Fix the turbo or go older
Discussion
My 2012 1.4 turbo (Giulietta) isn't kicking out 170bhp anymore, needs a new turbo.
A refurbished one comes to about £350 + labour to get it fitted.
The car is at 95k miles, probably could do with a suspension refresh and fixing a dent in the front wing.
I thinking to fix it but then I'm considering selling it to the garage and getting a 2.5 Mazda 6 which will be around £2k.
I like driving my 3.0 NA second car around but it's not practical and a Euro 3, hence thinking if the 2.5 Mazda has the same silky engine feel then I might prefer it to the turbo'd 1.4.
Seems a bit strange going from a 2012 to 2008 car as a everyday vehicle, hence thought I'd get what others thought.
With the prices in the second hand market I don't feel like paying for a 2012 or newer car and instead think that money will be better spent on a new turbo.
A refurbished one comes to about £350 + labour to get it fitted.
The car is at 95k miles, probably could do with a suspension refresh and fixing a dent in the front wing.
I thinking to fix it but then I'm considering selling it to the garage and getting a 2.5 Mazda 6 which will be around £2k.
I like driving my 3.0 NA second car around but it's not practical and a Euro 3, hence thinking if the 2.5 Mazda has the same silky engine feel then I might prefer it to the turbo'd 1.4.
Seems a bit strange going from a 2012 to 2008 car as a everyday vehicle, hence thought I'd get what others thought.
With the prices in the second hand market I don't feel like paying for a 2012 or newer car and instead think that money will be better spent on a new turbo.
gman88667733 said:
Suspension components will wear out on any car, so that's an expense you'd eventually have to have anyway.
95k is a bit early for a turbo, but I suppose it depends on many factors. If you still like the car, fix it. If you want to change, it's a good excuse to!
It threw up engine warning lights and then had a large flat spot, the garage showed me a spark plug with the end missing, after new plugs the flat spot was gone but low on boost and the turbo whistles a lot. So many that contributed to the turbo's early demise. Oil changes were done ahead of schedule.95k is a bit early for a turbo, but I suppose it depends on many factors. If you still like the car, fix it. If you want to change, it's a good excuse to!
I got the Giulietta to save on fuel for commuting (20k miles a year) but that ended 18 months ago so the car is just used on visits and to the shops, mostly motorway.
Even when commuting I've felt I wanted a quieter car to go up and down the motorways so maybe I'm using this as an excuse to change.
Ideally I'd join the barge thread but really need the hatch/lift back practicality.
I have a 2008 Mazda 6 2.5 Sport Hatch.
Smooth but not super quiet. Suspension is quite stiff.
Not the quickest. Wakes up a bit around 4K Revs.
Tech is a bit dated.
I do like it most of the time though and I have had it for 4 Years.
Have had a couple of Opel/VAG 1.4/1.5 Turbos as Hire Cars and liked the way they drove.
Smooth but not super quiet. Suspension is quite stiff.
Not the quickest. Wakes up a bit around 4K Revs.
Tech is a bit dated.
I do like it most of the time though and I have had it for 4 Years.
Have had a couple of Opel/VAG 1.4/1.5 Turbos as Hire Cars and liked the way they drove.
V6todayTurboManana said:
I'm considering selling it to the garage and getting a 2.5 Mazda 6 which will be around £2k.
I like driving my 3.0 NA second car around but it's not practical and a Euro 3, hence thinking if the 2.5 Mazda has the same silky engine feel then I might prefer it to the turbo'd 1.4.
The Mazda6 is an inline four, so I'd imagine it's probably more akin to the 1.4 than the Busso in smoothness, although it does have balancer shafts I think. I like driving my 3.0 NA second car around but it's not practical and a Euro 3, hence thinking if the 2.5 Mazda has the same silky engine feel then I might prefer it to the turbo'd 1.4.
Reputation says to check a 13 yo Mazda 6 carefully for rust.
If it were me, I'd fix the Alfa. Are you sure it definitely needs a new turbo and it's not one of the hoses with a hole in or a dodgy actuator or something like that? How many garages have you taken it to? Might be worth getting a second opinion.
I think you'll regret going to an older and cheaper car and hate it, especially if it's not anything particularly fancy.
I think you'll regret going to an older and cheaper car and hate it, especially if it's not anything particularly fancy.
Some good points there.
I was hoping a 2.5l engine would be not far from my Busso but didn’t realise it was a 4cylinder, should have checked.
Rust was never a big issue for the first 20years of Alfa ownership but you’ve reminded me of what I’ve read about Mazdas and rust.
Maybe going to an older car is not the best idea.
I’ll phone another specialist tomorrow, the original garage did check the hoses for leaks.
Thanks for the advice
I was hoping a 2.5l engine would be not far from my Busso but didn’t realise it was a 4cylinder, should have checked.
Rust was never a big issue for the first 20years of Alfa ownership but you’ve reminded me of what I’ve read about Mazdas and rust.
Maybe going to an older car is not the best idea.
I’ll phone another specialist tomorrow, the original garage did check the hoses for leaks.
Thanks for the advice
V6todayTurboManana said:
Some good points there.
I was hoping a 2.5l engine would be not far from my Busso but didn’t realise it was a 4cylinder, should have checked.
Rust was never a big issue for the first 20years of Alfa ownership but you’ve reminded me of what I’ve read about Mazdas and rust.
Maybe going to an older car is not the best idea.
I’ll phone another specialist tomorrow, the original garage did check the hoses for leaks.
Thanks for the advice
There is as someone else said, the possibility of a vac hose to the turbo failing, or the solenoid being a bit crap, or not connected to the vac pump or something. I just replaced the turbo on a Focus, only to later find that it had never been connected to the vacuum pump. Duhh. I was hoping a 2.5l engine would be not far from my Busso but didn’t realise it was a 4cylinder, should have checked.
Rust was never a big issue for the first 20years of Alfa ownership but you’ve reminded me of what I’ve read about Mazdas and rust.
Maybe going to an older car is not the best idea.
I’ll phone another specialist tomorrow, the original garage did check the hoses for leaks.
Thanks for the advice
V6todayTurboManana said:
Even when commuting I've felt I wanted a quieter car to go up and down the motorways so maybe I'm using this as an excuse to change.
Ideally I'd join the barge thread but really need the hatch/lift back practicality.
If you want a five-door with a smooth engine in that sort of age and price range, there are a few optionsIdeally I'd join the barge thread but really need the hatch/lift back practicality.
Hatchbacks:
Ford Mondeo ST220 £3k https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105232...
there are also 2.5T five-pot Mondeos from 2007 on
Vauxhall Insignia 2.8 Turbo £4k https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101308...
Estates:
Saab 9-3 2.8T estate £2800 https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106153... (same GM engine, bit smaller car I think)
Subaru Outback 3.0R £1600 https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106304...
Legacy 3.0R £3k https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106123...
With the Subarus, even the 2.0 & 2.5 four-pot engines are smooth, because they're boxers. But no hatchback, so need to go estate to get five doors.
BMW 530i Touring £2700 https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102199...
Volvo V70 with the 2.4 five-pot
Bit old, but Rover 75 estate 2.5 for under a grand https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106284...
Wildcard, Lexus RX300 £3k https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101278...
Generally most cars got Euro 4 engines before 1 Jan 2006, check each case but generally models that remained in production into 2006 were compliant from launch.
Also with a lot of these big petrol engined cars being fairly thirsty, be aware the top rate of road tax may apply from 23 Mar 2006.
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