Hi Guys

 

I'd really like to buy a decent 2nd hand Octavia Estate 1.6 TDI, something from 2014 onwards with less than 30,000 miles. They cost about £10k.

 

Thing is I live in Jersey and my driving profile is about 6,500 years per annum. Typical run to work is about 8 miles at avge of 30mph.  There aren't any motorways here where I can drive fast for at least 15 mins. The max speed limit is 40mph!

 

Am I inviting problems with the DPF clogging up or is the stuff I've read about this scaremongering.

 

Regards, Andrew

In those circumstances, buy a petrol. The 1.4 TSI is probably the shout if you can find one.  

Better go for petrol.

In any case the DPF will collect the soot, once time comes I've help it regenerate by putting into 3rd gear, drive 10-15 mins constantly at speed ot 60km/h, which is ~40mph. Magic is to keep it constant throttle above 1800rpms, the speed is actually not needed. Never saw the light, just the active regens for 14 000km (combined drive)

 

Hope it helps you decide.

My sister-in-law lives on Jersey and has an early Skoda Rapid 1.6TDi that she purchased as an ex-demo car in mid-2012.  Her average mileage has been less than 3200 miles per year.  The car has come to the UK 3 times with each trip being a total of less than 300 miles.  She has had no problems with the DPF.

 

Personally I won't buy a diesel on Jersey.  I can't see that the extra cost is justified.  I am amazed at the number of diesel VAG cars sold on Jersey.  At one time the VW web-site specifically stated that its diesels were not suitable for use on small islands and mentioned Jersey as one of the islands.  At that time VAG diesels were being sold on Jersey!

Get the petrol, the 1.4 is a peach. I had a diesel Passat then retired then the DPF light appeared and a regen was paid for. It reappeared soon after due to few and cold miles so another regen. I then traded it in for a petrol Avensis and now my Octy 1.4 TSI DSG.

Where you are, how your 'able' to drive would, to me would mean a petrol is the obvious choice. What you'll lose in MPG should hopefully be balanced out with less initial cost and servicing.  Test drive a TSI.

18 minutes ago, TTodorov said:

Better go for petrol.

In any case the DPF will collect the soot, once time comes I've help it regenerate by putting into 3rd gear, drive 10-15 mins constantly at speed ot 60km/h, which is ~40mph. Magic is to keep it constant throttle above 1800rpms, the speed is actually not needed. Never saw the light, just the active regens for 14 000km (combined drive)

 

Hope it helps you decide.

There is only one road on Jersey were it is possible to drive at a steady 40 and its length would be completed in less than 5 minutes.  Jersey is a small island with many narrow roads with 30 or less speed limits.

I would go for petrol too. You won't achieve the MPG of a diesel doing only 8 miles to work as the diesel engine takes longer to warm up. I am in this category as my daily commute is also 8 miles to work but I do a lot more miles on an evening and weekend to make up for it. During the week my MPG can be as low 30mpg which most petrol's can now easily do.  

4 hours ago, philbes said:

There is only one road on Jersey were it is possible to drive at a steady 40 and its length would be completed in less than 5 minutes.  Jersey is a small island with many narrow roads with 30 or less speed limits.

Sorry man, no chance then. Petrol. Period.

Another vote for petrol here.

VW e-Up? Nissan Leaf? Renault Zoe?

 

Doesn't sound like you can drive more than 100 miles a day on the island, this is where EV will be perfect. Especially at <30mph speed. Internal Combustion engines (ICE) are more suited for >50mph speeds.

Probably because of the £10k budget. As for buying any of those second hand could be very expensive in the long term with battery life and no official costs once out of warranty.

38 minutes ago, CWARD said:

Probably because of the £10k budget. As for buying any of those second hand could be very expensive in the long term with battery life and no official costs once out of warranty.

64/14 reg Leaf can be had for £10k, almost all have lower mileage than Octavia OP was looking at.

 

Long term ownership is actually very cheap with EV. There's no engine oil to change, no DSG oil to change, no DPF/DMF/EGR issues ever, no cambelt to change, less wear on brake pad. EV Battery should last over 10 years no problem, they are built to last, only thing you should not do is really deep discharge, but you'll also damage diesel fuel system by running a diesel empty.

 

Here's a quick run-down:  (fuel cost from http://www.nextgreencar.com/tools/fuel-cost-calculator/ using 6500 annual mileage) (servicing cost are all main dealer prices)

EV: £10k car + £300 per year electricity (calculated on expensive 15.5p electricity price) + £123 per year on servicing = £12,115 over 5 years of using the car.

Diesel: £8k car of similar size/class + £800 per year on diesel + £209 per year on servicing (alternating between £149 and £269) + £485 cambelt replace during 5 years (ignoring possible ££££ for DPF/DMF/EGR problems) = £13,530 over 5 years of using the car

Petrol: £8k car of similar size/class + £840 per year on petrol + £209 per year on servicing (alternating between £149 and £269) + £485 cambelt replace during 5 years = £13,730 over 5 years of using the car

 

More saving over ICE cars if keeping the EV for longer.

 

The ONLY reason I bought an Octavia was because I need to commute 60 miles a day on the motorway. All EV's drives better in <40mph than any ICE car. All EV are cheaper to own because there's less things to go wrong and fuel is sooooo cheap.

