Should we replace our diesel Nissan Qashqai with a petrol version before we suffer DPF problems?

Hi John, my wife drives a 2007 Nissan Qashqai 2.0 dCi Acenta 4WD auto and used to cover 25,000 miles a year with work. However a change in our circumstances now means that she travels only 5,000 miles a year. We are worried about the Diesel Particulate Filter on this car as we mainly only use the car for short runs. There seems to be a huge amount of concern out there on this topic and we are not sure whether we should consider getting maybe a petrol version of the Qashqai. What are the likely problems and costs involved if we carry on as we are? We do not particularly want to change the car at this point if we do not have to, especially with winter approaching, but if potential costs are high then we might not be left with much of a choice.

Asked on 22 October 2010 by SH, via email

Answered by Honest John
Don't worry about it until it happens. If it happens, you might be able to regenerate it by taking it for a long run. If not, the dealer can force regenerate it, and may also have a software upgrade that makes the engine burn off particulates on shorter runs (though this, of course, leads to an increase in fuel consumed). If the DPF fails, a new one will set you back about £600, which is a lot less than the cost of part-exchanging your Qashqai.
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