Hi im new to the forum and the skoda world.I am looking to buy a 2002 superb it has full service history 1.9 tdi 130 elegance but its has 220000 on the clock.

would you guys recommend buying it for £2900 as my budget is limited to £3000

I mean generally how long do these tdi engine last?200k?300k?

Thanks

Edited 2 September, 201015 yr by Superb Hunter

Have you driven it ?

Then the next major questions to ask -

Does it have full servcie history?

Does it have record of ALL cambelt changes ? ( should have been done around 60K miles intervals )

If the answer is no to any of the above then walk away

If it is yes to the above plus has all receipts for any consumables ( tyres , pads etc \) then you should be ok , but as with buying ANY car, it comes with risk.

Sounds strange buy I find by driving it, if it feels comfortable, engine doesnt sound like a complete bag of spanners, & you just feel at home happy, then any minor niggles will seem insignificant.

As far as price is concerned, seems ok, have you shopped around ?

I wouldn't worry too much about the mileage, providing it's been well serviced and looked after. Mine is now on 212000 and still running perfectly.

I'm not sure if it's maybe a little over priced? Mine is a 2005 Elegance 130 model and I paid similar money 6 months ago with 196,000 miles on.

Since you are on the forum I would imagine you have a good idea of things to look out for, but just in case,..

* Check the plenum area around the battery for pooling water and the passenger foot well for any signs of dampness. If this all seems ok, check the operation of the interior lights, electric windows/mirrors etc.

* Look for any signs of oil around the EGR valve (under the engine cover). Some weep, but if there's a lot then it will want changing.

* Drive it about and listen for front suspension clunks - these can be expensive if the pinch bolts are seized, which they will be.

* If it's an Elegance it will have Xenons, so check the self leveling works (put dipped beam on and then switch the ignition on - you should see the lights dip down and then raise up again as they set themselves to their base possition).

* Check for corrosion around the rear numberplate lights

I'm sure others will be able to fill you in on any common faults I've forgotten!

first of all thanks for all your guys reply.

Yes i have shop around and ended up on this particular one.I was going for a mid range comfort model buy the cheapest one available on auto trader is like 3500. ANd on the ad it says full service history but i dont know when was the last time the car had its service done.

I haven't driven the machine yet as i live in london and this car is at birmingham so it is not a car you can go view when you feel like it on sunday afternoon.

I will get in contact with the seller and ask all the relavent question.

VRSPhill where did you get yourself the car so cheap?

Thanks

Edited 2 September, 201015 yr by Superb Hunter

VRSPhill where did you get yourself the car so cheap?

Thanks

I bought mine last year (2005 Elegance V6 TDi 108K - now at 135K, full history etc) for £4200 though I think the trader I bought it off of didn't know what he had.

When I 'stumbled' on the Superb last year , and then started looking for one, the prices were quite low but I think they have held or even gone up over the last 12 months as a lot more are coming onto the used market and being identified as bargain motoring.

As Phil says check the history and the common problem areas (Phil has highlighted them but also educate yourself on the forum)

At that mileage the vendor won't have a queue of buyers, they're asking strong money for the car so drive a hard bargain. Tell them there's liable to be a few big bills coming up (seized pinch bolts, plenum leakage etc) and factor a couple of bills to replace worn items, get it a the right price and you'll have a cheap motor that should last for ages.

Edited 2 September, 201015 yr by Cledwen

If your were me how much you think can haggles off the list price? I was looking at about £2500 to seal the deal?what do you think?

If your were me how much you think can haggles off the list price? I was looking at about £2500 to seal the deal?what do you think?

I'd try £2200 and work up from there.

Remember you are looking at a very 'leggy' car which is liable to need some TLC.

Assuming it's a 1.9 TDi PD [130 bhp] Comfort (2002/52) wisebuyers.co.uk allows you to get a free mileage adjusted valuation (unlike Parkers which requires a payment to mileage correct), at 220K it prompts you to email them as the mileage is so high, so put in 200K and you will get

Retail: £3,285

Private Good: £2,335

Private Average: £1,725

Private Poor: £1,235

Part Exchange: £1,965

Trade: £1,773

Looking on Autotrader this morning there are cheaper, higher spec (Elegance), lower mileage cars out there. Just shop around.

