Best 4-cylinder diesel engine?...
Discussion
OM646 in a Mercedes W211 E-Class will do you 48mpg as an average on longer runs, plenty of waft, and feels good to drive. My 2006 model is now on 230k miles and it’s had nothing other than routine servicing in my ownership (the last 130k).
Cheap to service at an Indy (never even think about using a Mercedes dealer) and depreciation means that for £2k you’ll get a good one.
Not as fuel efficient as a VW but much tougher and you’ll probably never need to change the turbo etc. Cost per mile it’s the cheapest car I’ve ever owned.
Cheap to service at an Indy (never even think about using a Mercedes dealer) and depreciation means that for £2k you’ll get a good one.
Not as fuel efficient as a VW but much tougher and you’ll probably never need to change the turbo etc. Cost per mile it’s the cheapest car I’ve ever owned.
Edited by longblackcoat on Tuesday 7th July 20:10
longblackcoat said:
OM646 in a Mercedes W211 E-Class will do you 48mpg as an average on longer runs, plenty of waft, and feels good to drive. My 2006 model is now on 230k miles and it’s had nothing other than routine servicing in my ownership (the last 130k).
Cheap to service at an Indy (never even think about using a Mercedes dealer) and depreciation means that for £2k you’ll get a good one.
Not as fuel efficient as a VW but much tougher and you’ll probably never need to change the turbo etc. Cost per mile it’s the cheapest car I’ve ever owned.
Thanks, W211 is a really nice car regardless of engine really. Will add it to the shortlist!Cheap to service at an Indy (never even think about using a Mercedes dealer) and depreciation means that for £2k you’ll get a good one.
Not as fuel efficient as a VW but much tougher and you’ll probably never need to change the turbo etc. Cost per mile it’s the cheapest car I’ve ever owned.
Edited by longblackcoat on Tuesday 7th July 20:10
I have a 1.6 JTDM-2 Giulietta. Current calculated average is 51.4 mpg, with a fair chunk of city driving. When I have (or rather, had) the luxury of going to work on the motorway I reckon it would be up near 60. Car cost me £3 thousand and something.
And no, it hasn’t blown up and left me stranded. They have a few minor niggles that are well documented. Engines are strong if a bit rough.
Although, I’d look at the 2 litre personally, the increased boost pressure in Dynamic more can be amusing but the 1.6 is still pretty gutless, I do regret not sacrificing a few mpg for 140 or 170 bhp to be honest.
Anyway, if you must have a hatchback with a 4 pot diesel then you may as well get one that genuinely does raise a smile (mine sure does!).
And no, it hasn’t blown up and left me stranded. They have a few minor niggles that are well documented. Engines are strong if a bit rough.
Although, I’d look at the 2 litre personally, the increased boost pressure in Dynamic more can be amusing but the 1.6 is still pretty gutless, I do regret not sacrificing a few mpg for 140 or 170 bhp to be honest.
Anyway, if you must have a hatchback with a 4 pot diesel then you may as well get one that genuinely does raise a smile (mine sure does!).
clockworks said:
I had a Vectra with the 1.9 as a company car. It went back after 3 and a bit years with over 120k on the clock. I had no problems at all with it once they sorted out the fault it left the factory with - leaky inlet manifold that caused random limp home errors. Great engine, averaged a shade over 50mpg
This.I had the 1.9 150bhp with a Tuning Box fitted.
Probably the best day to day smallish engine
I've had. No major problems. Cheap to run 55-60mpg on a fastish run.
Loads of torque for overtaking.
Fiat engine I think?
When I saw the thread title, I did instantly think of the 1.9 PD TDI. There are more refined, powerful and characterful 4 banger diesels but I think as a unit it's pretty good. Reliability is a big factor.
It was in everything from an Ibiza to an A6 - ironically the Ibiza was the car given its largest ever (official) output of 160bhp in the Cupra TDI. Although, I recall the 150bhp in the Leon Cupra/FR and the Golf GTI TDI had issues with the clutch and all that power/torque. I think the best all rounder is the PD 130. I've seen multiple VAG cars in the trade with well over 200k - I once drove a 290k mile Passat 130 it still trundled along well.
It was in everything from an Ibiza to an A6 - ironically the Ibiza was the car given its largest ever (official) output of 160bhp in the Cupra TDI. Although, I recall the 150bhp in the Leon Cupra/FR and the Golf GTI TDI had issues with the clutch and all that power/torque. I think the best all rounder is the PD 130. I've seen multiple VAG cars in the trade with well over 200k - I once drove a 290k mile Passat 130 it still trundled along well.
Well when I got my pre-registered 123d in 2008 I would have said the BMW N47 twin-turbo in that!
201 bhp from a 4 cylinder diesel meant you got pretty much hot-hatch performance at the time, and overall mine averaged almost 49mpg over the 6+ years and 81K miles I had it. Only faults were a battery that didn't last 5 years and a starter motor that died after 6 years, but I think not turning off the stop-start function was responsible for their demise.
But by 2014 I wasn't doing enough miles to justify diesel and I fancied a change and had started reading about some owners suffering cam-chain issues. So my ongoing addiction to N/A straight 6 petrols began.
