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random car maintenance/ buying etc questions (catch-all thread)

nick

nick

Pleomorphic Adenomas R us
So
Because the car shape I favour (big estate for camping trips) only comes in diesel and I rarely drive, it is all gummed up with soot.
Local garage have done some magic to the computers and they now say - I kid you not:
I need to drive it above 60mph for at least 1 hour. (yes, speed not revs). Also, if I drop it below 60, I need to start again. This is in order for the bloody computer to decide to do some sort of magic regeneration process, to get the "crap in the system sensor" TM below 300%. Apparently I need to do this ASAP, not just when I next planned to drive somewhere.

I'm in SW2. Where is the best place this weekend where I can hope to achieve the above as efficiently as possible?


(FWIW its a 20011 e350d and the next car I get will be petrol)
 
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So I was thinking - because it is fine for the first 30 minutes of any journey, and then self-cripples. (feels a bit of a scummy trick though)

But then what to replace with ? A6? Trying to stop looking at E43 / E63 variants. (I used to have a V70 Volvo, and that was beyond tedium to drive)
 
They're telling you that you need to trigger a DPF regen. For this to happen it needs to be hot and at some speed so that it doesn't happen in urban areas. I'm not convinced about having to maintain continuous speed for an hour. 20 minutes maybe. But it has to be hot so in total it adds up.

Just find a motorway outside of peak hours.
 
nick said:
So I was thinking - because it is fine for the first 30 minutes of any journey, and then self-cripples. (feels a bit of a scummy trick though)

But then what to replace with ? A6? Trying to stop looking at E43 / E63 variants. (I used to have a V70 Volvo, and that was beyond tedium to drive)
Click to expand...

A petrol one, as diesel clearly isn’t appropriate for your usage pattern, neither in terms of keeping it in good running order, nor in terms of the better economy compensating for the higher comparative purchase cost over petrol cars, as you don’t do enough miles.
 
So in E class (if sticking with the model I know), I wonder if E200 will feel to gutless after the 350? Also they are thin on the ground.
Lots of AMG versions around, but would for cost reasons be about 5 years older and am watching out for CAT N (suspect not a great idea ). Possibly also horrendous maintenance cost?
 
nick said:
So
Because the car shape I favour (big estate for camping trips) only comes in diesel and I rarely drive, it is all gummed up with soot.
Local garage have done some magic to the computers and they now say - I kid you not:
I need to drive it above 60mph for at least 1 hour. (yes, speed not revs). Also, if I drop it below 60, I need to start again. This is in order for the bloody computer to decide to do some sort of magic regeneration process, to get the "crap in the system sensor" TM below 300%. Apparently I need to do this ASAP, not just when I next planned to drive somewhere.

I'm in SW2. Where is the best place this weekend where I can hope to achieve the above as efficiently as possible?


(FWIW its a 20011 e350d and the next car I get will be petrol)
Click to expand...

fancy a bit of a spin get on the m40 and do 70 to banbury and back
 
At the risk of stating the bloody obvious, I take it you're aware of the ultra low emission zone inside (but not on) the south circular and that mayor khan is talking about extending this to the greater london boundary in the next few years? most diesels from before 2015 don't meet the standard.

(not quite sure if you're talking about a car you've already got or are considering - may affect your purchasing / how soon you change it decision...)
 
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Interesting about this diesel particulate filter regeneration procedure.I have a crappy old petrol 1.3 Fiesta which recently failed its Mot inter alia on emissions.The chap at the garage went to great pains to explain to me that i needed to drive as fast as possible down the motorway for at least an hour,then change the engine oil and refuel with the more expensive grade of unleaded?Can he possibly have thought that my vehicle was fitted with a DPF???:hmm:
 
ah had an old astra die in the end from a dodgy egr value messing up the engine
replaced it and tried to clean the trottle body


hope you mechanic has caught it early and its sorted by a few good spins :)
 
This is an old problem, except now it’s the electronics that give it. I used to have a Fiat 124 coupe with twin twin choke Webers. Every couple of weeks they needed a god fast run to de gum. They hated slow driving around town.
 
my previous diesel car (a 1990s peugeot 205) didn't have all this fancy stuff on it.

my current car (a 2008 petrol citroen c3) occasionally beeps and comes up with 'anti pollution faulty' but that usually stops after a couple of re-starts.
 
Empty car park. Full lock left on the steering wheel, then lash it to the handbrake with a rope. Breezeblock on the accelerator, broom handle on the clutch, then get out the car and remove both the broom handle and yourself as quickly as possible. The car will just do doughnuts until it runs out of fuel.
 
It's all too complex these days <tamps down pipe slowly, and harrumphs gently to himself>

Took it for a boring spin to Ashford and back last night, via the M23. Had it at a steady 65 most of the way - apart from one roundabout I hadn't factored in.
Bastard still decided half way there that it didn't want to go above 5th gear or accelerate.

Off to the hand car wash before webuyanycar come to take a look.


To various points.
It's diesel, so I'm not gonna put unleaded in it, even better quality .
Yep aware of the ULEZ - currently cost me 12.50 if I want to go more than 100m from the front door. Annoying, but shouldn't make a buying decision only on that as immaterial considering how little I drive (4000 miles pa). However, next one will be ULEZ compliant. (and petrol )
Would consider electric, but no driveway or guarantee of parking outside etc house
 
Webuyanycar will give you fuck all for it.

Def time to get rid. Facebook Marketplace is a fast option for better money though. Or PX it when you get something bit newer. Farewell dirty old diesel!
 
Ax^ said:
no petrols have EGR valves which are just as as shitty
Click to expand...

Diesel engines have EGR usually from the turbo wastegate.

Modern petrol engine have PPFs downstream of the cat but they seem to cause less issues than DPFs.
 
Agree.
So,
after load space and something that won't fall apart. In Petrol
I see a few A6 and e class around the 25-30k mark What else to consider (a4 / C class too small. I don't really like Volvo)?. Thinking I don't really want to spend 25k , but.....

(Mundano? Big Skoda? - accept that everyone has SUVs and go for an outlander type monstrosity?)

Is someone able to point me at a resource that ranks cars by load space please?
 
Last edited:
Thx.
Yeah looking at superb on auto trader and Passat. Assuming they are both well made these days?
Out for a cycle today and stopped to look in the lots in plough lane.
Ford didn’t have a single mundano.
Sat in a 5008. Nice cockpit , but too MPV for me. Also only a 1.2 engine - my penis is far too small to be sble to drive that
 
Riklet said:
Webuyanycar will give you fuck all for it.

Def time to get rid. Facebook Marketplace is a fast option for better money though. Or PX it when you get something bit newer. Farewell dirty old diesel!
Click to expand...

Most scrapyards will give you a better quote than webuyanycar.
 
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