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Wed 29 Apr 2020 23:00

RIP Diesel Hatchback - SLO76

Delving into my collection of 80’s and 90’s Diesel Car mags (yes I am a geek) reminds me of the fact that I’m going to miss diesels when they’re gone. I’ve always been a bit laidback when it comes to driving, I prefer a slogger to a speed machine nine times out of ten so they do suit my style. I always favoured them over petrol though recent complexity ruled them out as wise for many used buyers.

I like something that has plenty of low speed torque to avoid the constant need to change gear. I like to see 60mpg plus on the trip computer after a drive. I loved the old pre-emission control days when a simple diesel motor could hit half a million miles with care without crippling repair costs.

I didn’t mind a bit of shake at the traffic lights, I’d rather have kept it than face a £1,500 bill for a new dual mass flywheel every 7yrs or so depending on driver and mileage. Keep it simple was my mantra even in my early days. I loved the simplicity of the family sized diesels I flogged to local taxi fleets back then. They were slow but they’d rack up massive mileages before the rust killed them.

As a young junior salesman I had to pick my cars from the low value or supermini range and while there’s fun to be had from wringing the neck of a small capacity normally aspirated petrol motor in a small fwd car I soon settled into the habit of picking what is fast becoming extinct today, the diesel supermini. My then girlfriend lived a fair trek away and they were just so much more relaxed. I was hooked.

I liked the slogging gear-change free pull of a 1.8 diesel instead of the frantic 1.1/1.2 petrols most of them came with at the time. It was so much more relaxing and they’d last longer too even if economy was barely any better in real life. The 205 Pug was my weapon of choice but I went through most of them from Fiesta to Corsa. It started off with a tatty Nova 1.5TD which went like stink and did 50mpg.

When shopping for a supermini for swmbo to use for Uni and work I settled on a previous gen VW Polo for the size of boot and the decent ride but after trying the 3cyl 1.2 and 4cyl 1.4 non-turbo petrols I knew it had to be diesel - the TSI motors were too dear at the time and the other two were utterly gutless.

The 1.2 diesel has around 130lb/ft of torque which is more than an SRI Cavalier had to call on in the 90’s. Yes it only has 75bhp but in every day driving from 30-70 and 50-70 and above when safe, it pulls great and give a nice relaxed and comfortable drive. I even love the quirky 3cyl diesel thrum. Not to tempt fate but It’s also never caused any mechanical issues that cost me any money either over almost 5yrs. It still drives as it did when I got it and despite repeated attempts to change its appearance (that rear bumper has been painted four times now) it still looks great. Though a little bubble has appeared on the passenger sill.

Looking at replacements recently and there’s really no diesel option. Yes to be fair they really didn’t make much sense economically even back in the 90’s but I like a diesel, always will. Yes I know the latest small capacity petrols are superior in almost every way but my wee Polo still feels stronger at lower speeds than most I’ve tried and is more relaxed.

I’ve driven several Fiesta 1.0 Ecoboosts and despite one being the 123PS version I found it nowhere near as strong as expected. Not that I’d buy one anyway. With four onboard I had to change down a gear several times where the Polo would’ve slogged on. Ditto the 95PS Fabia I tried recently while considering another supermini which is a car I quite like. You do really need the higher output model but I’ve yet to try one. I tried a Mazda 2 1.5 also another car I like but it is a bit flat.

It won’t be replaced by a supermini or small hatch anyway so swmbo has for now decided but I’ll miss the diesel superminis and small hatches which will disappear into the mist without anyone preserving or caring a jot.

Such greats as the Nova 1.5 TD which was the first turbo diesel supermini. It went like a hot hatch from 30-70 yet it would run and run on a thimble of fuel.

The 205 1.8D - Well known for doing huge mileages, capable of over 50mpg yet rode as well as a luxury saloon.

Citroen AX Diesel - A hoot to drive yet rode really well and could do 70mpg no bother. Shame they never built a turbocharged version.

Peugeot 306 Dturbo - The first diesel hot hatch. These were a hoot to drive yet comfy and great on fuel.

Peugeot 405 GTD - The car that set corn fields on fire. Smooth, comfy and economical. I loved these especially the later post facelift cars with the smoother 1.9 motor and better interior. All drove well though. I know it’s not a hatch but these were great things.

