Which is the best performance diesel car for under 21K?

[cjp80]

Hi dudes!

Would just like your opinions on the best diesel available new for under 21K, within the supermini and small family car class.

Cheers,

Chris

[WW_VRS]

Furby is up there at the moment, there will be some new ones coming out no doubt. You can probably get closer to the 21K if you go with other brands, dunno what the BMW 1 series costs but that wasnt bad either imho.

Not driven many others myself so will leave it at that

[Tom_vRS]

Could you get a second hand 330D for that? They are awesome! Not small, but still awesome!

Otherwise, I think nothing comes close to the Furby, tick every option box and spend

[Sonic_Vrs]

The cupra 160 must be up there too. I saw a thread to say that a 170BHP toyota TDI is on the cards, though thats got a price of about 24k...

As said before, get furby and do up fully and you'll have change for a holiday!

[cjp80]

Anyone driven the Leon FR 150 or the Cupra 160 AND the vRS. If so, how'd they compare?

[clv101]

If you think a little larger there are a lot of great diesels around:

Large 150bhp+ diesel cars
			bhp		0-60		mpg
Alfa Romeo 2.4 JTD Multijet	175		8.0		42
Audi A4 2.5 TDI			155/160/177	9.1/8.5/8.1	40/39/35
BMW 330d <'03			184		7.6		42
BMW 330d >'03			204		7.0		42
Ford Mondeo 2.2 TDCI		152		8.4		46
Jaguar S-Type 2.7d		206		8.1		40
Saab 9-5 3.0 TiD		176		8.9		38
SEAT Toledo/Leon 1.9 TDI	150		8.6		52
Vauxhall Vectra 3.0 CDTI	174		8.3		40
Volkswagen Bora 1.9 TDI		150		8.7		51
Volkswagen Golf 1.9 TDI		150		8.3		52
Volvo S60 2.4 D5		163		9.2		43

A decent 2nd hand 330d could be had for ~

[Sonic_Vrs]

The ibiza FR is no different to furby vRS- apparently a little quicker to 60. The leon feels like a bigger car (because it is!) and i dunno about cupra 160 - probably a bit banzaii! :eek:

[devonutopia]

BMW 120d sport is

[Sonic_Vrs]

If you think a little larger there are a lot of great diesels around:

Large 150bhp+ diesel cars
			bhp		0-60		mpg
Alfa Romeo 2.4 JTD Multijet	175		8.0		42
Audi A4 2.5 TDI			155/160/177	9.1/8.5/8.1	40/39/35
BMW 330d <'03			184		7.6		42
BMW 330d >'03			204		7.0		42
Ford Mondeo 2.2 TDCI		152		8.4		46
Jaguar S-Type 2.7d		206		8.1		40
Saab 9-5 3.0 TiD		176		8.9		38
SEAT Toledo/Leon 1.9 TDI	150		8.6		52
Vauxhall Vectra 3.0 CDTI	174		8.3		40
Volkswagen Bora 1.9 TDI		150		8.7		51
Volkswagen Golf 1.9 TDI		150		8.3		52
Volvo S60 2.4 D5		163		9.2		43

A decent 2nd hand 330d could be had for ~

[cjp80]

Plus it looks SHIIIIIIIITE!

Drove a MK5 Golf. It felt slow by comaprison to my vRS, but it does have the new 16V diesel. Anyone know the remapping potential of this new engine?

[devonutopia]

Plus it looks SHIIIIIIIITE!

Drove a MK5 Golf. It felt slow by comaprison to my vRS' date=' but it does have the new 16V diesel. Anyone know the remapping potential of this new engine?[/quote']

Dads got this one (GT TDI? 140hp?) and it felt REALLY nice to drive in stock form. There was worry about VW putting in an ECU self destruct mechanism if it was remapped, so I don't know anyone who's actually managed to tune one of the 2.0 TDI engines. :(

[looking_to_buy]

If you think a little larger there are a lot of great diesels around:

Large 150bhp+ diesel cars
			bhp		0-60		mpg
Alfa Romeo 2.4 JTD Multijet	175		8.0		42

these go for peanuts now (comparatively to new!) - saw one for

[Neo_VR]

Dont forget that the same Tuning options apply for a 330d.. a

[WW_VRS]

The 1-series Beemer has better seats up-front for sure though, more adjustable & more support. Not as much room in the rear.

Looks decent enough, heavy premium though :(

If I had 21k to spend I'd probably buy a bigger car rather than the Furby vRS.

