Owning a diesel for the first time

[r1ch]

I think as long as you do a decent run every once in a while it'd likely be fine. I had one for a 6 mile commute with a long journey every couple of weeks for work, and it was fine. (Honda Civic 2.2).

[sixor8]

Acuity30 said:

The MPG not so much but the tax alone would save me £300 a year

Seems you have makes of car in mind already? There are plenty of petrol cars now under the 120g threshold, but unless you spend a lot, it'd have to be quite old, and small-ish.

I think the Civic 2.2 diesel (also the Accord) did not have DPFs until 2009.

[jamesbilluk]

I've recently bought a diesel (my first in a while) I do shortish journeys, with a mix of longer ones, and just some drives for the hell of it. I've only had it a couple of weeks, so will see how it goes! Even through stop start traffic/main roads it's doing 35mpg which I've been impressed about, and even better on a longer journey.
I'll also be running this during each tank https://www.powerenhancer.co.uk/archoil-ar6900-d-m... which I've read very good things about.

[Brave Fart]

As others have said, those six mile journeys will be OK as long as you have a long (100+ miles, you say) trip every few weeks.

However, one other thing to consider is the price of fuel. My local Tesco's prices are £1.66 per litre for petrol and £1.90 per litre for diesel.
Therefore 10,000 miles in a (say) 35 mpg petrol engined car = £2158.
10,000 miles in a (say) 45 mpg diesel engined car = £1921. You can do your own sums, obviously, so YMMV quite literally.

Some people think that petrols will retain their value better than diesels in years to come, so there's that as well.

[anonymous-user]

As already been stated, in winter they take ages to warm up you won't be getting much heat from the heater on your six mile journey. Also you won't be getting that great fuel economy if you are taking shorter journeys.

Plus short journeys are not good for the DPF, especially if you don't let it regen when it needs to. I don't know much about cars that have ad blue, but that sounds like another potential headache.

Yes, you might be saving £300 a year in road tax, but one issue with the DPF or the Ad Blue system (assuming it has one) and that will wipe out a couple of years savings.

Diesels are designed for hammering up and down the motorway for hours on end, if you are not frequently doing this then it probably isn't the car for you.

[Evercross]

stevemcs said:

I avoid supermarket fuel...

That old canard. The stock fuel in any supermarket will be exactly the same as the fuel supplied to the dozen filling stations nearest them because it comes out the same tanker. Very often it will even be branded and contain the same additives.

Avoiding supermarket fuel is a superstition.

stevemcs said:

...and add an additive every so often.

The only thing worth adding to diesel regularly to help with lowering DPF regeneration frequency is 2-Ethylhexyl Nitrate. This can be bought 99% pure from many popular online sellers for about £10-£15 per litre and a litre will treat 1000 litres of diesel. This is the active ingredient in all diesel additives, and branded additives selling for more than this are charging you for their name.

[wpa1975]

sixor8 said:

Seems you have makes of car in mind already? There are plenty of petrol cars now under the 120g threshold, but unless you spend a lot, it'd have to be quite old, and small-ish.

I think the Civic 2.2 diesel (also the Accord) did not have DPFs until 2009.

Correct they did not get DPF's until a lot later and were badged DTEC I believe.

[PurpleTurtle]

Roger Irrelevant said:

Your usage sounds pretty similar to mine OP, depending on exactly how often you do these 100+ mile journeys. The majority of trips our Volvo diesel does are under 10 miles, taking the kids to nursery/going shopping/wife going to work. It might sometimes go a month or so without doing more than 25 miles in one go. However we do 100+ miles journeys fairly regularly and we rack up 16-17k miles per year in total. In three years and 50k miles (the car's now on 110k) I've had not a hint of DPF trouble (or any other trouble for that matter), and the economy has been quite a bit better than any comparable petrol car I've ever had, even when doing just the shorter journeys. So in my opinion there's a right load of old tosh talked about diesels and short journeys.

You do three times the average UK car driver mileage though.

https://www.bymiles.co.uk/insure/magazine/mot-data...

[Chamon_Lee]

14 said:

As long as you go for an hours drive every 3 weeks or so you’ll be fine. I know because I also own a diesel with a DPF, and that’s what I do. My commute is around 2.5 miles, and for the 2 years that I’ve owned it I’ve never had a problem with it.

This. Had diesels over 15 years now besides other cars.
As long as you stretch its legs and let it warm up properly on a good run it will be fine.

[Salamura]

I am a recent convert to Diesel, having ran a Clio 172 as a daily for years. I was looking for an estate due to needing a bigger car and the petrol options just weren't there for the budget I was working with. There were mostly small NA petrols in the classifieds that would struggle with the heft of a loaded estate. I got an Astra J 1.7, 130 bhp in the end. 3 years later and here is my experience:

- In the beginning I was mostly driving in town. The fuel consumption was not that much better than on the Clio before it, and after a year of doing this I ended up needing to clean the DPF. Having said that, it was a cheap and quick job.

