So Ive been having a dig around about this, seems issues are mostly related to the turbo killing itself if the wrong oil is used or oil is vacuumed during a change. Is this an issue with all years of the engine, even the new blueHDI models?

So Ive been having a dig around about this, seems issues are mostly related to the turbo killing itself if the wrong oil is used or oil is vacuumed during a change. Is this an issue with all years of the engine, even the new blueHDI models?

Honestly, i'm not too sure which specific engines are affected. And looking online (as i'm sure you have found) gets you contradictory information.

I was in the position a couple of years ago of having to buy a small van for my work and did some digging myself re the Berlingo/Partner, and while, as i said, they certainly can be reliable for the reasons i mentioned, i decided it just wasn't worth the risk. I ended up going for a VW Caddy 2.0SDI (non turbo) as apart from the DMF, there isn't really anything to go wrong. Of course i was on a smaller budget and therefore looking at older vans, but in terms of maximum likelyhood of reliability (more or less) my choices were, an older Vauxhall Combo with the Isuzu 1.7 diesel, an older Berlingo/Partner with either the 1.9 non turbo or 2.0HDI, or the Caddy with either the 2.0 (turbo or non turbo) or the older 1.9TDI.

Dpending on the miles you are going to be doing, might be worth considering a grey import Japanese MPV?. Something like a Honda Stepwagon or a Toyota Noah or Voxy. This would have a 2.0 petrol (automatic most likely), but are very well equipped, a good shape for making a camper/day van type thing, and they are very narrow which could be handy on Devonshire lanes?!.

Alternatively, for something closer (to the Berlingo/Partner you are thinking about) maybe a Nissan NV200?. This shares its (by most accounts, very reliable) 1.5 diesel engine with the Renault Kangoo, but misses out on wonky French electrics.

I know I'm late to the party here, but I just wanted to add something to the thread. I have looked into the Partner / Berlingo options for me and reliability on the 1.6HDI engine seems to be first class. The older ones, pre 2012 IIRC, had an issue with the oil supply to the turbo, but that is now not an issue, as long as regular oil changes are done. This engine is fitted in a number of different manufacturers cars, from Volvo to Ford.

As I've mentioned on here before we're the entirely contented owners of a 2013 1.6/115 HDi Berlingo Multispace. Owned from new so now seven years old and just passed 100k miles. It's been serviced by a Citroen dealer (not always the same one) at the prescribed intervals. Initially these were on mileage but since the OH packed in supply teaching and the 'kids' moved on from Uni it's been annual.

It's had three out of course visits for work. The joystick for the electric mirrors snapped, N/S rear brake calliper stuck and the Eolys fluid for the DPF needed replenishing at around 90k.

Somebody here or in another forum suggested the real problem engine with lubrication to the turbo failing was the HDi 1.6 with 16valves; early models I think. The 8 valve is much better

Government have carried out a consultation exercise this year on VED and WLTP., so there will probably be some changes.

The amounts of VED and the way they're calculated have changed multiple times in the nigh on 40 years I've owned cars. Change, or lack of it, isn't something you can rely on. However, on the whole the charging basis under superceded systems (like that from the nineties based on engine capacity) has not been interfered with. On that basis I'd judge the chances of a punitive rate on the Berlingo mentioned above as being small enough to ignore.

Even if it was doubled the impact on annual running costs would be minimal.

Edited by Bromptonaut on 26/09/2020 at 14:38