Diesel cars and short journeys dpf?

[davyboy]

I was looking at buying a diesel car but was told by the main dealer that as most of my driving was local, no more than 40 miles round trip except when we go on holiday, that I should buy a petrol engine.

He said replacing the dpf was expensive and would need replacing quite often.

[alchresearch]

Wow, an honest dealer. You need to keep hold of him!

 

While he's technically correct if you go to the dealer for parts and replacement labour, there are cheaper alternatives.

 

First is pressure washing the filter (assuming its one that splits open). That will give you upto 20,000 more miles.

 

You can get a replacement DPF from places like CATS2U. And you can buy the additive fluid from most motor factors and top it up yourself.

 

However it might need the additive counter reset by marque-specific diagnostic gear. But there are plenty of owners on the relevant car owners with the kit (such as myself on the Peugeot forums) who'll do it for the price of a beer (it takes five minutes, so it would be an insult to charge any more).

[ratter71]

I would stay well away froma VAG tdi for short journeys. The turbos are of the variable vane type (VNT in VAG parlance), these get clogged up with short/low load journeys causing the the vnt mechanism to seize. This causes overboost, limp mode if you are lucky, detatched boost pipes if you arent lucky, and a knackered intercooler if you are unlucky.

 

This can be fixed short term with cleaning the turbo with a substance like innotec but medium-long term it will come back. The soloution is a new turbo, not cheap.

 

Ive had these problems with both a Octavia (110bhp) and a Touran (140bhp). The touran blew the intercooler flanges off at 57k miles.

 

I did a lot of research on various VAG/general motoring forums and its worryingly common.

 

I gave up on diesels, bought a Jap petrol, normally aspirated and chain driven cam. Cheaper in the long run.

[Fudbeer]

Interesting article here.

 

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/fuels-and-environment/diesel-particulate-filters.html

[bears9h]

Thanks four the advice everyone, so now I'm not getting the Passat any recommendations as to a decent petrol car medium to large family size.

I'm looking maybe avensis? Insignia?

Oh and what is VAG?

[Xt500]

You will be sorry when your drawn into every fuel station you pass.

 

Petrols are very unreliable...........

They are cheap,but theres a reason for that...........

[vinyl]

There are bigger problems with petrols that would put me off,head gaskets are one.

Of course nowadays you can bearly give a petrol away.

 

 

Where do you get this crap. If you are in the trade I would advise folk to give you a very wide berth.

[Tomm06]

Thanks four the advice everyone, so now I'm not getting the Passat any recommendations as to a decent petrol car medium to large family size.

I'm looking maybe avensis? Insignia?

Oh and what is VAG?

 

I've always known VAG to mean Volkswagen Audi Group, but I suppose it depends in what context you read it.

 

Petrol may very well be your best option with little miles driven, however don't the Passat's come in petrol? I would have thought they would. For the record, I know you can get Insignia's in petrol, in my opinion better looking than the passat.

[bullerboY]

Where do you get this crap. If you are in the trade I would advise folk to give you a very wide berth.

Just what i was thinking,after working on diesels since 1957 i believe that i have a little experience on these albeit the older ones and as for cab heaters they use them at night when its bedtime,yes i also have driven a few arctics in my time believe it or not.

[bears9h]

I've always known VAG to mean Volkswagen Audi Group, but I suppose it depends in what context you read it.

 

Petrol may very well be your best option with little miles driven, however don't the Passat's come in petrol? I would have thought they would. For the record, I know you can get Insignia's in petrol, in my opinion better looking than the passat.

Yeah I did wonder what response I would get to the VAG question. I haven't really looked for petrol Passat as the jct 600 said they were far and few between. However I have just spent an hour wandering around direct cars, and the majority are diesel but they do have a saloon and an estate insignia in both are 1.8 sri, I like the look of them and so does the wife so that's a bonus come back to weigh up the running costs.

Any opinions on the insignias more than welcome.

 

---------- Post added 15-08-2013 at 19:15 ----------

 

You will be sorry when your drawn into every fuel station you pass.

 

Petrols are very unreliable...........

They are cheap,but theres a reason for that...........

 

Depends what you call cheap, they are certainly cheaper.

Why are they unreliable?

And surely with the low miles we do there is a bigger chance of having problems with the diesels?

Not having ago by the way, just asking?