Derv Newb' Question

[Rocky Rocastle]

Basically, towards the end of the year, probably the start of next year though I will be selling my LCR. I've loved every minute of ownership but I will be moving into my first house in about a month and I need to save the pennies. My biggest expense at the min car wise is fuel, because my car never really warms up properly on the way to work as its only about 3 mile away, my economy isn't great and I find myself putting about £120 a month into it for what i feel is limited mileage. Along with insurance and tax i could potentially save quite a bit which would be a big help.

therefore i thought diesel. Never had one before and don't really know the pro's and con's, for eg fuel economy on short trips like detailed above. As my last few cars have all had a fair bit of poke I would like something with decent amount of torque still and i've always liked the Mk4 Ibiza, not sure on variation though.

So, in summary which particular model would you recommend. Sorry I know very little about the derv range of vehicles so any help is appreciated. Performance is still important but NOT as important as economy.

 

[TheCraig]

I'd reckon an FR TDI , or 130 sport depending on budget - Both are the same power and reasonably quick, yet pretty good on fuel - You could get around 45 - 55 mpg, obviously dependant on your driving style, and the distance your doing on each trip. Tbh, mine was pretty crap on short journeys, but much better on long journeys, easily 50mpg+

edit:Cupra TDI would be pretty quick too! And economical compared to your current motor

 

[mymorph]

if you want a fair bit of torque your looking in the right place, how does 310 lb/ft grab you.

recommend any of the 1.9pd engines really, fr, sport, cupra (^insurance). the wife does alot of short journeys ill have to see what mpgs she doin. but i bet it aint 50mpg!

 

[Nath.]

My brothers old pd130 never saw a 4 in the first digit over the 2 years that he owned it.

he used to do short trips to work and back in it.

 

[Rocky Rocastle]

Nath, take it you mean more like 50mpg then

ideeally i'd love a cupra as i like the styling. i'm sure insurance would be cheaper than what i'm paying now and buying cost, well i should have around £7k i hope to get me one. I just don't want to defeat the object of selling the LCR which i love to try and save fuel and only be 10mpg better off really

 

[TheCraig]

Nath, take it you mean more like 50mpg then

ideeally i'd love a cupra as i like the styling. i'm sure insurance would be cheaper than what i'm paying now and buying cost, well i should have around £7k i hope to get me one. I just don't want to defeat the object of selling the LCR which i love to try and save fuel and only be 10mpg better off really

I think he means mid to late 30's - I probably wouldnt bother with a diesel for 3 miles a day, I was doing an 11 mile each way in the pd130 and was just scraping 40 mpg, sure it will be less doing only 3 miles.

 

[Rocky Rocastle]

tough one this, 3 miles each way aint a lot i know and some would say bike etc but it aint always that easy and just using the LCR as a weekend car i think no to as well as i can't have that much money sitting on the drive for 2 days a week useage........tricky could be back to the drawing board then

 

[MadFaz]

I can answer this one, I mostly do local driving, a lot of stop and start involved in my PD130 and average about 35MPG (thats what the trip says, dont know if its 100% accurate)

but as soon as you hit the motorway, it just shoots up to 55 mpg

 

[Rocky Rocastle]

diesel doesn't seem to be the way to go then. I get about 32mpg now according to the trip and again mine goes up on motorway journeys however these journeys are few and far between. Looks like a smaller engine petrol may be on the cards then!

 

[teepee4bh]

the 130PD engine is a beast. very torquey don't be fooled.

The 100bhp engine is very underpowered in comparison

The FR's ride is terrible and road noise bad too. Handling is not the best and suspension prone to knocks (as already metioned)

The ASZ engine will do 50mpg no bother. The later BLT engine (euro 4) is not as good mpg wise and suffers from hesitations between 1500 and 2000 revs but has less turbo lag....

Build quality is ok. Better than a fiesta for example. Spec is good.

FR brakes are rubbish - need upgrading to TT 312mm spec.

I had an early (53 Plate) 130 sport and now we have an 07 FR facelift. SEAT add and take away bits year to year so look out for boot light, glove box light, colour coded bits and different dash (really early cars had 6 clock dash)

We love our car but it has it's owns quirks. If you want a pocket rocket that goes like fook in a straight line the FR looks cool and does the job.

If you want a great handling 'drivers' car ...... nope.

as posted in another thread

 

[joop200789]

i do delivering in my 130tdi so i am always stoping and starting,filled up other day brimmed it then did 320 miles filled up again last to the brim again it took 34.4 litres which is 41mpg if ive done the maths correctly and i have a lead foot too,

also everyone says they get better mpg when they've remapped it

or you could go for the 1.4tdi,

 

[Chriswaite130]

I drive 3 miles to work each day and the computer says I average 37mpg. One day a week I have to drive 35 miles to college and it says I average 55mpg. Mines a 2003 1.9tdi sport

 

[Ant FR]

got to be an early FR tdi, still quick, good on fuel, cheap on insurance, what more can you want.

I only went for the cupra as i know i'd only spend money turning another FR into cupra, so saved time this way.

 

[Rocky Rocastle]

like you all say i could save on insurance i'm sure and the tax too. I suppose any increase in MPG is better than nothing too. Again, as Im not familiar with the Mk4 what do you class as an early model year wise , i take it this would be the ASZ engine?

 

[teepee4bh]

like you all say i could save on insurance i'm sure and the tax too. I suppose any increase in MPG is better than nothing too. Again, as Im not familiar with the Mk4 what do you class as an early model year wise , i take it this would be the ASZ engine?

pre faclift should be ASZ engine (will tell you on sticker in boot)

My 53 Ibiza and my 03 A3 both had that engine - very strong motor. They would both do 50mpg without trying

The 07 BLT engine version gets mid 40's

all were £120 a year tax

 

[Rocky Rocastle]

So it's that particular code through to 07, i'm hoping to get an 04/05 on a budget of around £7k. Hoping thats do'able. Again without investigating further i don't know how well they hold there price.

thanks for the info so far btw

 

[Si_TDi_FR]

Im averaging about 47mpg on the way to work (30miles each way). Went to my uncles at the weekend which is around 200miles and averaged 51mpg.

Be warned thought i was having a play with a few cars and my mpg soon stumbled to 23mpg

 

[teepee4bh]

So it's that particular code through to 07, i'm hoping to get an 04/05 on a budget of around £7k. Hoping thats do'able. Again without investigating further i don't know how well they hold there price.

thanks for the info so far btw

2006 onwards was facelift. not sure exactly when engine was introduced to meet euro 4

the ASZ was euro 3 emmisions

You should get a decent choice for that money. I'd be tempted to get a Golf mk4 anniversary 150pd for that money. Very rare. Top spec and don't lose money now

 

[Ant FR]

for 7k you can get a Mk5 Golf 2.0 GTdi

 

[teepee4bh]

true....

but the mk5 GT tdi 140's were not great. Drink oil and look nothing special.
bit bland interior wise.