Quote:
Originally Posted by Luckypants
Before going for a VAG group diesel, check out their turbo problems. They have a particular issue with the turbo on their 2.0 TDi engines, so much so that the local main dealer keeps 3-6 turbos on the shelf in their parts department! These can fail at a young age and low miles, under 50K miles and around 3 years old.
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This. Why do a lot of people believe the hype that german cars are so reliable.
They used to be. A Merc 190E or W124, bullet proof. Nowadays, german cars just aren't any more reliable than any other.
Not just the turbo problems on the VAG 2.0TDi engines, that's pretty limited to the 170bhp versions. The 140bhp versions use different turbo but the fuel injectors fail (vag cars also suffer from traction control module, abs module, climate control condenser failures as well as a few electrical faults, windows and the like).
The trouble with any modern diesel is dual mass flywheel and diesel particulate filters.
If it were my money, I would look at a Volvo V70 (or S60) D5. Trouble is earlier cars (pre 06MY) had weak intercoolers, 5 speed gearbox (stay away from auto on these) and 'only' 163bhp.
I very, very nearly bought myself a 56 plate one. 6 speed gearbox and 185bhp. Pulled like a train, and the most comfortable car I have ever driven. Trouble is the post 06 have the dreaded DPF. These clog up, put the car in to limp mode, dealer charges a couple of hundred quid to leave a brick on the accelerator for half an hour then clear fault codes, blah blah etc etc. And they also leak diesel in to the sump, causing the oil level to rise, thinning the oil, and guess what . . . yep, putting the car in to limp mode.
These can have the dpf removed, exhaust section replaced, and remapped to run without dpf for around £500.