I have posted previous messages regarding to a Bora, but now I might consdier a Polo. But not sure which one is better for motorway driving (15K miles a year). Bear in mind, economical is paramount. The Polo is about £2500 cheaper than the Bora, so I'm really up for it and also it's small and easy to park.
So which is better 1.4 TDi or 1.9 SDi?
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I know it doesn't answer your question and I am not sure of what prices you are thinking, but what about the Fabia vRS diesel?
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I have amaximum budget of £6000.
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Not sure how many different ways I can say the same thing. You will be spending 250 hours a year in this thing.
Parking and smallness is not up there as important
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Yes, why do people give that sluggish little beast the Polo the time of day?
Actually there was a good one. I think it had a turbocharged two-litre water-cooled flat four instead of a rear seat. That one sounded all right.
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Hi TVM,
You're right that spend a lot of time on the motorway (approx 2hrs a day = 470 hrs a year!). I forgot to mention one more criteria I have, the car is also used by a Fexxxx drive, I don't she can park with a Bora or medium size car.
ALso I'm very tight on budget. Its not everyone can afford a car these days.
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5 grand gets you a 2002 Mondeo tdci. Or the equiv vectra.
400+ hours a year in a small car will drive you nuts
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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I must say I wish I had yr budget to spend on a car, Perfection. You can do extremely well on that, no worries at all.
Small cars aren't necessarily any easier to park than bigger ones, although they will go into smaller spaces. You soon get used to a couple of inches more all round.
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I forgot to mention one more criteria I have, the car is also used by a Fexxxx drive, I don't she can park with a Bora or medium size car.
My old dear used to drive, and yes, park, a VW Transporter.
Tell her to stop being lame and learn how to drive a bigger car.
You'd have to be made to spend that much time on the motorway in a supermini.
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>>So which is better 1.4 TDi or 1.9 SDi?>>
Of the two the 1.4TDi anyday, more refined, IIRC more economical, quicker and a more satisfying drive, I know an A2 TDi that has done well over 100k with this engine, still going strong.
You might be able to get a 1.8 TDCi Focus for 6 grand, altogether more satisfying, better on the motorway and 50 MPG.
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£1450 would have got you my Xsara VTR that I sold in January. It would easily have been good for another 15-20k at least. Okay it would have done 30 mpg not 50, but you could have still put the other £4000 in the bank for next time!!
Surely cost isn't an issue here? You want a decent motorway car. I speak as someone that did 50k miles in a 1.1 Saxo. It's not as bad as people here make out, but in a car as small as a Polo, diesel makes little sense. Small petrols are very economical as well.
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>>>You might be able to get a 1.8 TDCi Focus for 6 grand, >>>altogether more satisfying, better on the motorway and 50 MPG.
You will definately get a TDCI focus for 6 grand. I called at a local VW dealer to swap the wife's Focus for a Golf.
They offered us £5200 for our 2002 52reg, met grey, 18000 mile pristine Focus TDCI LX. They wanted £14995 for a 55 plate Golf SE TDI, which is a bit odd because I can get a new one for £14910 from Drivethedeal.com
I have decided to keep the Focus, without someone offers me a realistic offer.
By the way cheddar, I cannot get near 50mpg in the Focus. It does nearer 40.
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Always go for the TDI if you can: T stands for Turbo and S for Sluggish - even though the engine size is bigger. If you can get a 1.9 TDI Polo, even better.
It's definitely worth looking at a Fabia TDI (again avoid the SDI) which might be cheaper than a Polo of the same age. It's still smaller and easier to park than a Bora.
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A couple of years ago I ran a new Polo SDI up and down the M40 every day for 8 months/24k miles. It was fine. If you're motoring is almost exclusively motorway then it'll cruise at 90+ and you won't need - or miss - the turbo.
Back in 2001 I had an old-shape Polo TDI SE. Fantastic car back then, although I reckon the new, heavier Polo body will have blunted its performance.
