Cheap and reliable diesel runabout

[funkyrobot]

I've been tasked with finding a cheap diesel runabout with a maxmimum budget of £1500. The car is to be used for the next year or so and needs to have room for a baby (currently being made, nice) and a bit of load lugging (although not necessarily at the same time).

For this budget i've found older diesel VAGs, such as the Octavia, old Merc W124's (which look really nice), Mondeos and an assortement of other things. Are those listed above a good buy?

The car itself doesn't need to be quick, just a bit of a bus really. VAG SDi any good and does anyone have any other suggestions?

Thinking a bit out of the box, would the trusty old Micra K11 do? I know it's not a diesel, but they are getting rave reviews on here . I'm sure you could fold down the back seats to fit stuff in, and put them back up for baby? Would be a good wildcard.

So far I've found this which seems quite a good buy:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...



Thanks.

Edited to add - diesel has been mentioned as the person involved thinks older petrol cars will self destruct.

Edited by funkyrobot on Monday 18th June 10:57

[ajb85]

Nice low miles but, £1300 for an M reg Mondeo? Really??
I have an 04 plate Alfa 156 2.4JTD I want to move on, running fine now with new belts, tensioner/pulleys/water pump etc but will need a clutch in the not too distant future (although fine as it is, assuming you don't drive it like an F1 car), £1500 would buy you that!

As for the Micra, there aren't many cars out there as cheap to run as a Micra, all the bits for them are cheap as chips! They do tend to rot underneath, though.

[Codswallop]

That Mondeo seems a tad overpriced imo. VAG 1.9 TDi is a good solid engine (although the 150bhp model is reportedly more fragile).

Check out a Seat Toledo as a cheaper alternative to the usual VAG suspects (it also has a very big boot as a bonus).

SDi VAGs aren't really worth the bother as economy is no better than a TDi, but they are very slow.

[EDLT]

Unless you do massive miles you'll be better off with a petrol, especially at this budget. Cheap diesels are usually knackered.

The Micra is good, also look for an old Suzuki Swift. I used to have one, it was deeply uncool but with the seats down you could fit a bike in the back without taking off the wheels, mine had air-con too. It got 55mpg when my dad drove it and it still managed 45mpg when a 19 year old me drove it

[funkyrobot]

[redacted]

[funkyrobot]

EDLT said:

Unless you do massive miles you'll be better off with a petrol, especially at this budget. Cheap diesels are usually knackered.

The Micra is good, also look for an old Suzuki Swift. I used to have one, it was deeply uncool but with the seats down you could fit a bike in the back without taking off the wheels, mine had air-con too. It got 55mpg when my dad drove it and it still managed 45mpg when a 19 year old me drove it

Believe me, I've gone through the whole mileage and petrol vs diesel debate . My friend is utterly convinced that old petrols are more unreliable that diesels.

[Beeby]

Codswallop said:

That Mondeo seems a tad overpriced imo. VAG 1.9 TDi is a good solid engine (although the 150bhp model is reportedly more fragile).

Check out a Seat Toledo as a cheaper alternative to the usual VAG suspects (it also has a very big boot as a bonus).

SDi VAGs aren't really worth the bother as economy is no better than a TDi, but they are very slow.

Exactly this. Why buy a Bora when the Toledo is the same thing but substantially cheaper?

[eltax91]

Octavia Diesel. go for an "SLX" TDi as it has the 110 bhp engine. These are bombproof, just buy one with FSH. Something similar to the below:-

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

• Reliable - Check
• Cheap to maintain - Check
• Pratical for bambinos - Check
• Under £1500 quid - EASY

[ajb85]

A booted Seat is always going to be great value, they're unloved!
If you fancy a bit more luxury then the D5 Volvo S60s are a very good buy, mpgs more high 40s than 50s though. Just a lot of car for the money.

[funkyrobot]

eltax91 said:

Octavia Diesel. go for an "SLX" TDi as it has the 110 bhp engine. These are bombproof, just buy one with FSH. Something similar to the below:-

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

• Reliable - Check
• Cheap to maintain - Check
• Pratical for bambinos - Check
• Under £1500 quid - EASY

Thanks.

[funkyrobot]

ajb85 said:

A booted Seat is always going to be great value, they're unloved!
If you fancy a bit more luxury then the D5 Volvo S60s are a very good buy, mpgs more high 40s than 50s though. Just a lot of car for the money.

Thanks.

