6' Owners i need your help..

[Midnightclub]

Right ok, To cut a long story short i've been considering going back to petrol for some time now and have been thinking about a 328i but the insurance is fairly high and i know they aren't amazing on fuel.. A 6' has a fairly similar 0 - 60 and top end is only marginally different but the fuel seems to be better on paper and insurance is a fair amount cheaper, i like the way the 306 drives so..

A) Realistically what are they like on fuel, motorway, hooning and average.

B) Thing to look out for? I've heard the cambelts are a bit temperamental and can snap? Guessing the usual 306 stuff, beam camber etc.. Also about them being a tapper? If it is a 'tapper' what causes it and what needs to be replaced to rectify the issue.


Thanks

[Dum-Dum]

Never had a GTi6 but ive had 2 XSi cabbys so basically the same engine and same massive weight.


Between both of them Ive averaged 28-29mpg mainly round town and round the airport dual carriageways. With a motorway drive at 70mph I averaged 38mpg. If I hoon it I get less than 20mpg.

Cam belt being changed is important, a tapper is one where its had the belt snap and not had the damage inside the head repaired.

Other than that its usual 306 things to look for.

[Matt]

I don't own a '6 but they do like to snap cambelts for Lols. A "tapper" iirc is bent valves, so a quick head rebuild will sort it.

If they are anything like my xsi on fuel they are horrendous.

But buy a '6

I only have an xsi as I have put so much money into it I can't bare to part lol

[Dum-Dum]

Matt what is your fuel ecomomy? do you ever work it out?

[Scott]

6s really aren't that bad on fuel. They'll average around 26-28mpg around town, and if you're driving at 70 on the motorway you can get around 34/35mpg, more if you stick to 60.

Things to look out for are as you pointed out whether it's tapping. It's very easy to hear, they sound tragic. If it's a tapper it means the cambelt has snapped and the head will need rebuilding, which I believe costs around £700 to get put right if you rebuild it properly.

If you go to see any, ask when the cambelt was last changed and if it was around 30k ago then knock some money off, and don't let people tell you that you only need it done every 60k.

[Matt]

Nope not really, I just judge it on how many times I fill up hahaha

[Midnightclub]

Would really love to drive one but there isn't any at dealers round here and my insurance won't cover me to drive a different car which is a PITA..

Fuel doesn't sound too bad considering if i get made redundant then i'm not going to be driving very much and insurance is only marginally more than what i'm paying at the moment..

[Dum-Dum]

Matt start tracking your MPG here http://www.spritmonitor.de/en/

And see if its really something you can complain about

[Jonny b]

If your worried about mpg don't get either ha ha mine goes into single figures if Iam with Dum Dum ha ha

[lewisdmz]

I'd agree with Scott on the mpg, I get about 25 - 28mpg driving too and from work (4 mile journey in stop start city traffic).

On a run it will easily be over 30.

Head rebuilts can be more expensive than that though, I have an invoice for £1200 for a full head repair/skim/guides in my service history.

[Midnightclub]

Ouch.. it'd be cheaper to swap the engine

[Scott]

Maybe I'm thinking of the cost of a recon head rather than a full rebuild? I thought I'd seen that it was more than that somewhere but wasn't sure.

[4WayDiablo]

If you own a 6 or a thirsty petrol dont start thinking about economy lol
Thats what diesels are for :-)

[Dum-Dum]

Also Danny, just a thought, you know if your HDi is running right then its probably faster than a 6.

Youll only be buying the car for the noise.

[Midnightclub]

I'm only running limited torque remember so i'm not sure, Once i get it on the dyno i'll know what sort of power it's running..

Gah i'm so confused :/ Boost and mpg'z or bwarp and revs..

[Toms306]

If you're poor (like me), go for mpgs.............if you can afford to shove petrol in without worrying about the cost then petrol all the way!!

[4WayDiablo]

If you're poor (like me), go for mpgs.............if you can afford to shove petrol in without worrying about the cost then petrol all the way!!

Only reason why im in a derv

[THE_Liam]

To be fair Danny, if your at all worried about mpg I'd stick with the HDI, if your always worrying about mpg you won't enjoy a '6 at all, or any juicy petrol. From what I've heard though the 328i is actually better on juice than a '6, f*ck knows how...

I've just worked out my mpg in the Octavia and on this last tankful I've done nothing but drive round town, and I've been giving it some real bwaaaaaarp and I've got 27 mpg, but I can see 40+ on a run :mrgreen:

[Toms306]

If you're poor (like me), go for mpgs.............if you can afford to shove petrol in without worrying about the cost then petrol all the way!!

Only reason why im in a derv

Well as far as I can see it is the only reason for owning a derv tbh, if you want boost you can get a turbo petrol, if you want cheap tax you can buy a 'supermini' which are still pretty pretty quick due to thier lack of weight........................so mpg is the only reason to own a diesel imo.

[Dum-Dum]

TBH mate If your at risk of loosing your job Id probably stick with the diesel. Save bwap and revs for when your secure.

[Midnightclub]

HDi will be staying at least till June which is when my renewal comes through and i'm 20.. I'll find out before then whether or not I'll be keeping my job so any decisions will be made after then

[Connor]

TBH mate If your at risk of loosing your job Id probably stick with the diesel. Save bwap and revs for when your secure.

Exactly this.

[Jonny b]

Depends what sort of journeys you do bud!! We have a Saharan derv that my missus probably does 50 miles a week in, I just got her a 1.8 Mazda 323 as the fuel is cheaper and until the derv is warmed up it's not that economical, tbh It's been cheaper running the Mazda day to day, on a run it's the derv all the way!! Swings and roundabouts I suppose

[HDIkyle]

When i had mine it was a bad tapper due to the cambelt been done incorrectly. Belt vlves is the cause as said so a new head or rebuilt head is the answer but there not cheap.

When i had mine done it was also cammed(came in the head) and the power increase was very noticable but i was only pushing 20mpg on a motorway run. I never really worked it out before i had the work done but it was not too bad really

[Ian]

I get just over 30mpg combined out of my Rallye. Around 330 â??350 miles a tank. As said make sure the belt has been done at least every 30k.

For further reading the 6 owners site has a buyers guide in the faq section

[Ed Doe]

If the cambelt is anything over 25k knock 300quid off minimum.

Don't buy a tapper unless you have a spare engine kicking about; head rebuilds are expensive as above and if you don't sort it out fairly swiftly you'll drop a valve and thatll f*ck the head and your pistons aswell...

[4WayDiablo]

And DEFINATLY DONT get a ph2

[Atterz]

I havent seen below 350 miles to a tank on my Rallye with a combination of hooning and normal driving. Granny driving and 70mph limit see's me up to 440-50 miles to a tank and this really suprised me! Im not complaining at all. As said the cambelt wants to be changed and other than that they are fairly reliable and somewhat torquey for a NASP that has no variable valve timing and 170Bhp.

All in all i love my Rallye and would recommend a 6 to anyone!

[Ian]

450miles? Seriously?

[Atterz]

Deadly serious, if you know Sorrento Mark he will also back me up as his Rallye does exactly the same.