[davemarkey]

i have max of ?5000 to spend and i want a mk4. i have a fiesta 1.4 that has 89bhp, so i want it to be faster. any suggestions??

also, i have looked at your cars and some have red/clear/red rear lights. where did u buy these, how much?

cheers,

Dave

 

[kris]

Well, just my 2p's worth, you may be able to pick up a tdi for that much if you shop around a bit, although you may have to stretch it a little further. An older 90 or 110 bhp engine would be in that price range, lots more torque than your fiesta. (all 1.9). Hella make the RCCR lights you referred to, look out for Baker21 on the forum as he is your man for them!

 

[davemarkey]

I'm only 18, so i can't get insurance on a tdi. what about a 1.6SE? [8-|] or is that not 'cool'.

 

[timmy]

Have you actually asked your insurance company for quotes on a tdi?

I swapped from a 2001 gti 115bhp, to a 2002 gti tdi 150 bhp, and my insurance only changed by a few pence.

Nothing wrong with the 1.6se. Gti wheels and a little colour coding, and at a glance you'll have a gti.

 

[aidan]

As it is the 89bhp version is this the mk4 fiesta?

A 1.6 golf would not be quicker than the fiesta, has only got about
10-15bhp more and about 200-300kgs extra weight, tdi will be slower
overall as it is same power and probably slightly heavier than the 1.6.

If it is the latest mk6 fiesta forget what i've just said!

 

[davemarkey]

yeah i currently have a mk4 fiesta, but colour coding the bumper strips seems like a lot of hassle. Also i have been refused insurance for anything above a 1.6SE

 

[brian_1.8T]

yeah i currently have a mk4 fiesta, but colour coding the bumper strips seems like a lot of hassle. Also i have been refused insurance for anything above a 1.6SE

Have you considered a Bora at all? Not only will they be cheaper to buy and insure, but the 1.6SE model comes with colour coded bump strips as standard, unlike the Golf equivalent.

 

[davemarkey]

i never really thought about a Bora[^o)], but i haven't seen any in my area, so i'm not too sure what they look like when next to a focus. Also are they long, so that they look like a family car???

 

[laser4596]

Im 19 and im on a 115 tdi mate, most insurance companies would prefer you to have the 90bhp tdi over the 1.6, they look at desiels with a better view than petrols for young people, and the petrol is more powerful so another doint point in their view, although i would imagine only slightly quicker but lot less economical.

90bhp tdi anyday mate, if your insurance company wont touch you on one they dont know what theyre doing, try elsewhere

 

[benjie]

I swapped my Mk4 fiesta for a TDi (90) last year mate because the ford
build quality just wasn't up to my expectations. My
2000/125000mile car is still better than whem I left my 2003/14000mile
fiesta. It is a bit faster pulling away, and a lot faster at the top
end. Soon got a tuning box and it's WAY faster than a fiesta will
ever be! (except ST!) Only thing that let the golf down was the
suspension and handling - much worse than the fiesta - but we all kn ow
that fords handle better.

Try your insurance company, because my insurance only went up by ?100
for the whole year. And I'm sure if you shop around, you can get
it the same, if not cheaper! (www.confused.com)

I would defo suggest a TDi as it's cheaper to run, and you don't have
to rag the engine like on the fiesta to get some good performance!

 

[Butcher]

you should be ok to get insured on a low power tdi. I'm 20 with 0 ncb and pay ?1400 on a 1.8t

 

[davemarkey]

no one in my family has ever had a diesel, and i am still worried about the noise. As i am writing this a diesel vw polo has just gone past outside, and i have to say it was quite a loud diesel. however, one of my mates says his tdi is quiet.

is that true?

also, is living with a diesel the same as living with a petrol; black smoke exhaust fumes when revving??

i hope someone could answer these questions, and thanks for the help so far guys.