I've spent a little on PD160 intake & the strut & green filter, plus the handsfree and a bunch of standard toys.

SatNav - hmm nice but overpriced.

The Octy II is starting to get pretty tempting at those kinda numbers too

[Wardy]

Another vote for a used 330d - a Sport Touring would do nicely for me

No question on where that budget would be spent for me. A work colleague picked up a 330d SE Touring with optional BMW 17s, 2 years old, 25k, for just over

[Neo_VR]

Im seriously considering one as my next car.. tho the newer 2nd gen ones (200bhp) are still a wee bit too expensive for my liking, and the olderones can have turbo problems with high milage

[philc]

I've got the Vauxhall 3.0CDTi in my Signum, and I believe it can be remapped to 240 bhp! It cost more than

[lozgti]

Hate to cite his work but Jeremy Clarkson loved the Jag - 'the only diesel out there he would buy' after his nurbergring experience in it...

Didn't his jag conk out or go into 'limp' mode though

Still smile at audi putting the diesels in the convertibles though

[Goodas]

Didn't his jag conk out or go into 'limp' mode though

Still smile at audi putting the diesels in the convertibles though

[Andy vRS]

Personally i would buy a new 120d Sport all day long over any VAG car - and on the used side i would have a 330d. Remember diesels are about torque and not BHP. BHP is pub talk and only sells cars - certainly where diesels are concerned. But there is no way on the planet a 330d could hit 300hp from a remap.

A chap at work had a DMS map on his 184 hp car, and with a CAT back miltek and a remap it pulled 205hp and 320 lb/ft with a flat torque curve from about 1300 rpm to 4900 rpm. But it smoked too much for him, so he sent it back, and with an exhaust only it is very quick.

The newer cars may hit around 230-240 hp from a remap. Bare in mind the new car with twin turbo and a 3.1 litre [nearly] achieves 270 hp.

Alpina made a BMW D10 but it was crap - and thirsty and they had major problems with emissions; the black smoke under full power was unbelievable. The big restriction with the BMW diesels was in fact the exhaust system. Companies like DMS found 15 bhp alone from a new system. Their 530d with a new Zorst and ECU trickery found 235 bhp which is close to what the D10 was doing but without the huge black clouds. The only thing is that the D10 used the old type engine [2.9 184 hp]

[clv101]

Personally i would buy a new 120d Sport all day long over any VAG car...

I wouldn't, I've driven the 120d Sport a fair bit and whilst it's well put together and handles well, it's not that fast - didn't feel any faster than my Fabia VRS, wasn't any bigger (in fact with the drive shaft there was less room in the back) and for twice the price was just a joke. The BMW is a good company car but very poor value for a private buyer.

[Wardy]

I think it looks like an old boot!! Proportions are wrong IMO, and far too pricey. Brand new diesel wise for this budget might well go on an A3 2.0 TDi Sport.

And this comes from someone who's grown up with Beemers :( They're a real let-down to me at the moment :thumbdwn: Sort it out Munich...

Steve

[barrie502]

I wouldn't, I've driven the 120d Sport a fair bit and whilst it's well put together and handles well, it's not that fast - didn't feel any[/i'] faster than my Fabia VRS, wasn't any bigger (in fact with the drive shaft there was less room in the back) and for twice the price was just a joke. The BMW is a good company car but very poor value for a private buyer.

Wait for the astra 150 cdti's to depreciate. Have driven a new sport hatch and was very impressive. The engine is 3rd generation using fiat "m-jet" tech.

Compared to fabia it was at least as fast but certainly smoother and with a wider powerband.

Handling was very good, cornered flat and gripped hard. The fab would struggle keep up (pre map) on straights and be murdered on bends.

Yes it is "only" an Asra but speak as you find it was good. Too pricy new - although Autoebid.com reckon the SH 150 cdti 150 can be had for 13.7k otr, with esp as standard.

Bearing in mind it is one size up from the fabia and that the fabia would be close to 12k at that spec it looks ok.

If you think the depreciation would be too painful them buy one a year old and benefit from it!

[oc-quattro]

I love diesels, those new 535d Sports are absolutely amazing,more torque than the new M5.

I can see a diesel power war starting. VW got the 5.0 V10 TDI (which sounds incredibly), BMWs 3.0 TTDi, Merc are working on a big diesel aswell, I think it is 4.0 V8 jobby.

We should have some interesting developments.

[cheeky]

I wouldn't mind an old shape A3 TDI 130 quattro. And spending some of the extra budget on hiking up the power.