As the title says are DPf's still a problem on new cars and if so what are the problems?

I've only had one car with a DPF, my current car, a 2013 Octavia vRS TDI.

 

From experience, yes and no.  If you do decent mileage ( journeys over about 10miles or more at a time I'd guess) you'll be fine although even then the DPF has a limited life (100k miles apparently) however if you do short journeys then get a petrol.  When my g/f uses the car to get to work for more than a day or two we get constant interrupted re-gens, about 25mpg and the car feels sluggish and down on power until it's given a good run.

 

Some discussion on the Mk3 Octavia forums here,

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/383987-ordered-new-octavia-vrs-diesel-but-wondering-about-dpf-issues/

 

From what I've been told by a few people with other Marques it appears to be hit or miss on what the DPFs are like.  Someone I know swears they have no issues driving 5 miles per day to go to work in their Volvo XC60 with only occasional long runs and yet I know someone doing 10 miles each way on country roads in a little Chev Aveo and has had no end of problems.  Although these may be isolated cases.

 

Personally I'd say, big car long mileage they'll be fine.  Little city car - buy a petrol!

Newer cars seem much less problematic regarding DPFs compared to the first generation of cars fitted with them. It still means picking the correct fuel for the type of use of course. 

My way of gauging it is as above - any diesel regardless of dpf or not needs longer running to get to temp than a petrol. If your averge or normal journey is shorter than the warm up time needed for a diesel then get a petrol as you wont benefit from the better diesel mpg under that distance, bearing mind a longer distance commute at low speed will take longer to reach temp also, so you really need to look at it in detail.. then read up on the type of driving best suited to the dpf in a given vehicle.. does it need a serious blast once a week, or might you be okay up to once a month if its a serious hot run..

There are some really cracking petrol engines out there now, it's good to see the manufacturers allocating more of their resources into petrol.

 

For me the argument for buying a diesel (economy) is still relevant but the gap between petrol and diesel economy is starting to shrink.

 

This then makes the need for those covering smaller annual mileages to run a diesel even less necessary, thus making any DPF issues due to short journeys / low mileage less likely.

 

We have two DPF-equipped diesels, one covers 8,000 miles a year (PD140 Octavia), the other 30,000 miles a year (CR140 Superb), neither of which have yet suffered any DPF issues.

 

Long may it continue but the Octavia will be replaced with a petrol when the time comes.

Edited 16 January, 201610 yr by silver1011

I was wary going back to derv after the introcuction of DPFs.

 

The Honda 2.2 DTEC doesn't have a particular reputation for DPF probs but they're not unknown.

 

But I think the advice above is true. I rarely do short journeys (usually 18mi +) car always gets up to temp.

I've never notice a regen cycle. I actually raised it on a Honda forum, I wondered if I should have seen or noticed anything, but apparently if everything is working we'll you won't notice anything.

I'm stuck with supermarket derv which, I'm told, is to be avoided if possible. Car is on 72k now.

 

If you match the car to your journeys it should be fine.

Newer cars seem much less problematic regarding DPFs compared to the first generation of cars fitted with them. It still means picking the correct fuel for the type of use of course. 

 

Agreed 

 

I think its because the engine is actually designed to have a DPF from day one... rather than fitting a DPF to an engine which doesnt normally have one. 

My commute to work is 2 miles each way, yes I'm a lazy B@astard and I could walk, I have a MKIII Octty VRs TDI ( 63 plate ) and I've never had any DPF problems

 

I think the DPF does regular small regens instead of waiting while the filtre is full.

 

Must get fit, must walk more

 

 

 

 

 

NOT

Edited 20 January, 201610 yr by Auric Goldfinger

Mines 61 plate with dpf had it a year with no problems dpf related its on 60000 miles now, most were covered by the previous owner i do relativley low mileage but i do runs up and down dual carriageways about twice a week im guessing clears it unless the 'cheat' software has sorted it for me lol

My commute to work is 2 miles each way, yes I'm a lazy B@astard and I could walk, I have a MKIII Octty VRs TDI ( 63 plate ) and I've never had any DPF problems

I think the DPF does regular small regens instead of waiting while the filtre is full.

Must get fit, must walk more

NOT

Jeezus.. your annual miles covered must be lower than Lloyd's mk1 vrs

Agreed 

 

I think its because the engine is actually designed to have a DPF from day one... rather than fitting a DPF to an engine which doesnt normally have one. 

 

Nail on the head. The old engines with a DPF wacked on the end of them struggle to make them work well, they were never designed to have them and the majority were a rush job to get them through the emission limits while the newer motors were still being designed. Some manufacturers done better than others but for the majority I'd avoid first gen DPF motors. 

Thanks for the replies. It will come in handy for when I get rid of my Fabia and get a new car.