If there's a breakdown, won't an SDI be cheaper to fix than a complex 3-cylinder turbocharged TDI?
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I drove a 1.9SDI Fabia saloon for 2.5 years, sluggish to get going but was happy crusing. I'm not sure of the techincal specifcation of the 1.4TDI, why did they stop doing the 1.9TDI in the Polo & Fabia? They shift and have good MPG.
I would take a look at a Fabia, same car (more or less) for less money, meaning newer car for your £6K.
The real answer is test drive both and see what you think.
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>My old dear used to drive, and yes, park, a VW Transporter.
In 1979 I was a sprog RN pilot-in-training. The first flying course was at RAF Leeming, near Northallerton. I'd gone styraight from school (boarding) to the Navy, and had not been able to get time off to learn to drive. I looked in the local paper and found a driving instructor, who turned up in a battered 1100. Ten lessons later I had a shiny pass certificate. The driving instructor was a North Yorkshire lass, about 25, and already enjoying her pies.
On the way back from my pass (she burst into tears when I told her, and then told me I was the first pupil she'd put in to test), I asked her why she'd become an instructor.
Her boyfriend didn't like her doing nights away, as she also had a Class 1 licence, was the reply.
Tell your dear wife that size has nothing to do with it. If she can park a Polo she can park a Bora.
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Friend of mine has a Fabia 100bhp TDi, its a great little car and one advertised locally for £4K on a 51 plate, SDI too slow to get away from the hustle ans bustle of modern traffic. Just my opinion tho
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I agree with Dox, a Fabia would do fine. I think you'll be paying a premium for the VW badge over the Fabia. Skoda do a SDI too. Just to complicate things, i think Seat did a 130bhp TDI Ibiza. Same platform and oily bits as the VW and Skoda.
As for turbo or not for turbo, a SDI would sit on the motorway ok, but I'd rather have the more flexible and easier to sell TDI.
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Sorry - I can't help myself with this - Perfection have you considered the Honda Jazz. I know they do not make a diesel version but the 1.4 dsi offers diesel economy and is not under powered either.
The Jazz seems to win every motoring accolade there is (for it's class) and is by fair the best small car you can buy - according to it's owners and motoring journalists as well.
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And there's a lovely pink one going in the classifieds at the moment as well...
Is that an oxymoron do you think?
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I wouldn't call 45mpg that we get on average from our Jazz "diesel economy" considering the modest size of the Jazz. I got 50 mpg with my Passat, measured over many thousands of miles. For a 1.4 TDI in a Polo I'd expect between 55 and 60 mpg, given the Mway diet it will have.
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In the press: Skoda Fabia vRS, 1.9 TDI PD (130bhp) 5d 2003/53, 54000 miles, £7995. Should eat the miles, and be a bit of fun too!
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"I'm not sure of the technical specifcation of the 1.4TDI: why did they stop doing the 1.9TDI in the Polo & Fabia? They shift and have good MPG."
1.9 TDI still current according to What Car's price lists.
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the sdi has SIXTY FOUR HORSEPOWER!!
so dont buy one
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Have you done the maths in terms of purchase price, fuel economy, fuel price and depreciation? 15k is marginal for diesel to show real savings, IMHO, especially on m-way miles and a smaller vehicle.
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We have a 1.9TDI version of this. Good little car and goes like the stonk, loads of torque! It is tho slightly uncomfortable due to it being a sport version with seats and the suspension. If you were to go for one go for the 1.4TDI and avoid the Sports spec because with the milage you will be doing you will find you'll have body ache after a long jouney!
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Fabia 1.4 TDI PD is listed on parkers, might only be available on newer models though. The man is right about 64BHP, 0-60 in my Skoda Fabia SDI was approximately 18 seconds. From memory over taking on typical A roads was a bit hair raising due to lack of oomph!
My diesel Mitsi Carisma DID (Turbo) seems slow and that aparently gets to 60 in 12ish seconds.
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my gf has a 1.9 and it's not good to drive- very loose steering, tatty interior and dodgy electrics.
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