1.4 to recommend?

Crann na Beatha

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Golf 1.4 tsi GT is a good car.

gs300

The golf us a nice car

I drive a 08 Seat Leon 1.4 tsi and it's great havent had a problem

I get about 350km for half a tank which is about €50 @ 148.9lt

TestTransmission

A budget would be help OP

Crann na Beatha

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dr.fuzzenstein

I'd say that anything Focus or Golf sized with a 1.4 is going to be pretty wheezy and underpowered.
Only here would people think of buying a 1.4 petrol Passat, it's just a joke.
Go one size below Golf size, Polo, Fiesta, etc...
I'm sure that there's something lively and Japanese to be had, but in a Golf or Focus you will only hold up the motorway at 40 km/h, the top speed of any such a vehicle, well it might reach 100, but from Dublin not before Naas, probably Kildare.

JerCotter7

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

I'd say that anything Focus or Golf sized with a 1.4 is going to be pretty wheezy and underpowered.
Only here would people think of buying a 1.4 petrol Passat, it's just a joke.
Go one size below Golf size, Polo, Fiesta, etc...
I'm sure that there's something lively and Japanese to be had, but in a Golf or Focus you will only hold up the motorway at 40 km/h, the top speed of any such a vehicle, well it might reach 100, but from Dublin not before Naas, probably Kildare.

1.4 TSI golf is fairly good. Wouldn't go NA petrol though.

jaffa20

I'd say Civic. Should get a decent one for under 3k.

Wheety

I recently bought a 1.4 Fiesta. It's fairly nippy and can handle motorway speeds no problem.

Alanstrainor

Wheety wrote: »

I recently bought a 1.4 Fiesta. It's fairly nippy and can handle motorway speeds no problem.

If you're going the fiesta route i'd get the 1.25 tbh.

YouTookMyName

Veles wrote: »

3 k tops

1.4 Corolla.

dr.fuzzenstein

jaffa20 wrote: »

I'd say Civic. Should get a decent one for under 3k.

Second that!
Life should be more interesting in one of those as opposed to a Golf or Focus, be the first to buck the trend of buying the biggest car with the smallest engine you can find!
If the Audi Q7 was available with a 1.4 petrol and a 1.6 diesel they would sell a million in a week!
And how about this:
The BMW 514:
Non metallic paint, no aircon ,no sat-nav, steel rims, 165 tyres, cloth seats, non motorised windows in the back, untinted glass, cassette radio and a clock.
Knock 5% off the price of a 520d and it would sell like hot cakes.
Engine sizes really should read:
Small: 1.0 onwards
Mid: 1.4-onwards
Large: 1-6 to wherever
Anything bigger or sportier: Don't bother below 2.0, but really buy a 2.5 if you want to be taken seriously.
In Ireland:
Any car: "Can I get a 1.4 in that?" "Sir, this is an A8", "yeah, does it come with a 1.4?"

Lex Luthor

would the OP get a Hyundai i30 for that money?

vectra

As said above. Get a civic

omb0wyn5ehpij9

jaffa20 wrote: »

I'd say Civic. Should get a decent one for under 3k.

Beat me to it. Was going to say the same.

Or else, as suggested, a Corolla

Nonoperational

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

I'd say that anything Focus or Golf sized with a 1.4 is going to be pretty wheezy and underpowered.
Only here would people think of buying a 1.4 petrol Passat, it's just a joke.
Go one size below Golf size, Polo, Fiesta, etc...
I'm sure that there's something lively and Japanese to be had, but in a Golf or Focus you will only hold up the motorway at 40 km/h, the top speed of any such a vehicle, well it might reach 100, but from Dublin not before Naas, probably Kildare.

The 1.4 TSI passat is 120bhp and does 0-60 in 10 seconds flat. What's wrong with that?

Exaggerate much?

Leonard Hofstadter

Any particular reason it has to be a little 1.4?

A 1.4 in a Focus/Golf etc will be extremely slow and will guzzle fuel on a motorway because they are so underpowered; while a 1.4 in a Fiesta or Corsa will be quick enough and a lot more economical at higher speeds, they are incredibly rare in Ireland and cars from the class below are not as comfortable or as quiet as the larger cars.

A 1.4 Corolla is a dreadful car to drive - I had the displeasure of driving one last year and aside from the engine, which is really good for performance despite its small capacity, I cannot think of anything positive to say about one.

The VVTis, especially the older models, love to burn oil at higher mileage and Toyota does not make the most durable of gearboxes - the bearings can give up the ghost.

A 1.6 Focus will be comfortable and economical, while being powerful enough to hack it on the motorway, as well as being impressively reliable.

bazz26

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

I'd say that anything Focus or Golf sized with a 1.4 is going to be pretty wheezy and underpowered.
Only here would people think of buying a 1.4 petrol Passat, it's just a joke.
Go one size below Golf size, Polo, Fiesta, etc...
I'm sure that there's something lively and Japanese to be had, but in a Golf or Focus you will only hold up the motorway at 40 km/h, the top speed of any such a vehicle, well it might reach 100, but from Dublin not before Naas, probably Kildare.