Audi A2 TDI - Way ahead of its time. Loads of room, well made, light, quite nimble, great on fuel and quite lusty. Often spotted with 200k plus at a daft overinflated price by sellers who think it’s a classic. It will be but not a tatty big miler.

Ford Focus Mk I TDCi - This out-handled every rival and was quicker 30-70 or 50-70 than the top ST170 model while it would do 50mpg easy enough.

Vauxhall Cavalier 1.7 TD - Yeah boring I know but might well be the best taxi ever made. Comfy, relatively cheap yet it would do 500k with ease.

Citroen BX Turbo diesel - Lightweight, economical, comfy yet genuinely quick where it counted. This was my first turbo diesel experience and I loved it. More reliable than most believe too. Gearbox was the only letdown.

Skoda Fabia 1.9 PD TDi VRS - A quick but very tough and economical little car. Most were ruined by the boy racer brigade. Last seen in a plume of black smoke on its way to hell with a driver who tells you “remapping doesn’t damage owt mate.”

There were others worthy but times moved on and diesel is heading to the grave, certainly in smaller cars. I’ll miss the lazy torque and gruff engine note.

I know it’ll be mentioned that the old Toyota Avensis I oft compliment here is a heavy car with a revvy petrol motor but most modern diesels as they age are too troublesome to risk and it was bought at nearly 9yrs old. I bought the Polo at 3yrs and with that budget and mileage in mind I’d have another diesel. I’d favour one over a hybrid for certain despite the potential for problems. I just like the way they drive and it’ll most likely be what lurks under the bonnet of the SUV we buy in the near future.

Edited by SLO76 on 29/04/2020 at 23:01

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 09:30

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Andrew-T

We had SWMBO's 205 Dturbo for over 8 years, from 20K milles to 87K. It loved its occasional doses of injector cleaner, which were necessary to get the full effect. Not much went wrong except a stop-solenoid, and the clutch cable broke at the bottom end, requiring RAC attention. Crimped at the roadside it survived until the car moved on.

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 10:03

RIP Diesel Hatchback - elekie&a/c doctor

Early 90s VW turbo diesel as fitted to Golf and Audi 80 variants were a revelation at this time . Only 75 horses , but pulled like a train . Who needs a common fail Diesel injection system ?

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 12:00

RIP Diesel Hatchback - badbusdriver

I had a MK2 Fiesta diesel for a couple of years back in the early-mid 90's, which i bought from a guy at work. It was pretty scruffy to look at, with faded paintwork and surface rust, but i really liked it!. Performance wise, well, while it obviously was not fast, not with 54bhp (when new, mine passed 100k while i had it), but that didn't stop me from doing Wigan to Aberdeen in 5 hours (including a 30 min stop for fuel, food and toilet). Of course that was back in the days before speed camera's were a thing, so it was pretty much flat out all the way. I also found it nearly unstoppable in the snow, and if, in the unlikely event i couldn't drive through a deep drift forwards, i'd just turn it round and reverse through no probs!.

A few years later i was working at a car and van hire company when we got half a dozen Peugeot 106 diesels. This was the facelifted car, so it was the 1.5 (as opposed to the 1.4 of the earlier cars) with power steering. Like my old Fiesta, not much power at all if you look at bhp (58 if memory serves), but this seemed to be no impediment to making remarkably swift progress. It was also a surprisingly refined motor, certainly compared to my Fiesta (which sounded distinctly agricultural), and despite what presumably was quite a heavy lump of engine compared to the petrol versions, handled really well too. I'd quite happily have one of them (or its Citroen cousin, the Saxo) if i could find a decent one.

When i first met my wife (to be), she had a 1999 VW Polo 1.9D. This was the first car she got after finding she was entitled to a Motability car. It was a cracking little car, though did feel a little more 'grown up' than the Fiesta and 106. Once i moved in with SWMBO, i got into DIY pretty quickly and really appreciated the ease with which you could remove the front passenger seat (one spring loaded metal clip at the front, remove the plastic trims an the rear of the runners and just slide the seat back out of them, 2 mins!) and the rear seat bases (flip them up and squeeze the metal arms to pop them out of their retaining holes, 30 seconds!). Doing so meant i could get far more (and bigger) stuff into the car than you'd expect!.

