What budget diesel?

Eire sun

Guidance needed
Hi guys, i need more car advice. This recession is biting hard and i need to down grade a little to keep afloat. I have managed to sell my own car (less than hoped for) and now i need something else. My budget is 2k-2.5k and i'm looking diesel. Its a tight budget i realise but i have been looking online and all i have seen that i like and fits the bill is the vw passat. There are some 01 and 02 cars with 1.9 diesel engines that seem good. I have never had a vw but i like the look of them and they are claiming 55 mpg which is 10mpg more than the car i sold. I have also seen renault lagunas but my experience of them is not good so i'll give that a miss. Running cost is a priority but i'm a big guy so small cars won't work either. Is there any other viable contenders out there that i am over looking. Thanks in advance for any help.

enviro

VW Bora 1.9TDI 2001 98K. Comes in just over budget with the VRT.

Toyota Avensis tested till next year and under budget.

Renault Laguna 2004, 80k, tested till 2014 and just under budget.

bbam

Ive had two Passats in the past.
A '99 90bhp which returned about 50-52 mpg, then a 02 110bhp which returned 48-50 mpg.
Neither did 55mpg at any stage on long runs and steady driving.

I did have a Golf, 1989 mk2 which would do about 55mpg but it was a less than inspiring drive and the NA 1.6 was slow on the off.

The big plus was that any Volkswagen I've owned was very well built and reliable.

166man

Quite a big financial risk to go up 10mpg if you ask me...

Xantia

Three nice cars there OP.
You can get them cheaper but in the long run you would have to put more into them then.
As for the diesel, personally I would never again have a petrol car especially in such a damp country as ours but thats just me.
You will only get good economy if you have a light right foot!

barura

I do hope you got more than 2-2.5 for your 06 Vectra Sri!

A peugeot 406 would fall into budget and can yield good MPG, especially if you turn the turbo down or rather, leave it stock.

ShadowHearth

+1 on 406 diesel. You will have a lot of money left over too.

Diar

58mpg is bull I had a 1.9tdi golf 90bhp same engine as that bora and I was getting 53mpg. my father has a Bora he gets 55mpg but thats a 100bhp.

aerial man

Try a Seat Leon, Toledo. Same Engine, Floorpan as a golf and they return great MPG as long a you keep they well serviced and keep the egr valve clear etc. I average 53.3, and that's over 4500 miles with Mixed driving. I wouldn't exactly have the lightest right foot either!

Diar

Skoda Octavia almost the same as a Bora, usually more equipment

Mycroft H

For what its worth my dad used to get 62-64mpg on a Octavia TDI on long journeys. It can be done.

However my choice would be

50mpg, cheap and comfort to boot.

Diar

BX 19 wrote: »

For what its worth my dad used to get 62-64mpg on a Octavia TDI on long journeys. It can be done.

However my choice would be

50mpg, cheap and comfort to boot.

Not average MPG

Mycroft H

Diar wrote: »

BX 19 wrote: »

For what its worth my dad used to get 62-64mpg on a Octavia TDI on long journeys. It can be done.

However my choice would be

50mpg, cheap and comfort to boot.

Not average MPG

I've had one. I used to get 50mpg

gollywog

Diar wrote: »

58mpg is bull I had a 1.9tdi golf 90bhp same engine as that bora and I was getting 53mpg. my father has a Bora he gets 55mpg but thats a 100bhp.

Hardly a world of difference tho?? Could be driving style, things like that? And 53mpg is still pretty great do ya not think?

Diar

gollywog wrote: »

Hardly a world of difference tho?? Could be driving style, things like that? And 53mpg is still pretty great do ya not think?

the Bora The OP posted is a 90bhp not a 100BHP 03 spec, the engine was better refined then so the very max possible average from a 90BHP Bora would be 53/54MPG

Eire sun

Thanks for the replys. I will have to broaden my search then. I would really need to be reaching the mid 50's in mpg as i'm on the road all of the time. I did get more than 2.5k for my SRI but not near what i thought it was worth, but as they say, its only worth what you can get for it. It was returning about 43/44mpg and i tested it with easy motorway driving. I know its a long shot with my tight budget but its a challenge that must be overcome :D

Eire sun

I'm having a look at the Renault meganes. The ones with the angled boot if that makes sense. They reckon you can get 59/60 mpg form the 1.5 diesel engine in those. Can anyone confirm of deny this?

Zubeneschamali

Eire sun wrote: »

I would really need to be reaching the mid 50's in mpg as i'm on the road all of the time.

If you're aiming for 55+ mpg, you are going to be on the road even longer: trundling along the motorway at 80 kph.

Jimbob 83

Worth considering the 2 litre D4D Avensis engine is common rail and has alot less things that can't go wrong with it

Markcheese

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Eire sun wrote: »

I would really need to be reaching the mid 50's in mpg as i'm on the road all of the time.

If you're aiming for 55+ mpg, you are going to be on the road even longer: trundling along the motorway at 80 kph.

+1 I think the optimum speed for fuel efficiency is a steady 95 kph or close to it ... Just about grand on an N road , drive you nuts on a motorway ...
I can get over 50 mpg in my petrol skoda.... Not a motorway ....