1.6 CR Tdi

[monkeychild]

Hello,

 

I am "finally" looking at parting with my trusty old MK1 vRS and getting an Octy estate as I need a load lugger for the family, camping kit and chucking my bikes in.  I've had it for 8 1/2 years and it's been ace (as was the MK1 vRS before it) .  I am really out of the loop with the newer VAG engines, but a quick internet search has thrown up some interesting quirks and issues with this engine.  Is it really that bad? 

 

So am I mad looking at this engine or should I look for a petrol?  My commute is a round trip of 22 miles (mainly motorway or NSL a-roads depending which way I go).  We visit Wales a bit and travel 80 miles each way to visit family.

 

All help appreciated as I prefer real world answers.

 

Cheers

[Hingysaid]

I've have an 11 plate 1.6tdi eatate for 6 months now. I'm more than happy with every aspect of the car. It hasn't missed a beat and has returned late fifties mpg on average.... I use the car for majority town driving with the odd semi long run once every one or two weeks and haven't had a sniff of the dpf problem to date. High praise for this motor. What are the problems you've been reading about with this car out of interest?

[ExPassat]

Had mine for nearly 6 years now (will be six in May). Im up to 104000 miles now. Its done well in all - 50-55 mpg consistently, low tax so cheap to maintain and run. Things to look for - leaking doors (fixed under warranty for me), and my alternator went and was replaced last week so check if its been done if the car is the same age or older.

[Hingysaid]

Had mine for nearly 6 years now (will be six in May). Im up to 104000 miles now. Its done well in all - 50-55 mpg consistently, low tax so cheap to maintain and run. Things to look for - leaking doors (fixed under warranty for me), and my alternator went and was replaced last week so check if its been done if the car is the same age or older.

I've read bits and pieces about leaking doors.... Is there a specific prob with the Octavia doors, front or back etc? I've noticed my driver door sometimes doesn't close correctly, but not enough to show a 'door open' warning light.... Nothing an open and firm pull closed doesn't cure.

[ExPassat]

Yeah. They do need a tug sometimes. The drivers side door will sometimes drip water, but only A: if its really tipping down and B: on a long drive. I had a problem 3 years ago with the boot seal, which I only noticed after I heard sloshing from the boot and found the spare tyre well had 3 inches of water in it! Main dealer (Yeovil) tried to fob me off saying doors weren't covered under warranty as "doors always work loose on cars"! Quick call to Skoda customer services soon sorted that out, they rehung the boot hatch free of charge with efffusive apologies! I think its a bit of a design fault, but it hasnt caused me too much grief.

Edited 18 January, 2016 by ExPassat

[monkeychild]

I test drove a 1.6 SE estate (2011) and it was jolly nice.  Drives like a petrol which I found odd lol, but £30 tax is nice.  I have heard/read horror stories about EGR, DPF issues etc, etc.  I look after my cars (hence why my vRS is still mint at 14 years and 94000 miles old) and drive them with mechanical sympathy so in theory I "should" be ok.  

 

One weird thing was the numbers looked worn off on the gear knob (the rest of the car is immaculate).  I know the mileage etc is legit, so are the gear knob trims a bit rubbish? (this is me knit picking at the car).

[Rab-k]

Had ours since new (Jan 2010) and now with 104K on the clock. Been pretty bomb-proof to date, with only the EGR valve giving out at 80K which even with 'Good Will' from SUK cost £600 to sort. (Trickier job on the 4x4 apparently so a bit more labour intensive). Been using the 'better quality' diesel since then and making sure it gets a good run out every couple of weeks.

 

Fully loaded (kids, roof box, bike rack, 2 adults + 2 kids) it can feel a bit underpowered, but the extra weight of the 4x4 drive train doesn't help.

 

Average 40mpg, but the 2WD will get better.

 

Doing it all again I probably would still go for the 1.6 over the 2.0, given the difference in mpg, VED and insurance versus how frequently I miss what the 2.0L could achieve when giving it the beans.

 

You do need to drive it more like a petrol than your usual agricultural diesels and you WILL notice the difference from the vRS, but adapt your driving style to suit and you'll be fine.

 

PS Our driver's door also leaks when particularly wet.

[monkeychild]

What's the crack (this maybe a pun) with the leaky door then?  Also it seems like the cam belt is due on this in Sept so it may be a haggling point

[Tranberg]

Especially after a remap the 1.6 TDI acts like a petrol engine, but I still miss the bottom end grunt of my old 1.9 PD TDI, but not its tractor-like noise.

[Hudson01]

Ok i have the same engine but not in the Octy, i have a Fabia Mk11, owned it since virtually new and not had one ounce of trouble now in its sixth year, i do low miles (26 mile round trip to work), does not really go anywhere else so only done 23k in total as of today. Not a job of trouble ref DPF or anything else for that matter, can't say about the door leak issue (obviously) but the engine is nice and has decent power, not had it remapped but may do once the VW '' fix '' has been done on it.

[marcusthehat]

Virtually 90,000 over 5 years, trouble free cept for the dreaded EGR valve job, uses no oil, drives good , mostly 1 up it must be said.

please enough with my choice and would go for a 1.6TDI again, IF I were buying another diesel

cheers

M

[Rab-k]

What's the crack (this maybe a pun) with the leaky door then?  Also it seems like the cam belt is due on this in Sept so it may be a haggling point

 

After a few years the seal develops the ability to absorb water and if it becomes saturated the water ends up dripping into the car, usually landing on your right leg if, like me, you tend to lean your knee slightly towards the door.

[monkeychild]

That's not cool!!! Seems like a backwards step in build quality! Well the one I was looking at has sold lol.  Back to the drawing board!!