Is the 1.8 any good?

[philpemberton94]

After going back and forth thinking what car to get when my insurance renewal is here I've decided that any if the cars i wanted are all to expensive to insure so got me thinking of keeping the dt but i really fancy a petrol, so im thinking about the 1.8xs as it is similar insurance wise to the derv.

So whats it like? Reliability wise?

Performance is about the same as the d/t? Fuel economy isnt a worry so and i know there isn't a whole world of tuning to do but heard the gti manifolds and exhaust may free a few ponies up, mainly want something to rev the nuts off now and then and have some nice pops and barbles on the over run! Will i get that with the 1.8 with a new zorst?

Cheers!

[silverzx]

To be fair if you want to just do a few cheap bits and stay reliable you can't go to far wrong withe the 1.8 16v.

I wouldn't hold your breath on getting a load of power though.

[Grant]

One of the best engine Pug ever did, and IMO is a much better engine than the '6.

Its a square engine, wet linered, and has an ally block so weighs considerably less. Relatively reliable yes, and an engine that loves to be revved.

Just my opinion ofcourse

[Toms306]

I've never managed to break a 1.8 and they can take some abuse!

Only things that tend to fail are the icv and coil packs.

[RetroPug]

Fuel economy isn't a worry but the cost of insurance is?
The difference in fuel economy between the diesel and the 1.8 petrol will exceed the couple of hundred extra to insure what you want unless the difference is something silly like 1k, assuming you do a normal amount of miles in it and go to and from work.

If you want a petrol 306 I'd honestly consider just waiting a year and putting the fuel savings towards insuring a gti6 instead of a modified 1.8.

Just my 2p.

[Mattcheese31]

I think you'll gave fun with one, fair bit slower than a stage 1 DT though, about minus 20bhp and lots less torque

[MY95]

Stage 1 HDI /thread  
Or GTI6, but its going to cost you a fortune to run compared to the above
Done 400 miles in my HDI today and it just piles on the miles efficiently as fast or slow as you want

[Toms306]

I'd rather drive a 1.8 than a HDi if mpg isn't a worry... Personal opinion really, but I just find the drive and powerband nicer on the 1.8, not to mention the noise.

[philpemberton94]

Mpg isn't an issue as any driving is done for pleasure really as i can bike/walk to work if i really wanted to, to be honest if i could afford to insure something like a gti 6 i wouldnt be getting another 306, reason for the 1.8 is i want a petrol thats got some poke and the insurance is the same as the derv, also needing some petrol noises in my life [emoji12]

[PUGNUT_XS]

You cant really go wrong with an XS. Plus they have the sport suspension on and the same brakes as the GTI-6

My advice is buy as late a model as possible.

I have a spare 1.8 engine too if you need one

[Toms306]

XS's come with 266mm brakes I think, not GTi 283s. But you're right about the suspension.

[Niall]

XS's come with 266mm brakes I think, not GTi 283s.  But you're right about the suspension.

Correct

[Eeyore]

Okay...

So I've had my 1.8 for a few years now. Its not the engine to mod unless you've deep pockets. Its debatable if the gti6 manifolds actually do anything on the standard management.

I would recommend a stage 1 hdi over the 1.8. I mean the 1.8 is great but you'll get more power and economy out of a stage 1 hdi. I've spent thousands on mine and its got 130hp. A stage 1 hdi has 125 after 50 quid.

[PUGNUT_XS]

Or do what i have done and drop a 2.0 8v Turbo in, take no notice about what anybody says about the XU10J2TE lump, i am more than happy with its performance.

[RetroPug]

If you do want a 1.8 this might be a good buy: http://www.306gti6.com/forum/showthread....st#2221388

[Ash J]

If you do want a 1.8 this might be a good buy: http://www.306gti6.com/forum/showthread....st#2221388

That be my motor

[philpemberton94]

Cheers for the advice, like i said not bothered about any increase in performance as its not gonna happen in a n/a without deep pockets, just want a cheap petrol with a bit of go in it just fancy a change from the derv! with the sport suspension does that mean it is on shock and spring on the back instead of a torsion bar?

[Mattcheese31]

Cheers for the advice, like i said not bothered about any increase in performance as its not gonna happen in a n/a without deep pockets, just want a cheap petrol with a bit of go in it just fancy a change from the derv! with the sport suspension does that mean it is on shock and spring on the back instead of a torsion bar?

nope, just thicker torsion bars

[Eeyore]

Cheers for the advice, like i said not bothered about any increase in performance as its not gonna happen in a n/a without deep pockets, just want a cheap petrol with a bit of go in it just fancy a change from the derv! with the sport suspension does that mean it is on shock and spring on the back instead of a torsion bar?

all 306s are torsion bars. As are 106s and 206s. 

[philpemberton94]

Cheers for the replies, just debating wether to get an xs or keep the derv

[PugRory]

1.8 engines are excellent, mine takes all the abuse I give it! sounds epic with a cherrybomb (Cheap and lots of noise) and i've whacked a K&N air filter to get noise from the front, makes a nice noise! also not the worst on fuel either. 400 mile to a tank I get roughly

[Eeyore]

tbh id keep the derv. the only difference between the two is terrible economy and noise...

[philpemberton94]

Leaning towards staying with a derv and getting a hdi to stage 2

[Eeyore]

Leaning towards staying with a derv and getting a hdi to stage 2

a much better choice than the 1.8

[Toms306]

It'll keep breaking at stage 2. If you want reliability, keep a standard 1.8...

[powerandtorque]

Would an HDi really be that unreliable with a sympathetic stage 2 tune? I'm not sure.

Clutch will need sorting certainly and it'll show up a weak LP or HP pump, but otherwise it shouldn't be that bad unless it's a particularly leggy or neglected example. After all, stage 1 (140/150hp) tunes on a HDi 110 aren't chronically unreliable that I'm aware of.

A 1.8 bottom end is lovely and it should have been the basis for a great engine, but sadly Peugeot chose to quite deliberately restrict it, presumably to keep a clear gap between it at the 2.0 engine, and removing those restrictions properly isn't a cheap process - head, cams, manifolds and management basically.

As an aside, since the whole reason for pondering a 1.8 was insurance, surely any tuning throws that argument out of the window as a modified 1.8 / HDi would probably cost more than a standard GTi-6 to insure?

[Tom]

Buy* a 1.4 put a '6 lump in and dont tell the insurance #canofworms #forumpoliceinbound





I dont condone any of the above atall. (and i cant spell)

[Mattcheese31]

*buy

[lolsteve]

There's better 1.8 engines out there

[welshpug]

quantify "better"