Which Diesel?

r0nn13

Been looking at 4 cars which are great to drive. The fords are cheaper with less miles, but the BMW's are better with higher miles and more expensive to run are they not?

BMW 330d
BMW 530d (e39)
Ford Focus 2.0 TDCi (New Shape)
For Mondeo 2.2 TDCi (Older Shape)

Any other diesels worth considering?

Budget would be about 20k here...

JohnCleary

I drove a 530d (Auto) to the UK and back one day (Yes, all in 24 hrs) and thought to myself 'Christ, some day!' ... They are a lovely car, with savage torque (Well able to pull a loaded trailer) and acceleration (Even in auto) to overtake etc.

A 3/5 30d will *definately* be a car of mine someday, once I can afford the car/insurance... tyres :eek:

-Edit- Forgot to mention, from what I can remember the 530d was an E39. Defo not an E36, and defo not an E46. IMHO the 330d would feel more sportier, even if it was only to look at. Apart from the shapre I don't know the difference between the 3/5. I'm guessing boot space etc.

I have a 320d and it's serving me well. I've put up over 10k miles since January. I've treated it well, giving it regular oil changes, etc. I changed the front pad's today and it's pretty much like servicing a 'normal' car, so long as you don't get any electrical trouble (Touch wood). The 320d isin't the fastest car in the world but imho perfect for Irish roads ie. Enough power to over-take when needed and smooth enough for long'ish drives.. I'd imagine the 3l diesel would just be that bit more fun!

cjt156

The Alfa/Fiat JTDm is considered by many to be the best of the lot.

159 2.4JTDm s/w in black with tan leather, ooh missus...

prospect

cjt156 wrote:

The Alfa/Fiat JTDm is considered by many to be the best of the lot.

159 2.4JTDm s/w in black with tan leather, ooh missus...

Agreed,

Won't get one for the €20K budget though!

m_stan

How about an Audi A4 1.9tdi 130bhp ? I have one and find it great.

You should get a 2002 for your budget. Nice one here for example.

More here.

RobAMerc

330D is an everyday M3 - I know I will get flak for saying this but it is.

Henry Ford III

4 very different cars.

OldmanMondeo

r0nn13 wrote:

Ford Focus 2.0 TDCi (New Shape)
For Mondeo 2.2 TDCi (Older Shape)

Do you mean the 2000-2007 Mondeo 2.0TDCI instead of the Focus 2005- model? I am currently driving a 2006 Mondeo 2.0TDCi. Great car. Very comfortable, more so than the 2002 1.8 Petrol I had. Good power for overtakening, very economical, really can not fault this car. If you are going for a Mondeo, make sure that you at least get the Zetec model, apart from more extras, it has 115bhp, compared to 90bhp on the LX model, but you can get a 130bhp from Ford, re-mapped to 150bhp should you require. 20k should get you a 2005 model, I got mine 3 weeks ago and paid 23k.

siralfalot

the Alfa 156 2.4 JTDm, way better than anything VAG has to offer, and arguably as good if not better than the 330D, ask OKenora, he has both

siralfalot

cjt156 wrote:

The Alfa/Fiat JTDm is considered by many to be the best of the lot.

159 2.4JTDm s/w in black with tan leather, ooh missus...

saw one of those yesterday in that spec, my god it was amazing looking, it made the silver 535D parked beside it look very very ordinary indeed

tlyons

I drive lots of hire cars, so no BMWs/Alfa's, but have driven
Specifically Oil burners (Diesel)
Ford Focus
Peugout (various)
Fiat (various)
Opel Vectra SRi

Out of the lot the Vectra was the best hands down! This one I drove for 4 days on country roads and Motorways in between North Yorkshire and London. Pulls like a train and sips the fuel. Look for the badge on the back where TD is in red (means that it is 16V). Only irritating thing was the indicator stalk, its a toggle rather than a definite on/off. Six speed gear box was great fun too.
In fact also got a chance to drive a Honda Civic (petrol), screams like a stuck pig and does shift but irritatingly "peaky" to drive, the Opel would pull in any gear at pretty much any rpm

My next choice would be Ford or Peugot (though I hate french cars)

I have driven the BMW 330d fantastic but very pricey.

Hope this helps in some way

alias no.9

tlyons wrote:

Pulls like a train and sips the fuel. Look for the badge on the back where TD is in red (means that it is 16V).

The one with the fiat / alfa engine then.

Henry Ford III

Vectra is terrible. Really awful. Engine may be good, but car is an absolute basket case.

siralfalot

alias no.9 wrote:

The one with the fiat / alfa engine then.

also in the Saab TiD range

I remember a while back a guy slagging my boss who drives an Alfa GT JTD about how crap the alfa was and how the engine in his new Astra Diesel was far more reliable........ his face when he was told who made the engine in the Astra......... PRICELESS!!:D

prospect

One car magazine (can't remember which) has a quick review of all currently available cars. Every opel/vauxhall in it has the Diesel engine as the pick of the bunch.

