[martydunf]

Im considering changing my current golf(90bhp) tdi for the (ideally) 150bhp one. I believe they are rare enough but I might settle for the 130 bhp if it comes down to it. Or maybe I should just stick with the 1 I have?
I was just wondering would I be getting roughly the same mpg out the 150 golf that im currently getting out of the 90 bhp 1? maybe slightly less?
Would there be a fairly big improvement performance-wise....acceleration etc?
I know the 90 bhp is fairly nippy but is the 150bhp that much faster?
If someone can give me a rough idea of what to expect,how they differ and if their worth the higher price I'd apperciate it thanks in advance.

[tossy]

firstly on the mpg issue the newer mk4 golf enignes i.e the 100 bhp,130bhp and 150bhp are PD(pump dusse engnies) these engines are more powerful and nippier but the are not as economical as the older non PD engines like the 90bhp you have.

If i was in your situation i would actually go for a well minded UK 130pd one,the 150 suffers from serious turbo lag and the engine isnt as reliable as the 130,a 130 will remap to 170 easily and reliably.

If you do go for a 150 one i would still go to the UK for 2 main reasons

1. there are countless golfs been advertised on carzone etc as being 150s that are not 150bhp golfs

2. most of the ones that are actually 150s are uk cars originally and VAG TDIs are noe of the msot clocked cars out there.

Also dont buy into any of this GT TDI sh!te,there is no such thing,get yuorself a nice highline well specced up example and you have yourself a mystical GT TDI.

Dont pay attention to the rear badges either the only true indication of power is the sticker in the log book or boot,150 bhp should be 110kw.

If you are hell bent on getting a 150 then i would look into getting a diesel anniversay golf very limited in numbers and alot nicer,it comes with bigger wheels,bigger brakes,nice understated bodykit,proper recaro seats (thats another thing diesel golfs on carzone with standard VW highlin seats being advertised as having recaro seats!) brushed alu trim,bespoke steering wheel etc.

[Ferris]

Originally Posted by martydunf

Im considering changing my current golf(90bhp) tdi for the (ideally) 150bhp one. I believe they are rare enough but I might settle for the 130 bhp if it comes down to it. Or maybe I should just stick with the 1 I have?
I was just wondering would I be getting roughly the same mpg out the 150 golf that im currently getting out of the 90 bhp 1? maybe slightly less?
Would there be a fairly big improvement performance-wise....acceleration etc?
I know the 90 bhp is fairly nippy but is the 150bhp that much faster?
If someone can give me a rough idea of what to expect,how they differ and if their worth the higher price I'd apperciate it thanks in advance.

Another issue with the pd 150 (and to a lesser extent all PD units) is that they wear camshafts and hydraulic tappets if they haven't been fed the correct VW approved grade of oil. You will usually only get this from a car with a VW service history. I've heard of guys who change the oil in PD150's every 6-7k which would be a pain.

[tossy]

I would be changing the oil that often in any diesel once it gets over a certain age.

[martydunf]

thanks for the advice lads. I didnt realise that about the 150 bhp engine. Id be more swayed now towards the 130bhp after reading the above. Il have a look in the UK and see what they have to offer.

[Ferris]

Originally Posted by tossy

I would be changing the oil that often in any diesel once it gets over a certain age.

Its the grade which matters to the PD diesels (and most modern diesels to be fair). You cant just take it to your local backstreet mechanic as most will just fill it with 10W-40 semi synthetic unless you tell them otherwise.

I believe that castrol edge (fully syn) oils have the standard printed on the container. The number begins with 505.01 I believe but it should be in the manual. VW call it a long-life oil.

[Bearcat]

all of the above advice is spot on.....well done chaps.

[Biro]

Originally Posted by martydunf

Would there be a fairly big improvement performance-wise....acceleration etc?
I know the 90 bhp is fairly nippy but is the 150bhp that much faster?

The 90bhp might be nippy to you but in reality it's fairly slow. The 130 would mop the floor with it, let alone the 150. Follow the advice above, it's bang on. If you get a well maintained 150 from the UK go for it, if it's proving hard to find, get the 130. Keep that expensive Castrol oil in it.

[Bearcat]

and if you ever come across 03 D 150 buy it.. A silver 4 door Tdi 150...I minded that machine like a baby.

[omega man]

I had the 150 TDI in the Leon and i must say it did not suffer 'Serious' turbo lag as suggested above. In saying that you will find more of a choice and spec with the 130 model. If you are lucky enough to find a nice 150 then go for it. Remaps nicely to 180 at the least.

[FX Meister]

does the gt tdi not come with tacky wood finish like the gti and also montreal alloys?

Originally Posted by tossy

Also dont buy into any of this GT TDI sh!te,there is no such thing,get yuorself a nice highline well specced up example and you have yourself a mystical GT TDI

[Clare_Guy]

Originally Posted by tossy

firstly on the mpg issue the newer mk4 golf enignes i.e the 100 bhp,130bhp and 150bhp are PD(pump dusse engnies) these engines are more powerful and nippier but the are not as economical as the older non PD engines like the 90bhp you have.

