Which diesel?

I'm looking at a the Doblo as a possibly, family run around/taking stuff to the tip/bring stuff back from Ikea/towing the caravan car, the sort of stuff that before fuel prices went mad I'd have bought a used Landie for.

I've done the on-line towing comparison and both the 1.3 and 1.9(120) multijets are "adequate", nothing special but they'll do the job.

The question is which to go for, one side of me says go for the 120 as a little bit of extra urge with a caravan on the back can't hurt. However I've read varying reviews, one suggests that the 1.9 produces it's maximum torque at 3,000rpm which seems far from idea when towing, while the 1.3 produces it at a more respectable 1750. The fiat website, is errm rather crap at providing this info so I can't check if it's true.

Any experiences with towing with the Doblo 1.3, 1.9 etc.? The caravan's maximum weight when loaded is 11-1200kilos and the Doblo's maximum towing weight is just over 1400kilos.

And any hints on the best places for a good deal, I have hints that my local dealer is not very special.

If you don't need a 7 seater the one to go for is the 105 bhp 1.9 Diesel, as from what other users say it's the torquiest.
The 120 is (obviously) the most powerful but it does produce it's max power at 4k rpm and max torque must be about 3k rpm as you said.
I've got the 120 and it's definitely a much revvier engine with poorer fuel economy too. It's fine as long as you keep it buzzing higher up the rev range, just over 3k I would say.

edit;
just realised this thread has been repeated...boll*x
can a mod move my post and delete this thread,
ta.

We have an 05 JTD, which is 105bhp. We quite happily tow our Bailey Ranger 4-berth. Our older Doblo is a bit lighter than the newer ones, so 1200kg-ish is our max towing weight. No problems with power at all. I remember another forum member who towed with his 1.3 multijet, but it was a lightweight caravan, be he seemed quite happy.
The lack of overhangs and tight turning circle make it a good towing vehicle. I seem to remember it won an award for best towing vehicle under £14,000, a few years back.

Any chance one of the moderators can delete one of the dupicate threads and transfer all replies onto one.

getting a bit

Hi we have a 1.3 2005 70 hp doblo family version, our caravan weighs 900kg and the doblo pulls it ok, a bit slow when first pulling off but once going very good, will pull 50mph up hill no trouble, the new 1.3 is 85 hp so should be better, when towing we average about 30mpg.

call me old fashioned but i would say theres no replacement for displacement!

i have a 1.9 jtd i wouldnt swap for smaller engine size i carry a fair amount of weight in tools and equipment, i like the extra power and torque!

better to have more than find you dont have enough!

The 1.3 is fine for the usual buzzing about... but get it bogged down (climbing hills) and I'm sure you'll wish you'd had the 1.9.

(Sorry for the two posts it did that all by itself, if you look at the time stamps they're more or less indentical)

So the general view is the best compromise for pulling power/economy/useability is the 105?

I'd avoided it because the reviews say it's pointless because the 1.3 is so good, and I guess if I didn't have the towing requirement would the the first choice no questions asked option, but I guess for my purposes the extra 20bhp does make a difference.

I can't imagine driving around with a loaded car and caravan, with the engine buzzing in the high end of the range (which it sounds like the VVT in the 120 has you doing) being that relaxing or economical, I'm looking more at a relaxed slog/potter.

The next question is which edition, Active looks tempting but by the time you add air-con (a must for me cannot live without it and something as glassy as a Doblo in summer would be unbearable) it seems to work out the same price if not more expensive than a Dynamic (most sites don't quote discounted prices for options).

Now have to talk to the Mrs who seems taken by the new Berlingo, trying to convince her that a Doblo might be a more finanically benefical option could be hard. Comes to something when you think of a Berlingo as the ostentatious option. And I know the father in law will tut about rust, electrics and the fact his spanner man recently said "fiat make crap diesels".

Who makes a good diesel then? He'll probably say Vauxhall

Well the actual comment was "don't buy a Vauxhall, they've all got fiat diesels in and they're crap".

Hi, for what it's worth I have met a few Doblo van users and the smaller engine will give you less mpg towing and less stress.
I use a 1.9dci Megane 3dr coupe to tow a 1.3 tonne farmers market trailer 5 days a week which returns 35 - 38mpg at 70mph (it's a Brenderup before you ask) and has a tow friendly centre of gravity whilst a loaded new shape Ducato 120hp does over 35mpg in high roof version
A colleague says he gets 30mpg out of his small engined Doblo whilst our plumber gets 35mpg out of the larger engined VW Caddy which is now some years old just for reference.
Be aware that towing a trailer with smaller sized wheels than the tow vehicle will reduce mpg. Small wheels go round twice as fast, wear quickly and probably decrease efficiency towing.

Hi all
I think the servicing cost for the 1.3 are alot cheaper than the 1.9, plus the 1.3 has a cam chain as opposed to the 1.9 cam belt, thats one of the reasons why we went for the 1.3, it would be nice to have the extra power like the 1.9 has got !

This is exactly why I went for the Dynamic. Apart from the air-con, the active spec was plenty good enough for my needs.

You do see the odd Active with Aircon but generally it seems to be a special order = long wait and much less room to haggle on the price.

Not sure how common air-con 1.3's are on the forecourts?

It's the opposite, Fiat have been making the best Diesels for a number of years, other manufacturers copy their designs and use their engines.
Afaik the multijet design was originally Fiat and now everyone is doing it.

Oh and Vauxhal use Isuzu Diesel engines, don't they? And they are crap.

Rich,

I agree and disagree Iwouldn't say Fiat are the best !!! because all manufactuers have there faults.

I Have a Renault 2.2dci 16v 03 laguna which is a beast of an engine runs now at 180bhp and a mountain 270lbs/ft of torque pulls like a freight train BUT is not with out its faults, Im have been lucky but thousands haven't with turbo failures, clutch and DM flywheels much like some fiats have.

BUT i do agree that Fiats engineers pionered the first CR unijet diesel which everyone bar VW have taken on board, they are used by Vauxhall, Alfa, Saab
to name but a few and ARE an excellant engine.

AS for the best Diesel looks like a new thread should be posted