Saxo 1.5 diesel... good/bad?

  1. #1
    Hello people.

    My silly expensive Modus has temporarily died (pump + injectors) So I was thinking of buying a 51 plate Saxo 1.5 diesel to replace it.

    I wouldn't mind finding out if there are any inherent problems with this engine type or any problems forum member have had? Also being quite neurotic about timing belts how hard are they to fit and how long do they last before changing again...

    And lastly, anyone know what fuel pump they use.. I know it could be either Lucas or Bosch... maybe

    Thanks Bill
  2. #2
    Should be Bosch. I heard about citroen / peugeot diesels being dogshit slow when not fitted with a bosch pump. They were using lucas pumps on previous models such as ax / zx etc.

    Timing belts: 5 to 7 years / 60.000 miles ish. Doesn't matter too much if it snaps on a diesel, lot worse of petrol engines.

    Overall they're nippy town cars, not quite so out of town but 70 mpg says you can't go wrong. My only grudge with these would be the noise above 60 mph. Other than that they're cheap and cheerful runarounds.

    Quote:
    My silly expensive Modus
    renault parts and servicing in uk are outrageously expensive.
  3. #3
    They're inherently cheap to run and fix in general. The down side is that it's an old technology in the Saxo for the diesels. You pay a rather high level of tax and the insurance isn't too favourable. On a 51 it'll be a Bosch pump. So it comes down to how long you're hoping to run the car for. Long term it's probably a false economy, as you would probably do better buying a 1.4 hdi is c3/206 guise. But short term it'll be fine.
  4. #4
    Good shout about the tax price for it.
  5. #5
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Manu View Post
    Good shout about the tax price for it.
    Used to rile me come taxing time. 58 hp and paying £150+ for tax (not sure what it is now for them though).

    Was a great little car though. So simple it NEVER went wrong, everything else on the did mind, but the engine and ancillaries was immune to deterioration. I'm always on the hunt for a uber cheap one, they will just keep going.

    + you can bung veggy oil in it
  6. #6
    My brother had one, never went wrong apart from the alternator once (piece of piss to fix). Same sort of grudge about the tax but that's about it. He would still have it if someone had not embedded their car in the rear bumper,classic boot crumple write off.
  7. #7
    Im running one as a daily and tax is 115 for year 106 diesel 51 plate passes mit every time pair of shafts and a clutch and it just keeps going and the mpg is brilliant and runs lovely on used cooking oil lol
  8. #8
    Wouldnt say they were nippy but theres someone I know with a metro Diesel (same 1.5 as in the saxo) and its done over 200k with no problems. And as said you can run it on veg oil but the price of the new stuff no negates the saving unless you use the old stuff from the local chippy!
  9. #9
    Can we swear on here because I fucking fedup of common rail, delphi pumps, the tiny tolerance bullshit and all the other shite that goes with it including expense!

    Some of you guys might like the idea with increased power economy with the rail but the second something goes wrong with them your fucked and in the hand of 'specialists' who will financially bum rape you in a nanosecond! I fancy the Saxo because it's old school diesel, something I understand and with a Bosch pump it'll do nicely with a drop of Bio.. An old shitter like me isn't to worried about speed, with my luck right now I'd probably get nicked!

    And if Manu is right @ 70MPG I'll be laughing!!

    Thanks fella's!!
  10. #10
    I would take 70 mpg with a pinch of salt. I've got 95 mpg out of mine a few times doing 50 mph for 7 hours. But realistically in the region of 60 is expected for every day driving. I never got lower than 48 mpg put it like that.

    secondly, swearing on saxp is compulsory.

    thirdly, I've yet to experience common rail demons on the 206 but I do worry based on the complexity of them.
  11. #11
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Barry123 View Post
    I've got 95 mpg out of mine a few times doing 50 mph for 7 hours
    Ha, that's a joke right....
  12. #12
    Good for economy, bad for you pussy hunting game.
  13. #13
    F**k the pussy hunting game excuse the pun! I'll stick with 70MPG and the possibility of using £4.25 a gallon Bio diesel!!
  14. #14
    I had a 1.5 derv a few years ago, loved it. not fast but epic mpg.

    My dad picked up a nice x reg one the other day for pretty cheap..
  15. #15
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by billpine View Post
    Ha, that's a joke right....
    Serious.
  16. #16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ed-bradley View Post
    Good for economy, bad for you pussy hunting game.
    Not really you pull a bird buy a cheap takeaway,then pour the oil from the takeaway into your tank.(cheap night out)not being srs.
  17. #17
    Just out of interest what's the damage if a belt goes south.. total catastrophic?