1.7CDTi 16V ?

Definately CAN suffer from ECU and injector problems, also oil pump drive issues, all of which would probably write the car off. Beware a DMF on its last legs too.

That said, I have a 105k 55plate combo and it's a good un! I'd have another tomorrow.

Avoid at all costs the Fiat 1.3 CDTI and the 1.7 DI.

Tim..

Thanks very much for that Tim.

I think the one he was looking at has gone but he has his eye on another. It's an 05 1,686 Astra Life Cdti with just over 100K miles on it? 9 Months MOT and looks clean on the Net (I think the guy was asking for ~£2k (private)).

Assuming that's not the 'keep away' engine, is there any way one can tell if the DMF is about to let go please (and if it does, is it difficult / expensive to replace (mate has a garage)).

Cheers, T i m

A friend had a 53 plate CDTi from 9 months old (8000 miles) to a few weeks ago (110,000) Apart from an alternator at 103,000 it survived only on regular servicing, and he's now bought a Meriva.

I had a 2003, 1.6 Petrol/LPG Combo Van that i got to well over 210k

Boringly reliable!

A knackered DMF will rattle at idle or at low revs/high load.

Ok thanks. I'll make sure we listen out for that if we go and have a look at it.

Any other points of note on the estate or the 05 model in general please?

Cheers, T i m

My DMF is worn. With the engine at a hot tickover you can hear a slight rattle and the engine yo-yo's slightly due to the slack. Dip the clutch pedal and it immediately smooths out.

I wont bother doing anything til it gets worse or the clutch iteself is knackered.

Tim.

apart from the noise the clutch often gets grabby, since it is gradual the owner/driver doesn't notice, but plonk someone else in and they stall it.

Laddo gave this one a very short drive today and he was able to pull away at tickover forward and reverse at tickover (if that means anything).

Apparently it's had a new cambelt 12/2012, starter and battery and the MOT had a couple of 'advises' on track rod ends (a bit worn?) (not especially difficult or expensive?).

Apart from the o/s mirror needing a bit of attention (it was all there but I think the cover had been taped back on), a headlight out and a couple of marks on the rear seats it all looked in pretty good nick (for an 05 on 100k etc). No dents or scrapes, no visible rust or paint bubbling, no oil leaks, engine bay dry.

Engine started easily and the whole thing ran pretty quietly.

I think sonny Jim might put a set of tyres on it if he got it (n/s front was an MOT advise) but one thing the seller said stood out a bit. I think he suggested 20 quid's worth of diesel gave him 70 miles (around London) and 90 on a bit more of a run. That works out at:

20 / 1.45 = ~14.5l = ~3.2 gallons > 70 miles = just over 20 to the Gallon?

Honest John suggests it might be nearer 50?

(assuming that is the same spec as this 2005 model)

So, has he (or I) just got his figures wrong or could that indicate something is up (and if so typically what) please?

Cheers, T i m

p.s. Would an 05 model have an OBD port and if so where (I could put my Torque app on it and see what it says re the mpg if we can get it checked over by my garage mate pre purchase)?

45 plus to the gallon should be the aim. I find 20 unbelievable.

the obd port is under the cover below the handbrake. you have to hook out the plastic trough.

Agreed.

Well quite, assuming all is as it was if it went though a genuine MOT

3 months ago etc (I was thinking along the lines the emissions would have been way over the top).

Ah same place as our Meriva A then (thanks).

The next problem is how to get it back to my mates garage (without getting him to take time out as he's on his own and would have to shut shop (which he has kindly offered to do for me/us)).

That said, it's not that far away so ..

Cheers, T i m

I get about 38-40mpg from mine, but it is doing short journeys, with a trailer and the taps well open.

Tim.

Thanks for that Tim. Given your usage I think that would be perfectly acceptable to laddo. Also, for his predicted commute of about 20 miles each way on mixed dual carriageways and A roads it could / should come up even better.

It looks like I can get a days comp cover on it for 25 quid so I'll drive it back tomorrow and hopefully see if the Torque app / OBD reader give me some info (mpg especially) as I drive it to my mates garage for a check over (and possibly a basic service while it's there if he gives us the thumbs up).

I've asked laddo to check with the owner how many keys come with it as I understand replacements can be quite expensive (and he should have at least one spare and less chance of any 'extra' keys floating about etc).

This one seems to have the rear windows fairly tinted. It looks like a factory job so do they all come like that or would it have been a factory option?

Cheers, T i m

I get 600 miles to the tank from my 03 plate 1.7 TDi: close to 60 mpg. That's not driven particularly hard, but normally cruised at true (not speedo) speed limits.

That's pretty good.

Yeah. It's funny when you have a GPS, especially when going though the average speed camera zones and you are overtaking those who think they are doing (say) 50. ;-)

Is the 1.7 TDi the same engine as the CDTi (doesn't look like it).

Cheers, T i m

Yes, largely. DTi is VP rotary pump direct injection, 75 and 90bhp ish. CDTi is common rail of the same engine, 80, 100, 120hp. All intercooled. The CDTi 120 has a variable vane turbo, the rest are regular wastegated.

Vans and Combo's use single-event injection delphi ECU and Cars use bosch edc16 and multiple-event piezo injectors.

Tim.

Wow (lots of info there). ;-)

Right (and at a very much more basic level). I drove said car round to my mates garage and hooked up my Torque / OBD app as I did. It drove ok, a bit of slack on overrun and something was a bit 'loose / clunky under the n/s front. Fairly quiet, fairly responsive, brakes ok etc.

Much to my dismay though I was seeing ~10 mpgs and it only crept up to the 20's when doing a constant 40 on the flat. Average over the 10 miles (round trip). 11.5 mpg (in Torque and FWIW etc).

Got to mates, he popped the bonnet and suggested it was 'the old Izuzu engine' and that 2x mpg might not be unheard of? ;-(

Because that all tied up with the owners own comment about doing 'between 70 and 90 miles to 20 quid's worth' I drove it back to his and called it a day?

So, back on the lookout for one of the gooduns I'm guessing?

Cheers, T i m

to be as bad as that it would have been pouring smoke at least. I get more mpg out of the Ferrari, and that is on carbs.

Or chucking it on the road (I don't think it was).

Yeah, same with laddos Hi-Lux. However, both the Torque app (that seems pretty accurate against trip-n-note fillups on the Corsa a Meriva at least. It also fits what the owner said about 20 quids worth of diesel doing 70-90 mpg (20's to just into the 30's)?

Bottom line, it's not 40-50 mpg and that's what laddo is going to need, but agree, summat wasn't right and I didn't want to risk it. ;-(

Cheers, T i m