cdti 120 or 150 which to buy??

[Jaspa]

hey guys and girls not sure if this is the right section...just after a little advice.

did initial look to be getting a gsi however with insurance being funny and fuel prices hitting the roof i can only express that getting a cdti as a much more sensible option.

had me heart set on a 150 cdti as it appeared to be a good balance between performance and economy, however 10mins on here and im on the edge of my seat biting my fingernails.

the thought of dodgy egr valves, boost sensors, dual mass flywheels and the whole thing with the swirl valves??? omg!!

so with this in mind im abit stumped as what to buy as i want the performance of the 150 but certainly dont have the wallet to cover all these repairs when (not if) they happen as alot of people are saying so i dont know can anyone shed some light....

[steve533]

I was the same as you - i went for the signum 120 cdti.

Anyone know the real world difference in speed between the 2?

[Grumpy1954]

I had no idea of the 150 probs when I got mine. Since found out they're not the nightmare the posts would make you think. Yes, there are some friday afternoon's out there, but once you know what to look for, you have every chance of getting a good one and keeping it good. You have to bear in mind people come on thhe Forum for help with problems, nit to report none. Due to the sheer numbers of 1.9 150's sold plus problems with early manifolds, EGR valves and the swirl valves, mostly since corrected, the 150 engine featured a lot.
Mine's not had a single problem in almost 12 months (50 weeks) and I don't expect it to have any provided I keep giving it at least one good motorway blast once a month and don't do a lot of stop/start driving, change the oil regularly and get it serviced.

[Hideous]

if you want quick, it's gotta be the 150. Assuming everything's working as it should be, take a look at the 30-50 mph acceleration difference (4th gear):

Comparing hatch 120 to hatch 150 (manual), the difference is a whopping 1.3 seconds. That's a lot for just 30-50 mph, an important everyday driving speed range.

The only thing the 150 version has that the 120 doesn't is the swirl valves. All other things (EGR etc) apply to both cars. Don't be put off by a forum. People come here to complain and look for help.

[opel-vectra04]

If you have the option to go for a drive in both then it would be worthwhile to give you an idea of the difference yourself. As mentioned in the posts above most of the stuff you will see on forums is about problems that's what makes these types of forums great - you learn an awful lot about a particular car. I've been a member of another forum for 6 years and learned loads of valuable stuff in that time.

[Jaspa]

i hear ya chaps, im still convinced the 150 is the one i want and know i wouldnt feel as happy with the 120 but its reading these problems that has made me think, though now i am aware that theres more cars than there are problems. when i go to test drive is there anything to look out for specifically? ive read something about a rod falling out of the manifold of something?

i am likely to be getting a pre-facelift model sri 04/05 plate if this is any clue possibly with 60-70k on the clock as funds arnt exactly plentifull

[dh.dti]

I bought the 16v (150) facelift After owning a dti prefacelift, knowing full well what the common faults were (including the scaremongering)... i have had it nearly 18 months & have no regrets what so ever

[Hideous]

ive read something about a rod falling out of the manifold of something?

yes - please look out for this when you are viewing the car. If you look down to the inlet manifold when the engine is running, you should see a rod connected to four "swirly pots" - these should be moving. If you see no movement and the rod is hanging off, look for another car.
If you do your homework and find a fine example - the car will serve you well. I'm just about to trade mine in for another car, after 4 years of good motoring.

[GTS]

Before I bought mine I asked my mate who is a mechanic in Opel-service to advice which to buy. He said that 150 has much better performance but they are not as reliable as 1.9 8v 120. He also said that it is better for me to buy 120 and then remap it. So I did, now mine has about 154hp and I never had any problems withit so I'm veeeery satisfied

[zafira]

The 120 is a more reliable then the 150. Firstly because the inlet manifold.

But if you want more performance this enigine has a good potensial to remap. With a high output remap this enigine can make about 170 bhp. The only thing that its important its that the tuner leave the torque limiter in the map in lower revs so the DMF dont broke.