Change or stick?

[MajMan]

looking for advice as I'm not technical at all!

In May, I posted on here about replacing the EGR on my car (Fabia Estate 1.6 TDI CR 105 Elegance) 60 reg, 70,000 miles. Since then, I've been reading up this and the problems that diesels have with the DPFs.

Until I retired 18 months ago, I was doing a high mileage each week as my job took me all over the Scottish Highlands. The car was never a problem. However, I now use it only a few times a week and usually for return journeys of less than 30 miles. From what I have read, this sort of driving is not good for my car so I am wondering if I should change to a 1.2 TSI instead.

Arnold Clark garages are advertising 14 Reg 1.2 TSI 105 Elegance Hatchbacks from £8988 (with saving of over £6000 on cost new). Is this price because they are not the new Mk 111 models?

Grateful for any thoughts. My ex-husband always dealt with car matters, though a friend's husband told me I need not to be so gentle with it and I to thrash it more when I'm driving!!

[jme808]

30 miles is a decent length trip, which I would hope would get the engine and DPF hot enough to keep clean.

 

I've just done more or less the same thing - changed from a 2011 (85k miles) 1.6 diesel to a 2014 1.2 petrol (3k miles) - I only changed as I had concerns about a few warning lights that kept coming on, and that the price for the petrol was very competative.

 

I'm happy I changed - peace of mind with the warranty left on the car and I'm enjoying extra kit over the old one.  Tax is £90 more a year, but I'm getting good MPG at 45ish, compared to the diesels 52ish.

 

The Mk 2s do seem to be cheap at the moment - I would assume because of the model change etc.  It's worth looking around too - I found a Black Edition Fabia not too far from me, has lots of extras and was a good price.

 

Have you thought about going for a text drive and finding out what you would get for yours etc etc?  Might help you decide what you want.

[MajMan]

Jme, I was told by the woman at the service desk in the skoda garage that I needed to do a regular 50 mile non stop top speed trip to keep the car running well which I thought was more than your average person would do, especially in town! If that is the case, I'll probably change to petrol.

My previous car was a petrol Octavia 4x4. Did 120,000 with no problems before I changed for the Fabia.

Thanks for your comments

[Ootohere]

It is more than most of the customer she deals with will do, or her fellow Dealership Employees will do,

or the customers her employers sell diesel cars to.

 

Which Dealership does this lady work at the Service Desk of, 

because maybe someone can have a word in her ear tomorrow.

[jme808]

Jme, I was told by the woman at the service desk in the skoda garage that I needed to do a regular 50 mile non stop top speed trip to keep the car running well which I thought was more than your average person would do, especially in town! If that is the case, I'll probably change to petrol.

My previous car was a petrol Octavia 4x4. Did 120,000 with no problems before I changed for the Fabia.

Thanks for your comments

 

Hmmm, not sure about the advice there... you would get a warning light on if you weren't doing enough mileage, to allow you to give the car a good drive and clear out the DPF - it won't just break suddenly.  It's just a case of getting the engine and exhaust system hot enough to burn off any build up of soot particles.  Still, there are a few horror stories out there which are anxiety causing!  There are stories for every make and model though...

 

 

Have you thought about going for a text drive and finding out what you would get for yours etc etc?  Might help you decide what you want.

 

A text drive?  that'll be 3 points on your license!  A test drive would be a better idea in retrospect.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide on.

[Hudson01]

The woman was not really speaking with full knowledge there, as long as your journey is enough so that when the regen process starts it can run a full cycle you will be fine, so even if you sit in traffice and then regen process starts the dpf will  be just fine, you do not need to do moon mileage, its a myth. The problem with short journeys can be that the engine is not running for long enough for a full regen, but an average run to work with the usual traffic queues etc should be just fine for your car. I have a 5 year old CR and just use it to get to work every day, 26 miles round trip and not an issue to day with the dpf. My car is serviced by a very good friend who owns an auto diagnostics garage and he runs a soot test every year when he does the car (just cos i like to know) and that checks how much soot is present, my last service was a few months ago and what ever i am doing it just fine for the dpf. Don't worry too much just make sure the car can complete a full regen most of the time and you will be fine.

[2ndskoda]

Make the change - I did, and never regretted it for one moment.

Sounds like a reasonable deal, so dont let it slip away.

[Outofthi5world]

Sounds like you like the car still, and it's not currently giving you any problems. I'd say if you change now you're only wasting your money. Personally I'd stick with what you've got until it starts giving you problems. If the DPF light comes on then get it sorted and then look for a new car, but you'll possibly never get the light. Maybe take it for a long-ish trip every couple of months to be sure but that would be it for me.

[MajMan]

Thanks for all your comments. I'm going to test drive a TSI tomorrow.

[MajMan]

Decided to go with the TSI. It is an ex rental which I know many people would not touch but my present car was also a rental and apart from the EGR problem, it has been great over the last four years.

[Hudson01]

Good luck with the new car and keep us posted on your thoughts with both cars.

[MajMan]

Thanks Hudson. See my post 'Not a Good Start!'. I'll keep you posted!