Saying that I'm sure plenty of N47s have racked up high mileages without chain problems as they were fitted to quite a few other BMW models, but not with twin-turbos.
The M47 engine in the 320td Compact it replaced was also pretty good with 150 bhp and nearly as good economy during my 3 years with it, plus they seem to have less serious problems and don't have a dpf.
201 bhp from a 4 cylinder diesel meant you got pretty much hot-hatch performance at the time, and overall mine averaged almost 49mpg over the 6+ years and 81K miles I had it. Only faults were a battery that didn't last 5 years and a starter motor that died after 6 years, but I think not turning off the stop-start function was responsible for their demise.
But by 2014 I wasn't doing enough miles to justify diesel and I fancied a change and had started reading about some owners suffering cam-chain issues. So my ongoing addiction to N/A straight 6 petrols began.
Saying that I'm sure plenty of N47s have racked up high mileages without chain problems as they were fitted to quite a few other BMW models, but not with twin-turbos.
The M47 engine in the 320td Compact it replaced was also pretty good with 150 bhp and nearly as good economy during my 3 years with it, plus they seem to have less serious problems and don't have a dpf.
The Mercedes 200 and 220 CDI are very impressive engines and have been around donkeys years, reliably smacking 250-300k miles with ease.
The b class 200cdi I had on loan for a month managed 65mpg driving from Leeds to Chertsey and back 4 times at -ahem- slightly above legal motorway speeds down the m1/m40. 2000 miles at 65mpg just can't be sniffed at.
Quiet once settled in to a cruise, but abit gruff when giving it some
Or the Volvo d4, properly good motor when strapped in a V50 or v60
The b class 200cdi I had on loan for a month managed 65mpg driving from Leeds to Chertsey and back 4 times at -ahem- slightly above legal motorway speeds down the m1/m40. 2000 miles at 65mpg just can't be sniffed at.
Quiet once settled in to a cruise, but abit gruff when giving it some
Or the Volvo d4, properly good motor when strapped in a V50 or v60
white_goodman said:
TCX said:
Vauxhall 1.7cdti 55/06
Don't think I've driven that one. The Mokka that I drove was a 1.6 CDTi I think. What did the 1.7 come in? The 1.9 CDTi of that era was problematic?In fairness it was rather tough!
white_goodman said:
A1VDY said:
There's only one, VW 1.9 PD.
Various power outputs, 100, 115, 130&150hp. They're all good. Be aware though that the 6 speed gearbox can be trouble some in some variants..
Remind me which ones got the 6-speed? The 130/150 mk4 Golfs IIRC but maybe not the B5 Passats (apart from the Sport)? My spec of choice for the Passat was the Highline. More comfortable seats than the Sport and didn't ground out as easily, albeit a bit floatier...Various power outputs, 100, 115, 130&150hp. They're all good. Be aware though that the 6 speed gearbox can be trouble some in some variants..
IIRC it's the 6th gear synchro which can cause issues.
The 130hp versions were the best all rounders, plenty of torque and without the slight lag of the 150 with the bigger turbo.
Agree with what some have said... the VAG 1.9tdi engine was very very good... in it’s time! Really reliable (except for one type that got a reputation for putting con rods through the block). I had an AHN 110bhp version in an A4. 50mpg all day long, torquey, and very reliable. However refined they were not, they were very agricultural by today’s standards.
The Vauxhall 1.9 I seem to remember was good in 120bhp flavour, but the 150 had a reputation for EGR issues.
I had a VAG 2.0tdi with 140bhp for a few years. Drove nicely with a really linear power delivery. I don’t recall having anything but routine maintenance on it, and took it from about 40k to 120k.
Don’t overlook the Volvo D5... yes it’s five cylinders. But if you get a late 2005/2006 car with the 163 bhp engine and a manual box you’ll be laughing. Loads of torque, and I couldn’t get mine below 50mpg, 60mpg was achievable on a run. For mpg avoid the later 185bhp as ironically the Euro compliance gubbins really knocked the mpg down to low to mid 40s. FWIW I’m on my 3rd D5, I love the blend of power and economy. Shame they’ve stopped making the 5 cylinder unit now. When mine dies I shall struggle to think of what to replace it with.
The Vauxhall 1.9 I seem to remember was good in 120bhp flavour, but the 150 had a reputation for EGR issues.
I had a VAG 2.0tdi with 140bhp for a few years. Drove nicely with a really linear power delivery. I don’t recall having anything but routine maintenance on it, and took it from about 40k to 120k.
Don’t overlook the Volvo D5... yes it’s five cylinders. But if you get a late 2005/2006 car with the 163 bhp engine and a manual box you’ll be laughing. Loads of torque, and I couldn’t get mine below 50mpg, 60mpg was achievable on a run. For mpg avoid the later 185bhp as ironically the Euro compliance gubbins really knocked the mpg down to low to mid 40s. FWIW I’m on my 3rd D5, I love the blend of power and economy. Shame they’ve stopped making the 5 cylinder unit now. When mine dies I shall struggle to think of what to replace it with.
Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff