I'm thinking of buying a diesel - I'll be driving around 20,000 miles a year and looking to at a price range of between £5000 and £6000 trade price.
Any suggestions what will be a good buy I was thinking about a Focus 1.8 TDi any other suggestions in that price range with low-ish mileage?
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Howdo. Welcome to the fold.
I would wholeheartedly recommend a 406HDi. £5000-£6000 should get you a 50k-ish Rapier or LX (90). They are roomy, well equipped and simply eat motorway miles for breakfast whilst maintaining 50+mpg. The seats are renowned for being soft, but I don't have a problem with them.
The only issue I can think of is the boot. Make sure the car has been back to the dealer to get a modification to stop people getting into your car with a pencil.
If it is the engine I'm thinking of, the Ford 1.8TDi is a bit rough. Take a close look and I'm sure you'll see 'Massey Fergusson' badges.
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Or go for a Xantia (same underpinnings as the 406, but with much better suspension) and about 3k less - 6 grand will buy you a 40k HDi 110 with most of the toys. Oh I wish I had that much cash burning a hole in my pocket...
RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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As well as the boot - don't forget the airbag recall, having things nicked is bad, but being hit one side while the airbags go off on the other is probably worse....
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"a bit rough"
But probably quite smooth compared to this:
www.ytmag.com/articles/artint117.htm
Read down for details of the 4-litre single-cylinder diesel!
-------------------------------
Illegitimi non carborundum!
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pw
I had a "W" 2000 Focus 1.8TDi CL as my last company car and was extremely pleased with it. Good off the line, and excellent on the motorway. Coupled with the handling a very satisfying car to drive. I had it about a year and had covered over 40k in that time without so much as a complaint. Even the good lady liked it, and she's not happy with cars often!
I'd go for the highest spec you can as the CL was a little short on the "toys".
Contrary to another poster I found the engine smooth and didn't consider the noise to be bad at all.
Good luck anyway.
Paul
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Everyone knows that Peugeot and Citroen make the best diesel engines.
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Everyone knows that Peugeot and Citroen make the best diesel engines.
Which is why it is such a shame that the rest of the car is made of paper, spit and string (ducks behind parapet). Friend has just forked out for a new cylinder head and within 4k a new turbo on his 78k T plate 406. Not brilliant, but not the worst by a very long chalk.
The TDCi in the focus is a might better than the frankly agricultural 1.8tdi fitted to the Mondeo.
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The TDCi in the focus is a might better than the frankly agricultural 1.8tdi fitted to the Mondeo.
But the TDi in a £6k Focus is going to be the same fitted to the Mondeo :)
I'd get a Xantia HDi110 SX. It's what I'd buy if I had 6k. I've been very happy with my 1.9TD example.
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Don't forget that Ford and PSA have developed a small diesel engine as a joint venture!
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cheers for the advice....still can't make up my mind though.
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Guess what I'm going to suggest! If you haven't tried a C5 diesel give it a go - especially the 2.2 which I have. I'd admit that some aspects of French assembly are a bit 'lightweight', but my experience of the recent 'big Cits' (Xantia / C5) is that they are fundamentally well engineered and although some of the trim is a bit flimsy it's perfectly fine when treated with respect. I've done 23,000 miles and nothing whatsoever has broken or fallen off. As well as having one of the best performing diesels in the business, it is also 100% reliable - no glitches, no temperament, no worries whatsoever.
The suspension is not to be sneezed at either!
Now compare that to the Ford TDCi eg. How many moans do you hear about there? Even as we speak, Ford still haven't sussed the problem and they've even put the same engine with the same glitches in the Jaguar!
There's no such thing as the 'perfect' car, but you do need to consider where your priorities lie. If the engine is what you're buying the car for, then the Pug / Cit diesel is unsurpassed. If you value trim quality highly then maybe best look elsewhere.
Oh - by the way, I think there is a 6 gear C5 just about to come out. Now that really does sound rather special!
Graeme
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I'll second (or third or fourth) what has been said above about the Xantia Hdi 110. My wife has a W reg one, Exclusive model, bought second hand, now has done 65k and has been faultless. It has all the goodies, A/c, climate, leather, electric/leather seats, Cd multichanger, auto wipers etc, is roomy, comfortable and has that fantastic engine and the unbeatable suspension. What's more it does over 40mpg on short trips and we get over 50 on a good run. Servicing? well oil changes and filter (and cam belt) and that's been it - oh and new front brake pads and that's in 20k since we bought it (cheap because it was high mileage for year - but is 40k high mileage for a diesel?).As for trim, well nothing has fallen off, nothing rattles and since I've never had the luxury of a Merc or BMW I can't say if it's a lot worse or not - but then I have to compare like with like and it doesn't seem any worse than Mondeos or Vectras etc that I have been in. Sometimes I think that the critism of the trim in these cars is the critics last resort - they can't find much else wrong so resort to having a go at the plastic. As for electrical problems in Cits (another criticism) I can only say that in my own experience of owning Cits for 16 years that I have yet to have an electrical problem (except when a battery goes or the odd bulb). You will get excellent value with a Xantia (or C5)
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Having has a Xantia I not too sure i would by one again...
I bought it when it was 3 years old, it had 91k on the clock, full service history and purely m/way mileage.
In 10k I had to change the from brakes, spheres and a replacement wiring loom due to a burnt out wire was the end of the line (£600.00). Moved on to a 406 and can say thats its a much better car, ideal for taller people, the Xantia is a nightmare if you have a sunroof (ok in estate form though).
Had a simular experience with a work xantia, 30k on the clock, suspension went, clutch went, engine was very ruff........
gone back from a renault (brand new 172 clio) to a c reg golf Gti, cost me £400 and seems to be more reliable..............
In conclusion, get full history, get it checked out, or buy with a good warrentee and get the 406 !
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I do think (meticulous) servicing is important for Cits. I serviced my Xantia myself from new (apart from the free service) It did 105,000 miles over 9 years and although it had odd bits like a back suspension unit and a height control valve that was about it. It never had a new clutch (or cable / clip!!) The engine never missed a beat and was as smooth and reliable on the day that I sold the car as the day I picked it up at the showroom. Oh - and it needed a new battery a week before I sold it. The one that came out was the original - 9 years old!
Yes - you do get rogue Cits, though. The bad ones are apparently horrendous and this taints the general reputation of the rest.
Graeme
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Everyone might laugh - but Rover have a 115bhp diesel unit which has rediculously low emissions and therefore low road tax. There are also 86 and 105bhp versions. Depends on the size of the car you want. I'm biased as I have one (well ok the 105 bhp one), there are the odd glitches with the build quality (But nothing diferent from other manufactuers), it's v easy and cheap to get spares.
The performance is 0-60 in 9.8 secs, 125mph top speed and 50mpg using shell and driving "enthusiatically".
My dad has the Focus TDCi fella - it's also a very nice car, just more expensive than mine.
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No one has suggested a VW/Audi or derivative. Dare I suggest that you'll get better image, build quality and residuals than from Ford or any French make.
Pat
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