I was considering buying a cheap diesel. I would prefer something easy to work on as I\'ll be changing the oil amongst other stuff myself. My mk3 1.3 fiesta is a delight to work on \'cos there\'s stacks of space under the bonnet. Just really wanted some opinions from a few DIYers. Are the fiesta diesels chain driven by the way ?
The options are:-
Fiesta Mk3/4
Peugeot 306
any others worth considering ?
cheers
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That was supposed to be for less than £1000 in the title !
Dunno why it chopped it ???
{Neither do I. However, now edited in. DD}
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Suggest you look at the Astra D or TD
You probably have not been around here long enough to hear the raves etc about HF\'s Astra Diesel.
Apparently the consensus is that the non turbos last longer and present fewer problems than the turbos.
You could try the Escorts,
If you prefer something bigger Xantia diesels P reg etc go for about a grand.
Hugo
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Hugo beat me to it but if you can put up with a slug of a car the Astra 1.7d is very reliable, I ran one to 100k with nothing required other than the cambelt at 45k and 90k plus the tyres etc. The waterpump went 200 miles after a belt change and I put that down to dealer negligence rather than co-incidence.
There is stacks of room under the bonnet and in non turbo form its ok for DIYing. The models from J - N reg are mostly under £1k now and remember apart from the engines and diesely bits they share parts with the petrol models and there are loads of those in the breakers for cheapo bits.
The Isuzu engined 1.7td is another kettle of fish albeit much quicker but more exepensive if anything goes wrong and a few posters here have written about valve recession issues with that variant of engine.
I am sure someone will soon suggest a Citroen of one type or another but the Astra is not bad just very very slow.
as ever
Mark
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Cheap diesel has to be a Peugeot or a Citroen.
The 1.9 TD engine is a breeze to service. All the filters are easily accessible from above by hand.
Your budget would get a nice tidy ZX Volcane, an older 306, or a 405 or a Xantia.
I had a Xantia, nice car to drive, easy to service, but expensive when other things went wrong.
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This post has been brought to you by the letters Z and X. I learned to drive in one and I really liked the car at the time.
I am all but certain that both the XUD engines in Peugeots and Citroëns of this age and the Ford 1.8 diesels are belt driven.
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Yep, all are belt drive - the Fiesta has 2 (one for the cam, one for the injection pump), and they need changing every 40k. The endura engine in the Fiesta is horrible - it would put you off driving a diesel for life! Get something with the PSA XUD unit in it. They were fitted to the Rover 218 cars, which are pretty cheap as they have no image. Turbo units are better, as the non turbo ones are a bit slow. Engine will go for 300k + with regular oil and coolant changes.
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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40,000 miles is optimistic for the belt on the Fiesta 1.8D engine. I'd reduce this to 30,000 (I had one go at 33,000 - 36,000 was recommended, so speak from experience!). A friend who worked on a fleet of these used by the local Council's highways department recommended 25,000 miles as a maximum!
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I think you might struggle to get a decent condition 306TD for under £1000, but a decent condition ZXTD shouldn't be a problem - it's an image thing.
The XUD TD engines pretty much fill the bonnet space tho, and unless you can do it yourself the cambelt is an expensive service item unless you live near the garage DL says does it for £99!
For driving, that engine is the best of its time by a country mile though, you won't be disappointed there
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Peugeot 106 diesel..1.4.
Slow very
But you can find low mileage well looked after ones for £1k.. or slightly less good for less.
55-60mpg, no rust, simple , easy cambelt change..
Watch: hoses.. side hose beside cambelt is £35 ish and prone to fail = headgasket = £ss as aluminium.
Glow plugs tend to go.. suspension arm swivels..
But I find very reliable :SWMBO 's now 10 years old.. 4 seater.. still strong..
Or Peugoet 205 Diesel bit older and can be hi mileage clapped..
Fiesta diesel is just HORRIBLE..makes a 1960s Land Rover look sophisticated..
Whatever the Citroen fanatics say, you do not want a car with hydraulic spheres they will be clapped out.
Simple, rugged, no rust.. reliable..
madf
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