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Newbie looking to save up for a mk1 1.9tdi
- Thread starter Liamcr12
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Don't have a PD130 myself but have a Cupra TDI PD150 and it's a decent all round car. There's a few things to consider when you say the "best" to go for, such as:
Are you doing enough miles to need a diesel?
How much tax/insurance will be?
Will you be looking for more power in future?
The PD130 is a good reliable engine and from what I've read it's quite tuneable and there's plenty of diesel upgrades and tuning companies around these days. They're good for around 180bhp on standard parts, but if you want the higher numbers or think you will in future maybe go for a PD150 (190-200bhp on standard parts with remap, 230bhp with bugger turbo & custom map) or consider an LCR?
Are you doing enough miles to need a diesel?
How much tax/insurance will be?
Will you be looking for more power in future?
The PD130 is a good reliable engine and from what I've read it's quite tuneable and there's plenty of diesel upgrades and tuning companies around these days. They're good for around 180bhp on standard parts, but if you want the higher numbers or think you will in future maybe go for a PD150 (190-200bhp on standard parts with remap, 230bhp with bugger turbo & custom map) or consider an LCR?
I got the pd150, and its a great motor, really reliable and munches down the miles like any other diesel.
More "power" is hard to define, tdi's definatly produce more torque than a petrol equivelent,.
More "power" is hard to define, tdi's definatly produce more torque than a petrol equivelent,.
i have the pd130 its an awesome engine probably the best in the PD range, i think (dont quote me) the PD150s have chocolate cams so are prone to fail. the 2 are almost the same barre the turbo, intercooler and the cams. As said both are very tune able but even a simple remap on stock parts makes a world of difference.
I wouldnt say there is anything specific wrong with the PD130 engine, more just general leon problems lol
I wouldnt say there is anything specific wrong with the PD130 engine, more just general leon problems lol
As much as I'd love 1.8t could never afford the insurance haha I'm 20 an live in Liverpool with no no claims! So the insurance is going to kill me! I'm starting to wonder how much a Leon is going to cost me! I'm aiming for around £180-200 a month insurance that's what I paid in my mondeo in my dads name
I would have the diesel everytime mate got my first PD in 2007 in the form of a mk4 golf gt tdi 130, liked it that much I gave it to the wife and got myself a leon fr 150, also had mk5 golf gt tdi 140 and now she's got leon mk2 tdi 140.
For your circumstances I would reccomend the 130,is the best all rounder but still very tuneable.
AL
For your circumstances I would reccomend the 130,is the best all rounder but still very tuneable.
AL
Have to disagree with anyone who says you "have to" do xx miles a day before a diesel is worthwhile. The price of petrol and diesel is almost on par now and a diesel is anything upwards of 25% more efficient (35mpg in a petrol on a good run, 50+mpg from a diesel).
Im in the opposite situation, my commute went from 40miles a day, 5 days a week, to 2 miles a day, so if anyone wants to swap a nice 1.8t or a lcr for my pd150, lemme know 
The motor doesnt even get warm before im at work, im getting about 20mpg atm, bit worried about that tho, might have to give it a blast round the ring road once a week.
The motor doesnt even get warm before im at work, im getting about 20mpg atm, bit worried about that tho, might have to give it a blast round the ring road once a week.
I would get the pd150. I don't think they are any more prone to camshaft failure than any other pd. it's the cam followers that ware which kills the camshaft. I had a mk4 Ibiza cupra tdi with the pd160 in and it was a great little car only ruined by the lower gear ratio which killed the mpg. My mate had a pd150 leon and he could get 10mpg more than me.
I missed the power of a petrol so I sold it and bought a LCR. I do similar Mileage to you so I didn't think I really needed a diesel as my old Ibiza only did 40-42mpg And my LCR does 30-32mpg with much more power.
I missed the power of a petrol so I sold it and bought a LCR. I do similar Mileage to you so I didn't think I really needed a diesel as my old Ibiza only did 40-42mpg And my LCR does 30-32mpg with much more power.
have a look at the 1.8t. Insurance might be a surprise. the 180 model has 235 torque as standard.
I personally would go for petrol if i had the option. less torque but more bhp, more revs and sounds better. Ultimately you've got to go with what makes you happy within your budget. try and go for a drive in a few different cars. diesels are quite abit different to drive then petrols. some people don't like the smaller rev range
I personally would go for petrol if i had the option. less torque but more bhp, more revs and sounds better. Ultimately you've got to go with what makes you happy within your budget. try and go for a drive in a few different cars. diesels are quite abit different to drive then petrols. some people don't like the smaller rev range
The point is not the cost of the fuel, its the additional cost of the car. You need to be doing quite a few miles a year to recoup the difference in purchase price with the money saved by lower fuel consumption.
For what it's worth, I think the OP is making the correct decision by going for the diesel engine. I've owned pretty much every variant of the Mk4 series TDi and the 1.8T, the TDIs are good engines for what you're looking for with a few exceptions.
I'd advise you quite strongly to stay away from the ARL engine in the 150bhp FR TDi and Cupra TDi. They have well documented problems with the camshaft lobes and followers and will set you back over £1k to repair when/if they go south.
The ASZ 130bhp engine in the Leon 1.9TDi 130 SE is a very good engine without the problems of it's 150bhp sister, but it's still a PD and has that stupid combined pump/injector system.
In my experience and in my opinion, the very best of the Golf MkIV platform TDIs is the AHF or ASV engine code in the 110bhp Leon 1.9TDI SE/SX. It is FAR FAR more reliable than the later 130/150 PD TDi engines, it's more economical by at least 5mpg on average, it's cheaper to maintain as it doesn't require PD friction modifiers in it's oil, and a basic remap alone will give you 140-150bhp and just as much torque as the PDs. The 110bhp TDi is the only diesel engine I'd have from the Mk1 Leon range. It is the best for a daily driver by quite a large margin.
The Cupra is insurance group 31 on the stupid new group system.
The 1.9 TDi 110 is group 14
The 1.9 TDi 130 is group 19
and the 1.9 TDi 150 is group 25
Remember that bhp is torque x rpm/5252. In other words, the 1.8T petrol cars have higher horsepower outputs for a reason, they're quicker than the diesels, full stop, no argument. The diesel will give you the torque shove in the back at low revs but it's out of steam by the time the petrol is half way through it's useable power curve. The petrol engine has a far larger area under the lines on it's dyno plot, ie, it has more power and it can use it far more flexibly.
In your circumstances, I'd go diesel, because they're still pretty tuneable and it'll be much cheaper to insure and run. A 110 TDi with a remap, EGR bypass, larger injectors, front mount intercooler and decat will absolutely spank a standard 1.8T.
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