I think the caravan dealer gave you very sound general advice. Of the diesels available today, the VW PD unit is still a clear winner in terms of specific fuel consumption, low speed torque and durability, with the exception of the cambelt. If you can arrange to have this, the tensioner and the water pump replaced every 4 years, these engines will achieve very high mileages with almost no other attention than the odd MAF sensor.
I think the jury is still out in terms of the long term durability and efficiency of Japanese diesels. My view is that they haven't quite got there yet.
659.
|
|
The VW PD does make quite a lot of sense. Most of the advantages of CR without quite as much complexity. Stangely enough I got offered a PD Passat yesterday morning. 150k on the clock but very cheap. The snag is that its pressuring its cooling system a little bit - so I think the HG may be blowing......shame.
|
|
Dealer I know took a batch from lease could not sell them or took a long time reason being they are ugly sells lagunas and mondeos all day every day.
|
|
I had a look at an Avensis 1.8 T3-X auto the other day. It was an 03 model having done about 45K and I was not impressed with the way the upholstery had become very tatty in such a short time. There were creases in the cloth covering the driver's seat, plus a small pull in the fabric, which looked like developing into a tear, and a generally discolouring on several areas of the fabric. I would think the car will not sell at the asking price of £8.5K.
|
The VW PD does make quite a lot of sense. Most of the advantages of CR without quite as much complexity.
More complexity perhaps, depends on how you look at it, rather than one high pressure injection pump PD uses a small one for each cylinder, these are driven off the camshaft thus putting additional load on the cambelt, not the most logical of designs IMO, on the other hand it is efficient in operation if not that refined.
|
|
I think the caravan dealer gave you very sound general advice.
Agreed!
Of the diesels available today, the VW PD unit is still a clear winner in terms of specific fuel consumption, low speed torque and durability, with the exception of the cambelt. >>
There is no real foundation for that, the pre PD VW TDis last well with regular cambelt changes though the PD pumps put more strian on the cambelt, I know a couple of pre PDs knocking on 200k however the Ford/Jag Duratorq TDCi has better specific fuel consumption, produces more torque, has a cam chain, is at least as durable and is MUCH more refined.
|
The pre PD VW diesels are not available today.
The two innovations which give the VW PD engine its edge (admiitedly with downsides such as the need for special oil and high cambelt repacement frequency) are the variable geometry turbocharger and the very high fuel injection pressures, approaching 2000 bar which this system allows. As with any machine, one has to decide whether that particular design compromise is acceptable - I think that particularly as a tow car engine, it is.
The fuel injection equipment used by Ford/Jag is, in my view, of much lower quality than the Bosch equipment fitted to the PD engine. Japanese diesels generally have their fuel injection equipment produced locally, under license from a European company, often Bosch. I have not generally so far been impressed with the results.
For a cheap tow car with a pre-Euro IV compliant PD engine, there are wonderful bargains to be had if you choose your bonnet badge carefully.
659.
|
The two innovations which give the VW PD engine its edge (admiitedly with downsides such as the need for special oil and high cambelt repacement frequency) are the variable geometry turbocharger and the very high fuel injection pressures, approaching 2000 bar which this system allows. >>
Many contemporary TDs use variable vane turbos!
The fuel injection equipment used by Ford/Jag is, in my view, of much lower quality than the Bosch equipment fitted to the PD engine.
Though it does a better job, it provides more torque and much greater refinement. You comment does not make sense.
Japanese diesels generally have their fuel injection equipment producedlocally,
By Denso.
|
|
|
".....I also am told the 1.8 avenisis VVTi engine has an oil-consumption problem over 50,000 miles - seems to afflict a lot of engines, and leads to early cat-failure...."
Does this also apply to the post- 2003 model (ie new model) Avensis ???
|
My first thought was that I had not driven one, then after a few minutes I realised that I had, for two days about six months ago when the Honda was getting a minor bump fixed.
Must have been a memorable drive ............
Can't actually remember if it was good, or bad (it is an 04 and is still one of the pool cars at work).
|
Colleague of mine has one as a company car on an 05 plate in T Spirit spec (it's the 114 BHP diesel). I've been a passenger in it over about 800 miles in two days. I was really impressed with the ride quality and general comfort of it - it's great as a motorway cruiser if you can put up with the bland exterior looks. He gets about 48 mpg I think. He likes it so much he's replacing it with a new one with the 150 BHP diesel, again in T Spirit spec.
