DPF - 8 mile commute

Shure · 28 Mar 2015 at 15:57

Based on my annual mileage of around 6000 miles the safe choice would be for me to buy a petrol engined car instead of the diesel but there seems to be so many more diesels out there to choose from rather than petrols lately and the prices seem to be very similar.

My commute is 8 miles each way sat on the A1 at cruising speeds, is this right on the border for DPF problems or from experience do you think it would be fine especially if the car is used for the family weekend trips out?

Dr Who · 28 Mar 2015 at 16:01

At 6k a year diesels really are more trouble than they are worth, best avoided imho, negotiate a better price on the petrol.

MissChief · 28 Mar 2015 at 16:03

As the engine is unlikely to be up to full temperature on such a short journey I would expect problems to be honest. I would get the petrol. What car is it?

Shure · 28 Mar 2015 at 16:14

Looking at some typical family estates, Avensis, Insignia, Mondeo.
I'm currently driving an S40 2.0D(pre dpf) and that seems to get up to temp after 3-4 miles during the winter.

AHarvey · 28 Mar 2015 at 16:16

8 miles...Buy a bicycle? get a diesel for the family days out and get fit in the process of commuting?

[TW]Fox · 28 Mar 2015 at 16:23

The refinement of a petrol is much much nicer on a short commute so if you can find one then do that instead.

Zeed · 28 Mar 2015 at 16:26

8m mate u gonna have masdive problems our vans go to garage on dpf every 6 months due to short jurneys..

TheVoice · 28 Mar 2015 at 16:28

AHarvey said:
8 miles...Buy a bicycle? get a diesel for the family days out and get fit in the process of commuting?

Baffling.

Amp34 · 28 Mar 2015 at 16:35

Not really. 8 miles would take about half a hour by bike (if that!)

TheVoice · 28 Mar 2015 at 16:36

I'm going to assume the OP wants car advice, not lifestyle advice.

[TW]Fox · 28 Mar 2015 at 16:52

Lord_ZED said:
8m mate u gonna have masdive problems our vans go to garage on dpf every 6 months due to short jurneys..

This would depend if he only commutes in the car, if he uses it for other trips too its less of an issue.

Dr Who · 28 Mar 2015 at 18:19

[TW]Fox;27840176 said:
This would depend if he only commutes in the car, if he uses it for other trips too its less of an issue.

Still only an annual mileage of 6k, asking for trouble and expense if you ask me.

EddScott · 28 Mar 2015 at 18:28

My office is a couple of miles away. I have a diesel but the DPF has been removed. I've not had any problems.

snapdragon69 · 28 Mar 2015 at 18:41

At 155,000 my DPF was choked with mineral ash so I had someone modify it using a crowbar to tunnel smoke through and flashed the ECU.

Now I have 224,000 miles and no visible smoke or MOT issues.

New cars usually have the DPF much closer to the engine so that they get hot sooner and stay hot.
Mine is 9 years old and right under the middle of the car but the new model it is right up between the bottom of the bulkhead and the engine they also usually use Adblue so that it can burn off soot at much lower temperatures.