As per the title really. I am thinking of a 2nd car for fun cross country blasts and maybe the occasional track excursion. I haven't had a car with a 1.9PD130bhp engine for a few years and had assumed that I probably wouldn't again. My daily is a 1.6TDI MonteCarlo Tech which whilst perfect for the 55mile daily commute isn't that much fun.

Now my first decision is what platform,now I know this is a Skoda site first and foremost,but I would welcome suggestions.

I've already had a Fabia VRS about 6 years ago and on looking back most other vag offerings from the 4 main brands in 1.4/1.9&2.0 TDI flavours as well as 1.8t's etc.

My thoughts have turned to a mk4 Ibiza as firstly I haven't had one,secondly 3doors appeal and most importantly the earlier 1.9TDI 130bhp Sports are a fair bit cheaper than the Fabia.

Other possibilities are mk4Golf and maybe even an early A3 with the 130engine.

Sorry for the ramblings but do any of you good people have any thoughts/suggestions etc?

A bit more info I think.

I am not looking to spend megabucks and will take the project slowly. Firstly choosing a suitable car and finding the best one I can for the budget available. Any mods would follow and I'm thinking:-

1. 312 brakes

2. Uprated suspension (springs/dampers or maybe coilovers)

3. Rear ARB

4. Remap/EGR delete

5. Decent tyres(probably at the same time as the brakes)

Any obvious omissions or errors in the order of proceedings?

I would like to pick up a high miler,mechanically good,a bit tatty won't bother me for say £2k and spend a max of another £1k is this feasible ? or am I in cookoo land don't spare my blushes.

Dave

Last post,I promise, until the responses come flooding in. I will do much of the work myself,as a reasonably competent amateur,obviously not the remap and suspension geometry set up. And will look to source good used parts of this and indeed other VAG forums I frequent.

Dave

1.9TDi five speed with a remap? ATD engines are bullet proof. Elegance spec gets you heated seats.

I picked up my 2002 seat ibiza sport with the pd130 engine for £1200 at 128k miles.

It's a 3 door and the handling is excellent as standard to say it doesn't have rear independent suspension. I'm very very happy with it. Comes with trip computer, climate control and sporty interior as standard.

The suspension can be a little too firm though to some people and they swap the suspension for fabia vrs as it's softer but for what you're asking for it seems like a good shout.

A3's are quite heavy no?

I just averaged 70mpg coming back from Newcastle today too at 65mph. Such a do it all engine.

Edited 2 December, 201312 yr by Dann2707

If you can find one in budget the Ibiza Cupra diesel would be the best bet. admittedly it's not quite a pd130, but has the same engine, solid wishbone bushes, a front mount intercooler and ap racing 312 brakes, so should be a good base

Good call Lee I hadn't thought of a none VRS Fabia. This could apply equally to other less sporty cars in the group.

I wonder if the 5speeder is as strong as/stronger than the 6speeeder?

Any reason why you want a 1.9 TDI for your "fun" car over say a 1.8t?

I think an Ibiza Cupra TDI is likely to be quite a bit over budget. In addition I would like to modify as I go along,learning as I go whereas with the Cupra as you say much is already done.

The 5 speed comes with a single mass flywheel as standard and an upgraded g60 flywheel can be picked up pretty cheap, much much cheaper than a single mass flywheel and clutch upgrade for the 6speed box

Any reason why you want a 1.9 TDI for your "fun" car over say a 1.8t?

I enjoy the torque and power delivery characteristics of this engine and of course the mpg.

The 5 speed comes with a single mass flywheel as standard and an upgraded g60 flywheel can be picked up pretty cheap, much much cheaper than a single mass flywheel and clutch upgrade for the 6speed box

This is useful info. Do all of the 5speed 1.9TDI's have a smf?

I actually had a 1.9 Toledo 110BHP years ago and that had a smf, I assumed it had been fitted aftermarket as a replacement for a knackered dmf but perhaps not.

I recall it being a little chattery especially at idle which used to annoy me a little but that was a daily,used for about 80 miles per day. This car won't do anything like as many miles and so this wouldn't be much of a problem.

