VAG 1.4TSI - am I nuts?

[s m]

Greg- said:

If you're looking for a run around might be one to consider, Got a Polo BlueGT, nice little car, not as fast as the vRS/GTI but probably more reliable.

Yes, respectably quick for a warm hatch
Hits 60 in 7.5 - the later 150bhp one with DSG was timed at 7.1

[va1o]

Another vote for the BlueGT

Uses the re-designed EA211 variant of the 1.4 TSI which is much better than the original

[bitchstewie]

A litre of oil every thousand miles?

I've had a Porsche that maybe needed 1/2L top-up between 20K service intervals and my last two cars have been diesels which haven't needed anything in either 15K intervals or in the first 7K of my current car which is a Golf.

That's like assuming it's normal to need a 1L bottle of oil in the boot if you happen to go on a day out - that's fking insane.

[Rovinghawk]

s m said:

You'll find that BMW consider a litre of oil every 1500 miles is perfectly acceptable

So they tell you that what they sell is fine.

You don't see any vested interest there?

[DKL]

Thanks everyone, I'll look at this blueGT.
I spoke to a very helpful skoda service tech who gave his opinion and made some sensible points but stated that there was categorically no flaw in these engines.
But as a car would be out of any manufacturers warranty any investigations would be at my cost. If they considered there was a problem then they would present it to skoda uk who would consider it as goodwill based on skoda sh (fair enough) and brand loyalty. Looking aroud my drive there aren't any skodas so that will be me fubared then.
I drove one and liked it but its quite a black cloud.

[Who me ?]

Sad day for Skoda when they moved on from the old PD tractor. Forget the "spongecake" MK2& MK3, and look at the older engines. Then do you want a rocket sled (Vrs ) or a run around. Run a round, look at the MK1 1.4TDI.Not hot enough. Up the front discs to Vrs ones, and get it mapped to 100. All you need to know is that it's been serviced ( oil +filter ) every 10kmiles. No DPF to worry about.

[s m]

Rovinghawk said:

s m said:

You'll find that BMW consider a litre of oil every 1500 miles is perfectly acceptable

So they tell you that what they sell is fine.

You don't see any vested interest there?

See also Mazda, Alfa Romeo and others

I'm not saying I'd find it acceptable by the way

[caelite]

Out of curiosity why not a late model MK1?

07 plate SE MK1 versions can be picked up for ~£5k now, 4k for 56/07 standard models with low mileage (<60k is barely run in for a 1.9TDI).

Its a bit agricultural but costs bugger all to run and can be great to drive and almost as quick (think it would match it if remapped). Id trust a 8 year old PD unit more an a 4 year old TSI unit. Literally the only thing that goes wrong with them is the turbos and even then its not the end of the world (~£600 for a new garret unit fitted)

[Jimmy Recard]

caelite said:

Out of curiosity why not a late model MK1?

07 plate SE MK1 versions can be picked up for ~£5k now, 4k for 56/07 standard models with low mileage (<60k is barely run in for a 1.9TDI).

Its a bit agricultural but costs bugger all to run and can be great to drive and almost as quick (think it would match it if remapped). Id trust a 8 year old PD unit more an a 4 year old TSI unit. Literally the only thing that goes wrong with them is the turbos and even then its not the end of the world (~£600 for a new garret unit fitted)

Aren't injector failures part of it?

Maybe not a common or regular issue but an expensive one when it happens. I haven't owned one myself, but I think I read about it

[bungz]

Could never get on with a car that could eat 10 liters of oil between services.

[vrsmxtb]

caelite said:

Out of curiosity why not a late model MK1?

07 plate SE MK1 versions can be picked up for ~£5k now, 4k for 56/07 standard models with low mileage (<60k is barely run in for a 1.9TDI).

Its a bit agricultural but costs bugger all to run and can be great to drive and almost as quick (think it would match it if remapped). Id trust a 8 year old PD unit more an a 4 year old TSI unit. Literally the only thing that goes wrong with them is the turbos and even then its not the end of the world (~£600 for a new garret unit fitted)

I had a standard 56 plate one before my Mk2 VRS and wouldn't hesitate to have another with a reasonable mileage and looked after. Kinda regret trading it in sometimes, although the Mk2 is much nicer to drive.
Just watch out for front wishbone bushes knocking, DMF chatter, stained light grey seats and leaky rear doors.