If i was in your situation i would actually go for a well minded UK 130pd one,the 150 suffers from serious turbo lag and the engine isnt as reliable as the 130,a 130 will remap to 170 easily and reliably.

I had a 3dr Golf Tdi 150 from 03 to 05 and have driven many vw diesels, tdi 90, 110 and currently drive an A4 with Tdi 130 and i have to say that the Tdi 150 in the golf was easily the best one i've driven with the least lag, most flexibility and best economy. The engine is the star in the golf iv range. It's not just a remapped special but a comprehensively re-engineered and stronger engine. I have several magazines that have tested standard Tdi 150 golfs and apparently the actual bhp output is approx 180bhp...

Here's just one roadtest report i could find on the car and i'd agree completely with it;

If we'd included this Golf in last month's group test with the Civic Type-R and Clio 172, rather than the 170bhp V5 model, Volkswagen would have enjoyed a better result. Its official designation is still to be decided but will probably be something clumsy like Golf GT TDI PD 150, which means that it's a turbo diesel injection with Pump Duse technology (VW's integrated pump and injector for each cylinder), GTI specification, and 150bhp.

Yup, 150bhp, the same as VW's petrol-fired 1.8-litre 20v turbo. Now consider that the 1.9-litre diesel produces that power as merely the happy by-product of the torque it develops, which is immense. It's got more torque than a Porsche Boxster S, a V6 Clio or an Impreza Turbo, a hefty 235lb ft to be precise, which it delivers at just 1900rpm. And it weighs less than any of them.

As we've often said, in general driving it's torque that makes the wheels go around and with so much on offer from so few revs, this Golf really flies. Traction control is standard, and rather busy in the wet. Don't be fooled by VW's claimed 0-62mph of 8.6sec (say 0-60 in 8.4), which makes it appear slower than the 1.8T and V5 (in our hands they've managed 0-60s of 7.8 and 7.6sec respectively), because we're certain that they'd both get flamed by the new diesel on any give-and-take road.

The hike from the previous model's 130bhp to 150bhp, and from 228 to 235lb ft is down to three main factors; a bigger boost from the variable-vane turbo, a more efficient intercooler and a better design of injector nozzle which results in a more efficient mixture burn. So despite the unit's increased output, the official economy figures are little different to the less potent TDI's. To cope with the increased loads there are stronger con-rods and the pistons have been redesigned, too.

The other reason that the newest diesel Golf has little to fear from the hot petrol versions is that, as mentioned, it has full GTI specification; slightly wider rims with wider and lower tyres (205/55 versus 195/65) and lower, stiffer suspension. Compared with the impressive 115bhp version we ran a while back, the 150 tacks into corners with more precision, maintains its secure balance even if the corner is bumpy and generally feels sharper and more poised. Even deep compressions that would have the 115's nose sproinging on rebound don't faze it, yet the ride is still very supple.

A six-speed 'box is standard but the 150 TDI doesn't really need it. Its engine has such a spread of performance it could make do with three ί¿½ there is such substantial urge from little more than tickover to right up against the governor at 5000rpm. This is no narrow power-band turbo engine.

In ultra-long-striding sixth, every 1000rpm is worth about 33mph, so an 80mph cruise is achieved at a loping 2500rpm. Economy is predictably excellent. You'd get less than 25mpg from a hard-driven V5 or 1.8T but even using all the 150's grunt all the time you'll see over 40mpg. With a light foot mid- to high-50s are entirely feasible. The only downside we noticed compared with the 115 is noise at idle, especially from cold, the 150 is much more the traditional rattly old derv-drinker.

Pricing is still to be absolutely determined but we're told to expect a premium of about 1400 over the next most powerful version, the PD 130, which means around 17,500. A chunk of that premium is accounted for by the GTI-spec, which also provides tasteful black wood trim. The BBS 'RS2' alloys shown on our test car are a 595 option (as they are on the 16,425 1.8T).

If VW wants a suggestion for the badging of this remarkable diesel, I reckon something simple and no-nonsense will do, such as 'GTI'. At the very least it would keep pursuing hot hatch drivers happy...

[Ferris]

Originally Posted by tossy

Also dont buy into any of this GT TDI sh!te,there is no such thing,get yuorself a nice highline well specced up example and you have yourself a mystical GT TDI.

Whats that mate, like this 'mystical' GT TDI on adverts.
http://www.adverts.ie/showcat.php?cat=500&ppuser=70560

Sorry Tossy but you've roasted me so many times over this I just couldn't resist when I came across this. I sold mine as a GT Tdi too.

[frag4]

I agree with Clare guy the 150 is your man.
I had a 130 and it was great
My brother had a 150 gt tdi and it was magic so much so that he is think of going back