Pertol v Diesel car query

Mr Panda

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I have both petrol and diesel cars and do a fairly high mileage so no issues with either.

My questions is this..........if driving a very low mileage, say 5,000 per year, do all diesels suffer the threat of DPF filter clogging (or whatever happens to it) and destroying engine?

Was in a Nissan dealer yesterday who said he wouldn't sell us a diesel Qashqai for such low mileage use due to DPF failure and subsequent £2,500 rebuild.

Any advice or experience appreciated.
cheers

:?:
 
I'd say it's more the type of journeys you use it for.

Long runs with decent engine heat should be fine. Shorter journeys, especially when the engine doesn't get up to temp would indeed kill a DPF in short order.
 
Unless each journey is at least 50 miles, I simply wouldnt bother with a diesel after 2006 when the DPF became more common.

Earlier models it doesnt matter quite so much as the next big issue with diesel, the EGR valve can often be bypassed without affecting the ECU.

The EGR is probably more prone to failure than the DPF. Gooey tarry deposits from short journeys where engine temps dont get up high enough for long enough stop the EGR from working and it gets stuck causing ECU errors. Plus your inlet manifold will start getting blocked by the same stuff - soot from the engine mixing with condensation and oil creating a smaller and smaller gap. Short journeys at low revs kills both as the DPF needs a good hard journey to clear it.
 
Looking at the Renault 1.6DCi in the Qashqai, it is purposely designed with the DPF in mind so it heats up quickly so less prone to DPF failure - so THEY say anyway!

From the looks of it, avoid the older 2.0 diesel
 
Always used to take my deisels onto motorway and thrash it which cleared a lot of shit out, to the dissmay of motorists behind. I also put cleaners through it every now and again, never had any trouble with any of them, during 300,000+ miles.
 

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