My car is a 2004 plate and nearing 260k miles. Despite more and more frequent problems I have been putting off replacement for years as it is difficult to find something newer that would tick all the required boxes:

• Won't cost more than £2-3k

• At least 50 MPG combined, but doesn't have to be a diesel per se.

• Good range and motorway cruiser performance

• Free of the DPF problems associated with newer diesels and having to fill it with adblue all the time. I rarely go to London so not too bothered about emission standards.

• Low key stealthy look that blends in with the scenery.

Last time I made a serious effort to look was a few years ago when they increased the size of the London diesel zone (I hoped to find good runners being sold cheap by people who couldn't avoid being stung by the mayor's money grab) but it came to nothing.

On the off chance that people still frequenting this forum have similar philosophies about life, what vehicles have you gone for?

You will be hard pushed to find a diesel without DPF unless its fairly old and in good condition. If its a Fabia then my folks had a late MK1 estate 1.9tdi BXE. Think it was an 07 plate and it fairly shifted when you wanted it to and 60-70mpg long run. My old Octy was the same engine as well as my old Seat altea. No dpf or adblue nonsense. Engines are generally bomb proof but road tax is higher and no where near Ulez compliant. Will be following this as I now have a 1.6tdi Octavia 12 plate with dpf and don't do many long runs anymore so may be looking for the same as you.

Alasdair

Lower mileage fabia vrs?

There really isn't much similar.

Keep your eye out for a non-vrs Fabia 1.9tdi. I found a 2006 elegance model with 28,000 miles on it and it was like a time warp.

On 07/10/2025 at 22:34, Ryan90VRS said:

Keep your eye out for a non-vrs Fabia 1.9tdi. I found a 2006 elegance model with 28,000 miles on it and it was like a time warp.

On 07/10/2025 at 22:34, Ryan90VRS said:

Keep your eye out for a non-vrs Fabia 1.9tdi. I found a 2006 elegance model with 28,000 miles on it and it was like a time warp.

On 07/10/2025 at 22:34, Ryan90VRS said:

Keep your eye out for a non-vrs Fabia 1.9tdi. I found a 2006 elegance model with 28,000 miles on it and it was like a time warp.

Did you buy it? Do the non-vrs diesels from that era have the same reputation for reliability as the PD130s etc?