[allan40alt]

I took my wife's 206 in for a check-over yesterday and spoke to one of the service personnel about these Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) .

I asked how long it would be before I had to have it cleaned if I only did a few journeys each week of about 2 miles there in the morning and the same coming home in the afternoon.

He replied that it would be about a month before the warning light came on and I started feeling the engine becoming a bit flat and clunky.

He reckons the DPF will spell the death of the diesel because of the limitations regarding short regular journeys.

They will do one clean foc but subsequent cleans will cost upwards of £80 a time. Regeneration will cost around £200+ and if you leave it too long then £500 should see a new DPF fitted!!

They offered to swap my current 2008 for the same spec 1.6 petrol 4 speed auto with me paying £4000 !!

Think we'll keep our 206 for local journeys and the 2008 for runs longer than 10 miles!

EU regulations to save emissions; but I'm still having to keep 2 cars running.

PS: ....oh, and the petrol version only does around 40 MPG whereas I'm getting around 65 MPG from my 2008 diesel.....in addition my RFL will be £150 for the petrol against my current £ZERO RFL.










Edited by: allan40alt

 

[RichardG]

Hi Allan,
2 mile journeys for a modern diesel are death some makers are improving the situation puting DPF right up close to the cylinder head but really there are major problems with short journeys. Repair costs for diesels with all the new features like Duel Mass flywheels are casting a shadow over the economics for private ownership of diesels. Our local cab company with 35 cabs has started to change his fleet to LPG to counter the high costs of repairs. I like to drive a diesel but now retired from being a Mondeo man cannot risk potential costs, I do a lot of short journeys and some long journeys and compromised on a 2008 with the 1.2vti, after 6 months I am doing very close to 50MPG and find the little 3 pot no problem whatsoever and only £30 tax to pay. It pulls really well and handles the cruise control with no problem which was a concern I had but I don't think I would like to tow anything but don't want to anyway. In short I really like the car and don't feel I have made any compromise.

 

[Frank Bullitt]

I think there's lots of drama over DPF's, much of it unwarranted as the technology improves. Our 1.6HDi Picasso never had an issue with the DPF despite mrs FB using it for commuting (2 miles each way) since August last year, although we did have at least one decent trip every other week (10 miles plus) which seemed to be enough for the DPF to regen. Our new DS4 has the same version of the engine as the 2008 115bhp models and it gets driven the same and has so far (touch wood) not been an issue - sure, economy isn't brilliant with short journeys at late 30's but on a run it does over 50mpg and cruises so well; we get the benefit of the economy on our long trips, when it does 30 miles a week it doesn't matter if it does 30mpg or 60mpg, the cost is naff-all! If the DPF does cause an issue I'd use it on my commute (15 miles) one day a week.

In my experience of Picasso ownership the people who seem to suffer most were those who bought the car on motability but never went anywhere...ever. A trip once every few weeks over 10 miles will be fine.

 

[allan40alt]

Must say I was a little surprised by the service guys comments.

I could envisage a queue of disgruntled owners all wanting their DPFs cleaned every month!

After all; it isn't just our 2008's that have a DPF.

 

[RichardG]

You know really it is horses for courses, when I was driving 600+ miles a week it was a no contest diesel was the only sensible way to go and still is BUT now environmental concerns has made diesel engines very much more complicated to comply with Euro standards. The makers are only too aware of the effects this is having on their cars when uses for short journeys. MPG sells cars so it is no surprise they are trying to develop Petrol cars with better MPG and cleaner emissions the 1.2vti I and the new e.vti are just 2 examples Ford have theirs as do Renault, when I brought my 2008 I considered Diesel as I do like the driving experience but all credit to the sales staff who asked after my usage and advised petrol would suit best my use. The Ford staff also identified their 1 litre as the best option for me and I was told they are required to enquire and advise by their management but in the end the customer has the final say right or wrong. With regards to mobility cars it seems wrong to take a Diesel as 90% do very vary low mileage but as I said before MPG sells cars and the customer has total freedom of choice under mobility.

 

[RichardG]

Added note.

My original order was for a Captur Diesel but they put the delivery back 6 months so cancelled but at the London preview I was able to ask if the DPF was covered in the warranty and after contacting HQ they confirmed it would be. In contrast Peugeot made it clear it was not as it was use dependant and Ford said each claim would be considered on its own merit which I took as a NO.

 

[george2104]

We have a lot VW Passat diesel, travelling 2-3 miles daily....now they have 80.000 km over...no DFP problem...so what are talking about here????

 

[RichardG]

At the risk of being a smart arse that makes your VW Passet about 45 years old but seriously 2-3 mile journeys in a diesel with a DPF is death my next door neighbour has just been in trouble with his A class Mercedes and the repair cost is well over £1300.

Most people who get away with it is because they also have some fast long journeys to make together with the short ones but it is still a risk and for poor old age pensioners like me the risk is just too real.

 

[george2104]

Then remove the DPF...fk the ecology...but no problem with DPF again...(also will decrease the consumption, as the DPF will be removed)...

 

[allan40alt]

Can't do that as it will be part of the MOT checks.

 

[maciejz]

fk the ecology...

I see you'd like to accelerate the Holocene extinction?

 

[george2104]

Maciejz:Is about a fake ecological here...They say you stop the particles with DPF...But when you burn it to clean the DPF, where the particles go?
Also the increase in consumption with DPF...
The DPF in my opinion was used only for having temporary lower emissions in order to obtain lower tax...and this is selling the car...but in practice, all particles from DPF return in atmosphere when the DPF is regenerating...
(If you dont believe it, ask a MOT operator...)
I will be the first to buy a Hyrogene car...or air car...but not with this prohibitted cost...
In Romania some people made cars to work with batteries for 3 days continuously...others made the Hydrogene engine to work smooth...but no one cares...why should they? there is a lot of taxes for state from petrol and diesel, so they are not stupid...
So...as for DPF...this is why I said fk the ecology....because is a totaly fake ecology here, as particles burn and go in air again...maibe more bad that goes more thin particles...

 

[Frank Bullitt]

Maciejz:Is about a fake ecological here...They say you stop the particles with DPF...But when you burn it to clean the DPF, where the particles go?
Also the increase in consumption with DPF...
The DPF in my opinion was used only for having temporary lower emissions in order to obtain lower tax...and this is selling the car...but in practice, all particles from DPF return in atmosphere when the DPF is regenerating...
(If you dont believe it, ask a MOT operator...)
I will be the first to buy a Hyrogene car...or air car...but not with this prohibitted cost...
In Romania some people made cars to work with batteries for 3 days continuously...others made the Hydrogene engine to work smooth...but no one cares...why should they? there is a lot of taxes for state from petrol and diesel, so they are not stupid...
So...as for DPF...this is why I said fk the ecology....because is a totaly fake ecology here, as particles burn and go in air again...maibe more bad that goes more thin particles...

DPF's were not introduced to lower consumption, certainly initially they increased consumption as an element of over fuelling was required to regen so that blows your tax argument to smithereens. However, they have been introduced to deal with a very specific need to reduce particulate deposits in urban areas where, frankly, I don't want my 5 year old or any other child walking along the side of the road breathing them because a) they re not nice and b) they are carcinogenic.

The particulates are Oxidised at higher temperatures, typically into CO2 which is in effect changing their chemical structure - simple law of physics is nothing can be created or destroyed but it can be changed - this CO2 production is one reason why cars with DPF's initially had higher CO2 outputs - the CO2 does have a slight increase in impact on the environment but completely removes the issue of particulates; if I could, I'd fit one to my A2.

There's much bull and fear about DPF's out there - but that is armchair web surfers for you.