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high mile diesels

Yadash

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I might be going down to look at a high mileage cdti. tomorrow and want to know what I should look out for, the car has done 180k miles.
 
A new engine probably.

Seriously - avoid it unless it's absolutely dirt cheap or has an impeccable history and sounds and feels like a lot less mileage.
 
Yeah, it is dirt cheap and only a very temporary car as the current one is doing and average of 28mpg on the motorway :/
It had a full Honda service history and a recently fitted clutch which seems like a fair deal.
 
Hmmm I'm intrigued. Too difficult to list everything that could be wrong so just keep your wits about you.
 
To me it would be condition and history that counts. 180k of motorway its dead easy, the same of town work would kill pretty much any car. Mine at 202k before it died in an accident was fine apart from a slippy clutch which I've spoken about many times(search).
 
Like fahad said, keep your wits about you!! I test drove one with a shade over 170k and it seemed ok, the maths didn't pan out with servicing tho, 11 stamps for 170k :(

Likely to be motorway miles though so the engine could be fairly unstressed!
 
Depends a bit on the year... 2004/5 engines had a potential timing chain weakness. But maybe they've been replaced?
 
How much is the car ??? my CTDI has now done 210k is a taxi had from 46k but i have had new timing belt 122k a few clutches, DMF a manifold replaced was remaped but not anymore the engine still running smooth so i would say listen to the timing chain have a good feel of how the clutch feels and have a good smell around the manifold. If you change the oil regular you should be fine but unfortunately you some times do get a bad egg in the box.
What i have noticed in the last few yrs is the amount of accords used as taxis, this is always a good sign of a reliable car and i know a lot of drivers who have bought cars with 120k plus on the clock, hope my little bit helps
 
Seriously mate, of you want a cheap reliable diesel stay clear.

Buy an old Passat with the 1.9 AFN engine. Or any V A G group car with that engine.
 
yes have to agree with Neil on this one. Old French or German diesels actually make the best cheapo diesel runabouts. The only thing is that an old French car will have rotted to hell by now.
 
Just make sure a V A G car has had timing belt changes done on time, a bonus would be water pump aswell.
 
If you are not sure about any car or have no idea what to be looking for then take someone with you, I note the detractors on this are both petrol heads and one of them has a BMW. LOL I would have a clear conscience if I were selling you mine, it's a low motorway milage 176,000, and has not been "played" with. After you have driven it check the rear brakes and wheels they do get hot if seized not uncommon, any rumbling in the rear? drag links and bushes worn, uneven tyre wear, other than that the general appearance should give you a clue, especially inside i.e seats, and pedal rubbers. If you take notice of all the "alleged" fault reports with these motors you will see that they are nearly always the same owners complaining, about the same old chestnuts.
 
If you are not sure about any car or have no idea what to be looking for then take someone with you, I note the detractors on this are both petrol heads and one of them has a BMW. LOL I would have a clear conscience if I were selling you mine, it's a low motorway milage 176,000, and has not been "played" with. After you have driven it check the rear brakes and wheels they do get hot if seized not uncommon, any rumbling in the rear? drag links and bushes worn, uneven tyre wear, other than that the general appearance should give you a clue, especially inside i.e seats, and pedal rubbers. If you take notice of all the "alleged" fault reports with these motors you will see that they are nearly always the same owners complaining, about the same old chestnuts.

That BMW is a diesel and the guy owned a diesel Accord previously. There is not a lot he doesn't know about the Accord.
 
That BMW is a diesel and the guy owned a diesel Accord previously. There is not a lot he doesn't know about the Accord.

Sorry if I offended you, but surely the prospective buyer should be encouraged not told to avoid, just because someone knows a lot about something, Tony Blair thought he knew a lot about Saddam Hussein, and look where that got us!!
 
Don't write off a Rover 75/ZT CDti either!! You can get a clean higher mileage one for around 2k. These cars have a loyal following and amongst the abused examples, there's plenty of cherished and well maintained ones too.
 
I can vouch for the AFN Derv Passats, great Derv engine that imo is better than the later PD lump, just watch for head gasket failure, they can go but not show any obvious symptoms like mine did, on the face of it run superb, however cooling system was pressurising causing the heaters to intermittantly go cold and would blow coolant out of the bottom of the expansion tank where it has a emergency pressure valve, mine died at 200k. Could be just a failed waterpump though as they are a poor design

Another good engine imo is the 2 litre HDI in the 406, I had an ex taxi with 250k on and it ran brilliant, like it had less than 100k, those can be picked up really cheap, yes they are awfully styled, like its been shaped from a house brick but they are super comfortable, front seats are like armchairs
 
Actually I should have perhaps thought my answer through properly before posting, it was just a quick reply and i was in a hurry.