Soon after moving in with SWMBO, i ended up working at a VW dealership. So had the opportunity to drive pretty much all of the diesel versions of the various models, both (at the time) current, and previous. While the more powerful versions of the diesel Golf's were undoubtebly mighty impressive, it was the plucky little 1.4 TDI Polo which impressed me most. Again, not much actual power, 75bhp in this case, but its ability to squirt off roundabouts, up hills, and overtake other traffic never failed to raise a smile (thanks in no small part to the 144lb/ft of torque, the Punto TD managed a solitary 1 more lb/ft with an extra cyl 500cc!) and . And of course, as a fan of 3 cyl engines, the fact that the Polo had a 3 pot was just an added bonus!.

Edited by badbusdriver on 30/04/2020 at 12:02

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 15:39

RIP Diesel Hatchback - UCB

Hi everyone, I’ve really enjoyed reading this forum over the past few weeks and after reading slo’s Post, I felt compelled to sign up!
My first car was a pug 205 1.1 followed by a 1.4 XS which was fun. Then came a 306 n/a diesel due to a longer commute. It was a solid car compared to the 205 but the wiring loom burned out. Next came a Dturbo in Diablo red with garish upholstery. After came a couple of petrol 3 series’s as I bought into the whole German prestige lifestyle then a 05 A4 avant 2.0 tdi bought at 4 yr old which I loved but then it then suffered the oil pump balancing shaft issue just short of 60k causing me a massive headache and bill. Fixed using a part from breaker then the turbo went kaput! Got rid for a second hand Quashqai then made the mistake of buying a 08 320d auto which blew its turbo and was got rid of as the timing chain was rattling increasingly badly at 77k plus many other niggles since I had it. Now driving a 2013 Leon 1.2 tsi for 2 yrs and it’s been reliable and economical.

My Other half had a mark 1 Focus tdci which as said was great to drive. Then with a toddler and twins on way it was traded for a 4 yr old Honda FRV 2.2 diesel, fantastic car kept for 8 yrs until the clutch was on the way out and it was traded at 122k for a 2015 Verso 1.6 diesel, but if I could have bought another with low miles or new I wouldn’t have hesitated. The Verso is a decent motor if a little underpowered compared to the FRV.

My father had a Cavalier Envoy with the Isuzu 1.7 Diesel engine and always extolled it’s virtues.

In conclusion the Japanese cars have served me well but the Germans have disappointed. When the time comes to replace the Leon, I fancy the current shape Honda Civic with a petrol engine

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 15:46

RIP Diesel Hatchback - SLO76

“In conclusion the Japanese cars have served me well but the Germans have disappointed. When the time comes to replace the Leon, I fancy the current shape Honda Civic with a petrol engine”

Welcome to the forum UCB. Don’t be afraid of the diesel. Honda’s 1600 DTEC is the most reliable diesel on the market and previous gen Civics and CRV’s still make good money with 100k plus mileages with this under the hood. It’s well liked by the trade and I trust it more than the belt in oil 3cyl 1.0 petrol most new Civic’s run.

Edited by SLO76 on 30/04/2020 at 15:52

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 16:05

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Bolt

Don’t be afraid of the diesel. Honda’s 1600 DTEC is the most reliable diesel on the market

Be careful where you get your diesel though, I had all dash lights come up on mine flashing different problems so couldn't drive very quick, ie hard to accelerate to 30 or limp home mode.

so took it straight to Honda, they kept it a day doing diagnostics, they said it suffered the same problem the CRVs in USA had with wrecked injection system and would need tank clean out, and new injection system at a cost of over £4000, turns out there was a fuel problem that wore out the pump and injectors

I think the labour charge was the worst part but seeing a trusted garage I used to use they were almost as expensive to fix it, no one else would look at it

have since sold it and bought an older 1.8 which is almost as economical

Dont let that put anyone off one though as mine is in the minority, they are great cars and just for a change bought a petrol which is quieter and more comfortable imo

Edited by bolt on 30/04/2020 at 16:30

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 17:43

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Steveieb

I understand and concur with your views 100% SLO.

My love of German diesels started with a Mk 3 Golf followed by my favourite car of all times the Audi 80 Tdi from the 93 era. Fully galvanised body and so well built.

Then came my present PD engined Audi’s ; Audi A4 Tdi 130 and Audi A2 Tdi 90
Phenomenal on fuel and amazing pull when the turbo kicks in .

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 18:04

RIP Diesel Hatchback - thunderbird

Early 90s VW turbo diesel as fitted to Golf and Audi 80 variants were a revelation at this time . Only 75 horses , but pulled like a train . Who needs a common fail Diesel injection system ?

