General 2.0 165 M-Jet... should I?

[degsiecat]

I have a bit of a dilemma. I'm currently driving a Grande Punto T-Jet, which I've owned from new. I really like this car, I mean I REALLY like this car! However, an MOT is looming in October, and I know it needs four new tyres, discs and pads and an aircon recharge and it now has 50k on the clock. So I'm having a look about to see if it's a good idea to change it for something nearly new.

A 6 month old 2.0 165 Bravo is really tempting, prices seem to vary wildly on the internet from £20k to £13k. So I have a couple of questions…

• Has anyone moved from a GP T-Jet to a Bravo 2.0 Multi-Jet? Have you been pleased or disappointed?
• Roughly what are people paying for them? I'm after one about 6 months old with a Sunroof (I don't mind paying a slight premium for that?)
• Is the 2.0 M-Jet worth the premium over the 1.4 150 T-Jet? I'm doing a shed load of miles these days, so a diesel seems the sensible buy, but I'm seeing the T-Jet available for less.

Cheers

 

[whatbravo]

I would be very wary of the 2.0 diesel. See the many posts on diesel judder, the car can be scary to drive. The one being passed round our fleet loses all power, shakes badly & sometimes cuts out, it does this every 120 miles. MPG not great as well, there are loads of betteer places to spend your money, or stick with what you know. Modern diesels can be a nightmare, the 2.0 Multijet has some serious issues Fiat has yet to resolve. Buy an older non DPF 1.9 VAG car, the Fabia VRS is a hoot, plus it will do near 60MPG.

 

[dentricrio]

I have been driving a 165 since feb now I have to say if I had known about problems with DPF filter (not just on fiat but across all car makes) I would have thought a bit more before getting it.

It is a great car and I haven't yet had any issues but the amount of reports from other members on this fourm is worrying.

Having said that the engine itself is great and pulls well and is decently fast, the interior is well made and I would say ahead of my mates GP.

I'm getting mpg in the high 40s and that is with very hills country road driving so I'd imagine that A-Road driving would increase the MPG quite a bit.

I think just take into account that it is a gamble getting a 165 you may have no problems at all or you may have quite a few.

 

[rambyuk]

I have the DPF problems - yet to be officially looked at by the dealer - and it is annoying, but it isn't 'scary'. Once you know of it and know what it's going to do, it's irritating, but not scary. For example, the judder starts and if you need to over-take or something, drop a gear and floor it and it's fine.

For info my judder started about 1.2 years of ownership with fast, smooth driving (not stunted town driving that dealers say is the reason for this apparent fault with the engine). Before this, I loved the engine and it's ridiculous torque (careful with those tyres!)

 

[JTD_Liam]

Buy an older non DPF 1.9 VAG car, the Fabia VRS is a hoot, plus it will do near 60MPG.

Or an older non DPF 1.9 FIAT Group car. Fiat diesels are one of the best out there, it's just the latest batch that have been screwed up by the EU's emission regulations and subsequent action by manufacturers to fit DPFs. It's not just a Fiat problem, VW/Audi are always being written about in the Auto Express readers letters section, Renault had problems with DPFs on some of it's models, so have Peugeot. Theyre just a cr*p idea, but don't for any minute doubt Fiats ability to make a good diesel engine, without DPF people would have no complaints at all.

Why not see if you can find one of the last 1.9 Multijet Bravos? Theyre abit more £ to tax, but will be cheaper to buy as it's the 'old' (though less troublesome) engine.

Alternatively the money you need to spend on the Punto isn't really a great deal in the grand scheme of things, so if you really love the car and it's been reliable, hang onto it.

 

[Hellcat]

If you're very worried about the DPF issues of the 2.0 165 multijet then get a 1.9 150 multijet without DPF. It's the same car except the improved engine. Tax is a extra few quid a year - which you'll probably save on tyres with the 5-10bhp less.

 

[JFL]

is tax less for cars with DPF's?

 

[neilshep]

is tax less for cars with DPF's?

Not per se. Lower tax for lower CO2. Its just that cars with DPF's are newer engine designs with lower CO2.

 

[cardinalbiggles]

The 2.0Mjet is £110 a year, just about to tax mine, its almost at its first birthday!

 

[JFL]

my 1.9 150 is only £110 for the year... same as 165

 

[cardinalbiggles]

my 1.9 150 is only £110 for the year... same as 165

They are band F's... 125 a year.

 

[JFL]

then someone messed up when i got my tax renewal notice through a few months ago

 

[cardinalbiggles]

then someone messed up when i got my tax renewal notice through a few months ago

Well they must have as its emissions take it into the band above the 2.0mjet.

 

[STILO NEWBIE]

I think most ppl here will suggest the 120 or 150 mjet instead, going from a GP 1.4tjet I will say 150mjet is more suitable and you wont be disspointing both on performance and fuel consumption. The only thing it might cost more than your tjet is tyres since it has more power on the front wheels and heavier engine, other than that you should find the 150mjet is a good all rounder, if you dont do B-road races, I will suggest you get the Dynamic instead of the sport as the suspension on the sport is quite hard for some!!!

 

[JFL]

the bravo in dynamic trim is still pretty good to hustle down b-roads