1.6 16v or 1.9 TDi?

França

Active Member
Sep 4, 2009
59
0
Portugal
if you remap the leon even if it´s a soft remap the 1.9 tdi mk5 golf as no chance on the road or in the 1/4 mile drag
 

itfben

DsignVinyl.com
Oct 24, 2009
2,000
1
nr. Tunbridge Wells
student = slight lack of funds?
tdi = can do more modifications
mods = ££££

just becareful! you WILL get the modding bug from this forum

with a TDI your more likely to spend more on it because you can.
 

França

Active Member
Sep 4, 2009
59
0
Portugal
student = slight lack of funds?
tdi = can do more modifications
mods = ££££

just becareful! you WILL get the modding bug from this forum

with a TDI your more likely to spend more on it because you can.

i know i also got the modding bug from the leonclubpt forum but you only make the mods that you can afford, and iff you can´t afford them than you keep the ideas and save some money to do the mods you want
 

itfben

DsignVinyl.com
Oct 24, 2009
2,000
1
nr. Tunbridge Wells
1.9 TDI (2006 with feck all mileage) golf

vs

1.9 TDI mk1 Leon (pre 2005)


im sure they are guna b pretty evenly matched.

Im just saying he wasnt getting away thats all, so i refuse to believe this 1.6's are too slow and heavy in the leon, they just as fast as 1.9TDI mk5 golf that is much newer with half the mileage with is guna be pretty much the exactly the same as a leon 1.9tdi
 

itfben

DsignVinyl.com
Oct 24, 2009
2,000
1
nr. Tunbridge Wells
1.6 is easier to go ok air filter exhaust is enough performance, just focus on exterior/looks.

1.9 tdi is not AS easy cos you CAN put loadz more money, much easier into the tuning side which - as i have heard on numerous occasions from SCN membaz is "save that money for something bigger" and they couldn't be more right.
 

França

Active Member
Sep 4, 2009
59
0
Portugal
maybe itfben i´m not saying that the 1.6 liters engine is slower than the 1.9 diesel in the leon but i personaly prefer the diesel because it lasts longer and becausse of the incredible diesel sound that you don´t like.

itfben my 10 years personal experience as a mechanic in portugal tells me that the 1.6 liters vag engines aren´t that great, better than the 1.4 but even so not great and the ones that apeared at my work gave me some trouble to get them to work smoothly ( not blaming the engine but not saying that its only the drivers fault)
 

itfben

DsignVinyl.com
Oct 24, 2009
2,000
1
nr. Tunbridge Wells
point is, if can cope with the noise of a diesel then 100% go for it! promise you you wont regret that, but if you cant cope with i like myself then 1.6 it is! I love my 1.6, perfect amount of power and sounds lovely! :) for what it is, no doubt!
 

França

Active Member
Sep 4, 2009
59
0
Portugal
RJP the best way for you to make up your mind is to test drive the 1.6 petrol and the 1.9 tdi and then see witch one fittes you the best
 

itfben

DsignVinyl.com
Oct 24, 2009
2,000
1
nr. Tunbridge Wells
Iv heard the 1.6 is actually a bit of an odd engine. and do agree with other he shouldn't think about the costs of repairs, because with the right buy and the right care he shouldn't have to worry about that.
 

França

Active Member
Sep 4, 2009
59
0
Portugal
itfben diesel lovers and petrol lovers will never agree in witch engine is better and we are a perfec example of that you love petrol and i love diesel so to me the best way for him to decide is for him to test drive both and then see witch one he likes the best if the "peacefull" sound of the 1.6 or the "war hammer" sound of a diesel
 

França

Active Member
Sep 4, 2009
59
0
Portugal
Iv heard the 1.6 is actually a bit of an odd engine. and do agree with other he shouldn't think about the costs of repairs, because with the right buy and the right care he shouldn't have to worry about that.

the only problem in a used car is that you don´t know if the previous owner gave is car a proper maintenance, and a diesel engine is more capable of dealing with pour maintenances without giving any major problems than a petrol engine
 
Last edited:

itfben

DsignVinyl.com
Oct 24, 2009
2,000
1
nr. Tunbridge Wells
true true, there are two types of people, one cant stand the sound of a diesel and the other can, for those than can stand it the 1.6 is a pointless car as there is nothing is has over the 1.9TDI if you can stand the sound of a diesel, and if you cant stand the sound well that's why Seat/VW/Audi gave us the 1.6 to us diesel sound haters we will feel that we have had our mpg compromised for the sake of the sound, we dnt like it much but we like it more than the sound of a diesel.

my little theory for the evening.
 