This is useful info. Do all of the 5speed 1.9TDI's have a smf?

Not sure tbh I would have thought most of them do. Hopefully adamweal will see this. He should know

Diesels aren't very economical on track if that's what you are wanting it for lol, mine used a lot more than a friends civic type r round croft and knockhill.. Wouldn't look at an A3 or golf as they are a fair bit heavier than the ibiza and fabia's. I'd go for a basic spec PD130, no air con on anything that's going to make the car heavy if your wanting it for track and stuff.

As fun as they are on the road with useable power, the lack of revs and front heavy characteristics of the PD130 cars are not very well suited to track thrashes IMO. Spank a lot of money on one and yeah you'll get results but for the kinda thing you sound like you're doing with it a 1.8t would be my choice, should pick one up for cheap £££. Dump the weight and strip it out, map it up and away you go! 

 

As Tom said, the mpg will be negligible under the kind of use your saying. Just a thought ....

Thanks Tom. The track use will probably be fairly limited,more the occasional road blast and fun at weekends etc,but I am intrigued to try a diesel on track. It would be somewhat different to my last fun/track car about 7/8 years ago a Caterham roadsport with only a 1.4 k series engine,6gears and a LSD that was awesome and in reality better than my own abilities.

Back on topic I am not sure what basic 130pd cars are available ie without a/c etc

I am veering toward a 3door Ibiza unless anyone can share any horror stories about the model. Am I right in thinking that the 3door is probably a bit lighter and maybe a bit more rigid than either the 5door Ibiza /Fabia VRS?

My old Ibiza was OK on track - it was hybrid power and the torque and straight line speed was great fun.  The thing that let it down was the corners though, and it was pretty well set up (KW coilovers, Jabba RARB, good tyres etc).  It could have done with a diff, but they're a lot of money.  

 

It was great on the road mind, for a back road blast it was perfect, but on track use it just got a bit out of its depth IMO.  The most frustrating thing was the lack of camber adjustment on the suspension.  Things may have changed now or newer/better coilovers brought out as I've been out of the VAG scene for over a year.

My friend had a mk3 ibiza cupra with KO3S conversion, running 235bhp 280 torque, fully stripped out, coils, light wheels. **** me that thing could shift and I mean it, would pull literally bus lengths away from astra vxr's and focus ST's and you can pick them up for under 2k now, the 1.8t engine is a much better choice for fast road and track use as Matt has said.

I don't want to over play the track work. In reality it'll be mostly A &B road blasts and possibly a trip to the Ring and for the journey over their at least diesel will be advantageous.

I am not after lap beating times just sensible fun at a reasonable cost

personally i wouldnt bother with a tdi for fun track or a road as it would be like an asthmatic runner at the olimpics .... constantly running out of breathe and changing gears but .... if i was to do it i would go for a golf gttdi there are some higher mileage gttdi 4 motion pd150s for a tad over 2k if you dont mind travelling a few miles for it 

172/182 if you want fun and track and will still return 40-45mpg average

I don't really fancy na petrol always feels like you are working at the performance. Definitely turbocharged & 95% TDI

I haven't mentioned that the more extreme performance desires will be catered for by a kit car currently being built by myself,dad & brother which is a Cateram lookalike known as a locost powered by 2 liters of Ford Duratec on bike carbs and ignition controlled by a mega jolt system! This will have circa160bhp and weigh 600kilos

Leon fr pd150?

The ibiza is a fair bit lighter than a vrs fabia. and I'm fairly sure a mk4 golf isn't much heavier than a fabia.

I have had both first and 2nd generations of Leon. And whilst I wouldn't rule out another it does sort of appeal to have a model I have no experience of.

In addition 3 doors only for this weekend car which I know rules out a number of ideal candidates!

The more thought I give it the more I am drawn to a mk4 3door Ibiza Sport 130pd. I think a pre facelift as I like the simpler lines of the bumpers and obviously cheaper as well!!

Now to begin to look for a car.