VW Touran 1.9 tdi or 2.0tdi?
Discussion
I’ve been looking at 7 seater MPVs, of various sizes and prices, for a while now and think I’ve decided to pick-up a cheap and cheerful VW Touran as a stop-gap until I can afford something bigger and younger. There seem to be quite a few around and £1500 - £3000 should get me something with around £100k miles, full service history and aged between 2006 and 2010. The number in the ads with close to, or above, 200k miles suggests I should be able to get a year or two’s use of it.
My question is around engine choice and reliability. As far as I can see the 1.9tdi seems to be a solid engine and capable of huge mileages, although a bit rough and not particularly powerful. Also in my budget range is the 2.0tdi. In theory this is my preferred engine choice, but I’m not sure to what extent they’re affected by the oil pump gear and balancer issues. Did this problem affect the Tourans? If so, how can I tell which ones are most likely to be affected? At these ages and mileages is it a ticking bomb, is it likely to have been resolved already or does reaching this sort of mileage mean that it’s not likely to have been affected?
Any other points to consider when choosing between the 1.9 and 2.0 models?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
My question is around engine choice and reliability. As far as I can see the 1.9tdi seems to be a solid engine and capable of huge mileages, although a bit rough and not particularly powerful. Also in my budget range is the 2.0tdi. In theory this is my preferred engine choice, but I’m not sure to what extent they’re affected by the oil pump gear and balancer issues. Did this problem affect the Tourans? If so, how can I tell which ones are most likely to be affected? At these ages and mileages is it a ticking bomb, is it likely to have been resolved already or does reaching this sort of mileage mean that it’s not likely to have been affected?
Any other points to consider when choosing between the 1.9 and 2.0 models?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
I've got the 2.0 CR engine in my Transporter. 10 years old, hovering around 70k miles but mapped to around 160bhp for almost all its life and had absolutely no problems at all with it (although the DMF is starting to rattle so that'll need doing at some point). That said, my dad had the same engine in a Passat of a similar vintage and whilst there were no engine problems, the gearbox randomly blew a hole in its side!
DaveyBoyWonder said:
I've got the 2.0 CR engine in my Transporter. 10 years old, hovering around 70k miles but mapped to around 160bhp for almost all its life and had absolutely no problems at all with it (although the DMF is starting to rattle so that'll need doing at some point). That said, my dad had the same engine in a Passat of a similar vintage and whilst there were no engine problems, the gearbox randomly blew a hole in its side!
Thanks for the reply.At your price point buy the nicest one you can find, as either engine is decent.
I'd also look at the Mazda5 with the 2.0d engine:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110268...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111099...
I'd also look at the Mazda5 with the 2.0d engine:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110268...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111099...
I have a 140 2.0 CR TDI 2012 Touran on 75k miles.
Was shocked how rusty the rear sub frame looked when I bought it 2 yrs ago but I hit it with some black waxoyl and it hasn’t ever been mentioned at MOT.
I had to clean the EGR / anti-shudder diesel throttle this year (easy enough to DIY) and the previous owner had a big bill to replace gearbox and clutch (bad luck!).
It’s now wearing the inside edge of front tyres so perhaps needs new lower arms (annoying but fairly inexpensive, I believe).
It goes well though and we see high 50s mpg on long runs and with three good seats in the middle row the kids often prefer it over the Sonderklasse.
Does suffer a bit from condensation in the winter (carpets are never wet / not sure what the issue is as I try to keep the front drain holes clear).
Could it be the seal between the bottom of the windscreen and the plastic scuttle panel? Wiper arms would need to come off to replace that…
Was shocked how rusty the rear sub frame looked when I bought it 2 yrs ago but I hit it with some black waxoyl and it hasn’t ever been mentioned at MOT.
I had to clean the EGR / anti-shudder diesel throttle this year (easy enough to DIY) and the previous owner had a big bill to replace gearbox and clutch (bad luck!).
It’s now wearing the inside edge of front tyres so perhaps needs new lower arms (annoying but fairly inexpensive, I believe).
It goes well though and we see high 50s mpg on long runs and with three good seats in the middle row the kids often prefer it over the Sonderklasse.
Does suffer a bit from condensation in the winter (carpets are never wet / not sure what the issue is as I try to keep the front drain holes clear).
Could it be the seal between the bottom of the windscreen and the plastic scuttle panel? Wiper arms would need to come off to replace that…
I had older (2006) 1.9.
Engine was ok. Ours was sold at 140k with turbo and clutch on way out simultaneously, to a mechanic who fixed and ran it for his daughter for a few more years - and seemed to lose 20k miles a few years later... :whistles:
Very practical car in shape and capacity - excellent for family of 5 with bikes and canoes...
The rest of the car was the worst piece of 'disposable design' and cheapskate build I have ever owned. Serious issues over replacing boot struts (you end up either writing the car off or putting in rivnut mount, it ate suspension parts (TBF, we do drive on highland roads permantly), had no wiring for speakers in rear or towbar, the interior felt like and fell apart like our 1990's Peugeout 309, it started rusting like mad underneath and body at about at around 7 years old and VW were not interested in their paint warranty. Despite doing really good miles (20k+ a year) it also ate up DMF, DPF and EGR valves and had iffy brake pressure issue which cost a fortune for a remanufactured part.
