DPF ( Particulate filters)

[Andy Entwistle 96]

A good friend, who has been in the industry since henry starting selling his little black numbers ( well, so he says) now runs his own independent garage with service centre.

 

More and more cars are coming in with failed DPF due to the cars general lack of use, where a diesel has been used mostly for local journeys and not given a run long enough for the DPF to get hot enough to regentrate. Given that these units can cost around £800 a pop to replace, its rendering otherwise decent ( if not older) cars almost worthless.

 

I now hear that Ford are making nosies about suggesting that the DPF should be replaced as a service item every 75,000 miles.

 

Anyone got any views on this and what we can do. On one hand, we all need to be making money, but at the same time do we need to be doing more to help minimise these kind of outlays for our customers?

[williamblackshaw 43]

I think DPF's will get better, other options include DPF cleaning which we have had a few done with success, if customers are advised correctly at point of sale then DPF's are not an issue. Perhaps DPF's will be added to petrol models one day?

[Andy Entwistle 96]

Agreed. But how many sales people know how to advise correctly ?

[Jamie Edmonds 28]

A lot of people want a diesel for the economy even if they only do 6k a year around town and this is where the problem lies - as they are meant to self regenerate through heat if they don't get a chance to get hot enough to clean themselves they just clog up and nothing is going to stop that happening.

 

At my previous employer we switched from using the Transit Connect to the Combo 1.3 CDTi in 2007, and had loads of issues almost immediately because the vans were used for short local delivery runs and the DPFs kept getting clogged up.

 

I don't think the problem is going to go away either, have you seen the price of the Eolys additive you need to use in Peugeots and Fords?  It's more expensive than Myrrh!  If you look online you also read frightening stories of people using Adblue instead which is never going to end well...

[umesh 336]

DPF's are certainly an issue ,we've had a couple of cars where the car simply is not being used enough! I've advised numerous customers who have been in to buy a diesel and told them they shouldn't and explained the reasons. Once they understand they make the right decision that is not to buy a diesel for the 3/4000 miles - short journeys they do! think some sales staff have to TELL the customers what the consequences are rather than just sell them a car which is going to cause them issues in the future, not only that a very unhappy customer who will take his business else where!

[ttirreM_nitraM 6]

Exactly, people need to be educated that you don't need a diesel if all you need a car for is a trip to the shops and back!

[Andy Entwistle 96]

my X5 has just topped 100k, but i cover a lot of mileage. I'd argue its a better car than a similar one that had covered only 10k ! 

 

Starts on the button, clean as a whistle ( no smoke) and pulls like a train... ( just don;t mention the GM sourced gearbox)

[Gavin@Rousdon 137]

Argee with Umesh, educate people at point of sale. Some people are going to buy a diesel car despite a petrol making more sense, they get blinded but the MPG figures and the £30 or £105 a year road tax. Either when you are quailifing these people or at point of hand over a basic outline of how a DPF works is a must. Simply telling them that the car needs to be driven at speed for 5-10 miles a months to allow the filter to clear itself out is all it takes.

Then its upto them if they follow your advice or not.

[Andy Entwistle 96]

Isn;t the problem that everyone faces educating people about ever increasing amounts of tech on cars... someone who's 1994 micra has died and buys a JUKE is going to need a lot of hand holding ( particularly the older generation).

 

How many people do REAL handovers still and in honesty, how many people can say that their sales staff are knowledgeable enough on every car on their site to do a proper handover