I'm not anti electric car and can't wait until they are mainstream with a realistic mileage. The problem with them is that you are currently tied to a dealer for any work to be done on them. The other is the battery that whilst it can last a long time they are already started to fail. The Leaf that you refer to has a 60k or 5 year warranty with the battery, most likely with conditions and no doubt like the deep discharges you mention would be recorded to void the warranty conditions. Even a battery that is deemed to be working could have lost up to 40% efficiency which reduces it's range and increases charge time. Buying a second hand car with the risk of having to replace the battery at approx £3k plus VAT would always be a worry. The other alternative is to continue to lease the battery which ramps up the costs and makes running a small petrol car more appealing.

This is only dealing with the energy source, the motor could be just as horrendous.  

 

Plenty of interesting material on SpeakEV, mainly positive but also nearly all new cars with manufacturers warranties behind them.   

 

You may also find this interesting on a term long review of the Leaf. Again mainly good and in real world conditions of a similar age car to what you're suggesting but now with big drops in its efficiency.

Edited 5 June, 20179 yr by CWARD

Hi guys

 

I'm the original poster - thanks for your replies. I totally hear what you're all saying about getting a petrol. Thing is I've been looking at other cars a lot lately as you do when you're about to buy one and there are soooo many diesels here in Jersey.

 

Question - if they are unsuited to low mileage why are there so many in Jersey? All these owners can't be having problems with their filters can they?

 

Cheers, Andrew

I believe you don't actually have to be driving to allow the engine to burn off the soot (a regen), if allowed it can complete it while stationary and on automatic fast idle for 15/20 minutes. It injects extra fuel into the DPF to raise the heat for the burn off. It is just not very efficient.

Why don't you ask a couple of local diesel owners what their experiences are?

Personally I'd consider an electric powered bicycle for the local distance you state and then hire a car when you go to the mainland.

Stationary does not complete it.As well as city driving start/stop type. Proven.

It will complete on steady throttle and no push or stop.for a time.

 

Idle for 20 mins will keep temperature high but ECU will give up and cancel the regen until load is applied to the engine.

 

@Gerrycan nice idea for the electric!

Edited 5 June, 20179 yr by TTodorov

I've driven on Guernsey, which is quite similar. The 1.4 would be completely wasted there. The 1.0 or 1.2 would be more than adequate.

We go to France about 3 times a year (family of 4) so quite fancy about 120 bhp for the motorways. Unless of course 1.0 or 1.2 would be okay for that?...

5 hours ago, TTodorov said:

Stationary does not complete it.As well as city driving start/stop type. Proven.

It will complete on steady throttle and no push or stop.for a time.

 

Idle for 20 mins will keep temperature high but ECU will give up and cancel the regen until load is applied to the engine.

 

@Gerrycan nice idea for the electric!

My mistake, my 1.9pd old diesel did not have a DPF thank goodness.

Well the OP has a family so the car is needed so it might as well be an Octavia but cannot see a diesel even warming up with the local journeys.

The 1.0tsi is a new engine so unlikely to be available for the 10k price mentioned but I'm sure a 1.2tsi would be. It would have similar performance to the 1.6d and infinitely better local consumption.

If the locals have such easy access to France then I understand why there are so many diesels.

I'd still get an electric bike though

7 hours ago, CWARD said:

Plenty of interesting material on SpeakEV, mainly positive but also nearly all new cars with manufacturers warranties behind them.   

 

You may also find this interesting on a term long review of the Leaf. Again mainly good and in real world conditions of a similar age car to what you're suggesting but now with big drops in its efficiency.

 

To be fair, the Leaf in question is 6 years old and has covered 73,000 miles.

 

The 'big drop in efficiency' you mention equates to a 20% drop in battery capacity, well within Nissan's expectations. As it happens there are many, many more examples of Leaf's with higher mileage that are still at full capacity.

 

Given that petrol/diesel engined cars have an average life expectancy of 200,000 miles or 10 years the Leaf in question is well on target to exceeding the life of an equivalent petrol/diesel car.

 

It doesn't take many DPF's, EGR's, turbo's, dual mass flywheels and clutches before your at the £3,000 replacement battery cost.

 

An EV on Jersey makes absolute sense to me.

 

Edited 5 June, 20179 yr by silver1011

May just be that I would prefer something more tested and easily repairable if buying second hand. 

I would entertain a new one with warranty when they become cheaper and no doubt I'll probably will have one in the decade but not just yet. 

Edited 5 June, 20179 yr by CWARD

Hi guys

 

Thanks for all the input. I think we'll go for a Diesel Octavia.  Have spoken to a few mates in Jersey with modern diesels who have similar driving profiles to mine. None of them have problems. I reckon about 60% of the cars here are diesels.

 

A friend of mine in Jersey has had a Octavia diesel for about 2 months. He's had the dpf light on once and he said he just drove it in 2nd up a hill and then onto work and it went out.

 

2nd hand the cost of petrol and diesel models are roughly the same. There are many many more 2nd diesels out there.

 

Cheers, Andrew

Ignore my last post.

 

I just visited the mechanic who has repaired all our cars for the last 10 years in Jersey. He said don't get a diesel unless if it has a DPF. He has had many modern diesels in with blocked filters as has the garage down the road from him.

 

Petrol it is

 

Cheers, Andrew

1.6 TDI = 1.0 TSI

Edited 6 June, 20179 yr by Croat

My 110 PS 1.2 will quite comfortably do 80+ fully loaded on the motorway. The only time I might ever want more power is when overtaking on single carriageways, which isn't something I need to do very often.