However another colleague test drove one against the Honda Accord and picked the Honda because of the better engine. He reckoned the Toyota engine was slow. For the private buyer I would say the Avensis is much better value than the Accord.
I personally reckon this car looks better as a saloon than a hatch.
|
|
|
VVT-i engines between 2000 and 2002 affected. Post 2002 are fine. But to further put your mind at rest Toyota have/are/will replace engines and cats of cars affected up to five years old. So don't worry.
|
thanks for the info so far everyone....
I wondered if the 116bhp was underpowered, sounds like it might be.....
I actually quite like the look of the new Avensis - it is understated, and doesn't shout money come and steal me.
I may consider one of the newer 2.2D-4Ds if I can afford it.... has anyone driven one of these engines yet ?
I like the look of the Honda Accord, and it looks very classy, but it is a really huge car, and I do a lot of driving in London and parking it may be a prob..... Most of the time I don't need the huge size, but do need some pulling power for the caravan.... ALso HJ breakdown reports the Honda as drinking oil and low fuel economy...
|
>> I may consider one of the newer 2.2D-4Ds if I can afford it.... has anyone driven one of these engines yet ?
No though as I say I am planning to drive one to see if the reports that say that it lacks torque below 2000 revs are true.
|
I may consider one of the newer 2.2D-4Ds if I can afford it.... has anyone driven one of these engines yet ?
See HJ's roadtest here -
www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=228
|
I may consider one of the newer 2.2D-4Ds if I can afford it.... has anyone driven one of these engines yet ? I like the look of the Honda Accord, and it looks very classy, but it is a really huge car, and I do a lot of driving in London and parking it may be a prob..... Most of the time I don't need the huge size, but do need some pulling power for the caravan.... ALso HJ breakdown reports the Honda as drinking oil and low fuel economy...
I'll share my limited experience so far. Picked up my new facelifted 2.2 D4D (150) T3-X last Friday. First brim to brim fill tonight (524 miles between fills) works out at 50.03mpg, trip computer shows 47.6mpg for 575 total miles so far - i know this is too short a distance to be truly indicative, but it's looking good so far. Very happy with the performance, it cruises nicely well below 2000rpm, but there is noticably more shove between 2000-3000rpm (the max allowed under HJ's running-in advice!).
The gearbox felt notchy and awkward at first, but seems much better now, very easy to use - but that could just be me being used to it rather than it loosening up.
I had an extensive test drive in the Accord, but would say that the Avensis is the better motorway cruiser - quieter with better ride quality, the Accord never felt quite as 'settled' to me. Both are great cars though, in my opinion. The Toyota seems better value wise too, I managed a 12.5% discount (as a private buyer), having waved a drivethedeal printout in front of the salesman. That's on top of what I already considered to be a very reasonable list price.
|
|
I took an Avensis D4D T180 for a drive today, intersting, I will post details when I have more time.
|
500 miles? 3000 revs? get that rev counter to within 200 revs of the red line at least once every next 50 miles.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
500 miles? 3000 revs? get that rev counter to within 200 revs of the red line at least once every next 50 miles. ------------------------------ TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
TVM, is that right? Have I been too gentle on the thing? Grateful for your reasoning/advice on this, as I have now done 700 miles and not been beyond 3000rpm, perhaps a couple of hundred more, but that's it. Does running in too gently do harm in the long run?
Cheers,
Rich
PS - I was going by Honest John's FAQ on running in a diesel:
"For the first 1,000 miles do not exceed 3,000rpm, but make sure you reach 3,000rpm regularly. For the next 1,000 miles (to 2,000 miles) do not exceed 3,500rpm, but make sure you reach 3,500rpm regularly. For the next 1,000 miles (to 3,000 miles) do not exceed 4,000rpm, but make sure you reach 4,000rpm regularly. For the next 1,000 miles (to 4,000 miles) do not exceed 4,500rpm, but make sure you reach 4,500rpm at least a couple of times a week. After that, no limit, but make sure you continue to hit 4,500rpm through the gears several times a week. The benefit of this is it helps to self clean the injectors, it blows any accumulated soot out of the exhaust system and it helps to free off the piston rings, making the engine more efficient and less likely to use engine oil. "
|
|
HJ's advice sounds fine to me, you are not doing anything wrong.
|
HJ's advice sounds fine to me, you are not doing anything wrong.
That's reassuring to hear, cheers Cheddar.
|
|
|
|
