Most reliable Vee-Dub Diesel?

woody33

We might be in the market for a VW diesel, '98 to 2002 ish, probably can't afford the PD ones anyway because they are newer and more expensive. There was a Bora 1600 petrol we liked a lot, but the deal has probably fallen through, so a diesel might suit her , if it wasn't too tractory like the two octavias we tried recently. Was the 110 hp diesel the last of the simple and bulletproof (ish) VWs? Refinement is lovely and all, but dear servicing would hurt and expensive repairs would be disastrous. Ta for any ideas.

kermitpwee

woody33 wrote: »

We might be in the market for a VW diesel, '98 to 2002 ish, probably can't afford the PD ones anyway because they are newer and more expensive. There was a Bora 1600 petrol we liked a lot, but the deal has probably fallen through, so a diesel might suit her , if it wasn't too tractory like the two octavias we tried recently. Was the 110 hp diesel the last of the simple and bulletproof (ish) VWs? Refinement is lovely and all, but dear servicing would hurt and expensive repairs would be disastrous. Ta for any ideas.

I think the 90bhp was still around then. Ya they would be reasonably reliable if looked after. I wouldn't say they would be bulletproof but there are so many of them about most mechanics can fix them. Can do the turbo and airmass flow meter probs pop up now and then. Wishbone suspension arms in the front that can be expensive to do for the nct. Nice cars to drive might be hard to get a clean one in your age bracket and Vw are expensive to buy for some reason. Stay away from pd's and the 6speed gearbox that goes with it.

The skoda diesel has the same unit as the VW and they do sound agricultural but that shouldnt put you off. I love the sound of the old diesels and if you have one and go petrol it can be hard to cope with the silence!

langdang

I thought the T-diddly PDs were the business, but the early 2.0CR were the ones to avoid?

PaulKK

The servicing won't be any more expensive than anything else, they only need semi synthetic oil and your hardly going to bring a 98 car to a main dealer!

I had a 98 90bhp one and to be quiet honest it was pretty bullet proof.

I would have no problem recommending one as long as you get one that was cared for.

kermitpwee

langdang wrote: »

I thought the T-diddly PDs were the business, but the early 2.0CR were the ones to avoid?

Pds are sweet car to drive, from your post I thought you wanted a low cost reliable vw 1.9 diesel. If you do then stay away from the Pd of your vintage!

woody33

I've had 2 Golf Mk2 1600 diesels, so I'm fairly used to the sound, but Mrs33 was very put off by the Octavias, though they were in rag order all round tbh. One of them made her feel ill...

The Dagda

langdang wrote: »

I thought the T-diddly PDs were the business, but the early 2.0CR were the ones to avoid?

Have they resolved the issues that seemed to plague the 2.0CR?

-Chris-

The OP won't get a 2.0CR at the age they're looking at, so probably a moot point.

Zonda999

Probably about to get linched for this but the non-turbo 1.9 SDi's are fairly reliable..

runs out of the building....

-Chris-

No need to run, if we're chasing you in an SDI you could probably get away with a mild saunter/slow jog.

woody33

Can anyone help me with a list of horsepower and TDI badge colours so I can tell which technology (and oil type) is used for each? Maybe even a noisyness factor too? Much obliged.

-Chris-

Virtually all the 1.9TDI engines will be equally noisy, ignore the "badge" system as it's never been that consistent (certainly not consistent enough to base a purchase on).

There's a sticker in the boot normally that will tell you the engine power. That's the only reading I'd trust other than the VLC or similar.

Oil type will be in the owners manual and probably shouldn't be factored into the buying process.

woody33

I was just thinking of oil type as an indication of how delicate the engine might be.

Zonda999

-Chris- wrote: »

No need to run, if we're chasing you in an SDI you could probably get away with a mild saunter/slow jog.

Haha, good response given the corsumstances!

woody33 wrote: »

Can anyone help me with a list of horsepower and TDI badge colours so I can tell which technology (and oil type) is used for each? Maybe even a noisyness factor too? Much obliged.

