DPF Killing driving

[DickP]

Hi,

Just (still) weighing up options for a car to use for work and making it easier to cart around my sports gear (climbing, cycling, mountaineering etc) rather than playing Tetris with the Clio 182 all the time and putting the (mundane) work miles on that.

I understand the early DPFs were pretty bad and require replacement circa 80k miles if used correctly (i.e. no short trips).

The potential running of the car will be occasionally 3-5 mile round trip during the week and on other times a 20 mile round trip into the city centre in Manchester stop start traffic. Otherwise its trips will be motorway based at weekends and when out on site during work.

I would favour petrol engines but most cars on the second hand market are diesel! That and the petrol alternatives often are wheezy options which don't have comparable performance to diesel cooking models!

Would the use above knacker a DPF in no time?

Thanks,

[2gins]

Saab 9-3 shed. Capacious boot for all your clobber, plenty of go from the Aero 2.0T, comfy seats, largely cheapo Vauxhall parts, next to worthless, so ideal for city life. 30 mpg well achievable and bargain bin insurance.

[caelite]

Have you considered a pre-euro 4 diesel. (pre-2006ish), still oodles of them pottering about as taxis and runarounds, likely to be more reliable than a newer euro 4 or 5 counterpart. The VAG 1.9s seem content to make 200-400k miles when they inevitably end their lives as taxis.

[DickP]

Hi

Thanks for the rapid replies.

I'm not looking at car suggestions as such, rather the consensus of whether my intended use will cost me big with what could have been avoidable if I hadn't got a DPF car / gone with petrol.

As much as the older engines would be good (used to run a Mk3 Mondeo with the Euro 4 engine), as my site visits would be to clients (client image and all!) I would be looking at a car from around 2010 onwards for these general duties. Plus it should (theoretically) give me less mechanical woes to let me focus on keeping the Clio in good nick and enjoy my outdoor sports.

[xjay1337]

Just buy an Octavia CR (2010 facelift on) and get a DPF delete!

20 mile journeys would be OK, but the 2-3 miles would not be good long term..

[DickP]

I thought you weren't able to remove the DPF and still pass the new MOT?

[xjay1337]

The law also states if you go over 70mph you will be burnt :-)

[caelite]

DickP said:

I thought you weren't able to remove the DPF and still pass the new MOT?

It's only a visual inspection, that being said the criteria of the inspection changed this month to make it more likely that they can fail you.

[aka_kerrly]

whats is your total mileage an do you get paid mileage for work related trips? is there a particular reason for preferring a petrol but accepting a diesel?

having had 2 diesels a Saab 93 2.2tid and a saab 93 1.9 tdi 2003+2007 i dont believe either saved me any money as i scrapped one when the fuel pump failed and the other when the crank case breather system was failing filling the inlet with crap before the turbo died.

Coming from a Clio 182, id go to a Megane 225 or similar next size up hatch rather than lumber myself with a giant tank that is 99% under utilised... hence i sold my 5 series BMW after realising in 1 year i had more than 2passengers 3 times and hated having to completely dismantle my push bikes to get them in the boot compared to my Civic type r which swallows 2 bikes, plus helmets /gear etc so much easier and is way more fun the other 99% of the time when its just me in the car.

[DickP]

aka_kerrly said:

whats is your total mileage an do you get paid mileage for work related trips? is there a particular reason for preferring a petrol but accepting a diesel?

Last year I did 20k in the Clio, mix of work and leisure mileage. This year I expect my mileage to be a lot less having changed jobs where I am not using the car as much (so far!), so I would guess it to be around 15k. In my experience it's the weekend trips to Wales and Scotland that properly add on the miles.

As for getting paid mileage, yes. At my new place I get 40ppm, but I should soon be going on a car allowance in the next few months which will drop this down to around 11ppm (I think). Allowance will be circa £300 / month.

I'm happy with petrol or diesel. I'm only mindful that they're great when new but if they're getting on a bit I'm wary that they have a potential to cost a lot, and I wouldn't want my particular usage to significantly increase the chance of them going wrong.

[The Mad Monk]

2gins said:

Saab 9-3 shed. Capacious boot for all your clobber, plenty of go from the Aero 2.0T, comfy seats, largely cheapo Vauxhall parts, next to worthless, so ideal for city life. 30 mpg well achievable and bargain bin insurance.

The OP has already said that he doesn't own a flat cap, corduroy trousers, or a jacket with leather patches on the elbows.

[anonymous-user]

caelite said:

It's only a visual inspection, that being said the criteria of the inspection changed this month to make it more likely that they can fail you.

My understanding is if it still smokes any with a dog from factory then it is a fail. So removing it is Russian roulette.

Op I would get a petrol, why not a 2010 Mondeo.

[HustleRussell]

Ecoboost Focus or similar?

[ZX10R NIN]

DPF's can last up to around 200k if used correctly, if you do a decent amount motorway miles per month a diesel will be fine.

[DickP]

Thanks for the replies guys.

So is that a new generation of DPF that can last that long? I know (as in my initial posting) that the early ones required replacement around 80k.

[ZX10R NIN]

It depends on usage even first gen can last, it's the use that dictates how long they last.