320touring gets an eco-car at last! VW GOLF 1.9 TD- The Golf 4L??

[AndrzejM]

Originally Posted by 320touring

A mixed day yesterday with the Golf!

On the positive side, I fitted the thermostat- she now reaches and holds 90 degrees I expect to see an improvement in MPGs too Additionally, the grill blocks didnt cause any overheating..so they can stay!

On the negative side, I traced the banging from the front end to the drivers (RHS) driveshaft- looking at about £85new, or £40 for a 2nd hand one..whilst underneath I also saw that she could do with some new bottom arms and arb droplinks..

She's taxed until end April, but by then I reckon she'll need

Driveshaft
Arb droplinks
Bottom arms
Timing belt/tensioner
and possibly front brakes..

need to have a think

Don't spend on parts and service all the money you'll save on fuel!

[Arragonis]

Key question - how long do you plan on keeping it, and how long will it survive. The thing that tends to kill cars here is rust. If it is solid then you fix the other stuff and keep it going.

Lets say these repairs cost £300 but you get 2 years out of it, thats ~£12 a month in parts the car owes you. I would bet you would make that back in fuel saved over running the 328 (or even the 318iS) every day. Chop one of those in and the gains get even better.

More money saved = more parts for a faster 535i.

[AndrzejM]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Key question - how long do you plan on keeping it, and how long will it survive. The thing that tends to kill cars here is rust. If it is solid then you fix the other stuff and keep it going.

Lets say these repairs cost £300 but you get 2 years out of it, thats ~£12 a month in parts the car owes you. I would bet you would make that back in fuel saved over running the 328 (or even the 318iS) every day. Chop one of those in and the gains get even better.

More money saved = more parts for a faster 535i.

That was exactly the decision I needed to make regarding Berta. It turned out that engine is in a very bad shape after I bought it, but the body is in a mint condition in terms of rust, anyway ;-) So I've decided to spend lot's of $$$ for rebuilding the engine. I did it myself so it wasn't so bad. I just needed $ for parts and machining the parts (head and block). I've spend lot's of $$ but I'm thinking of keeping Berta running for at least 4-5 years, so it's not so bad after all

[320touring]

Originally Posted by AndrzejM

Don't spend on parts and service all the money you'll save on fuel!

The thing is, the parts will cost more than the car is worth, but be considerably less than the cost of fuel for a year..

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Key question - how long do you plan on keeping it, and how long will it survive. The thing that tends to kill cars here is rust. If it is solid then you fix the other stuff and keep it going.

Lets say these repairs cost £300 but you get 2 years out of it, thats ~£12 a month in parts the car owes you. I would bet you would make that back in fuel saved over running the 328 (or even the 318iS) every day. Chop one of those in and the gains get even better.

More money saved = more parts for a faster 535i.

Good question, and one I cannot answer right now..

Car seems fairly solid (for a mk3 Golf!) has had welding on the front of the sills, but nothing major. Re the other parts of the Fleet,

the iS was swapped for the golf, the 328 is lucky if it does 800 miles a month, and I've also got rid of 2 other cars in the last month.

Now have a better cashflow situation, and am considering possibly buying something thats not just scrap.. maybe


Good news is that we're 100 miles past Stat change, and no issues (the plastic housings can warp and leak when they're old..)

[320touring]

My next tank just in 52.86mpg (imp)

car has been harder to start recently, then very poor running after a couple of miles- having to thrash it to get anywhere..

I'm thinking it may be fuel filter related, have filled the car with pump diesel for the next tank- will need to investigate!

I reckon me putting the Veg oil in when the fuel is low is possibly causing the lines to clog, or the pump to struggle to lift the cold veg..

running a tank of diesel to see if there is any improvement- If so, reckon I'll need to come up with another fuelling method for using the veg..

[320touring]

Up to 55.35 mpg (IMP) on the latest tank, and furthest distance travelled yet at 684.2miles.

A bit of an improvement over the last tank, and the pure diesel has sorted the starting/running issues experienced in the colder weather.

I'll probably flick back to some VEG in the next tank.

I was hoping for better MPG, this tank, but I have been travelling faster than previous- mainly due to the roads being clear due to the easter holidays.

this tank I'm on an enforced GO SLOW to see if sitting at 50-55mph gets me up to 60mpg..

Also, the parts look fairly expensive, so still got to consider if keeping the car for teh long term.. and tax runs out at the end of this month too.

the parts cost and tax would cover getting my 320i back on the road, and fitting LPG.

that'd be a much cheerier prospect for getting to work!

joy!

[Arragonis]

Agreed the roads have been lovely. If it was like that all the time I would be back up to my summer MPG levels.

Now the 'orrible kids are back at school...

Will the Golf pass an MOT as it stands ?

[320touring]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Agreed the roads have been lovely. If it was like that all the time I would be back up to my summer MPG levels.

Now the 'orrible kids are back at school...

Will the Golf pass an MOT as it stands ?

Indeed, alas over west they're off for the rest of this week too...

Dunno, dont really care as its not due til Nov..

Will obv keep it maintained til then, but if it fails in NOV I can get shot of it, having had my money's worth out it

[Arragonis]

OT but thought I would ask as you are in the same area. Do you coast in neutral at all ?

[320touring]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

OT but thought I would ask as you are in the same area. Do you coast in neutral at all ?

with the petrol 328i I do P&G with the engine on, gearbox in neutral.

the Diesel, I'll tend just to DWL- my car has a mechanical fuel pump, so no ability to shut off injectors (DFCO).

there is a 1 mile stretch east bound on the m8 before harthill that I can coast down (slow from 60-55mph), and a 3 mile stretch going west-bound around Eurocentral that I coast on (holding between 50-60mph)