Hi Kat :welcome2:
Do a search on here as this has been covered numerous times...
Just to give you a few brief figures...
My '99 DSE 134K returns on average of 26.4 mpg
It costs well over £120 to fill up
You can get around the 420-480 miles per tank (500 if your light footed)
Tax is currently £215 per year
Servicing is best done by yourself as Main Stealers are ridiculously expensive and find yourself a good local indy to do the really difficult jobs at a good price
The diesels are notorious for not liking to start once they are warm...this is due to the Fuel Injection Pump timing chains stretching and the pump getting worn....
A New pump is silly money at around the £600-700 mark with a few hundred on top to fit and re-time it...
There is a bodge/fix to overcome the hot start issue which is to fit a timed device into the Glow Plug relay circuit that fools the engine ECU into thinking it is cold and changes the fuel map and brings the glow plugs on.....this fix is around the £30 mark (but make sure you get the timed version)
They are well known for Air Suspension issues, the compressor wears out if a leak is not detected and sorted fast, the Air Bladders wear out after 7-8 years and would need to be replaced if not done so already on a 97K model, the Valves in the valve block can get clogged by the air dryer breaking up, the height sensors can go U/S as they are quite exposed and get covered in crap.
Door lock microswitch for the central Locking can go U/S, causing issues getting in.....the RF reciever has a perpencity to pick up stray signals overnight and keep the BeCM awake thus flattening the battery....
Heater matrix O Rings fail giving a wet drivers foot well, the blend motors in the heater fail (these things are what adjust the temperature and distribution of the air) leaving you either freezing cold, boiling hot or both....(mine have gone and they have stuck COLD...very helpful in winter..!!)
I think that covers the major bits.....
But don't get me wrong, it is one of the best vehicles you will ever own, you will not want to be out of it....
They go wrong, they break down, they will test your patience, but you will never be without one....
Get a good'un and it will be the joy of your life, just keep up with maintenance and servicing as they hate neglect....
Get one with good history and documented maintenance receipts...there are plenty of them around so choose with your head and not your heart, and never buy one with faults showing on the message centre or warning lights on the display....no matter what the seller says....
Good luck and let us all know how you get on...
Do a search on here as this has been covered numerous times...
Just to give you a few brief figures...
My '99 DSE 134K returns on average of 26.4 mpg
It costs well over £120 to fill up
You can get around the 420-480 miles per tank (500 if your light footed)
Tax is currently £215 per year
Servicing is best done by yourself as Main Stealers are ridiculously expensive and find yourself a good local indy to do the really difficult jobs at a good price
The diesels are notorious for not liking to start once they are warm...this is due to the Fuel Injection Pump timing chains stretching and the pump getting worn....
A New pump is silly money at around the £600-700 mark with a few hundred on top to fit and re-time it...
There is a bodge/fix to overcome the hot start issue which is to fit a timed device into the Glow Plug relay circuit that fools the engine ECU into thinking it is cold and changes the fuel map and brings the glow plugs on.....this fix is around the £30 mark (but make sure you get the timed version)
They are well known for Air Suspension issues, the compressor wears out if a leak is not detected and sorted fast, the Air Bladders wear out after 7-8 years and would need to be replaced if not done so already on a 97K model, the Valves in the valve block can get clogged by the air dryer breaking up, the height sensors can go U/S as they are quite exposed and get covered in crap.
Door lock microswitch for the central Locking can go U/S, causing issues getting in.....the RF reciever has a perpencity to pick up stray signals overnight and keep the BeCM awake thus flattening the battery....
Heater matrix O Rings fail giving a wet drivers foot well, the blend motors in the heater fail (these things are what adjust the temperature and distribution of the air) leaving you either freezing cold, boiling hot or both....(mine have gone and they have stuck COLD...very helpful in winter..!!)
I think that covers the major bits.....
But don't get me wrong, it is one of the best vehicles you will ever own, you will not want to be out of it....
They go wrong, they break down, they will test your patience, but you will never be without one....
Get a good'un and it will be the joy of your life, just keep up with maintenance and servicing as they hate neglect....
Get one with good history and documented maintenance receipts...there are plenty of them around so choose with your head and not your heart, and never buy one with faults showing on the message centre or warning lights on the display....no matter what the seller says....
Good luck and let us all know how you get on...
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some really good advice there, especially around geting a good one (a bad one can be turned round but needs a fatter wallet).
My best advice would be ditch the diesel (too slow) & get a big V8 with LPG. Without LPG already fitted you can get one reallly cheap but factor in £1500 - £2000 for a top spec LPG conversion - v8 power @ 64p/ltr
just my 2p worth - they are excellent vehicles and once you get one, even if it sometimes makes you cry, you'll never look back
My best advice would be ditch the diesel (too slow) & get a big V8 with LPG. Without LPG already fitted you can get one reallly cheap but factor in £1500 - £2000 for a top spec LPG conversion - v8 power @ 64p/ltr
just my 2p worth - they are excellent vehicles and once you get one, even if it sometimes makes you cry, you'll never look back
Thats Bollocks
Active Member
get ya purse out and start spending
lol
lol
Datatek
Well-Known Member
The V8 is notorious for slipped liners and head gasket failure when converted to LPG and it's thirst. The diesel is by comparison pretty robust. There are occasional reports of cracked heads, this is usually due to overheating that has not been corrected. If you can DIY they are fairly cheap to maintain if time consuming. The diesel is better suited to the autobox which masks it's lack of low down power and they do need to be booted to go.
