Best 2nd Hand Diesel 2002-2006

potsy11

Hi Guys,

I am looking at buying a second hand diesel car. I do alot of miles weekly due to work and need a car that has alot of bang for its buck. I had an auto VW passat that just swallowed petrol.

Can anyone recomend a reliable diesel? I heard BMW are good but tend to be un-reliable.

YR range is 02-06
Engine size does not matter
Price range 5k-10k

Thanks in advance for all your advice!

Potsy

Lex Luthor

I'll put a tenner on you get more recommendations for the Octavia than any others?

JHMEG

If engines size doesn't matter I'd put a tenner on the Honda Accord being the most recommended.

_Kaiser_

potsy11 wrote: »

Hi Guys,

I am looking at buying a second hand diesel car. I do alot of miles weekly due to work and need a car that has alot of bang for its buck. I had an auto VW passat that just swallowed petrol.

Can anyone recomend a reliable diesel? I heard BMW are good but tend to be un-reliable.

YR range is 02-06
Engine size does not matter
Price range 5k-10k

Thanks in advance for all your advice!

Potsy

Well I know it's not on your list but I've owned 2 diesel auto Passat's (a 2002 1.9 and now a 2006 2.0 DSG), and I find both of them very economical.

spank_inferno

Lex Luthor wrote: »

I'll put a tenner on you get more recommendations for the Octavia than any others?

Mus....nt recommend Oct...avia!!! </strain>

thirdmantackle

Octavia.

There, deed done

bookerboy

I just changed from a 2 litre petrol Mondeo to a 2 litre tdci
Fuel consumption down by about 50% No change in performance,just a beautifull drive.
I got a stunning panter black '03 model with 50,000 miles on the clock.
I paid near €7K to get a really good one and so far so good.

GERMAN ROCKS

peugeot 406 or citroen c5 with a bullet proof 2.0hdi engine

fatboymsport

i have a 01 avensis 5 years now when i bought it i was doing 1000 miles a week nearly. I got near 50mpg and i drive it hard all the time.

It has cost me next to nothing i did all the brakes and front disc's when i bought it. it had 67k on it then.

i also did the front shocks as the seemed soft there was nothing wrong with them I just wanted new ones.

only major issue was the dualmass fly wheel which i replaced with the solid type.

car has nearly 190k miles on it now and it is still flying.

the snobs on here all hate avensis's but it is bullet proof and does everything it should.

misses has a 02 octavia td and it is a pos to drive its as soft only good thing is it has way better brakes than the avensis.

Biro

Honda Accord. There! Job done!

Lex Luthor

neck & neck with the octavia & accord
spank inferno wants to recommend the octavia though

EPM

Just to be awkward...Skoda............................Superb 1.9 tdi 130 if a little bit of racket doesn't bother you.

BMW's are ok, 320d would be a good buy. Models built up to Sept 2003 (open to correction) had turbo problems. If you can find one built after that date or that has had it's turbo replaced you should be ok

richiepoorman

Mondeo 2.0 (130hp) tdci great car and plenty of cheap ones in North/ UK.:)

kluivert

Just to be different........Vauxhall Astra 1.9l 6 speed - 150bhp version.

or

1. Ford Mondeo TDCI 130bhp 6 speed.
2. Skoda Octavia 2l 140bhp TDi 6 speed.

potsy11

Guys this is great info.

I actually thought there would be one or two cars that would stand out from the rest.

Surprised that BMW 320D was only mentioned once, no mention of the A4 D either.

Hmmmm....now, which one to go for???

Potsy

bazz26

OP, what size car are you looking at? I.e. would something like a Ford Focus size car be too small?

colm_mcm

Oh yeah. let's not forget the Focus

Surprised all the Golfers haven't said their piece yet

rabbitinlights

I'm pretty much in the same position and will be buying in the next 2-3 months. I just find mondeos, accords, octavias etc soooo boring and soul destroying to drive and look at. Would a low millage (<60k) 2002(ish) 520d be madness for around 7-10k? I would be doing around 30,000 kms a year for work. Any leftfield options?

bazz26

colm_mcm wrote: »

Oh yeah. let's not forget the Focus

Surprised all the Golfers haven't said their piece yet

Actually I was going to suggest a Volvo S40, that is why I used the Focus size example.

Robbo

rabbitinlights wrote: »

I'm pretty much in the same position and will be buying in the next 2-3 months. I just find mondeos, accords, octavias etc soooo boring and soul destroying to drive and look at. Would a low millage (<60k) 2002(ish) 520d be madness for around 7-10k? I would be doing around 30,000 kms a year for work. Any leftfield options?

You won't find the 2 litre diesel engine in the E39 5-Series.

rabbitinlights

Sorry, 525 tds or 530d.

HashSlinging

rabbitinlights wrote: »

I'm pretty much in the same position and will be buying in the next 2-3 months. I just find mondeos, accords, octavias etc soooo boring and soul destroying to drive and look at. Would a low millage (<60k) 2002(ish) 520d be madness for around 7-10k? I would be doing around 30,000 kms a year for work. Any leftfield options?

Agree with the rep mobiles being soul destroying, what about Something different?

Biro

rabbitinlights wrote: »

I'm pretty much in the same position and will be buying in the next 2-3 months. I just find mondeos, accords, octavias etc soooo boring and soul destroying to drive and look at. Would a low millage (<60k) 2002(ish) 520d be madness for around 7-10k? I would be doing around 30,000 kms a year for work. Any leftfield options?

A 520d isn't exactly a fire-breathing track monster either.

rabbitinlights

Biro wrote: »

A 520d isn't exactly a fire-breathing track monster either.

No but it certainly doesn't make you want to loose the will to live when you are walking back to your car. As much as I know a mondeo and avensis are great cars (Dad has a d4d, few friends have mondeos) I just think for the sake of a few years older you could get a nicer mile muncher that you actually like.

S.

potsy11

bazz26 wrote: »

OP, what size car are you looking at? I.e. would something like a Ford Focus size car be too small?

A focus may be too small. I do a lot of Triathlon so I'd need a boot to put my bike carrier on.

I am on a slippery slope at the moment...previous cars

BMW 318i
BMW 320i
BMW 328CI
VW Passat 1.8 Auto Petrol... I bought this thinking i'd save a few bob on fuel...how wrong i was...

xbmc

2003 E220 .. I love it .. LOVE it

shawnee

Have a focus tdci 115bhp, great car has 140k on it and is ultra reliable. Thought about changing it for a merc c220 or e220 but get nothing but iffy reliability reports from both. Reliablility is certainly number one for me particularily with the charges these main dealers come up with. Like the rest I hear all good reports about the Octavia and I drove the 05 Passat and was impressed. For the moment it is still the Focus Ghia.;)

pred racer

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

peugeot 406 or citroen c5 with a bullet proof 2.0hdi engine

+1

the c5 has a huge boot too.