- After lockdown I took a job abroad, so now I work mostly from home (and I don't drive, apart from the occasional trip to the shops), and once a month I do a 1000 mile round trip, mostly on German autobahns. This is what the Astra was built for. The fuel consumption is in the 60-65 mpg range, the engine almost never does an active regen anymore, and a recent check in the garage showed that the DPF, EGR and turbo are as happy as Larry. In the 3 years to date I have had no other issues apart from said DPF clean.

Conclusion: horses for courses. If I was buying a daily for the city: small NA petrol every time. If I was buying a family car or a car for longer journeys: diesel every time. If maintained and driven properly diesels are fantastic and definitely pay off. But consider your situation carefully.

[Roger Irrelevant]

PurpleTurtle said:

Roger Irrelevant said:

Your usage sounds pretty similar to mine OP, depending on exactly how often you do these 100+ mile journeys. The majority of trips our Volvo diesel does are under 10 miles, taking the kids to nursery/going shopping/wife going to work. It might sometimes go a month or so without doing more than 25 miles in one go. However we do 100+ miles journeys fairly regularly and we rack up 16-17k miles per year in total. In three years and 50k miles (the car's now on 110k) I've had not a hint of DPF trouble (or any other trouble for that matter), and the economy has been quite a bit better than any comparable petrol car I've ever had, even when doing just the shorter journeys. So in my opinion there's a right load of old tosh talked about diesels and short journeys.

You do three times the average UK car driver mileage though.

https://www.bymiles.co.uk/insure/magazine/mot-data...

Yes but I do probably twice the annual average mileage in short, starting-from-cold journeys alone! If short journeys are the kiss of death for a diesel then it should have died several times over during my ownership, but there's been not a hint of trouble. I understand why people prefer petrol - I do too all else being equal - but some of the 'truths' about diesel that get repeated over and over on here ('you'll get rubbish mpg if you do less than 20 miles' 'the heater won't get warm for ages' 'the DPF will explode if you don't circumnavigate the globe every time you turn the key'), are a bit overdone.

[Fady]

Roger Irrelevant said:

PurpleTurtle said:

Roger Irrelevant said:

Your usage sounds pretty similar to mine OP, depending on exactly how often you do these 100+ mile journeys. The majority of trips our Volvo diesel does are under 10 miles, taking the kids to nursery/going shopping/wife going to work. It might sometimes go a month or so without doing more than 25 miles in one go. However we do 100+ miles journeys fairly regularly and we rack up 16-17k miles per year in total. In three years and 50k miles (the car's now on 110k) I've had not a hint of DPF trouble (or any other trouble for that matter), and the economy has been quite a bit better than any comparable petrol car I've ever had, even when doing just the shorter journeys. So in my opinion there's a right load of old tosh talked about diesels and short journeys.

You do three times the average UK car driver mileage though.

https://www.bymiles.co.uk/insure/magazine/mot-data...

Yes but I do probably twice the annual average mileage in short, starting-from-cold journeys alone! If short journeys are the kiss of death for a diesel then it should have died several times over during my ownership, but there's been not a hint of trouble. I understand why people prefer petrol - I do too all else being equal - but some of the 'truths' about diesel that get repeated over and over on here ('you'll get rubbish mpg if you do less than 20 miles' 'the heater won't get warm for ages' 'the DPF will explode if you don't circumnavigate the globe every time you turn the key'), are a bit overdone.

Agree with you wholly. Previous main car was a Merc diesel estate and I used to do a 6 mile round trip to the train station with the odd long journey at the weekends but only averaged 5k miles a year in it. Had it for 7 years without a hint of a dpf type issue.

At the time of purchase I wasn't fussed about the fuel type, however 95% of Merc estates on the used market were diesel, so if you wanted a well specced car, that's what you would most likely end up with.

Edited by Fady on Thursday 27th October 12:06

[Limpet]

Roger Irrelevant said:

Your usage sounds pretty similar to mine OP, depending on exactly how often you do these 100+ mile journeys. The majority of trips our Volvo diesel does are under 10 miles, taking the kids to nursery/going shopping/wife going to work. It might sometimes go a month or so without doing more than 25 miles in one go. However we do 100+ miles journeys fairly regularly and we rack up 16-17k miles per year in total. In three years and 50k miles (the car's now on 110k) I've had not a hint of DPF trouble (or any other trouble for that matter), and the economy has been quite a bit better than any comparable petrol car I've ever had, even when doing just the shorter journeys. So in my opinion there's a right load of old tosh talked about diesels and short journeys.

Same here, and I agree there's some absolute rubbish talked about diesels and DPFs, especially on here which is generally incredibly negative about diesel engines.