We had a 1995 Golf TDi but it was 90 PS not 75. At the time we thought it was the dogs, went very well, would do 55 mpg on a holiday run, but it smoked like a lab Beagle when you booted it and it was b***** noisy. 10 years totally reliable.

Replaced it with a 2005 Focus 110 TDCi. Despite the extra 20 PS it did not seem any faster but with all the extra kit it had it probably weighed a good deal more. Like the Golf it would do 55 mpg on a holiday trip but there was no smoke when you booted it (car did not have a DPF) and it was very quiet. Totally reliable for 10 years.

When you compare either to our 2018 Fabia 110 TSi I certainly would want neither back. Cars have grown so the Fabia is just as big but better equipped than either. It goes like a stabbed rat, does not smoke and on a long run will do almost 60 mpg.

RIP the diesel hatch, I don't think so when modern TSI's are so good, brilliant in fact.

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 19:48

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Big John

Early 90s VW turbo diesel as fitted to Golf and Audi 80 variants were a revelation at this time . Only 75 horses , but pulled like a train . Who needs a common fail Diesel injection system ?

We had a 1995 Golf TDi but it was 90 PS not 75. At the time we thought it was the dogs, went very well, would do 55 mpg on a holiday run, but it smoked like a lab Beagle when you booted it and it was b***** noisy. 10 years totally reliable.

Yes the VAG pre pd turbo diesels were reliable but as you say smoked somewhat. I had a 1990 VW Passat estate that was fitted with the 1.6td 80ps mechanical injection turbo diesel - comfortable, well built roomy car but not that economical and the engine was really noisy. The slightly later turbo diesel versions had the 1.9td 75ps umwelt mechanical injection turbo engine. Newer VAG cars had 90ps and 110ps versions of the mechanical injection engine. These engines were eventually superceeded by the pumpe duse individual injector pump engines.

Fast forward to today and after owning 1.9pd cars I now have a 1.4tsi Superb - I miss the bit of extra tourque at low revs but the tsi isn't too bad for this as it pulls from 1500rpm but really kicks in over 3500rpm through to 6000rpm. My pd diesel pulled well but really ran out of go after 4000rpm. The tsi is also silent at tickover - well it is in a Skoda Superb - It's also economical, when not in lockdown I average over 45mpg. Would I go back to diesel - probably not but I'd never say never.

Edited by Big John on 30/04/2020 at 19:55

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 19:53

RIP Diesel Hatchback - UCB

Thanks for the welcome SLO. I would certainly consider the Honda 1.6 DTECH if I was in the market for a diesel however I’m not currently doing huge mileage in the Leon. I got it from a main dealer at 5 years old with 27k, it was a motability car. I’ve put 20k on it. I insisted on the timing belt being changed as it was 5 years old. The dealer tried to insist it was not needed due to the low miles but I persisted threatening to reject the car and report to SEAT.

With regards to the Honda FRV, it was superbly practical with 2 rows of 3 seats, and it drove well. It was a clever design but was discontinued in 2009. The Verso replaced it as we wanted 3 individual seats in the rear as opposed to a bench. It’s the base model without cruise or Bluetooth but I have fitted a Bluetooth buddy from Halfords which helps. It has however got a spare wheel ( only the base model has) which I have availed of once so far. My only concern was that it has a BMW engine but hopefully it proves tough and reliable.

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 20:19

RIP Diesel Hatchback - tim10597

I've finally remembered my password after several years!! Having owned a number of diesel cars since 1995, I'd agree, some of them were fantastic.

Peugeot 205 1.8D - great engine, but a short lived car for me due to lots of issues that the garage had no interest in resolving.

Vauxhall Astra 1.7TD - this was in 1995 and was a great car, economical and comfortable, it devoured miles and with comfortable seats, you never felt tired when you arrived at your desitnation

Skoda Octavia 1.9TDi 90 - this is probably the third best car I've owned. Very economical and would run forever. Was offered a company car after having this for a couple of years and so took that option - a VW Passat with the 130bhp - the Skoda was a better car in my opinion and the dealer service far superior to VW

I then found a fantastic garage locally so now buy all my cars from them, and as I like to change cars regularly, there have been a lot:

Ford Fiesta 1.4TDCi - probably the most economical car I've owned, 65+ mpg with no effort at all

Ford Focus 18.TDDi - a bit agricultural, but still an honest car

Ford Mondeo 2.0TDCi 115 - this was a stop gap car, in estate form. Very versatile, and did the miles, but the itch kept coming back for the car that I've enjoyed most.....