The basic point I wanted to make still stands - and that is that if you had to go out and get a Honda diesel, buy a good one and try and avoid one with high miles. I'm not really saying that all high mileage Honda diesels are bad news, and I've actually tuned a few with 150k miles and even one with 200k miles without issue!

When someone says to me they want to go and buy a car that should really cost a lot more than they are about to pay for it.. alarm bells start sounding. If it's cheap, then it's normally for a reaon.

I would be happy to buy a 180k mile Accord diesel or petrol, if it was backed with a good service history and i could check it over for myself. But a lot of people can be suckered in to buying a high mileage vehicle on the premise that diesels can do high miles without issue..

Keep us posted, i'm interested in what you end up buying.
 
Nothing wrong with a high miler accord as long as the chain 'sounds' ok.

At that mileage I would be more concerned with health of turbo and the honda one is not that bad for reliability.

For total peace of mind get a car with a SDi engine, you can't go wrong but you won't go far either (quickly)
 
Bullet dodged, the car got sold. The Saab 93 looks like a good used buy, especially the diesels
 
Yes if you like Vectras. The Z19DTH (1.9) have DPF's so be careful
 
Bullet dodged, the car got sold. The Saab 93 looks like a good used buy, especially the diesels

Stay well clear of the 150 bhp engine the 120 is the one to have If you are going down the common rail route. The older TID engine is bullet proof but painfully slow.

All are Vauxhall engines by the way and a 9-3 is just a Vectra in a skirt.

In fact just get a Vectra it will be cheaper
 
Get any VW group car with the PD engine. The 130bhp is the pick of the bunch. If you want some real diesel fun, track down a Golf/Bora or Leon with the PD150 engine B)
 
We have a saying at the garage i work at if anyone asks us what car should they buy and we say japanese or german stay clear of the rest i personally wouldnt touch a french car with a s****ty stick. :D
 
How much are you looking to spend? Mines done around 120k with full honda service history (and some extended warranty left) running a new turbo and clutch completely standard. I'm not looking to sell it as such- but I keep hearing voices telling me "mortgage deposit" in me ears, so may be tempted for the right price! Sport GT, so has the usual 17" wheels, Sat Nav, BT handsfree etc.

Having said that- REALLY not sure what I would replace it with! Have had 3 Vectra's which have always been pretty very good value for money as long as you are prepared to do some work on them yourself (did servicing/gearbox/clutch/injector seals etc). I got fed up of working on them, hence the Honda + 3 year ext. warranty + service plan. I enjoy working on cars when it's hobby and out of choice, when it becomes a chore/necessary..... nah. Main reason I went for a Honda in the end was the fact my Grandma had one for 10 years (old M reg petrol I think) and the only complaint she has was that she had to buy new wipers once and some tyres.... Not to mention my fathers Landcruiser Amazon @ 230k with NO problems- and it still drives like the day he drove it off the forecourt.

Used to me a fan of German, until my mothers 58 plate Audi A4 2.0 blew a turbo, and subsequevntly an engine @ 50k. Okay, we have been unlucky, but still a bit cheesed off!
 
We have a saying at the garage i work at if anyone asks us what car should they buy and we say japanese or german stay clear of the rest i personally wouldnt touch a french car with a s****ty stick. :D

Don't even get me started on my Sisters Pug 206.......
 
How much are you looking to spend? Mines done around 120k with full honda service history (and some extended warranty left) running a new turbo and clutch completely standard. I'm not looking to sell it as such- but I keep hearing voices telling me "mortgage deposit" in me ears, so may be tempted for the right price! Sport GT, so has the usual 17" wheels, Sat Nav, BT handsfree etc.

Having said that- REALLY not sure what I would replace it with! Have had 3 Vectra's which have always been pretty very good value for money as long as you are prepared to do some work on them yourself (did servicing/gearbox/clutch/injector seals etc). I got fed up of working on them, hence the Honda + 3 year ext. warranty + service plan. I enjoy working on cars when it's hobby and out of choice, when it becomes a chore/necessary..... nah. Main reason I went for a Honda in the end was the fact my Grandma had one for 10 years (old M reg petrol I think) and the only complaint she has was that she had to buy new wipers once and some tyres.... Not to mention my fathers Landcruiser Amazon @ 230k with NO problems- and it still drives like the day he drove it off the forecourt.

Used to me a fan of German, until my mothers 58 plate Audi A4 2.0 blew a turbo, and subsequevntly an engine @ 50k. Okay, we have been unlucky, but still a bit cheesed off!
What colours the car mate
 
I've got the 2.0 PSA 16V engine in my S-Max with 145K miles. Had a few minor niggles but nothing too dramatic.

I know I've previously burnt my fingers on French cars, but currently very tempted to get a 207 1.6HDI-110 GT. Do I need phsyciatric help?
 
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