Thread: High milage SDV6

Originally Posted by Grumbles

A failed head gasket will stop a car but usually gives plenty of warnings before it packs it in completely so again no road side breakdowns.

D2 TD5s with only the factory temp gauge excepted, obviously. Especially the plastic dowell engines, although most of those have been 'corrected'.

Originally Posted by Grumbles

What seems to stop a car roadside are failed electronics, - modules, ECUs, poor/cheap electric cable connections, fuel pumps, coolant pumps, oil pumps, mechanical bearings, alternators, starter motors, failed soft ware etc etc.

TD5 again: Injector harnesses. Oh, and the infamous oil pump bolt, although once again that has either been dealt with or stopped the show. The rest you can change before a trip ( how many here do that? Serious question. ), you can check over the electrics if you know how. Software? How many million lines of code are there in a modern car?

Originally Posted by Grumbles

The significant factor here is that none of these are "serviced" when a service is carried out. Servicing/over servicing makes us feel good but doesn't really reduce our chances of being stuck roadside with a breakdown.

Indeed. Who 'services' electronics? Old school would be, those capacitors are getting on, best I change them, but modern stuff is just change the board. That ain't preventative, that's anal unless it fails. The new one could fail just as easily, and be just as impossible to fix on the CSR.

I consider myself an owner of a high mileage 2011 D4, I've got 260k coming up next week. Couldn't be happier. At my ks I've had a few common issues. But never a tow truck. Touch wood. I have thought about replacing it but can never decide on what. Nothing compares. I reckon the d5 will. But its not in the price bracket. The terrain system makes me good enough to take on things I would normally be worried about in a car that looks as good as mine.

Sure it eats suspension bushes, but at those kilometres it seems the engine (if it's the original) is well past the danger zone . The good thing is when you change the bushes it's new again. My trans is ok. Not great. My bags have been changed only once, I've serviced the compressor a few times. All reasonable.. I'd buy another one, but to be honest only if it got big ks

If it looks like it has been well looked after, i see no issues. Do the usual under binnet checks on the plastics and rubber hoses etc. Check under the car, especially front of the engine , weeping oil at the front could mean crank seal, check suspension raise and lower, should run from access to offroad in less than a minute if the comp is ok.

At idle check for oil droplets out the exhaust, this usu means turbo bearings are worn (oil bypasses and gets in the exhaust) or egrs are getting worn out

Test drive, listen for bearing noise, harsh shifts etc.

Im at 210,000km, and i feel the hard yards have been done. Scrubs up better than most 10yo cars, pulls like a freight train and is just so nice to drive.

260k kms should be no issue.

Almost 275000 on my 2010 TDV6HSE. Had the usual manifold issue (twice), just replaced the altenator, but have never been stranded, including towing a boat home ~300km with "restricted performance".

We considered replacement, but am happy with the old girl we have owned for 9 of its 11 years.

Serviced every 13,000 km. When the extended warranty expired the dealer advised we only needed to service every 26,000. Not sure what changed to extend the service intervals... other than who was responsible for breakdown costs

Mine’s 292k km and had started making the scariest random noise from the front right/engine. This clap clap clap metallic sound with no reason. I’m waiting for whatever it is that’s failing to give up. Only does it occasionally but it’s the type of sound you never want to hear! I know bad sounds and this is not pretty