Hello, I found this site and thought I'd have a read for a bit of help deciding on a new car - I'm afraid you have all just caused me a load of anxiety! I looked at a 2006 superb 2.0 tdi pd manual today, which I thought was lovely. Then I read various references on your forum about steering well clear of the 2.0's. I also have my eye on a 2004 v6 diesel, which also comes in for some criticism on here, although not as much as the 2.0 it seems.

Can anybody clarify which superbs should be avoided and why? I can't settle for a 1.9 because it might struggle to tow my caravan.

I can assure you that the 1.9PD AWX engine which is rated to 130 PS (fitted with 5sp. manual transmission) will tow almost anything. Readers of this site will know that I slate the detail design of my Superb on a frequent basis as I am really fed up with inexcusable design faults such as rainwater ingress, rusted wiper spindles and pinch bolts etc.

 

The 130 PS 1.9 litre PD engine is by far the best feature of the car - I bought mine as a cheap way of getting this engine in a fairly young car. With 1500kg hitched on the back, it will still accelerate at a remarkable rate - with a bit of black smoke to match. I would not recommend any of the other engine options available.

 

rotodiesel.

+1

 

 

I had the 1.9 AWX PD in the Superb, the engine was great, and the torque and bhp aren't much less than the 2.0. It's 211 lbs/ft, IIRC.

 

The 2.0PD has a notorious diesel particulate filter weakness due to the half-baked application, and an balance shaft/oil pump drive failure which has happened to some owners  at as little as 40,000 miles. The engine is usually wrecked when the oil pump fails, which it does suddenly and without warning.

 

Worth mentioning that the 'oil pump fault' isn't a 'Skoda' fault, and is a potential problem in any VAG 2.0 PD engines fitted with balancer shafts, and the engine can be retro-fitted with modified parts from VAG to totally remove these oil pump risks.

 

 

HTH

Edited 12 April, 201412 yr by CombatWombat

I don't think you should worry about the 1.9 not having enough grunt - it'll be fine.

 

I had a 110bhp (pre PD) Passat estate and I reckon that had enough grunt to tow the Isle of Wight 

 

I know roto doesn't like the V6's, but mine's a stonker and 350nm of torque is enough to not even notice a caravan on the back.

 

Gaz

I'm now on my 2nd V6TDI - couldn't find anything that offers the same satisfaction for the same price. The V6 is a fantastic motor - smooth and powerful - but it can be a heavy maintenance job, especially with cambelt changes etc. the 2nd V6 came with a full dealer history and 40k miles. The door hinges were beautifully greased, but anything important - plenum chambers, pollen filter / housing etc had NEVER been touched, and my local VAG indy had a lot to do to get it up to scratch.

 

The Superb 1 can be a fantastic car, but if you are new to the species get someone who really knows the car to give it a onceover.

 

I tow a vintage Morris + trailer and as V6TDI days you don't even notice....................... :evil:

My 1.9TDI AWX tows my caravan absolutely fine, no problems getting up to speed or up hills, etc., it's great! Plus, i know some reviews don't rate the driveability but i think mine drives really well, had a Mk2 Seat Toledo (Mk4 Golf platform) before hand with a 1.9TDI (ASV) 110bhp engine mapped to 140bhp, and that thing drove awsesome - i don't think this is massively worse given that it's a bigger car.

 

The only thing i wonder whether might improve things for towing, would be a 6-speed box - i've read on here that 6th is the same ratio as 5th so no benefit on 'normal' driving, but I wonder whether the ratios in-between being lower (or should that be higher?) :think: might make towing that little bit easier, as i sometime find on some A roads i almost want to be between 4th and 5th... Plus whether one would actually fit?? lol  :wonder:

As you say, the 6 speed box gives no real gearing advantage - only 120 rpm lower engine revs in top at 70mph - insignificant.

 

The 6 speed box is far less reliable than the 5 and often suffers from pinion bearing failure due to the bearings frequently being set with incorrect preload, and also being too close together, leading to excessive loads. The linkage on the 6 speed box is a mess - drive an old one and it will be sloppy due to a silly external ball joint in the linkage. The 5 speed has a rod going straight into the gearbox with all joints lubricated in gear oil.

 

As far as driving is concerned, we have the AWX/GGB Superb in the family together with an AVF/6 speed Audi A4. They make a very interesting comparison. The extra ratio on the Audi is really just a nuisance when driving normally as the engine torque curve is so wide. Given the crappy linkage, having a 6 speed box is just annoying as you need to use it more.

 

In almost all respects other than some internal trim, the 5 speed Superb is the better car - and considerably better value. The Audi only got the job because it is an estate.

 

rotodiesel.