Diesel cars with DPF are NOT good town cars

[broc]

My normal daily commute is 15 miles each way, of which 10 miles is dual carriageway.

 

So why is it that for the third time in 12 months I have had to spend 20 minutes driving back & forward past my school on the dual carriageway because the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) warning light came on? According to the dealer it is 'working as designed'.......

 

Foolishly I bought a diesel engined car for economy, only to find the latest ones with DPF don't like short trips or an economical driving style because the exhaust temperature doesn't get hot enough to regenerate the DPF when it gets clogged up with particles of soot..... the solution is to drive like an idiot until the light goes out.... if you don't & it goes into limp home mode you face a visit to the dealer who will regenerate the filter for you & charge £200+

 

No more diesels for me

[sted]

fairly well known fact i thought. Over short journeys you may as well have a small petrol engine anyway. DPF's are a pain unless you do longer journeys and imo should only be fitted to bigger cars say focus and up as these are more likely to be used on longer journeys whereas fiesta size cars are more likely to be used tound town (says a fiesta owner who does 100 miles a day but i suspect that im atypical of fiesta owners)

[broc]

I knew there was a general issue with DPF for urban motoring when I bought the car, but made the mistake of thinking with a 15 mile drive each way to work of which 10 was dual carriageway (at 60-70mph) I would be ok.... apparently not. I even took advice to use Shell diesel rather than supermarket as it is supposed to be cleaner....

[Gonk]

When DPF first came out there were issues with it clogging, as you rightly say if it doesn't get hot enough to regenerate, the light on the dash comes on.

 

To get round this, lots of manufacturers fitted what is effectively a glow plug to the exhaust system to heat the DPF to help the regeneration process along. When I was working at a Citroen dealer we had no end of issues like your describing.

 

What car have you got?

 

Ross

[broc]

What car have you got?

 

Ross

09 Nissan Xtrail 2.0 dCi, 173bhp.... its basically a Renault engine as are most Nissan diesels I believe.

[CHR1S]

I have a BMW 123d and I never knew/was told about the DPF or the fact its bad to do short trips.

 

Am I going to kill my poor car

[Guest theeldergeek]

My normal daily commute is 15 miles each way, of which 10 miles is dual carriageway.

 

So why is it that for the third time in 12 months I have had to spend 20 minutes driving back & forward past my school on the dual carriageway because the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) warning light came on? According to the dealer it is 'working as designed'.......

 

Foolishly I bought a diesel engined car for economy, only to find the latest ones with DPF don't like short trips or an economical driving style because the exhaust temperature doesn't get hot enough to regenerate the DPF when it gets clogged up with particles of soot..... the solution is to drive like an idiot until the light goes out.... if you don't & it goes into limp home mode you face a visit to the dealer who will regenerate the filter for you & charge £200+

 

No more diesels for me

 

Not a problem for me, but then again, I've no idea if my Auris SR180 is fitted with a DPF?

My commute is the same as yours. My '05 Avensis didn't have any issues either.

 

Personally, I wouldn't say a daily commute of 30 miles is a 'short' journey. It takes me a good half hour each way. A short journey is nipping into town and back, IMHO.

[stevenwba]

I recently too bought a diesel car for economy but i dont seem to get it, im averaging about 40mpg where as my friend at the same time bought a 2 litre petrol bmw who is getting 50mpg on causal drives???

 

back to petrol for me as well, specially with it going to end up about £1.40 a litre again!

[CHR1S]

I recently too bought a diesel car for economy but i dont seem to get it, im averaging about 40mpg where as my friend at the same time bought a 2 litre petrol bmw who is getting 50mpg on causal drives???

 

back to petrol for me as well, specially with it going to end up about £1.40 a litre again!

 

 

My diesel is giving me 30mpg to and from work, same journey in my petrol was 15mpg... im happy lol!

[K.C.Leblanc]

Eek, my folks are looking at getting a Citroen HDi on motobility. There pressent motability car has done less then 20k in 3 years. I think I'll have to do some digging.

[broc]

Personally, I wouldn't say a daily commute of 30 miles is a 'short' journey. It takes me a good half hour each way. A short journey is nipping into town and back, IMHO.

 

I fully agree with you & that's why I was persuaded to buy the X-Trail diesel

 

I think the problem may be my 'gentle' driving style..... doing boring things like sticking to speed limits, optimising gear changes, anticipating traffic conditions ahead, driving for economy & to save the environment..... I never imagined it would be bad for my car!

 

ps yes I know I drive a 4x4, but it spends a lot of it's time in 2-wheel drive & is as economical as the 2.0 Seat tdi Altea I previously drove

[broc]

Eek, my folks are looking at getting a Citroen HDi on motobility. There pressent motability car has done less then 20k in 3 years. I think I'll have to do some digging.

 

It is certainly worth checking & doing your own research; some manufacturers employ some sort of fuel additive system that helps keep the DPF clear, it gets topped up at service time.

[SC-UK]

It's also a very bad idea to park a diesel car fitted with a DPF on grass in the middle of summer. We parked up at a local Wind Farm open day last year and I ended up setting fire to most of Lincolnshire

[K.C.Leblanc]

It is certainly worth checking & doing your own research; some manufacturers employ some sort of fuel additive system that helps keep the DPF clear, it gets topped up at service time.

 

I will, generaly my feeling are that deisels don't make sense unless you're doing a high millage (although they do make more sence in heavy 4x4s due to their extra torque). However since the car is provided through motobility my folks only have to pay for the fuel so diesel makes sense.

 

EDIT: Although my general thoughts on the car industry and the way legislation is influencing it is that you're better off with an older car.

