decent diesel

aidanki · 08-09-2023 8:10am #1

Im on the lookout for a reliable diesel. 100km round trip 5 days a week too and fro to work, on country roads.

Big enough for a child seat for a new born.

Don’t want a people carrier, more of a Corolla or Avensis size is what Im after.

Are there any reliable diesels or any known unreliable ones for that matter, most problems seems to be emission related with diesel these days.

Probably 10k budget

Maybe I should be asking, is there a diesel with a timing chain rather than a timing belt and with an emission system which doesn't give trouble.

djan · 08-09-2023 11:17am

Can't go wrong with a well specced Octavia for relative comfort and most importantly rear seat space for car seat and the biggest boot in class.

For reliability could go pre Adblue versions. While these have mostly timing belts (think only the RS TSIs are chain driven) often you're better off in a belt driven one as it's designed to be changed and thus often a 1/3 of the price of a timing chain change.

aidanki · 08-09-2023 11:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084378#Comment_121084378

how much would a timing belt replacement cost, and every 80k miles is it

Ash.J.Williams · 08-09-2023 11:30am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058312768/decent-diesel

Experts usually jump in and tell me I'm wrong but my 12 insignia is currently hitting 400,000 km it's an absolute joy , no trouble apart from replacing breaks and timing belt, it's big fast and reliable

djan · 08-09-2023 11:31am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084409#Comment_121084409

Well officially, Skoda had the diesel timing belts as 210k km no time and then changed to 5 year intervals regardless of mileage (sub 210km). I'd probably do it once over 100k km and then every 5 years. Cost varies wildly depending on where you get it done but even from Skoda dealer it was 400EUR roughly 2 years ago so an independent garage would probably do it for less.

bigroad · 08-09-2023 11:33am

Possibly the Honda civic 1.6 diesel estate.

Think they have a chain and good mpg with decent space in estate form.

kirving · 08-09-2023 11:41am

I know you've asked for a diesel, and it does drive me mad when people suggest EV's to every single post on here, but..... 100km round trip is absolutely prime territory for a cheap EV.

You'll never worry about mileage on the commute. Longer trips an issue yes, but depends if you have another car?

Cheap to run, cheap to tax, more reliable than diesel, very safe, roomy inside.

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/nissan-leaf-nct-02-25-40k-ev-sv-40kw-19-4dr-auto/32666692

djan · 08-09-2023 1:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084508#Comment_121084508

Good shout and tbh ideal if no need for longer trips. If going leaf I'd look for the heated seats/steering wheel pack alongside surround cameras as they're not too much extra.

Can't have a car help request without an Octavia and an EV 😅

Miscreant · 08-09-2023 4:41pm

Does it have to be diesel? There would likely be some Hybrids in the running for around the 10k mark here. Most (if not all) the Toyota Hybrids have a timing chain AFAIK.