Mister-M5

go to cargiant.co.uk

I brought in a 2004 130bhp passat with 47000 miles. No manual passat in ireland has as high a spec as mine (heated seats, rain sensors, how many passsats do you see with a sunroof, the radio turns itself up as the revs increase and the engine gets louder:eek: ) and i saved about 4000 bringing it in. The highest spec on carzone for that year is making about 21500.
Worth A Look!

furtzy

tlyons wrote:

I drive lots of hire cars, so no BMWs/Alfa's, but have driven
Specifically Oil burners (Diesel)
Ford Focus
Peugout (various)
Fiat (various)
Opel Vectra SRi

Out of the lot the Vectra was the best hands down! This one I drove for 4 days on country roads and Motorways in between North Yorkshire and London. Pulls like a train and sips the fuel. Look for the badge on the back where TD is in red (means that it is 16V). Only irritating thing was the indicator stalk, its a toggle rather than a definite on/off. Six speed gear box was great fun too.
In fact also got a chance to drive a Honda Civic (petrol), screams like a stuck pig and does shift but irritatingly "peaky" to drive, the Opel would pull in any gear at pretty much any rpm

My next choice would be Ford or Peugot (though I hate french cars)

I have driven the BMW 330d fantastic but very pricey.

Hope this helps in some way

Have the vectra SRi 16v diesel myself and am delighted with it.....loads of torque and sips fuel.

Henry Ford III

prospect wrote:

One car magazine (can't remember which) has a quick review of all currently available cars. Every opel/vauxhall in it has the Diesel engine as the pick of the bunch.

Might just mean their petrol offerings are less good

Cars are ok, with the exeption of the Vectra, which is genuinely terrible.

prospect

Mister-M5 wrote:

go to cargiant.co.uk

I brought in a 2004 130bhp passat with 47000 miles. No manual passat in ireland has as high a spec as mine (heated seats, rain sensors, how many passsats do you see with a sunroof, the radio turns itself up as the revs increase and the engine gets louder:eek: ) and i saved about 4000 bringing it in. The highest spec on carzone for that year is making about 21500.
Worth A Look!

No offense mate, but your average Renault from the last 10 years has these features.

maidhc

Mister-M5 wrote:

the radio turns itself up as the revs increase and the engine gets louder:eek:

The 1999 focus Lx does that!

mondeoman

maidhc wrote:

The 1999 focus Lx does that!

so does my 98 mondeo rds 7000:p;)

siralfalot

Mister-M5 wrote:

the radio turns itself up as the revs increase and the engine gets louder:eek: ) !

that is one feature that I hate :mad: which why it is permanently switched off in my car

furtzy

Henry Ford III wrote:

Might just mean their petrol offerings are less good

Cars are ok, with the exeption of the Vectra, which is genuinely terrible.

Is that based on personal experience or just listening to that Jeremy Clarkson idiot!!!

Henry Ford III

Personal experience. We had 3 of them. Awful cars.

furtzy

Henry Ford III wrote:

Personal experience. We had 3 of them. Awful cars.

Fair enough...I've had 3 as well and was happy with them.....each to their own I suppose

zoemax

I asked a similar question a while back and was reccomended the 156 diesel by the usual suspects. I test drove a couple (the 1.9 16v 140bhp) and was well impressed, but not with the price - looking the guts of €20k for a 2004 from a main dealer. Looked at one in Engalnd in an independent Alfa dealer(with the later 150bhp engine) and was going to bring one in (2005 150bhp 60k miles high spec for approx. €17k all in) when for some reason I still can't explain I bought a S60 D5.........Oh well, showing my age.

siralfalot

zoemax wrote:

for some reason I still can't explain I bought a S60 D5

what the??.... who??... why????..... :eek:

**faints**

gyppo

zoemax wrote:

when for some reason I still can't explain I bought a S60 D5.........Oh well, showing my age.

Whats it like? Always thought the S60 D5 would complement my greying temples

Mister-M5

prospect wrote:

No offense mate, but your average Renault from the last 10 years has these features.

Yes but how many a4s, passats, or 320ds have these features??

zoemax

Siralfalot, I know I know. I think it was a combination of the 12 month warranty I got with the S60 versus the lack of a useful warranty with the UK cars I was looking at plus that niggling doubt as to build quality (not engine quality though).

Gyppo, 2003 S60 is a very comfortable and pretty fast. I haven't driven a turbo diesel very much before so I don't know if the little bit of turbo lag on the S60 is standard for a TD. Fuel economy is 40mpg ish if I drive nice and sensibly - 35mpg if I hammer it. Turning circle is the size of a small contry and steering is not as light as my wife's passat or my last s40. Have the car a month at this stage and am very happy with my choice. It just doesn't look anywhere near as sexy as a 156.

dnClar

Would go with audi A4 1.9tdi as well. Its a great diesal, great on miles to gallon and power is great.