It was the car that persuaded me that VW had lost the plot over build quality. Before the Touran we had a Passat Mk2 which was hewn from stone and easy to fix. The old MK 1 Yaris we had at same time and (replacement for Touran) Galaxy ran rings around the Touran in lower maintenance costs.
Engine was ok. Ours was sold at 140k with turbo and clutch on way out simultaneously, to a mechanic who fixed and ran it for his daughter for a few more years - and seemed to lose 20k miles a few years later... :whistles:
Very practical car in shape and capacity - excellent for family of 5 with bikes and canoes...
The rest of the car was the worst piece of 'disposable design' and cheapskate build I have ever owned. Serious issues over replacing boot struts (you end up either writing the car off or putting in rivnut mount, it ate suspension parts (TBF, we do drive on highland roads permantly), had no wiring for speakers in rear or towbar, the interior felt like and fell apart like our 1990's Peugeout 309, it started rusting like mad underneath and body at about at around 7 years old and VW were not interested in their paint warranty. Despite doing really good miles (20k+ a year) it also ate up DMF, DPF and EGR valves and had iffy brake pressure issue which cost a fortune for a remanufactured part.
It was the car that persuaded me that VW had lost the plot over build quality. Before the Touran we had a Passat Mk2 which was hewn from stone and easy to fix. The old MK 1 Yaris we had at same time and (replacement for Touran) Galaxy ran rings around the Touran in lower maintenance costs.
Mogul said:
I have a 140 2.0 CR TDI 2012 Touran on 75k miles.
Was shocked how rusty the rear sub frame looked when I bought it 2 yrs ago but I hit it with some black waxoyl and it hasn’t ever been mentioned at MOT.
I had to clean the EGR / anti-shudder diesel throttle this year (easy enough to DIY) and the previous owner had a big bill to replace gearbox and clutch (bad luck!).
It’s now wearing the inside edge of front tyres so perhaps needs new lower arms (annoying but fairly inexpensive, I believe).
It goes well though and we see high 50s mpg on long runs and with three good seats in the middle row the kids often prefer it over the Sonderklasse.
Does suffer a bit from condensation in the winter (carpets are never wet / not sure what the issue is as I try to keep the front drain holes clear).
Could it be the seal between the bottom of the windscreen and the plastic scuttle panel? Wiper arms would need to come off to replace that…
Same year as ours. Apart from an injector replaced foc under warranty it's been fine. Would have preferred smax but wife vetod. Was shocked how rusty the rear sub frame looked when I bought it 2 yrs ago but I hit it with some black waxoyl and it hasn’t ever been mentioned at MOT.
I had to clean the EGR / anti-shudder diesel throttle this year (easy enough to DIY) and the previous owner had a big bill to replace gearbox and clutch (bad luck!).
It’s now wearing the inside edge of front tyres so perhaps needs new lower arms (annoying but fairly inexpensive, I believe).
It goes well though and we see high 50s mpg on long runs and with three good seats in the middle row the kids often prefer it over the Sonderklasse.
Does suffer a bit from condensation in the winter (carpets are never wet / not sure what the issue is as I try to keep the front drain holes clear).
Could it be the seal between the bottom of the windscreen and the plastic scuttle panel? Wiper arms would need to come off to replace that…
If you have roof bars it could be that - we've had leaks on both sides. First new seals, second sealant.. fine since.
Edited by CzechRS on Wednesday 10th November 13:40
The now ex had a 55 plate 2.0tdi (would that make it a PD?).
Went well, had a nice torquey old school turbo feel about it.
Ate front suspension parts that needs replacing every MoT. Rear tyres also wore on the inside edge unusually quickly.
As a family tool I quite liked it. It did what we asked of it, was very economical, and just kept going.
I think it needed a clutch and DMF about about 120k, and at about 150k it started suffering from a hot start issue which I couldn’t be arsed to fix so we shifted it on.
Funnily enough I’m musing an MPV at the moment and a Touran is on the list of possibles, so it can’t have been all that bad.
Went well, had a nice torquey old school turbo feel about it.
Ate front suspension parts that needs replacing every MoT. Rear tyres also wore on the inside edge unusually quickly.
As a family tool I quite liked it. It did what we asked of it, was very economical, and just kept going.
I think it needed a clutch and DMF about about 120k, and at about 150k it started suffering from a hot start issue which I couldn’t be arsed to fix so we shifted it on.
Funnily enough I’m musing an MPV at the moment and a Touran is on the list of possibles, so it can’t have been all that bad.
We had a a Seat Alhambra 03 with the 1.9PD engine as a family wagon many years ago and it was superb.
Only issue in 3 years was a blown hose which stranded us when towing the caravan.
Fully loaded with 5 of us, canoe, bikes, 1500kgs caravan for 2 weeks in Devon it performed faultlessly.
Returned 45 mpg solo, did lots of school runs with no issue.
Ran it to 120k miles before trading it in for an XC90.
Only issue in 3 years was a blown hose which stranded us when towing the caravan.
Fully loaded with 5 of us, canoe, bikes, 1500kgs caravan for 2 weeks in Devon it performed faultlessly.
Returned 45 mpg solo, did lots of school runs with no issue.
Ran it to 120k miles before trading it in for an XC90.
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