clutch and turbo.

Its only needed serviceable items and cambelt and waterpump has been done three times.

[toobusy]

I've a 2011 Polo Bluemotion with this engine, Now on 80k miles doing various types of journey.
Bought it as I was doing a 50 min daily commute on the A1. It was fine, kept up with the traffic easily, especially in the average speed camera areas... Cruises happily at 70+ with 60+mpg and £0 rfl.
I do a different journey now and it's still fine, only the A road overtaking where it is a problem - or lack of it... I was thinking of an engine transplant but it just keeps going - doesn't use any oil and has a regular service. It'll probably fail tomorrow now.

[Loyly]

Yes. We managed to keep 1.3 CDTi Astras going to 120,000 miles at work without too much effort over the course of about three or four years, and that was mostly round town. If they can do that, anything can do a coasting commute up the Fosseway without much effort.

[caelite]

My recommendation would be get the EGR blanked off, immediately. The biggest killer of a modern diesel tends to be the after effects of this system (clogged inlet track, and eventually bore wash as you get up in mileage), DPF would be the next to go, once it starts rattling gut it out. Once those potentially damaging systems have gone I would say a modern diesel would have no problem achieving 250k+ miles without major work, just as they have always historically done. I can't speak for the VAG 1.2 but I know plenty of PSA 1.4HDI motors which have made your intended mileage and them some, mainly in small vans.

Just keep on top of servicing, use high quality oils & filters, commit to preventative maintenance when you can, and when you are battering a lot of mileage onto a car it is always good to keep £1k or so stashed in case something does go awry.

[markirl]

Your use pattern is about as easy as any car can have - I wouldn't be surprised if it does well over 200k without issue.

[InitialDave]

I encountered an earlier variant of that engine, the 1.4 version, in a 2001 Polo. It was absolutely fine at 135k. Can't see 20% more having made a huge difference to it, especially not steadier long runs.

[GezG]

My old Passat (albeit 2.0 TDI) ran to 276k miles & was sold with no issues & on the original turbo but had been serviced every 10k religiously.

[Ste372]

We have had a kia rio 1.1crdi from new now approaching 70k. It's the first car we bought new and I'll be upset if we don't see 200k out of it. oil service every 10k and all other service items every 20k.

Still drives like new so far and engine is loosening up nicely.

Not a vw but a similar size small engine diesel

[toastyhamster]

Probably not is my view. My wife has the VAG 1.2TDI in Polo 2013 form. Only done 40k and already had plenty of niggling issues. Water pump went 5k ago, dropped all the coolant, thankfully on the last mile home from a 60 mile commute so no other damage. Engine cover sliced through a diesel pipe, spraying diesel everywhere, now runs without one. I can't see how the DPF will last that mileage, out of all the diesel drivers where I work only two have driven a car to that mileage without issues, one was a 5 series Beemer and the other was a Jag. Us poor VAG drivers have had a hard time of it, and if you think the bigger engines are immune, they're not, my 3.0 TDI Audi self destructed at 80k, DPF, EGR, Turbo all went pop within a few thou and then the rear diff failed, ridiculous at that mileage. Plenty of other 60-80k milers at work with DPF lights on or issues with diesel ancillaries.

Now have a GTD which I'll be running to 60k then chopping in.

I can see why people PCP :-(

[miniman]

55 miles.
On the Fosseway.
Every day.
Twice.

I don't even know where to start with the no no no no no no.

[Benjijames28]

I think if regular servicing counts for a lot.

So far my BMW has been serviced according to BMW instructions which in my opinion are st. So new oil every 2 years or 18k

It's on 57k and from now on it will get oil every ten thousand or yearly.

[Who me ?]

OP - on Briscoda .net, there's a topic named "HIGH MILEAGE CLUB" ,where you might get better advice. But on there I've seen plenty of mention of the 1.4 TDI engines running high mileages. Basic advice on there for longevity is oil & filter at 10k and cambelt/ tensioner/waterpump at recomended time/mileage.

[KevinCamaroSS]

NickCQ said:

mgv8 said:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

There you go!

Advert said:

DPF issue

Not the best fact pattern...

168K miles with nothing more than a DPF issue? proof it will do it, I would say.

[Levin]

There are a few examples of the 1.2 TDI Polo for sale on eBay at the moment with 120,000+ miles on the clock so it's not like they give up at the 100,000 milestone. A driving instructor in my town had a 1.4 TDI Polo with around that mileage on it too - a driving instructor in a town being as far from the unstressed usage scenario you're envisioning as is possible. Whether it was being stalled, over-revved, or generally laboured at low RPM, that car saw all of it and has kept on going.

Can the 1.2 TDI genuinely return 60+ MPG at the speed limit, though? I know how it's driven is bound to have an effect but it might be worth considering as well.

[HustleRussell]

Levin said:

There are a few examples of the 1.2 TDI Polo for sale on eBay at the moment with 120,000+ miles on the clock so it's not like they give up at the 100,000 milestone.

What modern car does (obvious exceptions apply such as 'Smart' cars etc)

[Levin]

HustleRussell said:

What modern car does (obvious exceptions apply such as 'Smart' cars etc)

A very good question. Few cars are unable to make it to 100,000 miles nowadays through faults of their own, which tend to be isolated to individual cars more than entire engines. I'm struggling here to come up with anything.

[M_A_S]

InitialDave said:

I encountered an earlier variant of that engine, the 1.4 version, in a 2001 Polo. It was absolutely fine at 135k. Can't see 20% more having made a huge difference to it, especially not steadier long runs.

My 2001 1.4 Polo has just gone over 200k, only ever routine servicing stuff.