Economical (and cheap) diesels

ldxo15wus6fpgm

Looking at getting my 1st car on the road (not my first car though )
I'm looking for a fairly small diesel engine. Power isn't a big concern, if it's there then great, but if not it's no big deal once I'm not revving the nuts out of it to keep pace on a motorway.
I need something that's cheap, basically. My biggest concern is insurance prices. I don't mind paying an extra few bob on the car if it's better for insurance.

I was looking at a 318 tds - I would have thought seeing as it's a small enough engine for a diesel and is fairly slow the price would have been reasonable but It's around €2000 for a year on TPFT. That's about twice the price of the car itself.
I'm 20 and got my full license during the summer. I've got named driver experience but only 8 months of it.

I know you guys can't tell me prices for insurance but I'm sure different cars are in different insurance categories like the way they do bikes - has anyone got any suggestions for a diesel that might be a bit cheaper on insurance?

Thanks in advance

problemchimp

I'm not well up on insurance prices for your age group but as regards a diesel car, try to avoid a car with a diesel particulate filter, it'll break your heart and costs thousands to replace. Kia do a great diesel engine, and a second hand one may still be under warranty as the warranty is normally 7 years.

Max Power1

Rover 75 Diesel

Its the same engine as a 320d, but without the insurance loading (and half the price)

BostonB

Many Opels and Fiats have a 1.3 CDTI engine. Cheap to insure, tax and buy. Many with a 6 speed box for the motorway. Someone in the family has a Astra with it, great cruiser. But you have to work the gears to stay in the narrow power band. Power falls off a cliff if you get the wrong gear and wrong part of the rev range. Stay in the right gear and right rev's and its nippy enough.

If you're used to something torquey you might struggle to get used to it. Someone used to peaky small engine wouldn't have a problem.

ldxo15wus6fpgm

While I did say I wouldn't mind paying an extra few bob I didn't mean an extra 3 grand, all the kias are too new. The rover 75 insurance is even higher because it's a 2l engine.

Had a look at those astra, can't see any 1.3 diesels in my price range however I priced the insurance for a 1.7d and it's a good 500 quid less, fair play!

hanloj1

VW polo 1.4 tdi. get them from 2004.

cadaliac

renault clio 1.5 dci.
Rare enough, but they are around. I sold one for a friend recently, just make sure that there are no lights on the dash. If there is a hint of an electrical issue, just walk away.
Anyway, if you do get a decent one, they are cheap to insure for young people for some reason (probably because they fall under the 1.6 bracket), and very economical. In the right spec, nice looking motor too.

colm_mcm

hanloj1 wrote: »

VW polo 1.4 tdi. get them from 2004.

Cheap?

BostonB

Theres a Toyota 1.4 diesel I think as well. But those and the VW/AUDI 1.4 tend to command a premium. Which kinda puts them out of the really cheap car category.

You might pick up something in the north or the uk. More of those premium small diesels there than here.

Soarer

Marc Stocky Manager wrote: »

however I priced the insurance for a 1.7d and it's a good 500 quid less, fair play!

Those 1.7's are an Isuzu engine, and go forever.

One of the lads in the office here has one with 247k miles on it, and she's still chugging along grand and happy. All he does is change the oil every 5000 miles. Mighty yoke.

hanloj1

Marc Stocky Manager wrote: »

Looking at getting my 1st car on the road (not my first car though )
I'm looking for a fairly small diesel engine. Power isn't a big concern, if it's there then great, but if not it's no big deal once I'm not revving the nuts out of it to keep pace on a motorway.
I need something that's cheap, basically. My biggest concern is insurance prices. I don't mind paying an extra few bob on the car if it's better for insurance.

I was looking at a 318 tds - I would have thought seeing as it's a small enough engine for a diesel and is fairly slow the price would have been reasonable but It's around €2000 for a year on TPFT. That's about twice the price of the car itself.
I'm 20 and got my full license during the summer. I've got named driver experience but only 8 months of it.

I know you guys can't tell me prices for insurance but I'm sure different cars are in different insurance categories like the way they do bikes - has anyone got any suggestions for a diesel that might be a bit cheaper on insurance?

Thanks in advance

How much have you to spend on the car?

hanloj1

colm_mcm wrote: »

Cheap?

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3079669 needs nct but cheap

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3086980 dearer with high milage

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2908142 cheap but is an sdi

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2874360 cheap sdi

gyppo

cadaliac wrote: »

renault clio 1.5 dci.
Rare enough, but they are around. I sold one for a friend recently, just make sure that there are no lights on the dash. If there is a hint of an electrical issue, just walk away.
Anyway, if you do get a decent one, they are cheap to insure for young people for some reason (probably because they fall under the 1.6 bracket), and very economical. In the right spec, nice looking motor too.

+1 on that.
I had one as a hire car for a fortnight in Italy, and it was phenomenally economical. Nice car to drive too, and comfortable.

kilianmanning

Soarer wrote: »

Those 1.7's are an Isuzu engine, and go forever.

One of the lads in the office here has one with 247k miles on it, and she's still chugging along grand and happy. All he does is change the oil every 5000 miles. Mighty yoke.

+1 on this. Uncle has a 1.7 combo with 170k miles on it, still flying, & lets just say maintenance wouldn't exactly be top of his list of priorities..

johnos1984

Can I be the first to ask do you actually need a diesel?

If you aren't covering the miles and doing long trips they will work out more expensive

maidhc

johnos1984 wrote: »

Can I be the first to ask do you actually need a diesel?

If you aren't covering the miles and doing long trips they will work out more expensive

The old school diesels will always make sense if you can get a clean unabused one... if you can get one!

I have spent the last 6 months looks on donedeal for a MkII Mondeo TD is clean order with less than 120k and some form of history. I have yet to see one.

johnos1984

maidhc wrote: »

The old school diesels will always make sense if you can get a clean unabused one... if you can get one!

I have spent the last 6 months looks on donedeal for a MkII Mondeo TD is clean order with less than 120k and some form of history. I have yet to see one.

This is what I'm getting at. Most are well worn in the 2k bracket

I had an old combo with the 1.7D Isuzu engine which is still knocking about the roads but I'd imagine our young guy here wan't a TDI but is going to feel very let down when he gets a daysul car to impress the lads.

Sorry don't mean to sound like a w@nker but a lot of people are buying them for the wrong reasons these days.

ldxo15wus6fpgm

Thanks all for the replies!
It's looking like a competition between the astras, clios and polos at the moment!

hanloj1 wrote: »

How much have you to spend on the car?

Depends on insurance, but if I found a really clean car I'd spend around 2k I suppose. not much above though!

johnos1984 wrote: »

Can I be the first to ask do you actually need a diesel?

If you aren't covering the miles and doing long trips they will work out more expensive

Definitely! Look at my location I live in Kerry and go to college/work in Dublin. Will be making the trek up and down the country probably about 30 times each way per year. Plus I live miles from anything in Kerry. Definitely worth getting a diesel.

And believe me I wouldn't have to get much to impress the lads haha. They're all driving sh!tboxes at the moment! not worried about that anyway

johnos1984

Marc Stocky Manager wrote: »

Definitely! Look at my location I live in Kerry and go to college/work in Dublin. Will be making the trek up and down the country probably about 30 times each way per year. Plus I live miles from anything in Kerry. Definitely worth getting a diesel.

Sorry I didn't spot that

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3080520

maidhc

I just posted this in bangernomics:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3108221

johnos1984

maidhc wrote: »

I just posted this in bangernomics:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3108221

Looking at the condition of the car, steering wheel and what I can see of the drivers seat that mileage could well be genuine