Technical Dpf

[stu0710]

Hi 500Lers

I usually post on the 500 or Panda sections, but my mother is considering buying either a 500L or Mini Countryman. She is considering an auto but am I right in thinking that this option is only available with the diesel engine? If so has anyone had any of the DPF issues reported with early 500's? She is likely to be driving around 10-12K miles per year (10-20 miles per day plus some longer runs at weekends although nothing at high speed and not on the M-way).

If there are issues it looks like it might have to be the Mini

 

[MJG]

Hi 500Lers

I usually post on the 500 or Panda sections, but my mother is considering buying either a 500L or Mini Countryman. She is considering an auto but am I right in thinking that this option is only available with the diesel engine? If so has anyone had any of the DPF issues reported with early 500's? She is likely to be driving around 10-12K miles per year (10-20 miles per day plus some longer runs at weekends although nothing at high speed and not on the M-way).

If there are issues it looks like it might have to be the Mini

This is snipped from the FIAT web site and would seem to indeed say currently (or soon) the auto option is diesel specific in the UK.

I don't know about the DPF issue but some body on here might. I cant recall anybody posting about it on here.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

DPF will be fine with that daily mileage, if it has the 1.6 Diesel engine then it'll be fine as its a later DPF system, and is fitting on my Bravo and I've no issue to date, driving 25 miles each way to and from work.

DPF issues will be rare if driven properly from new, normally an issue when buying used and the previous owner has mucked it up or you only do silly 2-3 mile journeys.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

the Mini Countryman is liable to exactly the same problems with the DPF so it makes little difference

 

[Blue2U]

I run a small fleet of vehicles and unless given a regular long run all can get DPF problems, the worst being an Audi A6 2.0TDi and a Range Rover Sport 3.0V6.

From these experiences I think all diesels with a DPF need a long(ish) burn off, so from what you say your Mother will probably be better with a petrol auto.

 

[JTD_Liam]

The 500L only comes in auto form with the 1.3 Multijet diesel. However, it's the new 85bhp unit used in the 2012 Punto and Alfa MiTo, not the older unit from the 500/Ypsilon/Punto Evo (95bhp) or Panda/Punto (75bhp).

I've got this engine in my 2013 MiTo & not had so much as a hint of bother so far. 90% of the 500L's I've seen on the road have been 1.3 Multijets, many of them auto's, and nobody has been along on here to comment about DPF trouble yet so I'd say as long as she takes it for a run occasionally, it'll be fine.

It was the 75 & 95bhp 1.3's and the original 2.0 Multijet in the Bravo that had problems, but I think Fiat moved the filter closer to the manifold quite quickly on most engines, so it gets hotter & requires less revs to regenerate, which means it can even regen when just idling. This might be why the problems have died down - a lot of Fiats are small so tend to sell mostly in petrol form (except the 500L) but I don't think anyone on the Alfa Forum has had DPF trouble with a MiTo or Giulietta for example, and they sell a lot more diesels.

 

[stu0710]

the Mini Countryman is liable to exactly the same problems with the DPF so it makes little difference

Except that the Mini is available as a Petrol Auto......

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I run a small fleet of vehicles and unless given a regular long run all can get DPF problems, the worst being an Audi A6 2.0TDi and a Range Rover Sport 3.0V6.

From these experiences I think all diesels with a DPF need a long(ish) burn off, so from what you say your Mother will probably be better with a petrol auto.

What age are your fleet vehicles though? DPF tech has moved on substantially in the last 3-4 years!

Most new DPF equipped vehicles just need to be up to temp and used for X period of time (even if sitting in traffic), a long journey will be best, but not essential. Earlier systems however do require runs like you say.

 

[Blue2U]

What age are your fleet vehicles though? DPF tech has moved on substantially in the last 3-4 years!

Most new DPF equipped vehicles just need to be up to temp and used for X period of time (even if sitting in traffic), a long journey will be best, but not essential. Earlier systems however do require runs like you say.

We change all after 5 years, however for some internal budgetary reason the A6 has been kept and is almost 6, the Range Rover is 11/2012, the rest are Mercedes V6 3.0CDi (S & G Class) Mercedes 2.2 CDi (E Class and Vianos), Renault 1.5 DCi Meganes, and a Porsche 3.0 Diesel Cayenne.

If just used for commuting, and I can't think of any for which that would exceed 20 minutes, they will all flash up a DPF warning after a week or so...Perhaps you're right and just leaving them to run would do the trick, but for efficiency I usually send them on a 100km round trip and it clears them.