Our DPF equipped XC90 D5 copes perfectly happily with local (2-3 mile trip) running about several days a week, with a longer journeys 2-3x a month. Often at least one 250 mile round trip to see the parents, plus the odd bit of business travel.

At 32 mpg, it's pretty cheap to run for a 2 and a bit tonne 200 bhp SUV with a slushbox. I wouldn't expect a petrol equivalent to get anywhere close to it, and that's before you consider VED.

[cayman-black]

jamesbilluk said:

I've recently bought a diesel (my first in a while) I do shortish journeys, with a mix of longer ones, and just some drives for the hell of it. I've only had it a couple of weeks, so will see how it goes! Even through stop start traffic/main roads it's doing 35mpg which I've been impressed about, and even better on a longer journey.
I'll also be running this during each tank https://www.powerenhancer.co.uk/archoil-ar6900-d-m... which I've read very good things about.

I have two Diesel cars and do about 6k miles per year no problems whatsoever. I use the above product also.

[Pica-Pica]

Roger Irrelevant said:

Your usage sounds pretty similar to mine OP, depending on exactly how often you do these 100+ mile journeys. The majority of trips our Volvo diesel does are under 10 miles, taking the kids to nursery/going shopping/wife going to work. It might sometimes go a month or so without doing more than 25 miles in one go. However we do 100+ miles journeys fairly regularly and we rack up 16-17k miles per year in total. In three years and 50k miles (the car's now on 110k) I've had not a hint of DPF trouble (or any other trouble for that matter), and the economy has been quite a bit better than any comparable petrol car I've ever had, even when doing just the shorter journeys. So in my opinion there's a right load of old tosh talked about diesels and short journeys.

Absolutely agree. If you like torque, get a diesel. I have had my 335d diesel for nearly 6 years. Pre-CoVID I was making regular long journeys. Now, for the last three years, they are about 20 mile round trips a few times a week with occasional long trips, never had a dpf issue. The car is on 47k miles.

(The car is fine, it’s just my needs have changed, but I would not change it because of the loss during change).

As said, there may be more suitable cars, but just get what you want.

[Pica-Pica]

Joey Deacon said:

As already been stated, in winter they take ages to warm up you won't be getting much heat from the heater on your six mile journey. Also you won't be getting that great fuel economy if you are taking shorter journeys.

Plus short journeys are not good for the DPF, especially if you don't let it regen when it needs to. I don't know much about cars that have ad blue, but that sounds like another potential headache.

Yes, you might be saving £300 a year in road tax, but one issue with the DPF or the Ad Blue system (assuming it has one) and that will wipe out a couple of years savings.

Diesels are designed for hammering up and down the motorway for hours on end, if you are not frequently doing this then it probably isn't the car for you.

Oh dear. All the myths in one post.

[andycats]

yea my girlfriend has 1.6 diesel audi she only does 4 miles a day to work (2 there 2 back)
for last 5 years had no probs with DPF yet too! 62plate 80k

Edited by andycats on Thursday 27th October 13:55

[anonymous-user]

Pica-Pica said:

Oh dear. All the myths in one post.

Just needed the inclusion of the words 'stinky' or 'smelly' to get a full house on anti-diesel bingo despite exhaust output of diesel engined cars of the last 10 years or so being mostly devoid of foul odours.

I've just got rid of a 2008 Skoda 1.9 pd diesel (no DPF or ad blue) on 100k+ miles, in the last 7/8 years it mostly did 3-4k miles each year on mainly short journeys and I had zero issues with the engine.

Alongside it I've ran more modern diesels for the last 15 years, Mercs, Audi, Volvo, Land Rover with DPFs and ad blue on the recent ones, they get 1 or 2 long journeys each month but other than that they mainly do a 10 mile each way commute daily and I've never had any issues, and they heat up just fine (the old Skoda didn't mind you).

I don't think I've ever heard a first-hand encounter of anyone experiencing issues with modern diesels due to DPF or ad-blue issues.

[littlebasher]

Diesel rules!

I've had Diesels going back years, never had a single issue with a DPF, injectors or anything else that scares people off

I do think part of the perception problem with the modern diesel engine, is down to how it was portrayed in Thomas the Tank engine.



Poor Diesel was always portrayed as a bit of a git !

[Roger Irrelevant]

yellowbentines said:

Just needed the inclusion of the words 'stinky' or 'smelly' to get a full house on anti-diesel bingo

That's the other one - 'You don't get stinky diesel all over your hands with a petrol'...yeah, and in my experience you don't with a diesel either. Are these people pouring fuel into their cupped hand and then tipping it into their car? Because whether I'm in my diesel or my petrol engined car I simply put the fuel nozzle into the purpose-designed receptacle my car came with - it's by far the best way.