Yeah, as Chris says, the TDi badge colours are a stupid and confusing way of finding out the power output. For example, my 100bhp 2002 Bora has the D and I in red, whereas at the same time, the 130bhp variant had the same colours on the TDI badge, some odd technicality to do with the switch from direct injection to PD i'm told... Anyways If you are going to view a car, to get the true original power output, it gives the power in kW on a sticker thats in the spare wheel well. So that you know, a 90 TDi will say 66kW, a 100 TDI will say 74kW..

As for the VLC, i've actually seen that wrong once, it was an import though to be fair. It was a 90 passat that said 110 in the log book

Back to the original question, the more reliable TDi's in the Bora are probably the emore basic 90 and 110bhp variants. Like i said above, i have a 100bhp TDi and that version isn't recommended by me, thats for sure. Put it this way, if there was a choice between a 90 and a 100, i'd go for the 90..

kermitpwee

woody33 wrote: »

I've had 2 Golf Mk2 1600 diesels, so I'm fairly used to the sound, but Mrs33 was very put off by the Octavias, though they were in rag order all round tbh. One of them made her feel ill...

Loads of women drive diesel VW's round here and it doesn't bother them. Tell your missus she can't have it everyway, on second thoughts keep your mouth shut like the rest of us:D

On a serious note she will get used to it, tell her it will be lighter on fuel.

EPM

The Dagda wrote: »

Have they resolved the issues that seemed to plague the 2.0CR?

It was the 2 litre PD was the troublesome engine, the newer CR ones seem to be fine.

woody33

What was different about the 100hp ones?

Zonda999

woody33 wrote: »

What was different about the 100hp ones?

They were the newer PD engines at the time whereas the 90 and 110 units used the older direct injection tech

sean1141

it might also be worth looking for a seat leon/tolledo..
as said above badges are worthless for identifying engine power

The Dagda

EPM wrote: »

It was the 2 litre PD was the troublesome engine, the newer CR ones seem to be fine.

Which is the engine that is referenced constantantly about problem or failed DPF and DMF?

-Chris-

You'll only see DPFs on cars from the last few years, so that complaint would be mostly relating to (but not because of) the 2.0CR.

The Dagda

-Chris- wrote: »

You'll only see DPFs on cars from the last few years, so that complaint would be mostly relating to (but not because of) the 2.0CR.

What's the issue with the DPF? Any sign of a solution to the problem?

GTE

The 90hp AGR is a bulletproof engine. The 90hp ALH is also meant to be a tank but from what I read the AGR, being slightly older technology, proved itself to be rock solid over the years.

The 110hp engine, dont know the engine code, has a lot in common with the 90hp AGR and ALH. As far as I know the only big difference is that the ALH shares the same kind of turbo technology as the 110hp and the AGR has an older type so out of the three engines the AGR is the odd one out, being older.

These 90hp and 110hp engines are called VE TDI's.

Once you get into the next step up, which is the 130hp, you are into the the PD TDI which the problems start. Oil and bad maintenance reek havoc on these engines and I would always sketchy about them unless I know down right that they were taken care of very well.

Also I think if you find a 1.9tdi that is either 100 hp, 105 hp, 115hp, 130hp, 140hp or 150hp you are all in the PD zone. I can never remember the PD power outputs.

I am open for correction for all of that but essentially my point is if you want the most reliable TDI go for the VE TDI. Skoda, Seats and older VW's pretty commonly have them. The VE TDI's are 90hp and 110hp.

I think it is fair to say before 2000 the all silver TDI badge = 90, TDredI = 110 and TredDI = 130.
Once the PD's were introduced more so, so when the 115hp among others popped up, the VE's were still around so the red letter concept got very very complicated.

There should be a sticker in the boot under the carpet to tell you the engine code and power output. If you cant see that take a look at the engine bay and the black stickers in the top right of the bay (passenger side, at the window). The engine code should be printed on there with other letters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_discontinued_Volkswagen_Group_diesel_engines

Open that page up and search for the three letter code.

-Chris-

The Dagda wrote: »

What's the issue with the DPF? Any sign of a solution to the problem?

The problem is clogging up due to the DPF not getting a proper chance to regenerate.
It's mainly caused by people buying diesel cars and then using them for short journeys.
The solution is to change the VRT & Motor Tax system to stop incentivising people to drive diesels.