I am wanting to know which cars have quiet diesel engines including at tickover and continental cruising speed. Most are reasonable at 30-60 but many are boomy at higher speeds (my passat didnt seem to bad - but after 200 miles it gave you a headache) and dreadful at tickover (I have to sit in many miles of stationary traffic!). Before my last car purchase (Skoda Octavia petrol& very quiet) I test drove some VAG diesels (VW, Skoda and Seat) and found them too noisy at tickover and boomy at speed. I tarred all diesels with this brush until I was given a lift in a Peugeot 307 HDI , VERY refined indeed!. Trouble is I have not been a fan of Peugeot in the past due to reliability problems and soft seats. The seats are better now, reliability???
Which other reasonably priced (sub 15K) diesel cars are also as refined? Magazines seem to concentrate on performance/economy rather than refinement/comfort.
HJ mentions the Yaris Diesel, is this refined?
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Have had a taxi ride in a new Mondeo diesel, very quiet.
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Have had a taxi ride in a new Mondeo diesel, very quiet.
When I have been in a nightclub and drunk many beers, even a 200,000 mile Carina Diesel sounds quiet..... or that may just be the tinnitus!
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What size car are you looking for?
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BMWs are v good, Audi/VAG very bad.
Don't know others.
madf
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BMWs are v good, Audi/VAG very bad. Don't know others. madf
Not any more, the new VAG CR diesels are whisper quiet and butter smooth. You are right though, my old A4 2.0 TDI whilst a very nice car was always very gruff at tickover, but at speed never a problem.
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Citroen C5 HDI 2.2 (probably 2.0 version as well - but 2.2 has the particle filter.) Quiet at every speed, very economical, 136 BHP. Joy to drive!
Graeme
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Renault Clio dci. Or for a car with a better reputation for reliability, the new Nissan Micra - same engine, different body. If I was looking for a car of that class, I'd definitely check that one out. Also the Yaris as mentioned. Tried the Fabia with the smaller VAG 100 bhp engine? It may be refined enough for you. Very nice car, but slightly pricey with any more than basic spec. The Micra's probably the best bet now.
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I was thinking of saying the C5, but one day somebody is going to accuse me of working for Citroen.
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Try the New Ford TDCi Engine in either the Mondeo or Focus. It is very refined and quiet and it turns the Focus in to a seriously quick car, it actually feels quicker than the 2.0. Best diesel I have ever experienced!
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I personally dont like the Focus, Im 6ft 4" and when you wind down the seat cushion to fit me in a 2" gap opens up between the backrest and the base(common problem for me on most Japanese cars). I like the new Mondeo a lot but have not driven the TDCi yet.
Citroen Xsara - I dont fit!(headroom), Citroen c5 - nice car, although I am a little scared of the millions of computers controlling everthing including the suspension. Citroen Berlingo HDI , actually I quite like this, comfortable, loads of room, good visibility for kids out of back windows (most kids cant see out of cars these days). Its a good price until you add on essential options such as ABS (cars should not come without it) and air con (its a greenhouse on wheels!).
Someone mentioned the fabia, I am a Skoda fan( I own an Octavia) but I found the Fabia diesel very noisy at tickover, and the seats (as in things to sit on not the manufacturer) are too small for me.
Renault Clio - dont fit
Toyota Yaris - suprisingly roomy! but will soon be too small to carry my lad in the back + luggage.
Toyota Corolla/Avensis- dont like seats, never seem that economical compared to petrol.
BMW - cant afford, also usually a little tight on headroom.
Merc - cant afford.
Warm favorites so far for me
Peugeot 307 (some good prices at supersites) quiet with excellent driving position for me.
Citroen Berlingo HDI - cheap (especially with the deals HJ mentioned) and rather chearful.
Ford Mondeo, still a bit pricey, maybee a touch large, but I like it.
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Try the Peugeot Partner Combi if you like the Berlingo. Slightly more expensive (much more with the offers) but the base model is better specified, and they are offering 0% finance over three years. This makes it very competitive with the Berlingo and you'll be able to get any colour you want. The HDI is very smooth and quiet.
Ford TDCI is a Peugeot/Citroen HDI engine. That's why it's so good.
Chris
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Isn't it only the 1.4 TDCI that is a Citroen unit? That Ford engine is slightly different to the ones used by Peugeot and Citroen, the best 1.4 HDI being the 16v unit fitted to the C3.
I thought that the larger TDCI's were Fords own, and future HDI/TDCI to be a joint venture.
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1.4 DV4 = tdci/hdi, joint venture
1.4 DV6 = tdci/hdi, joint venture
old DW10td/ated = tddi/hdi, mostly psa developed
2.0, 2.2 ZSD = joint venture
1.8 TDCI = all ford development ( based on endura-d )
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Must be something of a record, responding to a question which is eight and half years old
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I am your height and can drive a Yaris Verso comfortably. With the drivers seat right back I still have plenty of room for myself to sit in the seat behind. Amazing amount of room and superb access.