Not sure if you do big mileages, if not the 1.8T's (petrol) seem cheap and they can be remapped from 150 to 200 bhp (check Shark Performance's website). But then that starts a whole different conversation.

Edited 3 September, 201015 yr by Cledwen

Looks like im a bit too late.the car already sold:( i mean i got a 1.6L mazda mx5 atm and its doing 30mpg at best so thats why i want to switch to diesel for the economy and plus its more torquey and if i do rev it hard i still get decent mpg.i have looked around and i dont want the classic model as i do a lot of motorway driving so i wanted the cruise control in the comfort model. i mean the 1.8T is economical? what about the 2.0 TDI 6 spd?

You could always buy mine! It's in the for sale section, 57000 miles, FSH and has cruise control, on an 03 plate, its the 1.8t comfort and I fnd it economical, better than my Golf GTi which has the same engine although thats just hit 136k! Just shows how good these engine are though I think.

isnt the 1.8t's road tax 235 a year compare to 1.9TD's 155?

The 1.9D AWX engine is the one to have - fuel and tax are not getting cheaper. Don't touch the 2.0D and the 2.5D is pointless and a waste of tax.

I looked at the various trim options when buying a Superb. Anything other than basic trim makes the car look like Aunty in fancy dress - the car's just not up to any more equipment in relation to its true value (not price). There's on exception - cruise.

I bought the base model as I prefer cloth seats and the velour material on the "comfort" variant is not durable. The last car I had upholstered in this material developed holes in the seats where the studs in my jeans go. The standard seats so far have proved durable.

I used cruise as a bargaining chip when buying the car and had it fitted by the dealer prior to delivery. In real terms, the job costs about £30 for a new switch + a VAGCOM enable. It works really well and makes the car a good motorway cruiser - which is part of its job.

Now, you would have to retrofit cruise on the open market, but there are plenty of outfits that will do this (look up old Passat and use eBay) for about £70 - much less than you would pay extra for the higher spec model which in many respects is less good. I don't need a leather gaitor round my gear kn0b...

rotodiesel.

you got the point but i dont want the hussle to go round and get all those fitted., mainly because i work in a restaurany 6 days a week and on my day off i dont want to waste a whole day in getting my car working.why not get it right in the first place?

i really need a calculator to work out which is better?1.8T or 1.9TDi.because both i saw one is going for £2300 and the equivalent 1.9TDi is going for £3600 that is a massive £1300 different you know!

The golden rule is to shop around. Superbs are not popular cars (poorly marketed, badly supported by the dealers and too many design faults which can make them stupidly expensive to keep) so there are bargains to be had.

In my book, the only possible reason to buy a Superb is to get the 1.9PD engine. This gives an unbeatable combination of performance and economy for the asking price. The alternatives are either unreliable or a waste of money - you could spend the same money better elsewhere.

It is time consuming getting the right car but it can also save you a pile of money. If you save £1000 (say) in fuel and road tax over a petrol car during your period of ownership, that's not a bad return for "working" on your day off. The price difference you quote between petrol and diesel is not realistic.

rotodiesel.

just found a 03 130 tdi comfort for £3300.im inquiring that about the part service history and ask about the cam belt change.if its not been change how much is the job going to cost in a independant garage?

I just rang them up and they said the car was last serviced at Feb 2008 at 62000 and cam belt has not been changed. So can anyone tell me what the price of a full serviced including a cam belt is going to cost?i tried haggle on the phone and the dealer said they cheapest they will take is £3000.

So please anyone advice please!

rotodiesel

the price i quote you is straight off auto trader.thats whats available for sale now.you can go check it out Auto Trader UK

A ball park figure for a belt change would be around £300.

As Roto say's the 1.9 130PD is the pick of the engines, mine is for sale also (click on the photo in my signature) if you can stretch you budget a bit.