Ford Galaxy - yes really, your eyes don't deceive you. I've had 2 with the 1.9TDi 130 engine, one with the 150bhp engine and more recently, two newer shape ones with the 2.0TDCi 140 engine. The latter two have all been high mileage, but are the best cars I've owned. Versatile, economical for their size (45+ mpg all day long) and I don't want to tempt fate, but reliable, though they have been very well looked after.

I dread to think how much I've spent over the years, but they are a bit of a hobby and I'm now trying out bangernomics to a lesser extent, the current car is 7 years old.

None of these are probably as good as the Cavalier 1.6D that my grandparents used as taxis in the 1980s, which really did do starship mileages.

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 21:28

RIP Diesel Hatchback - SLO76

“ None of these are probably as good as the Cavalier 1.6D that my grandparents used as taxis in the 1980s, which really did do starship mileages.”

I had a weird fascination with cars like these even as a teenager I hankered after my pals D plated Ford Orion 1.6 D GL despite its paltry 54bhp, exactly the same as the heavier Cavalier which was glacial. But I liked the fact that they could run to massive mileages if looked after and you had to drive everywhere foot to the floor. There’s a certain appeal, or maybe it’s just me.

The MK III Cavalier in 1989 was even worse with an upsized version of the old GM diesel in the Mk II with 1.7 litres and a huge 57bhp to haul what was at the time quite a heavy car. It took nineteen seconds to get to sixty and took an age to get to 70 but it was a tough old thing. The later Isuzu 1.7 turbo diesels were vastly superior but I still liked the old slug.

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 22:26

RIP Diesel Hatchback - tim10597

I very nearly bought an Ocean Blue Ford Orion 1.6D, can't remember why I didn't now. The Cavaliers got well over 200,000 miles out of them, but they were looked after from a maintenance perspective.

They were much simpler back then. Still, my aim is to get well over 200k out of my Galaxy, not that it's doing any mileage at the moment!

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Thu 30 Apr 2020 23:31

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Big John

I very nearly bought an Ocean Blue Ford Orion 1.6D

Oh the Orion and Escort 1.6D. I remember driving and Escort for a while. Reasonably economical compared to the petrol 1.3 of the day but it was oh sooooo slow and very noisy

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Fri 1 May 2020 08:49

RIP Diesel Hatchback - thunderbird

My early experience of diesels was hire cars from work. Started off with Escort 1.6D's, not impressed. Sierra 2.3D was better but still a tractor. Then we started getting Escort 1.8? turbo diesels which were actually decent, plenty of go and seemed good on fuel. When the Mondeo came out we got the 1.8's which considering they supposedly had the same motor as the Escort were totally rubbish. Power came in at just over 2000 rpm with a bang and died as suddenly at 3000 rpm, was totally delighted when they were replaced by the Cavalier 1.7 turbo diesels. These were great for power but made a strange noise when changing gear (every single one the same, magazines called it a "raucous laugh") and were pretty poor on diesel, mid to high 30's at best.

At that point I changed jobs and we bought the Golf TDi which definitely showed the rest how it should be done (except for the idle rattle and smoke).

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Fri 1 May 2020 10:54

RIP Diesel Hatchback - jc2

How I agree with SLO and thunderbird-the best "all-round" vehicle I have had was a 2000 Escort TDI Finesse Estate.Other cars were better in some ways.Kept it thirteen years until it would have needed a bit of welding.

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Fri 1 May 2020 11:16

RIP Diesel Hatchback - badbusdriver

My brother used to have a Maestro 2.0d. He has had many, many cars over the years, but the Maestro remains his favourite. Not sure exactly what it was about it, it certainly wasn’t powerful, I think the Perkins lump made about 60bhp, but it was endlessly reliable and very efficient. Possibly that elusive element which ties the other n/a diesel cars liked by members, that of pulling strongly from tickover, a feeling of strength and endurance, a tortoise rather than a hare you might say!.

Edited by badbusdriver on 01/05/2020 at 11:17

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Fri 1 May 2020 12:00

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Avant

'Pulling strongly from tickover' - yes, that's the crucial element which endeared cars like SWMBO's 205 diesels to us. Small cars need to be nippy, and they aren't really nippy if - as with the succesion of MINIs that she had - all the fun happens at the top end.

