flash of light
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looking at buying a diesel 100hp ish polo or leon to use for getting to work i wondered if any of you may have owned one. im going to then weld up my discovery so its sweet to sell.
- Thread starter flash of light
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flash of light
Member
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- 105
im also going to look at buying a series landrover. i cant live without 4x4.
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Both should be good, same family as Skoda. Differences could be trim quality perhaps, but don't expect much else. Mate has diesel '59 reg Polo, starting smoking and burning smell. Garage thought it was clutch(@ 29K miles???). Turned out it was Diesel particulate filter, not been "re-generated! Apparently, it needs 30miles of 3rd gear at 1800revs at regular intervals to do this. This would pigg me off summat chronic. Although I do 30k a year, would blasting up and down gears at all speeds, motorways and rural roads may not achieve re-generation.
Have got diesel Fabia 100 pd, this is polo based. Done 188k miles, with no probs other than bushes on front lower bottom arms. Poly bushes better but still change them every year. Same clutch, engine, gearbox, alternator belt and have never needed to top up header tank. Still get over 70 mpg regular to work, a 26 mile trip one way. Hauls an overloaded car trailer often. Would strongly recommend it. May change for newer in about 4 years!
Wife has Octavia 130 pd, 8year old @ 199k miles, same story. This getting changed for newer next week she tells me!
But this scenario with the diesel particulate filter is worrying me, maybe petrol version next.
Round here, our local family owned skoda dealer is fantastic. Their prices are much lower than local VW/Seat. Have found same story for parts, ie, boot floor rubber mat for octy was £47, same mat for passat was £97! They're identical, both fit same except one says octavia, other passat!
Having owned over 100 cars since '68, the most reliable have been Skoda/vw (therefore Seat?) toyota, honda, nissan and mitsubishi. This is my opinion, based on my experience
Lots of guys here have had reliable fords,vauxhalls and french stuff, but I never was impressed with them. And this has not swayed my opinion one iota.
Have got diesel Fabia 100 pd, this is polo based. Done 188k miles, with no probs other than bushes on front lower bottom arms. Poly bushes better but still change them every year. Same clutch, engine, gearbox, alternator belt and have never needed to top up header tank. Still get over 70 mpg regular to work, a 26 mile trip one way. Hauls an overloaded car trailer often. Would strongly recommend it. May change for newer in about 4 years!
Wife has Octavia 130 pd, 8year old @ 199k miles, same story. This getting changed for newer next week she tells me!
But this scenario with the diesel particulate filter is worrying me, maybe petrol version next.
Round here, our local family owned skoda dealer is fantastic. Their prices are much lower than local VW/Seat. Have found same story for parts, ie, boot floor rubber mat for octy was £47, same mat for passat was £97! They're identical, both fit same except one says octavia, other passat!
Having owned over 100 cars since '68, the most reliable have been Skoda/vw (therefore Seat?) toyota, honda, nissan and mitsubishi. This is my opinion, based on my experience
Lots of guys here have had reliable fords,vauxhalls and french stuff, but I never was impressed with them. And this has not swayed my opinion one iota.
I think Skoda make summat called VRS for a more involving drive? Yes, diesels are very good indeed. My Fabia 100bhp tdi pd has exceeded all my expectations, reliably and cheaply. Have several high powered cars to blow cobwebs away, namely a '67 Lotus 7, MK2 RS2000, and a mini based kit car with Honda vtec (weighs 635kilo!).
Among the collection is one of my faves, a April '58 series 1 Landy 88ins (that's right, not 86).
Not forgetting a part share in a '43 AEC Matador (I get very emotional driving this, a definate icon of British engineering. This also exceeded expectations)..
My point perhaps , the polo/ leons/ fabias are good honest RELIABLE cars that do the job, getting to work at a FAIR PRICE
Among the collection is one of my faves, a April '58 series 1 Landy 88ins (that's right, not 86).
Not forgetting a part share in a '43 AEC Matador (I get very emotional driving this, a definate icon of British engineering. This also exceeded expectations)..
My point perhaps , the polo/ leons/ fabias are good honest RELIABLE cars that do the job, getting to work at a FAIR PRICE
flash of light
Member
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- 105
with this Diesel particulate filter, could you just make up a blank tube with two flanges and swap it over when mot come about.
Dear CTB, oh yes, most definately changed timing belt and tensioner regularly at 55k instead of 65k interval. Wife's octy was 75k interval!!!
Took it really easy to work, driving with the instantaneous consumption display reading as high as poss at all times. Got an average of 79.7mpg o/all.
Did the same on way home and average of 74.3mpg o/all. Thought that was ok, can get better figures in summer. The route is NOT flat.
Mind you, it was bloody boring!
Took it really easy to work, driving with the instantaneous consumption display reading as high as poss at all times. Got an average of 79.7mpg o/all.
Did the same on way home and average of 74.3mpg o/all. Thought that was ok, can get better figures in summer. The route is NOT flat.
Mind you, it was bloody boring!
pedrobedro
Man at Matalan
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There's only one way to decide.............FIGHT!!!!!!!
flash of light
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how do you work out the mpg, has it a gauge like a bmw. as you might allready know you get better mpg in summer because less air molecules per square foot to move out the way, as the molecules ar larger in the warmer days.
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I've always thought you got better mpg in winter with cooler/denser air charge? the reason for using an intercooler is to lower the temperature.
Agree with flash of light. You're correct with intercooler lower air temp etc.
In deep winter (-10*C) my car takes ages to warm up, unless I gun it.
My Skoda mechanic tells me extra fuel is admitted during warm up to make engine run sweet. Its then turned off.So easy driving or gunning it, it's still costing more fuel than summer. Diesel engines need to be warm to be most efficient. Add demister/heater/rear demister/door mirror demister, light cos it's dark when i go to work in winter/wipers, it all takes energy/fuel.
In deep winter (-10*C) my car takes ages to warm up, unless I gun it.
My Skoda mechanic tells me extra fuel is admitted during warm up to make engine run sweet. Its then turned off.So easy driving or gunning it, it's still costing more fuel than summer. Diesel engines need to be warm to be most efficient. Add demister/heater/rear demister/door mirror demister, light cos it's dark when i go to work in winter/wipers, it all takes energy/fuel.
Don't forget those super grippy winter tires. Takes more energy to get them moving, and the soft compounds really stick to the road when its not so cold out. I average about 1/2 liter/100km more in winter due to all the above reasons.