Edited 4 September, 201015 yr by Gizmo68

Gizmo68 I would love to buy your car but its just that i really cannot stretch further.Originally i was only planning to buy a Honda Accord 1.8 Sport 02 plate for like 1600 and i stretched further to looked at the passat and i thought superb is a much bigger passat in a way and here i am looking for some bargain superb out there.i found a few but cant quite decide which one.

like you just said a cam belt change and a full service will cost me in a region of £500 im thinking haggle £200 off another £3700 superb 130 tdi with full service history.but thing is with buying a car you will always take it to a service to make sure its upto standard.so i am only saving £300 from the cam belt.

:( this is difficult to find the perfect one that fits my bill

sigh.....

thanks for all your help and advice though!

So why is the 1.9 130 better than the 2.0 140? Is it just an economy thing or is htere more to it, I read that the 2.0 is more refined, but uses a bit more fuel but you have increased performance.

I'm asking because I looking at buying one, or perhaps an Octy.

All of the 2.0 litre diesels are fitted with twin balancer (Lanchester) shafts running at twice crank speed to balance out second order forces. If properly done, the fitting of these shafts enables a 4 cyl engine to be almost perfectly balanced.

VAG made a complete c o c k up of fitting these shafts, getting it badly wrong not just once, but twice. The first attempt was a chain drive system which just disintegrated together with the chain tensioner and slider. The second attempt used a geared drive but incorporated a pathetic hex coupling to the oil pump - which would promptly fail without warning, wrecking the engine.

These two design masterpieces produced loads of unhappy drivers. VAG did nothing to help.

In their usual attempts to bend over backwards to help their valued customers, VAG will not reveal which engines are prone to fail - making the purchase of any 2.0 PD engine a highly risky business. So, avoid the 2.0 and get a 1.9 which is rougher but reliable. In practice, there is no difference in performance between the 1.9/130 and the 2.0/140 engines - there is more spread in output between individual engines. The 1.9 is also more economical because no DPF is fitted.

rotodiesel.

Thanks Roto,

I know this is hijacking the thread, but rather than starting a similar one I thought I'd tag a few questions here.

From what I can see Octy's never can with the 130 1.9PD...is this the case (I know this is a Superb section) I see that a 2.0 CR engine is available....any better?

Before driving half way round the country looking at Superb's apart from the usual questions are there any specific things I should be asking?

Were there any updates, I might be looking for a lower millage older model rather than a newer higher milage one within my budget.

Edited 18 October, 201015 yr by BigBaddad

The biggest issue is the water ingress they all suffer with (unless they have been re-sealed before they leaked).

do a search for "water ingress" in the Superb I section and several posts will show up, I have also done a blog containing all the necessary info needed to re-seal them up.

Don't kid yourself that just because a car has not leaked (and has not been re-sealed correctly) yet that it wont - IT WILL!! this is down to poor design rather than bad luck - one of the symptoms that the car has previously leaked (apart from the obvious wet passenger side rear carpet) is the interior lights playing up.

P.S. Mine is for sale (click on the photo)

The biggest issue is the water ingress they all suffer with (unless they have been re-sealed before they leaked).

do a search for "water ingress" in the Superb I section and several posts will show up, I have also done a blog containing all the necessary info needed to re-seal them up.

Don't kid yourself that just because a car has not leaked (and has not been re-sealed correctly) yet that it wont - IT WILL!! this is down to poor design rather than bad luck - one of the symptoms that the car has previously leaked (apart from the obvious wet passenger side rear carpet) is the interior lights playing up.

P.S. Mine is for sale (click on the photo)

I clicked the photo, then I saw there was another for sale at the bottom of your post, I clicked the photo, then I saw there was another for sale at the bottom of your post, I clicked the photo, then I saw there was another for sale at the bottom of your post, I clicked the photo, then I saw there was another for sale at the bottom of your post, I clicked the photo, then I saw there was another for sale at the bottom of your post,....I felt like Bill Murray in Groundhog day. Unless you're selling an infinate amount of cars. :p

I've read the sticky thread on water ingress. If a buy a Superb I my look at a more permanent solition than a tube of silcon. Anyone else tried this?

I used the mastic strip specified in the VAG TSB to fix the problem (yes, they know all about it).

The (VW branded) TSB is 443/06 and the mastic strip is AKD 497 010 04R 10. It's a perfect fit in the housing.

rotodiesel.