A 1.4 litre Passat has 122bhp which is more than the 1.6 litre that it replaced. Not a fan of the Passat but drove a 1.4 TSi and it was lively enough despite the bulk of the body. Anyway this car is well outside the OP's budget.

Ardennes1944

id have a 1.4 astra tbh. 88bhp making it a good bit faster than other 1.4s, reliable and very good handling

bazz26

Deutschlandfürimmer7 wrote: »

id have a 1.4 astra tbh. 88bhp making it a good bit faster than other 1.4s, reliable and very good handling

1.4 litre Astras in the OP's price range blow head gaskets frequently though.

bazz26

bazz26 wrote: »

1.4 litre Astras in the OP's price range blow head gaskets frequently though.

....... and they are belt snappers.

Ardennes1944

not at all, i sold my 04 astra for 3300,the z14 engines are very good. change the timing belt every 40k miles and the belt will be fine. people always overlook opel cars on this forum but they are good solid cars.

Not bad cars at all, I spent 3 months in the 1.6 ones back in 2003. 40k miles is a tad frequent for belt changing though, that's Alfa territory, they were 60k initially though weren't they

Wouldn't be overly concerned about them being overlooked on here tbh.

Ardennes1944

yeah they were 80k miles first, then 60, then 40 :pac: ive read of many people going to 60k and beyond with no trouble but better to stay safe.

it irks me somewhat that they are overlooked, i really dont know why as theres nothing too apparent.

Deutschlandfürimmer7

Deutschlandfürimmer7 wrote: »

.........

it irks me somewhat that they are overlooked, i really dont know why as theres nothing too apparent.

Most folk wouldn't know that the 1.4 is as sprightly as it is so they'd reckon it's as gutless as a 1.4 Golf or Focus me thinks, without the pull of the badge of course.

The_Honeybadger

gpf101 wrote: »

The 1.4 TSI passat is 120bhp and does 0-60 in 10 seconds flat. What's wrong with that?

Exaggerate much?

I've driven one of those and it is very nippy, seemed like an excellent drive although I only had it for an hour or so. Certainly didn't seem underpowered to me.

T2daK

bazz26 wrote: »

1.4 litre Astras in the OP's price range blow head gaskets frequently though.

Excuse me.

I have a 1.4 astra

202k currently have had it for 3 years,about 300 spent on it standard repairs.

economical and pokey.

going like a rocket

Leonard Hofstadter

T2daK wrote: »

Excuse me.

I have a 1.4 astra

202k currently have had it for 3 years,about 300 spent on it standard repairs.

economical and pokey.

going like a rocket

Nothing like the "mine's fine so they're all fine" attitude:rolleyes:!

Ardennes1944

captainspeed wrote: »

Nothing like the "mine's fine so they're all fine" attitude:rolleyes:!

dont see a problem with him voicing his first hand experience experience with his car, albeit in a defensive manner

bazz26

T2daK wrote: »

Excuse me.

I have a 1.4 astra

202k currently have had it for 3 years,about 300 spent on it standard repairs.

economical and pokey.

going like a rocket

And my family had a few of them over the years, with head gaskets replaced on all but one I think. Just because it doesn't happen to all of them doesn't mean it is not a problem with them.

Ardennes1944

were they xe engines out of honest interest?

bazz26

No idea to be honest, not too savy on Opel engines, one was a 98 the other a 01.

Ardennes1944

both xe so, ze came in for 03/04. OP would have a large choice of the latter for 3k

David09

As a car, the astra is very well built and a comfortable place to be.
Sadly what's under the bonnet is a letdown in reliability terms. Personally I couldn't buy one to trust that it wouldn't give hassle.
On the flipside, I found the 1.4 to be very economical.

Slightly o/t, if I was buying an astra in particular, I'd investigate the diesel. I've no idea what they're like but perhaps are more reliable than the 1.4 lump.

bazz26

1.7 TD is an Isuzu unit afaik.

Ardennes1944

an unrefined but simple and reliable unit for the most part. the biggest annoyance i have with the ecotec engines is their natural tappet noise...always sounds like eveything isnt 100%!

T2daK

T2daK wrote: »

Excuse me.

I have a 1.4 astra

202k currently have had it for 3 years...........

HG might have been replaced before you owned it :P

W.Shakes-Beer

As said, the Z series Opel engines are much better than the X series. The 1.4 is pokey but as said I've heard of HG problems.

Going to defend Opel here, they seem to get slated by the badge snobs, the type who think the 1.4 Golf is any more reliable than the Astra, and anything nor VAG or Jap = ****. It's all about how a car is looked after, every car can go tits up. If you want a real solid engine in an Opel go for the Z18 versions or if you want fun a Z20let :cool: Sorry for going OT

W.Shakes-Beer

bazz26 wrote: »

1.7 TD is an Isuzu unit afaik.

Izuzu lump was used up til about 1995/96 and was replaced by a GM 1.7 which was **** compared to it.

The Izuzu lumps are bulletproof!