Sep 18, 2009
2,443
1
Shropshire
Well when i was looking into getting a car there was only 2 options id consider, the Leon FR TDI 150 or the LCR. Because i needed the MPG for work i opted for the FR TDI 150 and never looked back since. I got it at 103,000 miles now at 119,000 and due a service for cambelt and waterpump but its still driving like a new car :D
 
Feb 22, 2006
517
1
Penzance Cornwall
Mates 110 leon currently sat at 175 000 and no major repairs, there last Audi tdi 270 000 miles. They are bomb proof motors. But I have to admit I hate the sound of them.
 

RJP

Guest
Remember in my first post in this topic, I've not exactly got much to spend on a car if I were to buy one! Think I said I have about £2,500 that would be available, these funds of course are entirely dependant on what I can get for my existing motor.

My interpretation of what engine type can take better abuse (in relation to missed services etc) would be the petrol. As far as I'm aware, petrol engines do not deposit the same quantities of carbon into the oil from the combustion process compared to equivalent diesel engines.

RJP, what car have you got at the moment, and what cars have you had?
I've got a classic Land Rover that I spent last year changing the chassis on, among internal work on the petrol engine. Since then I got hold of a good diesel for it and fitted that, as the 20mpg was too painful while 30mpg is just about manageable. I've got a bit bored with it and I'm bored of the high maintenance-ness that such a vehicle brings with it.

The Land Rover is also the only vehicle I've owned and really driven, beyond my instructor's car (Mitsubishi Colt) three years ago and the odd times my father's Merc or MR2. (I'm 20 by the way, 21 in a few months so insurance is still crippling)
 
Last edited by a moderator:

itfben

DsignVinyl.com
Oct 24, 2009
2,000
1
nr. Tunbridge Wells
as França said test them both.


but by the sounds of it you have already coped with the sound of diesel so maybe the diesel is the one for you. but looking at your budget your guna be getting a high mileage one or maybe the 1.6 with half the mileage im guessing would be more within budget, if your used to 30mpg then the fuel economy on the 1.6 should be normal to you.

your prob looking at a higher mileage 110 with diesel sound and good mpg or 60K max 1.6 with petrol sounding engine and cr*p mpg compared to the diesel (prob 30-40max!)
 

RJP

Guest
That's why I was asking earlier about the life expectancy of these engines, as well as the entire car. The ones I've seen advertised within the budget have just passed around 100,000 miles if they're a TDi.

I'm also not discounting other models or brands, it's just the Leon stood out to me at first and I think it looks to be quite nice in styling while not being too common.
 

sambryant

RoadRunner meep meep
Mar 26, 2009
4,848
2
Bristol
go for the diesel. iv seen diesel with 500000k on the clock(old transit van)
diesel last much longer than petrol, they dont rev to high so there is a lot less wear.
also the 110 tdi with a remap would feel quite quick, you wouldnt get that with a 1.6 petrol in a leon, would cost £1000s.
also tax and fuel cost are cut. if i were you i wouldnt even consider the petrol 1.6.
tdi 110 all the way
 
Last edited:

Alexis27

Active Member
Dec 20, 2009
2,206
540
Manchester
I've got the 1.6 and am very pleased with it. It's peppy enough - a little slow off the line because of the weight, but fine once you move up the gears. 0-60 is 10.9 secs, which is fine if you ask me.

Diesels cost more second hand, so with £2.5k you're going to struggle to get a 110TDI with less than 115,000 on the clock. Yes, diesels last longer, but it's not necessarily the engine that's the weak area - remember every other component has done 115,000 miles as well.

The 110 is a nice engine (I drove one a few years back), but for your price range the 90hp TDI is more likely, unless you want galactic mileage.

If I were you and with your budget, I'd recommend a 1.6S with 65,000 on the clock.
 
Last edited:
Lecatona HPFP (High-pressure Fuel Pump Upgrades)