Chokers to the right

My 07 Zafira CDTi is actually a very fine car - except for one big problem, which is damaging to the urban-travel families the car is aimed at. I live in an city area surrounded by a rookery of revenue cameras - but Vauxhall, to "comply" with EU Emissions, have fitted this car with a diesel particulate filter that demands you should take it onto a motorway every week or two and trash it for 20 minutes without going below 50 / 60 mph to clear the DPF. So I have to make otherwise unnecessary motorway drives just to keep the car going. You feel like the guy in that film Speed who will blow up if he goes too slowly. Since I am burning up 100 miles a month of un-needed mileage and fuel, is this the stupidest bit of EU motoring law ever?

Asked on 9 May 2009 by

Answered by Honest John

Yes, that's a fact, and particularly true of the Alfa Romeo 1.9 diesel in the Zafira. It's why many mini cabbers have gone over to petrol Astras and Zafiras. Efficiency and emission control devices have made modern diesel used in an urban environment so prone to expensive failures they are more expensive to run than cars with petrol engines. I’ve had three reports of Zafira 1.9 diesels choking their DPFs this week.

Tags: dpf technical issues diesels owning

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