The Audi A1 1.4 TFSI which succeeded the MINIs, and her current A3 1.5 TFSI convertible, are examples of modern petrol engines which can match that.

That's also an attribute of EVs. I think that gradually as sales increase and prices come down from the present too-high levels, there will be a big growth in small EVs.

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Fri 1 May 2020 12:50

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Bromptonaut

Interesting OP from SLO.

We were all diesel from 1993 until I was forced to replace my Roomster following an accident last year. Distress purchase situation as I needed a car to get to work and there was little choice locally for medium size diesels. Petrol Fabia instead.

The 205/BX/306/405 etc all used the excellent PSA XUD unit in one or another capacity and NA or turbo iteration. A lovely motor, beloved of the nineties editor of Diesel Car (John Kerswill?) and in many ways the engine that 'mainstreamed' diesel power in the UK market.

My first experience of the XUD and diesel was a Citroen BX Estate acquired in early 1993 to accommodate the pram/push chair and other gubbins that the arrival of our first child required. It replaced a 1.6RS petrol BX hatch which notionally had a BHP advantage over the diesel but the latter's torque made it seem faster and, for the all important 30-50 and 50-70 timings it was actually quicker. We ran it until 2005, latterly as a second car, when expensive stuff for the MoT sent it to the scrappie. As SLO observes it was far more reliable than anecdote etc suggests. Even problems with the suspension were rarely more involved than a sticky height corrector or need for a re-gas of spheres.

We ran a 1.7 205 alongside it from 97-2000. Again an NA diesel that felt quicker than it had any business to. Given it had very similar suspension/chassis etc to the GTi it could fly through bends on rails.

First turbo-diesel was a Xantia estate bought new in 2000. Again very comfortable and pretty quick with the 2.0HDi/110 motor. Handled better than a large estate should too. We kept it to 150k miles in 2013 but it had a mid life crisis c2005 when it threw its cambelt and then had a whole series of faults/niggles. As a result it got left behind for the family camping holiday to France that year which we undertook in a Berlingo with a NA engine and no air-con acquired as a second motor vice the BX.

It acquitted itself wonderfully and became the main family car for another half dozen French trips until succeeded by a new model HDi 1.6/115 in 2013. Would still have it now if it hadn't developed an undiagnosable steering fault in 2015.

Mention above of the 306 wiring loom reminded me of one of the Xantia's party tricks. The main heavy duty connection between battery, alternator and starter was routed close to the radiator and in a place where it was vulnerable, like a Mini's distributor, to water penetration. A combination of those factors and proximity to the battery meant the lead was subject to corrosion and loss of capacity for amps meaning it overheated and melted the battery terminals. The first time it did it my local Cit specialist was baffled and he farmed it out to an auto sparks. The second time I googled the issue and found it to be a 'characteristic' of the model!.

The Xantia went fro scrap in 2013, another vehicle with two many faults which, had they occurred singly would have justified repair but in combination a clutch, full set of suspension spheres, oil leak onto cambelt and a door rusting badly (carp insurance repair) sent it off on a trailer to Copart.

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Fri 1 May 2020 12:52

RIP Diesel Hatchback - FP

My first and only diesel was a Peugeot 306 HDi, which I absolutely loved. It went where you pointed it and had plenty of push from low revs. However hard I drove it, it returned around 53 mpg.

Apart from few well-known electrical problems (indicator stalk, wiper motor), it was an excellent car.

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Fri 1 May 2020 15:40

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Andrew-T

My first and only diesel was a Peugeot 306 HDi, which I absolutely loved. It went where you pointed it and had plenty of push from low revs. However hard I drove it, it returned around 53 mpg. Apart from few well-known electrical problems (indicator stalk, wiper motor), it was an excellent car.

We also had one of the first 306 HDi cars (99T) for about 6 years, when it was traded at a Pug dealer for the present 207. I understand one of their mechanics took it over for the next 6 years as it had more in the service record than his car. Now probably in the heavenly scrapyard. One could see much more of the road ahead than in the 207 - in fact in the newer car going over a sharp brow was a bit of an adventure.

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Fri 1 May 2020 13:02

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Steveieb

I have two PD VW /Audi cars.

A Audi A4 130 pd saloon and an A2 Tdi 90 and am convinced that the PD principle enjoyed the peak of Diesel engine design.
As one colleague always told me to remember diesel cars are unlikely to catch fire in an accident.