 

[benjie]

The engine is louder than a petrol, no getting past that, but it
quieten's down a bit when it warms up, and it's quieter inside.
You do get a certian amount of black smoke under hard accelleration,
depending on what you do to the engine, but it's not a proble, just
means the people behind you have to hold their breath.

The reasons I got diesel were first, my dad had a passat TDi and it
flew, and I needed to save money on running costs compared to my
fiesta.

Maybe a test drive of one to see what you think?

 

[davemarkey]

"Golf TDi SE (with a whopping 90bhp), Tuning Box (115bhp-ish)" [:^)]

so i guess it was slow when u got it. How much did it cost to get the tuning box, what does it (i don't know much about tuning/superchips)

 

[benjie]

When it was 90bhp, it was a little faster than the fiesta on a 0-60,
then with a higher top speed, but with the tuning box, it'll leave a
fiesta like my old one standing. I just got it off ebay for ?100,
it was 4 months old. Easy to fit. Fuel economy is
same/little better, torque is MUCH improved, not much better top speed.

 

[tainboy]

I agree. i used to have an XR2i (mk3) and now have a GT TDi - the oil burner is not much slower than my old fester was. I now travel about 350-400 miles a week for work so economy was utmost important. The tuning I had done to my XR2i made me get mid20mpg - the diesel doesn't drop below 50mpg (according to the fuel computer). I average about 500 miles to a tank of diesel that costs me ?41.

The tuning boxes are a simple resistor circuitry jiggery pokery, they just plug and play. What they do is adjust the fuelling to make the car more powerful in acceleration. Instant performance gain, however this does come at a price by reducing the LONG term reliability of your engine.

If you can afford it, a re-map is a far better, bigger and safer gain. although substantially more expensive.

Pound for pound, a diesel will provide FAR more performance gains than a petrol enigne.

I rememebr Max Power done a comparison of a 1.8T and a GT TDi - both 150 bhp standard. they doen rolling roads on both standard, with an induction kit, performance exhaust, and a re-mapped ecu. The diesel pissed all over the petrol car. it had something like 202bhp and (I think) about 230+lb.ft of torque. (Torque is more important than big bhp in diesels).

BUY an oil burner - and try Tesco.com for insurance. (or Privelige - I've got 6 points last year, and my insurance only went up ?60)

 

[benjie]

I rememebr Max Power done a comparison of a 1.8T and a GT TDi - both 150 bhp standard. they doen rolling roads on both standard, with an induction kit, performance exhaust, and a re-mapped ecu. The diesel pissed all over the petrol car. it had something like 202bhp and (I think) about 230+lb.ft of torque. (Torque is more important than big bhp in diesels).

Oh don't, you'll have all of the inefficient petrolheads moaning now!

 

[davemarkey]

i was about to buy the following today:

vw golf 1.6SE

2002

silver

cd

aircon

no alloys

average miles

excellent condition

?5500

from a friend's friend

what do you think?

expensive, cheap, about the right price?

also, it is the shiny silver not reflex silver

 

[dizzee_rich]

you should be ok to get insured on a low power tdi. I'm 20 with 0 ncb and pay ?1400 on a 1.8t

Butcher jeez thats pretty good, im 19 with one years no claim paying 1800!

Who are you with ?

 

[dizzee_rich]

I rememebr Max Power done a comparison of a 1.8T and a GT TDi - both 150 bhp standard. they doen rolling roads on both standard, with an induction kit, performance exhaust, and a re-mapped ecu. The diesel pissed all over the petrol car. it had something like 202bhp and (I think) about 230+lb.ft of torque. (Torque is more important than big bhp in diesels).

Oh don't, you'll have all of the inefficient petrolheads moaning now!

Yep! Heres one!

Have to disagree mate, the petrol and diesels will be running pretty much the same BHP, So i can't see how the diesel p****d on it! Maybe the diesel won, but not pi***d on it !

If max power used an AUM 1.8T then it would have an extra 20/30bhp and it would have been a different story !