JezF1000

I’m near to 175,000 miles on my car now, it’s running a Shark remap with DPF delete. I’m noticing more and more smoke on cold start - white smoke that is. When warm, the exhaust is clear but it’s smelly. It’s still running absolutely fine and still returning ~47mpg which it’s done since I bought it at 78,000 miles. I’m wondering whether this is just an old diesel engine issue, whether something isn’t running as as it should (injectors/sensor?) or whether the engine might be getting to the end of its life? I’d welcome any thoughts based on your experience of higher mileage PD170’s/diesels. The bodywork needs about £1k spending on it to sort out wheels and some paint (managed to catch the side on my gate - argh!!) so I feel it’s getting near to make or break. Thanks Jez

Bilstein B12’s here - made a big difference.

Hope you enjoy the new car! I’ve had my PD170 for around five years and 80,000 miles (now on 165,000 miles) and it’s been faultless save for minor niggles. Choice of tyres does help with harshness, I run latest Goodyear Eagle’s and they are great. I also think Bilstein B12’s improve the small bump absorption, well they did on my car anyway. Personally I felt my car was slow as standard, it’s had a Shark remap almost from day one. But it depends what car you are coming from I guess.

It’s been bone dry ever since so it may well have been the cause.

Indeed

Good to hear Kris. I had had forgotten my rear wiper's gone twice, fixed recently. Mine's a high spec including full leather seats done by Skoda UK (£1500), but I do miss heated seats from other cars and front heated screens - get a lot of frosts in winter where I'm located.

So, just clicked over 160,000 miles, 80,000 of those on a Shark remap. In that time, the car has been virtually faultless. Still on the original clutch, the updated injectors frustrate slightly in the winter, a tad more smoke on start-up, but still averaging 47 mpg and got 61mpg on a recent 200 mile trip to Cardiff! Replaced a valve to do with emissions that was throwing an occasional warning light (half the price from Germany) early on in ownership but that's been it engine-wise. Suspension was done some time ago with Bilstein B12's which have been amazing and I'm very happy with the Goodyear Eagle F1 AS2's that I've been running for a while now. I occasionally have to bash the rear small pax window to put it back into place - have half a registration plate and a rubber hammer for that! Will be interesting to see how much longer the car remains reliable for as I have no plans to change until it starts causing major grief. It's not the most refined of cars, but as a spacious, rapid and practical workhorse, it's been absolutely brilliant despite some of the stories you hear about issues. Previous daily drivers in recent years have have been Volvo 850R, Saab 9000 Arro, Mondeo ST220 and a couple of Focus ST3's. I like my hatchbacks - good for descretely fitting a bike in the boot! If this car car does die, I'd be seriously tempted to just go out and buy another used one - maybe I won't be quite so lucky next time!

Just to update, I removed the wheel and wheel arch liner and was then able to access the fog lamp. It's still a little fiddly but was fine. Thanks all for the advice!

Well I tried accessing via headlamp removal and that is a no goer for me. So either I think now wheel arch liner removal - or take to garage! I do need to ensure I have the right lamp unit though as I bought it from ECP last week - so need to do something swiftly!

That sounds interesting! Was it NS or OS?

Thanks. I've had a look and it doesn't seem possible from the access panel.

I've had a broken NS lamp for some time and have ordered a replacement. From my previous post, I think it's a bumper removal job, is this easy to do as I've never removed a bumper before? Thanks Jez

Ah - thanks! I know I'd get into trouble if o told her she had to have one in her car. I already bought her an Alpine HU last year but she didn't want to spoil the look of her centre console, now she bloody well has to!

Tech1e - what's that green thing below your head unit?

probably around the £100 mark. Pioneer did spring to mind but with cd still, I have one in my other car.