Diesel engines with low mileage

[Jpen44]

Looking for some advice from people who know a bit more than me about engines! I’m looking to swap my mondeo for an S max. Looking at a couple of options, one in particular is a 67 plate with only 6000 miles. I’m assuming it’s an ex mobility car. I’m tempted by the low miles but wondering if a three year old Diesel engine that has only done 6000 miles could be more at risk of issues with the diesel particulate filter? Would I be better with the same age of car with slightly more miles? The salesman assures me that as long as I do regular long drives from when I get it, it shouldn’t be a problem but I don’t know enough about how these things work to know for sure. Could the fact that it has done so few miles in three years make it a bit of a time bomb for issues? Thanks in advance 😊

[Wheel_Turned_Out]

It's not only the DPF I'd be thinking about, a car with that few miles is unlikely to have been run up to temp very often which could also lead to some premature wear. It also depends on what kind of mileage you're going to be doing yourself, and what kind of driving you'll be doing to cover those miles.

[paintman]

My son bought an ex motability Seat Leon diesel estate a couple of years ago.
7000 miles.
It was just coming up for its first MOT.
Near as dammit a brand new car.
Has had no problems at all.

I looked at a Peugeot 307 diesel at the same time as he wasn't sure what he wanted.
Also ex-motability.
Not quite 3 years old.
Less than 1500 miles.
I do remember when I lifted the bonnet I caught myself wondering why I was bothering.


Can't remember the price of either but it wasn't much more than the same model & year with normal mileage.

[Evercross]

Wheel_Turned_Out said:

It's not only the DPF I'd be thinking about, a car with that few miles is unlikely to have been run up to temp very often which could also lead to some premature wear. It also depends on what kind of mileage you're going to be doing yourself, and what kind of driving you'll be doing to cover those miles.

It is more likely to have sat stationary for the best part of the last year rather than covered lots of short journeys.

FWIW 3 and a bit years ago I bought a bargain 8 year old Jaguar XF 3.0dS that had 7000 (genuine) miles on it. MOT history showed it had barely turned a wheel in the previous 4 years. The only issues it had were moisture build up in the fuel filter (replacement filter was £13) and I changed the brake discs all round because although they worked fine they were a bit grumbly because rust had pitted them.

If the DPF on a car is clear when you pick it up then it will remain clear as long as you use it properly from then-on.

[HaydenS2k]

As long as its been serviced on time and not miles it should be fine.

Like the poster above, my dad bought an ex mobility Citroen C4 with sub 3k on the clock.
Its been absolutely fine so far.

Even if it was start/stop for 6k, its still only 6k.

[BoRED S2upid]

Nobody has done any miles for the best part of a year. We run 2 diesels and they tell you when they need a long run to clear the dpf. Both are still running faultlessly.

[stevemcs]

It wouldn't put me off, just service it every year and give it a good run once a month.

[Jpen44]

Thanks all, that’s reassuring. I’ll check the service history and take it from there

[Wagonwheel555]

Wife bought a 2015 330D last Sept with only 15k on the clock. We knocked the dealer down £500 and it was mint condition so you could see it had done low miles

She’s smashed 6k miles on it since then with no issues.

As long as it’s has the servicing done properly based on the years rather than miles then it wouldn’t worry me.

[ZX10R NIN]

It wouldn#t put me off infact I'd be more inclined to buy.

[jonwm]

Not that low but my wife's Peugeot 5008 (new SUV one) on a 67 plate did about 11k in 3 years, the battery needed changing and the start top never worked after year 1 unless driven for hours.

Peugeot wouldn't fix the battery as they attributed to "low miles"

[stevemcs]

In fairness agm and EFB batteries don’t last that long most will only cover them for 12 months.

[England87]

The “most problematic cars I’ve owned have always been the low mileage ones over a longer period of time. The least problematic cars I’ve owned have been the cars that have done over average miles in a short period of time. Cars need to be used.

[Pan Pan Pan]

Diesels do less rpm for a given speed, which means at extended mileages there will be less overall wear in the engine, because the engine wont have turned over as many times, as an equivalent petrol unit. The fuel also has some lubricating qualities, which helps to reduce wear in various parts of the engine dealing with the fuel system.

[Chrishum]

As long as it’s been time serviced rather than skimped on because of the low mileage it wouldn’t bother me at all.

I once bought a 5 year old diesel that had done 12k miles but had been serviced annually at the same main dealer. It ran like a new car for the time I had it.