Sporty Diesel for £3000

[Steve.T]

As per the title I'm looking for a new car.
I'm looking at px £500 for my 1.8 xsara vts plus £2500 cash.
Any help/advice welcome

[bodgit]

Bmw 330d se
http://www4.autotrader.co.uk/search/...el-type/diesel
great car good economy and fast

[smokes]

Don't the inlet swirl valves flap have a tendency to come apart and get sucked into the engine.

[bodgit]

Originally Posted by smokes

Don't the inlet swirl valves flap have a tendency to come apart and get sucked into the engine.

That was mentioned in a post a good while back.
http://www.bmwswirlflaps.co.uk/
Option 3 and no problem

[racingben]

Fabia vrs?

Should cost a lot less to fix if it goes wrong

[Spoolio]

+1 for Fabia vRS but best to buy one that's not been molested or "tuned", they seem to have plenty of irritating niggles once you start fanning about with them. They do feel cheap though and the brakes go a bit mushy if you lean on them a lot plus the steering is a bit inert. Driving position is spot on though and they look good and can be stupidly economical if driven reasonably.

[Hog]

+1 for Fabia VRS. Had mine for nearly 4 years and racked up nearly 80K miles in that time to the point it's got 128K miles now on a 54 plate.

Brakes are fine as long as you don't get them too hot. 130bhp as standard and a six speed box plus an achievable 60mpg means it's a cracking car. After the mileage mine has done very little has gone wrong and the engine is as sweet as a nut - not too much soot when you stomp on it and starts first time.

Only being traded in now as I wanted something a bit bigger and have found myself an Octavia VRS.

Just don't go for the new Fabia (even if your budget allowed) - they've squeezed 180bhp out of a 1.4 engine and I've heard all sorts of complaints from owners on the Briskoda forum about engines going bang.

[Southwell]

Originally Posted by smokes

Don't the inlet swirl valves flap have a tendency to come apart and get sucked into the engine.

Yep, easy to replace. Just done my mates 330D. Lucky as one had snapped, but jammed inside so didnt drop into the engine!

[Southwell]

Originally Posted by bodgit

Bmw 330d se
http://www4.autotrader.co.uk/search/...el-type/diesel
great car good economy and fast

If you can get a 3.0 you are on to a winner. Most are 2.9, but still pretty quick.

[haggis]

A4 1.9 tdi quattro

Even more fun when you chip them

Its like a diesel subaru

[jonathan may]

mondeo st tdci 155 are quite quick and can take a lot of model gear if you look at the estate version

[lardy37]

vw golf or audi a4 are quick and tunable for diesel only problem is the variable vane turbos tend to start sticking other that good cars

[Big G]

I just bought a 2002 Golf with the 150bhp PD TDI in it for £2000

Came with A/C and cruise control which was nice and had been in the family since 2004 so the history was well covered.

I love the car and it goes like stink