Couple of q's about the FR's

[BigJase88]

Your exactly right. How many ppl praise their cars on forums!? Some people only join a forum for fault finding help. So you get certain threads reoccuring which makes it look a major issue! Just think how many 1.9 tdi taxis are munching up the miles

 

[James_R]

Your exactly right. How many ppl praise their cars on forums!? Some people only join a forum for fault finding help. So you get certain threads reoccuring which makes it look a major issue! Just think how many 1.9 tdi taxis are munching up the miles

Those (the taxis) are the ones that have issues because a lot are hardly maintained or use the wrong oil.

I lost count of how many taxi drivers have driven off with terminal engine damage only to run their cab into the ground, sadly those taxi drivers dont tend to be forum members or we'd know far more of the pro's and con's of high milage PD engines.

 

[BigJase88]

Hmmm suppose tesco mineral oil ftw!!

Its a lot of scare mongering imo!
I have full seat service history on the button every 10k and knowing the pd130 and 150 are the same it gave me some comfort as ive had faultless pd130's in the past!

Im still on stock clutch and flywheel and turbo and cam at 332lb/ft and 198bhp on 104k

 

[cleverspoon]

Hmmm suppose tesco mineral oil ftw!!

Its a lot of scare mongering imo!
I have full seat service history on the button every 10k and knowing the pd130 and 150 are the same it gave me some comfort as ive had faultless pd130's in the past!

Im still on stock clutch and flywheel and turbo and cam at 332lb/ft and 198bhp on 104k

Youve tempted fate now.....dont drive the car tomorrow

Iv got a 2004 fr on 60k, touch wood all ok mechanicaly, just the usual leaks etc.

My problem is reading the faults on here and then getting convinced im going to get them and drive like a granny, then i think f it i may aswell enjoy the car before something does go wrong....so get her up to temp and give it a good 'turbo de carbonising' drive!!!

 

[The Joker]

I've got a FR+ had it just over a year and the only problem I've had was sticky turbo veins since I've had that sorted it drives better than ever if my cam does go ill just look to get performance one

 

[Jakalus]

That's good to know, would be preferable to have an '05+ with sub 100k miles but I'll see where I am at financially in a short while and get what I can afford!

 

[BenG]

Got clutch slip on my FR TDI after a supposedly 'clutch-friendly' remap with a torque limit of 300lb ft. Uprated clutches are not cheap - see to go for £6-700 plus fitting charges etc.

Not had cam issues on my 2004 car yet but it's only done 62k miles.

Also check boost pipes as the bayonet fittinga and clips can wear and the joints start to separate and leak. New hoses aren't cheap.

Finally be aware that EGR valves and inlet manifolds can clog up with soot, as the turbo variable vanes. EGR can be dialled down using VAGCOM/VCDS but if turned off altogether gives a warning light on the dash on later cars. You can have the EGR function mapped out at the same time as your remap, then physically block the EGR valve using a blind gasket, to avoid futrue clogging issues.

 

[M20FES]

I would go for the beamer, I have had my Leon FR+ for 6 years and on average have had a major fault once a year. It's a 55 plate and I had a new cam at 107,000 so the chocy cam still exists. It is actually in the garage today for a burst heater matrix.

They are a nice car to drive, but badly designed/built. Most seem to suffer from cabin rattle, leaky door seals and egr valve blockage as well as many other common faults.

Well iam on 176k with the same car and apart from the general wear and tear stuff ive had to do its been a solid reliable car tbh

 

[joshy514]

Its the standard diff... But not the end of the world, could uprate it to a fancy peloquin / quaife limited slip diff

just replaced my box due to diff.... mine was 1, 2 and 3 though and then was silent in 4, 5 and 6.... I was advised to get an older erf code box and it's saved me £500 and is all working good.

 

[joshy514]

I've got a FR+ had it just over a year and the only problem I've had was sticky turbo veins since I've had that sorted it drives better than ever if my cam does go ill just look to get performance one

Stanard turbo, performance cam...? you'll be wasting money if you do that because the standard turbo limits the car to 200ish bhp. Unless you plan to go hybrid/bigger turbo etc. Also, why would you? Say it takes 130,000 miles to break ( could be down to maintenance factors) then why worry about it breaking again? I doubt many Fr's or 130's will see 250,000 miles on here....