Advice on buying a TD5

Hey everyone, ive decided im going to get myself a 90 in the next few months , and ive seen plenty of cheap low mileage TD5 ones around. There's one for sale quite close to me, 2001 TD5 with 57000 miles.
i was looking for your advice on tis, would a low mileage TD5 be just as good as a 300tdi if it is looked after well? Im also planning on some wading, so I'll end up moving the ecu to the roof i reckon, would anything else give me problems?

Thanks, Tom

Don't. For ease and simplicity with slightly lower cruising speeds, I'd go for a 300TDI.

That's from someone with a TD5. I've had several problems, from a 2000 model year and they were supposedly getting rid of bugs in the ECU up to 2003. But even then, you get a problem, and it's a b1tch to sort it out.

Go for it!!

I have a 2001 TD5 110, No issues what so ever. I think you should get a 2002-03 onwards year. As far as I know there were some manufacturing defects in 99 and 2000 years.

For eg. oil in the ecu socket, oil pump bolt coming loose and one or two other issues.

Ok, its really hard to find a good example low mileage 300tdi these days, and if i look after a TD5 well enough i was hoping it would still prove reliable

well if youlook hard enough you will find one it took me allmost 9 months to find the one i just got

there are also other issues with the td5 ilke ecu coding of the injectors not a simple job if you are stuck on salisbury plain

Check for signs of diesel in the engine oil. Look for elevated oil levels and diluted oil. Drip a few drops of oil from the dipstick onto some kitchen towel and wait five minutes or so. If you can see a distinct change in the colour of the oil ring as it spreads then it may indicate diesel in the oil.
If so walk away or knock at least £2K off the asking price because its not an easy fix.
Budget for a new cyclinder head, gaskets, possibly turbo, and labour.
Other than that the TD5 is no more or less reliable than any other engine.
Wish I'd known all that before I bought mine but now its sorted I wont be selling it.

Just putting a sorry for my earlier post. I saw this thread at the wrong time. Mine had just got towed away on a tow truck after 4 unsuccessful days to get it working So Wasn't in the best mood with TD5s when I saw this.