Always remember a Cavalier catching fire on the car park at work. Caused by an electrical fire. The fire jumped five petrol cars before coming to a halt when it came up against a diesel Discovery.

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Fri 1 May 2020 12:39

RIP Diesel Hatchback - daveyjp

I remember a family friend being given a 1.6d Orion as his company car in the mid 80s as a replacement for his Cortina 2.0 Ghia.

We went on holiday and with a full load of family and luggage it barely kept to motorway speeds. Not surprising with just 54bhp on tap.

It is also forgotten that in the mid 80s diesel cars were still rare and finding diesel pumps was the equivalent of electric car owners finding electric charging points. He was a high mileage driver and had to find out where diesel pumps were before setting off. Away from motorways it was often a scruffy truck stop as most fuel stations did 2 and 4 star only.

I had a Fiesta 1.8d. The serious issue with it was the cambelt which had a change period of 36,000 miles. If you were lucky you managed to get the full distance, but 30,000 was a far more sensible mileage to change it. The second one on mine failed at just over 70,000 miles, three days before it was due to be changed.

I did see the car a few years later, spoke to the owner and he had taken it to over 130,000 with no issues.

I also had an A2 1.4 TDi which was brilliant,

Edited by daveyjp on 01/05/2020 at 12:40

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Fri 1 May 2020 12:27

RIP Diesel Hatchback - targen

Agreed re. the complexity of modern diesels. There are now usually 10 (ten) sensors built in to the exhaust side of any modern diesel , functions range from Adblue injection to particulate filter back pressure etc... all a recipe for uneconomic repairs when the car is middle aged.

At the back of my garage is my wifes old Peugeot 106 diesel....had it for 13 years (1996 car) , been in storage for the last 3. Dragged it out for something to do during lockdown , attached battery , cranked it....fired on second try , chugged for 1/2 hour....brings back memories.... the noisy rattle of a cold mechanical injection diesel etc...car now back in storage

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Fri 1 May 2020 15:43

RIP Diesel Hatchback - 72 dudes

My first diesel was a company car in 1995, a new Peugeot 405 1.9TD GLX in Vulcan red, the facelift one with the better interior.There was a standard fit spoiler on the boot and this was useful when reversing to judge distances. Too heavy though, I lost count of the number of times the bootlid banged me on the head.

It also had standard aircon, a rarety in those days!

At first I was disappointed with the refinement having come from a loan car, a 1.8 GLS Vectra.

But over 2.years and 3 months, and 81,000 miles I grew to like it. (No, I wasn't a rep but a long commute and lots of business miles)

It had the pre HDi engine with 92 BHP and 148 lb/ft torque, small beer these days but felt very strong in that car. 50 MPG was easily achieveable. The ride was very impressive and it was actually fun in the handling department.

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Fri 1 May 2020 16:42

RIP Diesel Hatchback - SLO76

“ The ride was very impressive and it was actually fun in the handling department.“

Peugeot proved in the 80’s and 90’s that it was possible to build a car that was fun and comfortable. Shame they lost that skill and tried to put German the Germans with increasingly firm suspension and fat wheels.

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Fri 1 May 2020 16:40

RIP Diesel Hatchback - SLO76

Agreed re. the complexity of modern diesels. There are now usually 10 (ten) sensors built in to the exhaust side of any modern diesel , functions range from Adblue injection to particulate filter back pressure etc... all a recipe for uneconomic repairs when the car is middle aged.

At the back of my garage is my wifes old Peugeot 106 diesel....had it for 13 years (1996 car) , been in storage for the last 3. Dragged it out for something to do during lockdown , attached battery , cranked it....fired on second try , chugged for 1/2 hour....brings back memories.... the noisy rattle of a cold mechanical injection diesel etc...car now back in storage

Preserve it. Diesels, particularly superminis are going to be a rare sight at classic car shows in the future. I’m increasingly tempted to keep my wee Polo which has a rare 3cyl diesel. Only others I can think of were Kia who used to make a 3cyl 1.5 that was rubbish and Daihatsu which made an excellent wee 3cyl 1.0 turbo diesel.

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Tue 16 Jun 2020 23:01

RIP Diesel Hatchback - SLO76

Well Pablo Polo aced his Mot today at 8yrs of age and with 84,000 miles up. Not a single advisory, same as last year. Looking underneath it’s as solid as a rock but sadly some poor minor paint repairs in the past are starting to look a little worse for wear. Very minor to be honest, I’m very fussy so I’d bet most people wouldn’t even notice. Otherwise he drives exactly as he did almost 5yrs ago when we bought him. Wife dear insists he has to go soon though as he’s too small and too old.

