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an age old subject I know but one that creates debate, I have a 95 Cav 1.8i, 137k, sound car coming up to needing a clutch and cam belt, its doin 37-39 mpg av 350 miles per week, I'm thinking of swapping to a diesel for improved mpg 50+. Had a look at Rover 418 on HJ car by car, not inspiring, anyone got any suggestions, looking at up to £1500 :0(, not alot I know but ideas would be appreciated.
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If I had to pick a £1,500 diesel, I'd go for a Citroen ZX TD.
We have a 94 Cav 1.8i and a P406 TD, so I can comment from both sides of the debate. I can't support any economic reasons for your possible change, a new clutch and cam belt are not big or expensive jobs on a Cavalier. With a little expenditure from your £1,500 fund, your current car should have years of useful life left!
I don't drive the Cav very often but when I do I'm always impressed by how smooth, quiet and tight it remains. Most £1,500 diesels will seem slow, rough old dogs in comparison and a bit of a gamble. The Citroen ZX TD was about the best blend of peromance and refinement of that era. If you fancy a change, why not indulge yourself (even if it may not make economic sense).
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I'd stick with the Cav for a couple of years, run it into the ground, save a bit more and then get something a few years newer.
The car's worth £600 at auction, fixed. Your budget won't get you anything much better and if it's in good condition, it's pointless to change to anything much below £3000.
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both replies have confirmed what I was thinking, the Cav is still v good mechanical order but it would be nice to get another 10mpg spread over the year its worth having, thanks anyway
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One of my colleagues has a 94L Cav 1.8i with 289,000 miles on the clock, still not needed any untoward engine work. So it should last you!
Paul R above is right, most diesels up to £1500 will be considerably more tired than your Cav, at this end of the market having a diesel engine will fetch up to £1000 over the price of a similar petrol car. (Seen a tatty G-reg Escort 1.8D L for £995 last week!)
Better the devil you know...?
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You could do worse than try the cav diesel. Mine is a 94L with the isuzu 1.7TD engine and it consistently does in the region of 50mpg – over 600 miles per tank-full. It has done 156K and I’m in the position where its worth nothing on resale but quite a lot to me for as long as it continues giving relatively low-maintenance driving. The things which have gone wrong over the years are an alternator, starter motor and tappetts (right spelling?) needed adjusting at one point. Other than that, normal wear and tear. One thing which always has been a pain is the 4500 mile service interval (oil change) and I suppose this has to eat into the savings on fuel especially as I have used more expensive semi-synthetic (on HJ’s recommendation). I had a ride in a diesel focus recently (brand new) which was far noisier than the cav. Like all cavs, it sits on the motorway at 80 (clears throat) very nicely...
Splodgeface
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Over 2 years, you'll save £700 in fuel with 48 vs 38 mpg. That's a good saving, but if you factor in the extra depreciation and possibly a dealer's profit margin, you won't see any of it. You sound happy with the Cav overall, so it's hard to see why you should change it. Maybe chop it in for one of the last old shape Vectras in two years time, they should be down to near enough £3k by then.
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