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  Rising cramp 1 Oct 2011 (Ask HJ)
  My Volvo XC70 SE D5 AWD is 30 months old and has done 26,500 miles. I've just received two recall notices. One for a software upgrade because the oil level...
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  Diesel additives 6 May 2011 (Ask HJ)
  Today's diesel fuel is low sulphur - an EU requirement for polution control - but sulphur helps lubricate the fuel system. I have been told that by adding...
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  Buying a small family car, automatic, with good fuel economy for under £10k. What would you suggest? 17 Jan 2011 (Ask HJ)
  I have up to £10,000 to spend on a used car. My wife, who will do most of the driving, can only use automatics. We will do less than 8000 miles per year,...
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  Dies foolish things? 4 Sep 2010 (Ask HJ)
  I have owned a Jaguar S Type from new since October 2003 and am now considering changing to a new XF Premium Luxury 3.0 diesel. I have never thought Diesel...
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  What would you recommend for my son's first car for 15,000 miles per year? 7 Aug 2010 (Ask HJ)
  My son has just graduated and is starting his first job, which will involve driving approximately 15,000 miles pa. He is to be given a car allowance of...
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  Amazzed 5 Jun 2010 (Ask HJ)
  A conundrum. It’s time to part with my nearly 8-year-old super Mazda 626 GSI SE that’s been faultless and consider a replacement. Any ideas? I’m 6’, 65...
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  The sin of lus 6 Feb 2010 (Ask HJ)
  Recently I purchased an Alfa 159 Lusso JTDM 1.9 SportWagon. Its lovely to drive in every respect, except after 600 miles (3 motorway journeys) all at normal...
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  Distance relative 25 Jan 2010 (Ask HJ)
  My wife and I wish to replace our automatic car, which is now only used for short journeys covering approximately 2,000 miles annually. Reading your weekly...
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  Apulling prospect 23 May 2009 (Ask HJ)
  We are looking for a new car 4 wheel drive car or estate car, but not an SUV to tow our caravan. We drive about 6,000 miles a year of which at least 3,000...
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  We need a large MPV, but do low mileage - what do you recommend? 1 Jan 2018 (Ask HJ)
  We have four children and are struggling with our Citroen C4 Grand Picasso. We need a secondhand replacement with space and a decent boot, so very few...
• Which used estate would you buy-petrol or diesel? 26 Aug 2016 (Forum)
  I did have a Mazda 3 2007 1.6 Diesel and (I'm guessing here...) due to my driving habits, short commute etc, I experienced terrible and expensive DPF problems. The whole experience has REALLY put me off ever owning another diesel. I am really only considering it because of my increased mileage on the horizon.  Can anyone tell me if the newest versions of the cars above suffer from DPF issues if they are driven on short commutes?
• Used estate/MPV - holy grail sought. 16 Mar 2013 (Forum)
  I may be wrong but I get the impression that the Ford DPF's are a bit more tolerant of non-motorway/high revs. miles than some others so maybe the diesel option isn't ruled out. Having said that, I believe that many modern petrol engines are heading in the same hugely complicated direction, so they may actually be no better an option for someone like me.
• When was ‘peak petrol’? 27 Jan 2024 (Forum)
  Common rail or PD injection systems that give relatively quiet running, easy cold starting, plenty of torque, tall gearing, decent fuel economy and none of the emissions related DPF and AdBlue problems that blight newer diesels. …but when was/is peak petrol? The demise of new internal combustion engines over the next decade or two could suggest that we’ve not peaked yet, but a lot of future investment will be spent on EV, hydrogen etc.
• Economy run 12 Sep 2023 (Forum)
  Pug 207SW diesel 1.6 HDi, 83K miles, no DPF.  Last Thursday did round trip Fordsham - Shrewsbury - Wenlock - Craven Arms and return by A49, 140 miles, mostly A roads with about 20% B roads, mostly light traffic, with short hold-up on Shrewsbury east bypass.
• Mitsubishi L200 - L200 noise help 11 Jul 2022 (Forum)
  This is when driving and also when in neutral revving the engine. A local garage has had a look and they think it could be the DPF causing the noise. They informed me they took the turbo apart to see if anything there is causing it and they put a smoke machine on the car to see if any holes are present, they could not find any issues.
• Renault Captur 1.3 Red Edition - Can this be real? I’m impressed with a French Car 11 Jul 2021 (Forum)
  One question has any one had any experience of the 0.9 petrol. Is it four cylinder and is the diesel beset with DPF problems if used locally ?
• Mazda 3 1.5 petrol - Mazda 3 to buy or not to buy 10 Apr 2021 (Forum)
  Are there any potential problems or things I need to look out for for this at this age (5 years) and mileage.  I am aware of DPF problems on the diesel versions of these cars but wondered if there are any known issues with the petrol engines. The car is only likely to do around 5k a year and so I am happy to get a higher mileage car provided its mechanically sound and reliable.
• Skoda Fabia - Buying 57 plate fabia 1.9 tdi pd2 12 Aug 2020 (Forum)
  I have a 51 plate fabia 1.9 tdi pd its got 280k ans runs fine unfortunately abs pump has failed. I guess time for newer car. I have found 57 plate non dpf tdi pd 1.9.  Is there a way to find out if this is the same ultra reliable engine in my previous car? Do i have to look at bhp or other spec? If so how do i find this out? I have tried googling but dont know what I'm looking for.
• 1 Dec 2019 (Forum)
  To demonstrate this fact, the law firm below currently enjoys a 100% success rate in achieving just outcomes for such owners in ombudsman hearings https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/land-rover-dpf-issues-oil-dilution-philip-harmer-mciarb/ https://www.dropbox.com/s/d0bcrd7sve4l598/D8_Dilution_Explained.pdf?dl=1
• KIA Pro_Cee'd - MOT emissions fail - Scrap or Not 6 Jul 2019 (Forum)
  My Kia has just failed its MOT on emissions - no doubt like many others recently - garage said it came back as 4 on the test (seen a limit of 3.0 mentioned on some posts) - the garage said they could add cleaner but it would not get it under the limit and it needs a new filter which would be over £1000 plus possibly injectors at £600 - and even then it may not fix the issue. Have i got any hope of giving the car to one of these DPF cleaning companies (Halfords do it i've seen)  or is this reading way of the scale and I may as well scrap the car as its only worth £2500 - its worth more to me on the road so willing to gamble up to £300  tthanks for any advice