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Tue 16 Jun 2020 23:17

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Andrew-T

Wife dear insists he has to go soon though as he’s too small and too old.

Too old? 8 years? Barely run in. Both my cars are in the upper 70K's but total 37 years between them :-)

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Tue 16 Jun 2020 23:19

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Avant

".... too small and too old."

SLO, I do hope you're a big guy and still reasonably young....

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Wed 17 Jun 2020 00:51

RIP Diesel Hatchback - SLO76

".... too small and too old."

SLO, I do hope you're a big guy and still reasonably young....

Small, middle aged but feel like I’m ninety.

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Wed 17 Jun 2020 00:52

RIP Diesel Hatchback - SLO76

Wife dear insists he has to go soon though as he’s too small and too old.

Too old? 8 years? Barely run in. Both my cars are in the upper 70K's but total 37 years between them :-)

Agree and if it were up to me it would be on the drive for a long time to come. I love cars but I hate losing money on them.

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Wed 17 Jun 2020 08:24

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Trilogy.

I remember someone recently changing their car because it was getting old. It was ancient, just 3 years old!!!

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Wed 17 Jun 2020 09:13

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Andrew-T

I remember someone recently changing their car because it was getting old. It was ancient, just 3 years old!!!

That was what we routinely did, back in the 70s and 80s .... The tinworm was starting.

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Wed 17 Jun 2020 10:13

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Trilogy.

SLO, if your wife is too small and over 8 years old..............

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Thu 18 Jun 2020 12:35

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Kingpin

An excellent thread, agree with all the comments. Most diesel versions in the 80's and 90's could out perform their petrol rivals and deliver a far more relaxing drive. Even the basic Ford Fiesta versions were better than the awful gasping 950 or 1.1cc OHV petrol engines. I remember a test drive in a 205 GLD or GRD non turbo back in the 80's, in non metallic turquoise colour. It went like the clappers, ride like a magic carpet - such a refined package compared to the Fiesta, Metro and Nova being churned out.

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Thu 18 Jun 2020 18:11

RIP Diesel Hatchback - SLO76

An excellent thread, agree with all the comments. Most diesel versions in the 80's and 90's could out perform their petrol rivals and deliver a far more relaxing drive. Even the basic Ford Fiesta versions were better than the awful gasping 950 or 1.1cc OHV petrol engines. I remember a test drive in a 205 GLD or GRD non turbo back in the 80's, in non metallic turquoise colour. It went like the clappers, ride like a magic carpet - such a refined package compared to the Fiesta, Metro and Nova being churned out.

The 205 diesel was the best supermini on the market in the 80’s and 90’s in my opinion. I agree completely with you. A slugger 1800 diesel in say a Fiesta or 205 was far more relaxed and long lived than the typical frantic 1.0/1.1 petrol motor they usually came with.

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Fri 19 Jun 2020 12:21

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Gibbo_Wirral

I've had several diesel hatchbacks over the years, and today still drive a little Peugeot 206 2L HDI.

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Sat 20 Jun 2020 12:32

RIP Diesel Hatchback - Engineer Andy

An excellent thread, agree with all the comments. Most diesel versions in the 80's and 90's could out perform their petrol rivals and deliver a far more relaxing drive. Even the basic Ford Fiesta versions were better than the awful gasping 950 or 1.1cc OHV petrol engines. I remember a test drive in a 205 GLD or GRD non turbo back in the 80's, in non metallic turquoise colour. It went like the clappers, ride like a magic carpet - such a refined package compared to the Fiesta, Metro and Nova being churned out.

The 205 diesel was the best supermini on the market in the 80’s and 90’s in my opinion. I agree completely with you. A slugger 1800 diesel in say a Fiesta or 205 was far more relaxed and long lived than the typical frantic 1.0/1.1 petrol motor they usually came with.

Fond memories of having my driving lessons in a Pug 205 D. Back when driving was (just about) still fun on some occasions (early 90s).

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Fri 19 Jun 2020 19:52

RIP Diesel Hatchback - NAthan smith

Don’t start worrying yet, Diesels will still be around for another 20 years. The poor deluded government reckon we will all be flying around in electrical vehicles in 10 years - no chance!

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