drop-in replacement for a 1.7td cavalier?

Question

Hi,

My trusty old cavalier is nearing the end. The clutch release bearing (no quick change clutch cover on this one unfortunately) is making a dreadful noise and there's tin worm in some most inaccessible and undesirable places.

So what to get? Want something similar size I guess mondeo, Vectra, mazda6,octavia, passat would all fit the bill. Budget say up to 3k. Probably diesel but would consider petrol.

I'd like to keep things reasonably diy serviceable. Cav was simple to work on , parts dirt cheap and never went seriously wrong anyway. Don't want something where I'd have to drop the engine to change a cambelt etc. Which engines to avoid - heard some things about probs with Vectra diesel engines. And also heard things about DMF probs with fords.

Any advice welcome.

Thanks

Jim

newshound · Accepted Answer

IMO with £3k to spend home DIY would not be one of my main selection criteria (unless maybe I wanted to do 25k a year for the next 10 years without using a garage).

But if that really is your criterion how about Volvo 245, LR Defender?

SteveH · Answer

Pretty much anything late 90s from VW - 1.9 mechanical injection diesels

- in 90 or 110bhp trim. Avoid anything later with a 'PD' or 'CR' injection system, as they're too complex for true DIY.

Can be found in most mid and large sized VW cars of the era - Golf, Vento, Passat, Octavia, Fabia, Ibiza, Toledo, Leon, A3, A4, A6 etc.

jimzzr · Answer

Cheers, I was thinking Octavia or Passat might well fit the bill.

What's complex with the later injection systems, is it basically the need for diagnostic tools. Never had to touch the injection system on the old cav in 120k.

Jim

Adrian · Answer

The old Cav would have been a mechanical pump. Get it timed up right, and it's right until it wears out.

Electronic pumps are _far_ more complicated, then add another layer on top for common rail. To start with, common rail works at injection pressures north of 100,000psi. Yes, a hundred thousand psi. Then there's the particulate filters, dual mass flywheels, exhaust gas recirculation and the rest of the high-tech gubbins.

Scott M · Answer

But, in the same way that FI & ECUs were viewed as bad in the 90s, these things are all pretty damn reliable these days. As long as one avoids makes of car with inherent problems[1] then it's all pretty good. My DMF ,for example, is just starting to rattle with 204k on the clock. And a full 4 piece clutch kit is only about £350 (ok, so not clutch & pressure plate territory, but cheaper than they were a few years ago.)

DPFs are the only big sticking point but at the end of the market the OP is looking at he can probably avoid getting one.

[1] manufacturing tolerances these days mean that few things fail randomly. The entire run of a given component either last a lifetime or are inherently flawed and it's "when not if".

SteveH · Answer

Common Rail injector pumps are really bad news as they're very expensive if and when they fail - given that you don't know if a car has been given a dose of unleaded at some point, it's a bit of a gamble. Modern CR diesels are ticking time bombs.

Tim+ · Answer

My car has a factory fitted mis-fuelling preventer. Hopefully these will become standard on all diesels. They certainly ought to be standard!! Tim

drop-in replacement for a 1.7td cavalier?

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