Best small diesel?

C

Caveat

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Is it a bit of an oxymoron for a start in that only larger diesel engines are truly "good"?

Don't know that much about diesels really and will be taking the plunge due to a fairly dramatic increase in mileage on the horizon.

Will be doing about 30K miles PA and criteria is:

  • Reliability: No. 1. Way more important than any other factor
  • Size: no bigger than e.g. a Golf - my wife will be doing most of this driving and doesn't like bigger cars.
  • Economy: being a diesel obviously helps but if there was a particularly economical option, that would be great.
Won't consider: anything French or Italian. Will be buying used and hope to spend no more than about €8K.

Are the Hyundai and Kia diesels any good?

So far, thinking along the lines of Civic, Fiesta, Corrolla, Golf...

Generally, is the VAG 1.9TDi a good buy? I know it's considered a bit unrefined these days but that doesn't matter to me as long as it's otherwise good for e.g. 250K miles?

Edit: forget about the Auris, I forgot, it's too recent for the budget.
 
Are you trading anything in that might be considered for the Scrappage scheme?
 
€156 a year road tax and only 2 years old. High-ish mileage but its bulletproof.

[broken link removed]
 
I've got a 2004 1.4 TDi Seat Ibiza. Would strongly recommend it. Very economical -60-65mpg. Quite nippy and stylish too :)
 
Hey Caveat,

With proper use of CARZONES Search Facilities you can set the parameters to exactly what you stated above.

In this case under MAKES & MODELS select all the models you want leaving out the French or Italian. Setting the PRICE to €1k - €8k, use €1k up to exclude the increasing BLIGHT of garages using POA. Set FUEL TYPE Diesel. Set ENGINE SIZE 1.1 - 1.6l ( Economy? ). Set ALL BODY TYPES except COMMERCIAL.

Here is the result - 85 cars tailored to your request :D

[broken link removed]
 
@ bobalong, the problem with carzone and search engines like them, they will offer you a pile of <> on 4 wheels if you searched for it. I think Caveat is looking for a bit of experience and ideas from members and then take this and search for those cars only.
 
RonanC said:
@ bobalong, the problem with carzone and search engines like them, they will offer you a pile of <> on 4 wheels if you searched for it. I think Caveat is looking for a bit of experience and ideas from members and then take this and search for those cars only.
Click to expand...

Maybe I should have explained better ... By searching Carzone like this it can be used as a tool for ideas as to what cars fall into the category you are looking for. I never once mentioned that Caveat or anyone else should BUY anything from Carzone. NOR did I say that Caveat ot anyone else should NOT ask for advice here!

So having used the search tool in this way from Carzone - you get a list of Cars, some of which one might not have thought of, that one could then go "looking for a bit of experience and ideas from members" on these cars.

Same result in the end as you have mentioned, other way around maybe, but ( only my two cents ) - do the search first, then ask the questions - seems a bit more focused to me!

<>
Bob
 
RonanC said:
€156 a year road tax and only 2 years old. High-ish mileage but its bulletproof...
Click to expand...
+1 brand, engine, car
asking7 said:
I've got a 2004 1.4 TDi Seat Ibiza. ...
Click to expand...
+1 brand, engine, car
RonanC said:
@ bobalong, the problem with carzone and search engines like them, they will offer you a pile of <> on 4 wheels if you searched for it..
Click to expand...
+1 The results above include commercials (car-vans) but exclude cars that might interest OP (no Seat, no Skoda, only 1 VW a 1983 transporter motorhome!) and include cars that IMHO probably won't (Daewoo / Chrysler). You can specify all the criteria you like but if the information wasn't validated to begin with the pile of <> just gets higher.

bobalong said:
... So having used the search tool in this way from Carzone - you get a list of Cars, some of which one might not have thought of, ...
Click to expand...
Agree with this - Mitsubishi Colt 1.5 D
 
bobalong said:
Maybe I should have explained better ... By searching Carzone like this it can be used as a tool for ideas as to what cars fall into the category you are looking for. I never once mentioned that Caveat or anyone else should BUY anything from Carzone. NOR did I say that Caveat ot anyone else should NOT ask for advice here!
Bob
Click to expand...