Down side is its looks. Not driven the diesel version but reports are good.
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I'm 6 foot 4 but with the adjustable height seat which is standard on my Clio sport on its lowest setting give me enough head room. Maybe you should ask to sit on one it is very comfortable to drive. Plus as the Clio is lighter than most the cars you are looking at it will be more economical the worst I have got it to is 47mpg and that was going quick even my adverage is 57mpg and that mostly on the mortorway which is where the car is less economical as the revs are up around 3000
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The Mondeo I said was quiet, was brand new, so presumably had this engine.
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BMWs are very quiet at speed. I have drive mine regularly at 75 mph (cruise control) on Mways and find it diffficult to fault -despite the fact that wind noise and road noise are more or less damped to a minimum. Go drive one. I think you will find that a 320 is just as quiet.
PS I have autobahned mine at 120 mph for miles without an aural
bashing.
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Does anyone know how the new primera diesel fares?
Splodgeface
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Having driven numerous Audi diesels i also find them extremely noisy on tickover
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Try the Rover 75. Comes with the fantastic BMW diesel engine which is incredibly refined. Standard power output can be increased by the dealer for about £500 as well.
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Re: ChrisR, the Ford 1.4 TDCi is the lower powered of the 2 PSA versions of the 1.4 HDi (68bhp 8v and 92bhp 16v). The 1.8 and 2.0 are all Ford's own work.
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Thanks for clearing that up re: the 1.4. I assumed since they are called the same thing they would be from the same design family.
>The 1.8 and 2.0 are all Ford's own work.
Oh dear.
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Sorry if I sound pedantic, but the C3 has a 70bhp 8v engine, while the Fiesta has a 68bhp 8v engine. The PSA website suggests that this engine is modular and that there are many different combinations, producing various outputs.
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Is the peugeot 1.4 HDI the same as the Citroen 1.4 HDI?
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Yes, the 1.4 HDI found in the 307 and 206 is the same as the 1.4 HDI in the Citroen C3. The C3 has 2 HDI engines, both 1.4, but the 92bhp model has a variable geometry turbo and twice the valves.
My personal choice of focus size and smaller diesels would be the C4 1.4 HDI 16v and the Xsara 2.0 HDI 110.
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I Once was the proud owner of a Mistubishi (or is it Mitsibushi) Galant 1.8 turbo diesel 1989 model which was quieter than any diesel I have ever heard, but sadly it was written off in a head on collision with an idiot white van driver and happily I am still alive and in one piece.
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Diesels I've driven in order of preferance (based on engine refinement / quiestness)
2001 Peugeot 406 2.0 (90) HDi - excellent very quiet, turbo whistle quieter than the 110.
2001 Peugeot 406 2.0 (110) HDi - slightly noisier than 90 but significantly quicker with more torque so my favourite.
2001 Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDi (90) - good at speed, noisy tickover
1999 Seat Toledo 1.9 TDi (110) - ditto Skoda
2001 Vauxhall Vectra 2.0DTi - quiet noisy in all situations
2000 LandRover Freelander 2.0Di - very noisey and the slowest car I've driven (which includes a 900cc Uno I owned for 4 years)
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Big Cat - you beat me to it - the 75 gets my vote for being quiet and refined.
Try one! I'll bet you won't be disappointed.
MG-Rover Questions? forums.mg-rover.org/
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Yes, I forgot to add the R75 to my list above, I got a lift in an auto version. It was incrediably quiet beating all the others I have tried by miles, so quiet I could hardly hear it running let alone know whether it was petrol or diesel (only the low redline gave it away).
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The 75 Diesel-Auto is a great car to drive....so relaxing!
MG-Rover Problems? Click on forums.mg-rover.org
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What about the new Vovo D5 diesel 5 cylinder 20v twin cam, extremely sohisticated, it has pilot ignition, so is quiet on tickover and quiet at speed. Also very environmentally friendly. Did you know that to produce a car the size of the Volvo V70 in the UK would create 200 thingummys (can't remember the proper metric, might be Kgs)of C02. As they are made in Sweden and Sweden does not use fossil fuels to generate electricity, it's all hyrdo-electic and nuclear, practically no C02 is produced.
VD5D.
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Nissan Terrano 2.7TD uses the same engine as London taxis but with a turbocharger. I run a LWB version with an auto box and it is a lovely drive. I'm sure you could get a late second hand model for less than £15000 and you could probably get a SWB at a car supermarket new for that money.
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My 2003 Yaris diesel is much quieter than any Audi one (yes I owned an A4 tdi ) at any stage.
I gave my BIL a lift in it (he has 3 Mercedes - 2 diesel) and he thought it was petrol..
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Makes you more attractive to the opposite sex too. And brings peace to the Isreal Palestine conflict.
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I have diesel experience of only the Vauxhall 1.7 DTI.
It drives me mad when I drive it, clacketty ignition rattle every where I go.
Is this why taxi drivers are all mad?
However over 70 or even 50 it does quieten down, and is great for long motorway journeys.
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