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Re: Buying a high-mileage Fiesta TDCi ?

The car is a late 2002 (52 plate) basic Fiesta TDCi with approx 90,000

> miles on the clock, mostly motorway driving, and I've been the only driver > of this car. I may buy it directly from the leasing firm before it goes to > auction. > > Now I'm sure the engine is good for at least twice that mileage, because > it's diesel, the bodywork is sound, and it's never been pranged or > crashed. > > However as it's a turbo-diesel, it's the *turbo* bit that concerns me > somewhat. How long is the turbo typically expected to last before a > replacement becomes necessary? > > Because I'm sure it's not going to be cheap when and if a replacement > becomes necessary.

All depends on how the turbo's been treated up to now. I've crossposted this to uk.rec.cars.maintenance as you'll get more useful advice on there.

Basically a turbo can, in theory, last for absolutely ages if it's treated properly. Basically that means letting it spool down properly every time you turn the engine off - that means leaving it idling for a good 30 seconds or so before turning it off. Not only that, but the oil gets very hot inside the turbocharger, so if you've done a long-ish motorway journey at high-ish speed (i.e. where the revs are into the boost zone of the engine), ease off the throttle for the last couple of minutes so the oil gets a decent chance to cool down. This, combined with letting it spool down by letting it idle for 30 seconds or so before you turn it off, should ensure its longevity.

Now around town in slow stop-start drivingn you won't be using the turbo boost all that much, and some might argue that it's not all that neccessary to be so picky about letting it spool down - personally I would anyway, but hey, I'm cautious like that.

So as you've been the main driver of the car, you should know how it's been treated - have you turned it off immediately after it's been at high speed, or let it rest a bit first?

Also, out of interest, do you know how much you're likely to get it for?

Peter

Reply to
AstraVanMan
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One could say the life of the car, heh heh! :)

Spot on, like a planned deceleration from 70 when you are pulling off into some services.

Well one might... >:-)

Me too, but if you park up using a fast idle speed, it's slowing down and cooling down for you.

Reply to
DervMan

So with a turbo, do you sit there for a while after you're parked up? Wouldn't people think you're a bit stupid or something?

Reply to
Peter

If you've been using it. It's 30 seconds, and TBH I couldn't give a toss whether or not people think I'm stupid when I park my car.

Reply to
Doki

Well, only if they're numpties, and if that's the case, we don't care, heh.

Reply to
DervMan

Peter (petermcmillan snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Nah, just pussyfoot it for the last half mile or so.

Reply to
Adrian

That's got to be the funniest thing I've read on here in ages!

Seriously though, people can think what they like. But remember the 30 seconds idling doesn't neccessarily have to mean parking up, sitting there with the engine running for 30 seconds, then turning the engine off! When you're parking the engine is pretty much idling, and I think it's the fact that it's off boost is the most important bit, so if you're just pootling around town being nice and gentle with no remotely high revs before you come to a stop then you shouldn't need to leave it long at all.

Generally if I'm getting out of my car there's often something I'll need to grab/put in my pocket/remove from phone holder (that'll be a phone then), so I park up, leave it running, collect my belongings, get out of the car and reach in to turn the ignition off just before I shut the door. Means I can do more than one thing at a time that way.

Peter

Reply to
AstraVanMan

[snip]

Wooah there! Is that a kinda Holy Grail for blokes? :)

Reply to
DervMan

Well get this - when I'm turning on a diesel engine I turn the ignition on, and while I'm waiting for the glow plug light to go out, I put my seat belt on.

Maybe I will influence people in this life after all .....

Peter

Reply to
AstraVanMan

/cough/ Kermit's ABS lamp glows orange, just like glowplugs, so I usually still do something similar...

:)

Reply to
DervMan

The message from "AstraVanMan" contains these words:

It's an improvement on starting the car, driving off and putting it on as you pull out of the end of the road.

Reply to
Guy King

DervMan ( snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

On my old CX, the ABS light stayed on until the oil pressure light went out

- the logic ran that if the engine had stopped, you'd not want the ABS to get shot of all that precious hydraulic pressure any quicker than necessary...

I could have lent it you, and run a sweepstake on how long you'd have sat there, waiting for the "glow plugs" to go out before starting?

Reply to
Adrian

:)

But hold on.... logic? Citroen CX? Heh heh.

It's just an old habit that refuses to die, and the ABS lamp stays illuminated for about the right length of time for many older generation indirect injection diesels, too - just three or four seconds. Heh.

Reply to
DervMan

Likewise, my home address is 2 miles off the motorway, with a 40 then a 30 limit for 9/10 of the distance. And work normally involves a traffic light wait on the exit then a good 90 second drive on site. So I do go for the take it easy method.

Reply to
Dave Babb

The tribulations of owning both a diesel and a petrol. Who hasn't sat there looking like a muppet for 20 seconds waiting for their petrol car's engine management light (or whichever looks closest) to go out.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

Christian McArdle ( snipped-for-privacy@nospam.yahooxxxx.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

No, but I have cursed cold diseasels for not starting immediately... Particularly when the friction warms them up enough to "burst" into hesitant, single-cylinder, smoky life for *just* long enough for everybody in the street to stare at me - or at 5.30am outside the house...

Reply to
Adrian

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