Ah Bob, your taking me too seriously here, but we both know what we were talking about, but just came from different angles ;)
 
Hi RonanC,

Alls Kool, That "rant" was actually a bit tongue and cheek - I was hoping the little smiley guy might elude to that ... here he is again :D

Hard to convey stuff by text only - we dont see the whites of the eyes or the wry smiles :D


MATHEPAC Said: "no Seat, no Skoda, only 1 VW a 1983 transporter motorhome!"

OK, maybe that search needs more refinement, just add Seat and Skoda under MAKES & MODELS? There are 2 POLO's also. The search result list has 10 PAGES of cars ( top right of list - press 2 or next page ).

The topic says Best Small Diesel, so I kept the search to 1.6 or smaller, again adjust to taste.

Bob
 
Thanks all.

The Ibiza tdi might be just a bit slow for her liking - not sure. Personally, I would consider it though. I guess this might go for the Fabia too - although it could be lighter.

Colt - good one - and no, I wouldn't have thought of that probably. ;)

Related, been checking price of 1.7cdti Civic in NI. To my surprise, VRT for an example of 60K miles, 02 model, only seems to be about €350! According to the on-line VRT calculator. Can this be right? If so, a no brainer. You can get a decent Civic in NI for £5000...
 
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would the NI civic not be more prone to having been boy-racered? and having the ar*e driven out of it? by the way not being negative about NI just those civics.
 
I know what you mean but this syndrome would far more likely affect:

1) Petrol
2) 3 door
3) those with body kits/lexus lights etc

Not going for any of the above.

In fact on second thoughts, I think I'm totally safe - no self respecting boy racer would be seen dead in a 5 door Civic of this type!
 
My car was in for a service last week, the rental car I got was a 1.4L Diesel VW Polo four door. Surprisingly nice,quick and comfortable car and the fuel guage hardly moved considering I my round trip that day was approx 80miles.
 
Thanks - OK that's 3 endorsements for really what are the same car: Ibiza, Polo & Fabia :)

Maybe I'm wrong about the power then.
 
The Ibiza/Polo/Fabia 1.4tdi has 80bhp and does about 60mpg. Its not going to win any races but they have a good bit of torque (144 lb/ft) which is what you really want.

The Ibiza would be my pick as its the best looking of the three and used prices will also be more in your favour. We've had 5 Ibiza's in the past and never had any trouble with any of them.

The Fabia stood out for me as it qualifies for the new low tax rates which would attract me if I was in the market for one.
 
Thanks again - you are (or were?) a bit of a Civic-man Ronan IIRC -Didn't you have an SiR at one stage?

Do you know much about the 1.7cdti Civic?

Yeah, the VAG 1.4TDI sounds a bit better than I thought then.
 
I returned to diesel this year after many years of petrol motoring, got the Fabia 1.4 TDI. I find it big enough for me, handles the daily commute very well - considering there's a fair amount of start/stop traffic, and the fuel economy is great - approx 60 mpg for very mixed city&motorway driving.
 
Caveat,

I had the Civic for about 5 years, great cars but they attract the wrong crowd sometimes. I was looking at getting the 2.2 Accord cdti (which is a fantastic engine) but in the end the cost of taxing it was way too much. I looked at the 2.2 cdti Civic too. I'm not so sure about the early 1.7cdti engines though, they were built by Isuzu afaik and were very rough. It was Honda's first ever Diesel powered car. [broken link removed]

I bought a 07 Octavia VRS 2.0tdi and its brilliant, hence my approval of Skoda, but those who know their cars, know Skoda is a great buy.

I had an Ibiza, my mother had 4 i think, then 2 Leon's and my dad had a Toledo. I used to work for a SEAT dealership and we never had any trouble with any of the range.
 
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