[DKL]

I'm struggling to find a bluegt older than 2013 yet the review suggest they started at 2009?
IS the engine the same as the newer vrs models - cthe engines? They aren't supposed to be a whole lot better!
I tend to buy older cars so I can get better spec/engine. But, as with the e55, that comes with the risk of less relability.
I can stand having one car that will depeciate as it means my wife and son are in something that is unlikely (less likely?) to breakdown on them.
I can live with the risk so either the 944 or the range rover goes out most days.

[Greg-]

They were around before 2013 but they didn't sell many, we got ours on the cheap because the dealer couldn't shift due to the high price for a Polo (suited us as we needed a small car).

Keep hunting, they appear to be dropping in value a bit now.

EDIT: With what you were saying about the engine in the vRS, I thought the 1.4 TSI was a twincharger unit no? The bluegt is just a normal turbo engine, so no it shouldn't have the same problems the Twincharger unit had.

Edited by Greg- on Monday 5th October 19:22

[gnomesmith]

I have a 150ps Blue GT DSG very pleasant ultra economical car which does not seem to use oil. Against a GPS performance monitor it records around 6.9/7.1 0-60, a bit quicker than most road rests but not that far off. A pleasant car to drive and it doesn't seem to attract the wrong sort of attention.

First DSG I've owned in a driving career that covers nigh on 60 years, just like another senior and longstanding Porsche driving PHer I'd be loath to go back to a manual car.

[s m]

&#127853;

gnomesmith said:

I have a 150ps Blue GT DSG very pleasant ultra economical car which does not seem to use oil. Against a GPS performance monitor it records around 6.9/7.1 0-60, a bit quicker than most road rests but not that far off. A pleasant car to drive and it doesn't seem to attract the wrong sort of attention.

First DSG I've owned in a driving career that covers nigh on 60 years, just like another senior and longstanding Porsche driving PHer I'd be loath to go back to a manual car.

I've got the manual box version of it and it's a few tenths off that - timed at 7.5 whereas, like you say, the DSG turns in a 7.1.
Impressively quick for the economy. Done 5k so far and no real oil movement

[DKL]

Greg- said:

They were around before 2013 but they didn't sell many, we got ours on the cheap because the dealer couldn't shift due to the high price for a Polo (suited us as we needed a small car).

Keep hunting, they appear to be dropping in value a bit now.

EDIT: With what you were saying about the engine in the vRS, I thought the 1.4 TSI was a twincharger unit no? The bluegt is just a normal turbo engine, so no it shouldn't have the same problems the Twincharger unit had.

Edited by Greg- on Monday 5th October 19:22

Thanks, I'll keep looking. Yes vrs is the twincharger engine so polo should be ok.

[liner33]

My mum has a 2010 model and owned it from new it uses about 500ml of oil per year or 8000 miles

I had a 2012 CAVE one from new for three years and it rarely needed a top up in between services again doing about 8000 miles per year

My new MK3 Octavia has used more oil in 5000 miles than my Fabia did in 20,000 !

They arent all oil burners and they arent all troublesome

They are however a ton of fun , punch way above their weight performance wise and I'd have never sold mine if I hadnt needed something bigger

My mum loves hers and in her words "What can I get that will be as much fun for the same kind of money ?" so she is keeping it.

A full Skoda history is a must and opens the door to goodwill later on just in case (I had goodwill repairs done on my MK2 Octavia at 6 years old and 60+k)

Oh and the green ones are best

[DKL]

I'd quite like green but apparently they do not meet with SWMBO's approval. Or white. So red, blue or black then

[eztiger328]

Upcoming sill repairs and an airlock induced blown head gasket on my 328 forced me to buy another car a couple of weeks ago. Time was running out after a week of working from home / looking for a replacement so i ended up buying an ex lease 2011 Golf 1.4 TSI with just under 50k on the clock.

My engine is the 122hp turbo only, I wasnt aware of excessive oil usage only the online fear mongering regarding the chain tensioner going kaput.

While obviously not as fast or fun to drive as my 328 i am very impressed with the torque the little 1.4 puts out.

[MrBarry123]

I think the 1.4TSI turbo engine is okay but the twin-charge engine (found in the vRS and Polo GTI) can be a bit of a nightmare - not to mention expensive to fix when it goes wrong. Cool idea though.