1.8 20vt or 1.9TDI?

sereghy

Active Member
Nov 1, 2017
5
0
Hi!
I have a 75HP 1.4 16v Leon now, and sadly came to the conclusion that it would be more worth to buy a “new” 1m than to swap engine+transmission(+suspension?). Im not sure about the engine tho, and the pros and cons of the 150Hp diesel and the 180Hp petrol engine. I wouldnt leave it stock for sure, but i’m not sure about the reliability and tuning capabilities of either of these engines.
 

vwbassett

Joined the Dark Side
Aug 13, 2007
963
53
Surrey
Both are reliable but I'd say go for a cupra R . It will seem a bit of a jump maybe 1 to 1.5k more but if youre going to mod it start with a better base car because as soon as you've wasted 500 to 1k on them what was the point of your still slower. Diesel is good if you do lots of miles but they deliver all down low and run out of puff. Definitely not a drivers car. Petrol Cupras and Cupra Rs have more top end and the R has the better looks,brakes,chassis and interior.

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sereghy

Active Member
Nov 1, 2017
5
0
Sadly as I looked through Cupra Rs are nearly double the price.. I have a budget of €2500 and i’ve seen pretty decent non Cupras for that, but Cupra R starts at €4000. I want to import one from Germany, in Hungary the prices are even higher..
 

Rich.T

Active Member
Feb 15, 2020
1,609
932
Id say go for the cupra diesel 150hp.
I had one and are great cars.
Mine had a revo remap to 180.
Keep it serviced and cam belted and you'll love it.
Not a dull boys car.
 
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chriswales6

Active Member
Mar 2, 2016
294
47
Depends on a number of things, the availability of the cars in your area & if you're planning on tuning it - having a local garage than knows the engine type very well.

Sadly we never got the V6 in the UK. That would've been an interesting car, I believe they were 4 wheel drive.

Either would be a noticeable step up from a 1.4. The TDIs need to driven a reasonable amount to keep them healthy. If you normally do short trips - 20km - a petrol would be better.
 
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iammooks

Active Member
Nov 27, 2018
1,733
1,124
The TDI is no slouch, and if you're using it daily and keep it serviced, you've got no reason to worry about longevity. The low down grunt is what I love about it, but it can pull on the motorways and A-roads - especially if you know how to drive it.

If you're doing track days, it's obvious you get the petrol, but for everything else - tax, insurance, fuel consumption - it's much less clear cut. Other than my MoT issues because I don't drive enough these days, I've never thought about getting anything else.


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sereghy

Active Member
Nov 1, 2017
5
0
Thank you for all the answers! I think i’m gonna settle for the 1.8 20VT, i mostly have short trips(less than 10kms usually) but after looking at the parts im still really unsure about the capabilities of the engine.. The most basic thing i’ve found at a reliable shop that you can get 220hp just from a chiptuning. To be honest i don’t really trust this kind of “tuning”, the manufacturer must’ve had a reason to keep it at the power it is.. Non the less as i know myself i’d definetiely get that “upgrade” but i’m worrying about the overall reliability after it. +hp for €120 sounds strange tho..
 

Battoussai

Active Member
Mar 22, 2016
422
104
Portugal
If you are thinking 1.8T and the 1.9Tdi are almost the same, forget it. As mencioned above the Tdi are far economical and like long trip's, the mechanics are bullet proof if serviced correctly, even remaped the main horsepower slingshot will be delivered from 2000 to 3000rpm. So if you are planning to get really fun, the 1.8T should be the choice, plenty of mods to do, crazy boost and a full gauge of rpm to spent - and the amount of fun is equally spent as fuel :)
So, in the end both cars can't be fairly compared cause its two diferent leagues. Just think what you need and start from there.
 
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chriswales6

Active Member
Mar 2, 2016
294
47
You're welcome, given the amount of kms a petrol would be a better choice.

On turbo cars tuning is normally referred to as stage 1, 2, 3 & 4. Stage 1 is a simple remap. The 1.8t is a strong engine and a well serviced example won't have many problems with it. The further stages need parts replaced like the turbo & intercooler.

It'll be a big jump from a 1.4 so see how the car is before spending more money.
There's plenty of information online on how to get more power from the 1.8t when you're ready.
 
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