[Guest theeldergeek]

I recently too bought a diesel car for economy but i dont seem to get it, im averaging about 40mpg where as my friend at the same time bought a 2 litre petrol bmw who is getting 50mpg on causal drives???

 

back to petrol for me as well, specially with it going to end up about £1.40 a litre again!

 

I only get 36mpg in mine, but that's 'cos I tend to accelerate quite hard when I see Fiesta ST's sitting at the lights

 

I'm happy with 36mpg on mine, it's roughly what I'm supposed to get, and it is a 2.2ltr after all.

 

I recently had to hire a Vauxhall Insignia 1.8 petrol. I got around 28mpg and it was like pulling away through thick treacle. Even when I drove it 'conservatively', the mpg didn't get above 30. Horrid car.

 

Personally, I prefer diesels over petrol, just something about them that I like the feel of. I can't imagine me in a 1.1 Fiesta or similar, I would hate it. I still think pound for pound, I get better economy from my car with the added bonus of it being a 'performance' car to drive, kick ass stereo, good looks and decent spec.

 

Mid life crisis anyone?

[SC-UK]

I

Personally, I prefer diesels over petrol, just something about them that I like the feel of. I can't imagine me in a 1.1 Fiesta or similar, I would hate it. I still think pound for pound, I get better economy from my car with the added bonus of it being a 'performance' car to drive, kick ass stereo, good looks and decent spec.

 

Mid life crisis anyone?

 

I completely agree. I have a Volvo V70 D5 and it still amazes me all the time - really fantastic performance (Yes yes I know it's never going to be a "sports" car, but it still pulls so strongly even up to 70 even 71 ahem mph!). Comfy, well equipped, quick - and still rarely see less than 35mpg, and that's only when I'm in a serious hurry.

[Gonk]

09 Nissan Xtrail 2.0 dCi, 173bhp.... its basically a Renault engine as are most Nissan diesels I believe.

 

Yeah, Nissan source their diesels from Renault. It was commented upon at various meetings that I atteneded that the diesel in Fance has different addatives in it so the clogging wasn't an issue per se. As a result, French manufacturers didn't see the need to have additional heating for the DPF.

 

Lots of truck manufacturers (DAF for one) have a small tank of Urea [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urea]Urea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame] fitted to the truck. the urea is mixed with the diesel and injected to the cylinder for combustion to produce a cleaner burn, hence the big 9.2 Litre diesel they have is Euro V compliant.

 

The draw back is you have to refil the tank with urea something like every 16,000Km/10,000 miles as Service intervals are 100,000Km/62,000 Miles.

 

@SC-UK. I was in the workshop when they had to regenerate the DPF on a Jaguar XJ Diesel. It melted the tarmac 3 meters behine the car with the heat. The flames were impressive too.

[fafster]

I recently too bought a diesel car for economy but i dont seem to get it, im averaging about 40mpg where as my friend at the same time bought a 2 litre petrol bmw who is getting 50mpg on causal drives???

 

back to petrol for me as well, specially with it going to end up about £1.40 a litre again!

 

Your mate is lying. There's no way that he's getting 50mpg in a 2 litre petrol, unless it's downhill the whole way.

 

And what diesel car do you have? You should have checked the car's figures before buying it.

[K.C.Leblanc]

Urea Urea - Wikipedia,

 

Wait, is Urea what I think it is?

 

Will there be a new industry in take the piss.

[CHR1S]

 

Lots of truck manufacturers (DAF for one) have a small tank of Urea Urea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia fitted to the truck. the urea is mixed with the diesel and injected to the cylinder for combustion to produce a cleaner burn, hence the big 9.2 Litre diesel they have is Euro V compliant.

 

The draw back is you have to refil the tank with urea something like every 16,000Km/10,000 miles as Service intervals are 100,000Km/62,000 Miles.

 

 

Isnt that the same as bluemotion and bluetec and all the other bluename gubbins that makers do now?

[CHR1S]

Your mate is lying. There's no way that he's getting 50mpg in a 2 litre petrol, unless it's downhill the whole way.

 

 

It "could" get 50mpg, with the efficient dynamics pack and a very very light foot. I say its rubbish tho too

[fafster]

I completely agree. I have a Volvo V70 D5 and it still amazes me all the time - really fantastic performance (Yes yes I know it's never going to be a "sports" car, but it still pulls so strongly even up to 70 even 71 ahem mph!). Comfy, well equipped, quick - and still rarely see less than 35mpg, and that's only when I'm in a serious hurry.

 

I have a Mitsubishi Colt Di-D. It's only got 95 bhp, but then it only weighs 930Kg, so that's over 100bhp per ton. I could have the ECU remapped for about £300, which would take it up to 125bhp. That's 0-60mph in under eight seconds.

 

My daily commute tends to balance out at around 50mpg. For the drive to work in the morning, I'm in economy mode (60mpg). For the drive home I'm in race mode (40mpg)

[Gonk]

Wait, is Urea what I think it is?

 

Will there be a new industry in take the piss.

 

Yep it sure is

 

@fafster: is it the 1.5 DI-D? the 1.5 is a Mercedes Benz unit that was used in the A-Class/Smart range. There's a lot of scope for rermapping and modding from what I recall.

Edited March 23, 2010 by Gonk

[Gonk]

Isnt that the same as bluemotion and bluetec and all the other bluename gubbins that makers do now?

 

Bluemotion and Bluetec are aerodynamic packages, narrow tyres and modified injection/combustion techs. The Urea idea is only being applied in trucks atm, most car manufacturers are persuing the electric/hybrid route rather than combustion techs.

[3s-gtech]

It "could" get 50mpg, with the efficient dynamics pack and a very very light foot. I say its rubbish tho too

 

Agreed with this, it sounds like petrol car confirmation bias! I think he's getting his sums wrong.