Recommended Car for SVO

[Goffy]

Your help appreciated.  I have £1,200 to spend on a car that I can run on Straight Veggie Oil - I may have access to waste oil but don't currently have the facilities or the time to clean and convert it to biofuel, so, for the time being, I'm content with veggie oil mixed with a splash of unleaded (or whatever you recommend).  Right now, I commute each week by train from Reading to Durham at a eye watering £140 - a stunning £7,000 plus per year so its no wonder I'm skint (4 year pay freeze for NHS workers!!). 

I'm after a car that won't see much use during the week until Thursday night when I drive some 340 miles up the motorway to the woman I love and then back on Sunday night.  Clearly I don't want to get out at either end feeling like I've been beaten with a stick so I'm after something reasonably comfortable and robust that will merrily eat the miles.  Huge speed is not too important to me as the faster the car, the faster I go and its only a matter of time before I get stopped.  I can do basic things like change filters but my knowledge of cars is negligible so any advice on a suitable car would be greatly appreciated - I was thinking of something like a VW Golf.  Any suggestions?

Thank you Goffy 

[kamaangir]

Hello and welcome, vw, audi, skoda, seat, cars with 90 or 110 bhp engines (1.9tdi) engines will run on svo. Also mercedes c250 and e class E300 will also run svo with no issues.

There is also the pug/citroen cars with the xud9 that will run svo, though not being a fan of French cars I can't really offer too much advice on them.

Generally you are looking to avoid anything post 1999.

With the VAG anything that mentions PD or is any other stated power output than the ones mentioned. With the mercs you need to avoid CDI and rust!

[nigelb]

You're 2 weeks too late for me Goffy. Just sold my wifes Golf SDi (W plate). That would have been perfect for you. As Arash eludes to, non pd VAG would be ideal.

[Rotary-Motion]

my neighbour runs a VW Boro with I think the 90bhp non PD engine, did a couple little mods.

sausage filter / new pipe straight from tank to filter in engine bay (no joints! to suck air)

its a 51 plate with very cheap road tax for a year (70 quid at a guess need to ask) and does amazing MPG, meter on dash says 70 mpg when running at 60 mph on runs.

what floats my boat is no hunting from cold start, ecu actually works for us for a change....

[julesandtash]

BMW 525tds or Vauxhall Omega? Both have indirect injection Bosch VP37 pumped BMW M51 in them and would eat up the miles.

[julesandtash]

Goffy has been messaging me for advice and asking why his thread seemed to be missing. I have found it, added this reply to bump it so he can see it easily and suggested that there are plenty of people here to help but some input from him into this thread would make him more welcome.

Over to you Goffy.....

[Tony]

A Pug 405 diesel would do just the trick, I've had a couple and they are pretty tough - and you could just treat it is a throwaway car if anything breaks.

The only other concern is the quantity you're planning on using, which sounds like roughly 5000 liters per year.  The duty free allowance is 2500 liters.  So you can offset your costs, but not completely cover them with running on veg (unless you plan on paying duty on all 5000 liters).

[Jmg]

Take 2 lol, remember to read post properly before answering

Pug 106/Citroen Saxo is about the only thing that will run a lot of veg and manage the mpg necessary to make the journey on veg and stay legal

[Mickindashed]

Have a look on eBay for cars that have already been twin tanked.

[Glycer-rides]

Hmm, lets see.
£1200 quid for a veg mule is a bit 'no-man's land'; too much to be a throw away, expendable car ... yet probably not enough to secure a nice, well maintained example (that's not French).

Best bet I'd say would be an early 2000's VAG ALH / ASV engined car.