Bought 2008 TDI FR PD170. What should I look out for?

[jammygit]

Hi, first time SEAT owner here (I did own a VW Bora so familiar with VAG).

My brand new 2008 car (registered 2009) has 108,000 miles, serviced every approx 10,000 miles back to 2012. Never failed it's MOT.

In 2015 at 65,000 miles it had a new engine, turbo, clutch, flywheel, inlet manifold, injector loom =. Seriously, did he blow this car up or what? Dealers always say "it's had loads of stuff done". Yea, I don't think that's a good thing is it mate.

Anyway, the engine sounds nice, brakes work great. The only I've noticed is that the air con doesn't clear the windscreen very well even though it does get cold.

Anything I should keep an eye / ear out for as I drive / use the car? Tips / tricks etc?

Thanks

 

[Compo1]

Front wings rot at the very top of the arch caused by a piece if foam that helps support the wheel liner, if your wings are still good wip out the arch liner and trim or remove the foam altogether. Waxoil the inner wing would be a good idea too.

Try changing the cabin filter for your aircon trouble.

 

[R3k1355]

Sounds like the previous owner ran the car out of oil and ****** the engine.

 

[Sharpy]

Could have been a turbo failure, they can take the engine with them... Either that or as mentioned a lack of oil.

As well as the front arches look the front of the rear arches where they meet the sill, they rot there as well.

With the front wings they tend to rot from the inside so you have to replace the whole wing once its all the way through as its hard to fix so worth keeping an eye on.

DPF can clog up if you dont do ling runs so make sure you dont just do short runs all the time.

Door modules can stop working, often its only a bit if lube that needs to be added so an easy fix.

Door mirrors stop folding, as with the door modules they just need lubing.

Other than that they are pretty solid motors, as with any cars dont hammer it from cold. Well looked after the engine should be good for 300k+

 

[R3k1355]

Turbo failure at 69,000 miles tho?

That sorta mileage is usually down to user error tbh, either it's had a horrific remap thats pushed the turbo way too hard or it's ran clean out of oil and gone pop.

 

[Sharpy]

Turbo failure at 69,000 miles tho?

That sorta mileage is usually down to user error tbh, either it's had a horrific remap thats pushed the turbo way too hard or it's ran clean out of oil and gone pop.

I agree at 69k its unusual but if it was driven hard from cold it could happen... most likely other issues but id guess they didnt look after it much if it needed all that at 69k...

 

[jammygit]

I agree at 69k its unusual but if it was driven hard from cold it could happen... most likely other issues but id guess they didnt look after it much if it needed all that at 69k...

Well he dropped 6 grand on it for all the parts & labour lol

I just hope that after that he learned his lesson and drove it nicely for the next 4 years.

 

[jammygit]

When you stand outside the car while it's running, obviously you smell the typical diesel exhaust smell. I was getting that smell coming into the cabin through the vents when stopped at traffic lights or idling in a parking space. Now that I have replaced the pollen filter with a good carbon one this afternoon it seems to have got rid of the smell, but is it normal for that to happen?

P. S. the old cabin filter was full of crap / plant matter.

 

[Sammo]

When you stand outside the car while it's running, obviously you smell the typical diesel exhaust smell. I was getting that smell coming into the cabin through the vents when stopped at traffic lights or idling in a parking space. Now that I have replaced the pollen filter with a good carbon one this afternoon it seems to have got rid of the smell, but is it normal for that to happen?

P. S. the old cabin filter was full of crap / plant matter.

Mine has done that since having the DPF gutted. I’m going to have the downpipe gasket replaced and see if that seals it back up.

 

[jammygit]

Is it normal for 1st gear to be **** when pulling away from a stop? I was at a junction turning right stopped, a car was coming and I thought I had enough time so I put my foot down and the car pulled away slowly!! As soon as you go up to 2nd gear though the car takes off like a rocket.

 

[jammygit]

TDI owners : does it matter if you use supermarket diesel or some other juice from an expensive garage like Shell or Esso. It should (theoretically) all be to the same standard.

 

[Sharpy]

I use V-Power Diesel, what I have noticed is that the amount of stuff that comes out the back is much less using that that using other cheaper fuels. I wouldnt say there is any increase in performance or anything it just seems cleaner, i got pretty much a zero return on my emissions test at my last MOT, whereas before I have had much higher readings.

 

[jammygit]

I've just a service. My handbook for the 2.0 TDI FR says it needs VW 507 oil, but those idiots have put 505.01 oil in. They didn't even have any 507 and "this is the oil I use" was their excuse and they looked ******* confused. Is it safe for me to drive with 505.01 oil in for a few days so I can do the oil myself at the weekend?

To be precise, they used Triple QX C3 5w30 low SAPS oil.