I was looking at Volvos last week for myself. Ended up reading about the dreaded 'ETM' issue that they seem to be prone to though. I know every car has its faults and you won't always get a lemon, but it did make me think.

[funkyrobot]

Just found this:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...



Not sure which engine is in this without researching though.

Ah, looks like the trusty old 110.

[_Nathan_]

funkyrobot said:

Thanks.

I was looking at Volvos last week for myself. Ended up reading about the dreaded 'ETM' issue that they seem to be prone to though. I know every car has its faults and you won't always get a lemon, but it did make me think.

Only affects pre 2002 cars, and never the D5.

[thescamper]

Rover 45, cheap as chips and very reliable.

[ajb85]

thescamper said:

Rover 45, cheap as chips and very reliable.

• shudders*

[frosted]

Vag sdi engines have no turbos, so one less thing to go wrong

[Bill]

EDLT said:

Unless you do massive miles you'll be better off with a petrol, especially at this budget. Cheap diesels are usually knackered.

And turbos, DMFs, injectors etc aren't cheap. We got a spotless petrol Mazda 6 estate recently for £1800: 80k, 9 years old, FSH, chain driven cam etc. If I was you I'd just look locally at cheap petrol "whatever".

[funkyrobot]

Bill said:

And turbos, DMFs, injectors etc aren't cheap. We got a spotless petrol Mazda 6 estate recently for £1800: 80k, 9 years old, FSH, chain driven cam etc. If I was you I'd just look locally at cheap petrol "whatever".

Believe me, if it was myself i'd be looking at petrol cars. It isn't for me though

Thanks.

[Bill]

funkyrobot said:

Believe me, if it was myself i'd be looking at petrol cars. It isn't for me though

Thanks.

You can lead a horse to water... Have you tried showing her a load of 15 year old diesel taxis with an 8 year old spotless petrol car "accidentally" inserted into the mix?

[Pontoneer]

funkyrobot said:

I've been tasked with finding a cheap diesel runabout with a maxmimum budget of £1500. The car is to be used for the next year or so and needs to have room for a baby (currently being made, nice) and a bit of load lugging (although not necessarily at the same time).

For this budget i've found older diesel VAGs, such as the Octavia, old Merc W124's (which look really nice), Mondeos and an assortement of other things. Are those listed above a good buy?

The car itself doesn't need to be quick, just a bit of a bus really. VAG SDi any good and does anyone have any other suggestions?

Thinking a bit out of the box, would the trusty old Micra K11 do? I know it's not a diesel, but they are getting rave reviews on here . I'm sure you could fold down the back seats to fit stuff in, and put them back up for baby? Would be a good wildcard.

So far I've found this which seems quite a good buy:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...



Thanks.

Edited to add - diesel has been mentioned as the person involved thinks older petrol cars will self destruct.

Edited by funkyrobot on Monday 18th June 10:57

W124 all day long .

I recently bought 1999 E250D on a S plate ( one of the late registered ones from India ) for £500 . It has just turned 100K but feels barely run in . I had to put four tyres and a battery on it because it had been standing for two years , along with a rear exhaust section and two subframe bushes ( these came with the car and were the reason it had been laid up ) . For a total outlay of around £800 and a weekend of my time I have a very smart and tidy car in Azurite Blue with grey leather ( not Tex as in many Indian cars ) and working air-con . The car is now ready for MOT which should get done in a week or two . I'm not a fan of Diesels , but that seemed too good a bargain to pass up , and I need something to run for a few weeks until I fit the LPG kit I bought for my 500 .

Best not mention to your petrol hating friend about my other cars , past and present

W124 300TE-24 with 430K
W124 300TE with 200K
W126 500SEL with 240K
W126 280SE with 160K
W201 190E2.6 with 150K
W201 190E with 180K
W123 280TE with 220K
W123 280CE with 180K
W116 280SE with 230K
W114 280E with 270K
W115 220/8 with 150K

Plus numerous others which have passed briefly through my hands .

Oh , and the exception , W105 219 with 40K

The majority of the miles on these cars have been mine since I tend to buy them with circa 100K on , at which point the prices drop substantially ( I seldom pay more than a grand for a car ) and all have been very reliable with proper DIY maintenance done by myself . Not one of these cars has ever seen me stranded anywhere ; the handful of breakdowns in the last 30 years have been minor things I have fixed at the roadside ( fanbelts a couple of times , two dizzy caps ( M103 both times ) gear linkage which came apart , breather hose which popped off an inlet manifold - no major breakdowns at all .