A newish car for the better half

[Bueff Biofuel Enthusiast Find all posts View Profile Close Bueff]

Good evening boys and girls,

as as time flies by we are looking at purchasing a later model for the better half early next year, of course we are trying to find a diesel so we can run it on bio :-) as she is going to travel a fair bit for uni and work

Our favourite would be a Golf wagon, is there anyone out there with a newer, female friendly car that is happily running on we'll made bio? How easy would it be to manipulate the software to "silence" the fuel sensors when running bio.

thanks for your help once again and have a good evening!

[Tony From West Oz Vice Chairperson of WARFA Find all posts View Profile Close Tony From West Oz]

Re: A newish car for the better half

You could try the Mercedes W210 E300 six cylinder IDI mechanically injected turbodiesel ~'96 - '99.
There may be issues with the fuel pipe O rings in the engine bay, but once replaced they are fine for a few years before they start to leak air into the system.
+ Comfort, good power/weight, comfortable, runs well on WVO, built for safety.
- O rings in fuel system, computer-controlled everything, drive by wire.

They are relatively cheap (for Mercedes cars - not compared with Holdons, Frauds or Mitsi/Tojo/Nissan/Kia), but not a lot available, so be prepared to wait for a good one.'
These have a similar engine to our C250 Turbodiesels (+1 cylinder), but do not have the 'saddle tank' and it's issues.
Regards,
Tony

[Matt Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt]

Re: A newish car for the better half

2005 or less for the Golf, you want the PD motor, just need to be fussy with oil and cleaning the EGR. I have a mate with one and can get advice on that. Good luck with a wagon, not sure if they were around then until recently. Must see the recovery too, planning on doing same.

[Johnnojack Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Johnnojack]

Re: A newish car for the better half

We have a 2005 Golf. The handbook states don't use bio unless it has certain letters on the build plate meaning it is designed to run on bio. I haven't looked into what that actually means. Ours doesn't have the letters. I used to put about 4 or 5 litres of bio into every full tank of diesel (obviously not completely full, but within a day of the tank being filled). Made no difference to it that I could detect. Only gave it my best washed bio. Agree the pump duse engine would be the one to get, rather than the later common rail. Hatches are common, wagons are rare. You may get a slightly longer parcel in the wagon but I really can't see the point of them. The hatch is quite roomy for 4 adults. EGRs need cleaning and door locks fail, other than that it has been 100%. Engine oil is expensive but it is very easy to do an oil change yourself. Cam belt should be changed at 105000k so if over that check it has been done, also the DSG oil change, these will cost you if they have been put off.

[Harvey Member Find all posts View Profile Close Harvey]

Re: A newish car for the better half

Regards the golf, a search on Carsales and looking at the specs, they list two types of direct injection, mechanical & electronic sequential. I found "mechanical" against some cars up to 2009 models. So are these still pump duess? Or is there some other reason to buy 2005 and earlier?
Advice will be appreciated thanks

[Johnnojack Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Johnnojack]

Re: A newish car for the better half

Regards the golf, a search on Carsales and looking at the specs, they list two types of direct injection, mechanical & electronic sequential. I found "mechanical" against some cars up to 2009 models. So are these still pump duess? Or is there some other reason to buy 2005 and earlier?
Advice will be appreciated thanks

Electronic sequential sounds like a petrol engine, an upgrade from the old single injector into the inlet manifold. All diesels are essentially 'sequential', so not a useful descriptor. Strictly mechanical injection was on old Golfs Mk1, 2, 3. They had a Bosch VE pump which was purely mechanical. Pump duese injection engines were fitted to Mk4 and Mk5 models. Mk6 went to common rail, 2009 is about when they came out depending on which country. So a mechanical 2009 model?? don't think so. Some peeps posting on carsales have little idea of their engine.