I'd avoid any 2.0TDI 140 from the VAG warehouse from 2004-2006. Porous / cracked cylinder heads are not that uncommon, have a google for some scare mongering. We had a 55 A3 Sportback with that hunk of junk in it, when it was ok was a lovely car, but then the problems started. In 11 months we had new rad, new EGR valve, none of which solved the issue until the head was diagnosed as the problem. 2k to replace the head... erm no thanks.

Depending on how many miles you do, is 50mpg really that beneficial? Get a 2.0 petrol and accept 35mpg and less risk / lower running costs. And petrol is a tiny bit cheaper than the black stuff

4-6k is very dodgy territory in the used car market in my experience as it gets you into a 'modern' car that will have run it's course and already exceeded its design life and the cost to fix if often eye watering when you take the value of the car into consideration.

On the plus side, you might get 2 years of trouble free motoring in a nice car for bottom dollar (I hope so), but I've been burned too many times (so bitter at such a young age).

Friends dad just had a 6k bill for new injectors and what nots in a 4 year old E250 CDI Sport... 40k miles, full MBSH out of warranty and not extended. He paid 20k for what was a 45k car. 30% of it's value for some injectors. nice.

Good luck though fella, if it were me, I'd probably go petrol or older.

 

I still see many 1998 Audi A3T about.

Including our old one that we sold seven years ago with over 100k on the odometer!

My pal has an old green A3T estate thing too. By own admission never changed the oil for three years.

Same engine, still runs fine and nearly 200k on it.

Honestly - a beater petrol with 150bhp - its a cheap choice.

 

Clearly not too bright then.
Buying an expensive car of any type without a warranty.
An extended MB warranty is very comprehensive, cheap and can last for ever.
And very easy to have secured on that car.

£6k really?
I don't believe that.
Internet hyperbole.

 

He bought from a 'car warehouse' type place and didn't go for their warranty. I don't know what else was wrong with it, but MB said it was a £6k fix. I think they offered 50% in goodwill as the car was not long out of warranty.

This is what he told me.

My point being really that you can pick up a nice car for seemingly not a lot of money, but you have to accept the running costs of a nice car. For the OP, he might get into a nice newish derv for around 4-5k, but if he has trouble, it'll be an expensive fix.

I was actually looking at a 2001 S3 a few weeks back as a runaround / play thing... was about £2k. Nice little car that and much more interesting than a 10 a penny tdi.

 

Not to burst everyones bubble - but being in the trade myself I can tell you that the best derv for £4500 is the B6 Audi A4 TDI Sport (2003-2004) or the BMW E39 530d Sport (2001-2003). Especially if like me you like cars with character and performance.

The Audi is phenomenal - solid - good for 300k miles - and comes in quattro 4wd form which is a life saver in our bad winters. Also achieves 40mpg. Note: only the manual is worth considering. Very low running costs.

The older mk4 golfs are good too but the 150 is bad news eating its own flywheel

the newer 140 VAG engine is pants, buy at your peril.

BMW 530d. Or even a 525d. Best in automatic guise. Again bomb proof. But a little more pricey to run than the Audi. Come with lots of extras and is surely a future classic. MPG from 30 to 45. Tax £150 for 6 months is a downer and will need common things fixing to keep on top of its game.

Can advise further if needed.

 

http://www.influx.co.uk/wordpress/fe...s-of-all-time/

 

Those old 530ds are cracking cars, my mate at my old employer had one I'm stupid though and thought of getting a 335d but I need something Fwd that will be reasonable in bad weather.

 

335d on winters

 

They are cracking cars agreed but I don't want a saloon...also nothing that'll be too heavy on fuel. My mum has a 530d and that's crap on the journeys I do to and from work, never got more than 28mpg out of it as I do a series of B and a roads, probably 50/50 on both.

I've spotted a beautiful facelift 147 Alfa but again I'm concerned it may be unreliable?

Golf is still winning for me at the moment...

 

alfas are crap - their diesels are noisy but do however give good mpg - expect big bills

VW AUDI - stick to the 1.9 TDi 130 bhp engines and you'll be fine - 2.0TDi 140 manufactured between 04 and 07 is troublesome. After 07 they are better.

what year is the 530d you mentioned? auto? manual?