harrybarry Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Rite Chaps, I am thinking or changing my wheels but have a bit of a conundrum, I only do very short trips and offended, I work only a mile away from where I live the local shops are less I do the odd fishing trip and the odd trip to the forest with the mountain bikes. My problem is I could do with a van but have been told short trips will would not suit a Diesel and will end up with problems ? Has anyone had problems with diesels on short runs or am I over thinking it. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glb8686 Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 The premium you'll pay for the Diesel van over the petrol won't be returned in fuel savings for one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Depends on the age of the van, as much as anything. Anything 3 years old or less will have a DPF, and that sort of short runs all the time will choke it within a few thousand miles. Some vans and cars had DPFs from 2005 or so, it varies when they came in. My inclination, with your day-to-day use, is to say petrol. It might be a pain in the aris, and you'll hate the fuel cost on your occasional long trips, but it'll be a lot less grief in the long run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Diesel, because once started the Diesel engine does not required extra fuel to burn in a cold engine, whereas a petrol requires more fuel until up to running temp. Your journey is short and therefore a petrol engine would be running on "choke", as it used to be, for the entire journey massively reducing mpg The wife is in the same predicament working a mile away, I could not believe how much fuel a 1lt corsa would go through! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 As far as the dpf is concerned a 20 min run at temp will clean it up, twice a month would suffice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Petrol all the way for less than 15000 miles a year as a rule, but does depend on age of vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Petrol all the way for less than 15000 miles a year as a rule, but does depend on age of vehicle.Could you explain why please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrybarry Posted January 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 It will be an older car/van, not that fussed about MPG, its more will a diesel cope will such short trips . I have a 2.4 type s Honda so I only get 20 mpg anyway from what I am reading would a petrol van say a 1.4 might be the answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clakk Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 go diesel i had a 2lt petrol volvo 25 to the gallon ,now i have a 1.7cdti astra 55 to the gallon.i do 12000 miles a year and in 3 months ive saved a fortune with no issues .70 quid a week in fuel is now 40 and as the man says just go for a blast a couple of times a month.atb clakk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 If it's an older van you'll be looking at, then I'd have a look at something like a Kangoo diesel van. Reasonably comfortable, quite a bit of space, and they'll do 50 mpg without driving like a nun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 (edited) It will be an older car/van, not that fussed about MPG, its more will a diesel cope will such short trips . I have a 2.4 type s Honda so I only get 20 mpg anyway from what I am reading would a petrol van say a 1.4 might be the answer. Regardless of age trip distance will not affect a diesel, diesels fitted with a dpf will need a run to clean out, but then so does a petrol cat! An older diesel is unlikely to be fitted with a dpf Petrols are hideous mpg wise for very short journeys Edited January 6, 2014 by Paul223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 (edited) Some years ago I had a Pug 205 it was only an 1100cc and as with you my work was only about 2 miles away shops about the same I was amazed at how frugal it was to run it would be weeks before it needed filling up if it is only a small car type van that you are thinking about I would go for a petrol. Having said that I changed my big 4x4 for a suzuki vitara 1.6 thinking that I would save on petrol bills only to find it was rubbish on petrol so I went back to a big one I do like my comfort. There is one other option you could get a push bike to go to work on and for light shopping then with the money that you are saving buy a nice big 4x4 Edited January 6, 2014 by four-wheel-drive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Could you explain why please? It was mentioned on R4 not long back, there was some RAC/AA adviser bloke who said people who only are likely to do short journeys and low mileage would be better with a petrol. I have no idea why, as, as far I'm concerned engines are witchcraft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 (edited) It was mentioned on R4 not long back, there was some RAC/AA adviser bloke who said people who only are likely to do short journeys and low mileage would be better with a petrol. I have no idea why, as, as far I'm concerned engines are witchcraft. Iirc that is based on the price of NEW comparable cars, their usage of fuel (manufactures urban figures) service costs and resale value, with of course the derv car being considerably more to purchase, having higher resale value (why is that?), coming out on top by a couple hundred quid per year over 3 years if your doing 10k or more, any less millage and it might not be worth the initial higher outlay We're talking a used small van that won't be getting anything like urban figures! Edited January 6, 2014 by Paul223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrybarry Posted January 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Some years ago I had a Pug 205 it was only an 1100cc and as with you my work was only about 2 miles away shops about the same I was amazed at how frugal it was to run it would be weeks before it needed filling up if it is only a small car type van that you are thinking about I would go for a petrol. Having said that I changed my big 4x4 for a suzuki vitara 1.6 thinking that I would save on petrol bills only to find it was rubbish on petrol so I went back to a big one I do like my comfort. There is one other option you could get a push bike to go to work on and for light shopping then with the money that you are saving buy a nice big 4x4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyNCC Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Modern diesels are ALL rubbish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poorpeet Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 I believe the issue with diesels on short trips is to do with the turbo rather than the DPF. It will knacker the bearings & seals apparently. found this out after buying a low mileage diesel & having to call out the AA when it went 2 months later. Can't recall the exact reason but he said it always happens to low mileage diesels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaconBoy Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 a nice big 4x4 like a 3.9 petrol/lpg discovery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88b Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 I can see where Paul 223 is coming from, and if you want a Transit sized van I doubt you can get anything but a diesel. If you want a smaller van I'd go with a petrol, purely based on service and repair costs, plus diesel is always a few pence a litre more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 I believe the issue with diesels on short trips is to do with the turbo rather than the DPF. It will knacker the bearings & seals apparently. found this out after buying a low mileage diesel & having to call out the AA when it went 2 months later. Can't recall the exact reason but he said it always happens to low mileage diesels.Variable vanes tend to coke up and jam, nowt to do with seals or bearings, more to do with not enough right foot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaconBoy Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 bit off topic,are 2004 Vauxhall movano's (3500 2.5 cdti)any good allround? cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deker Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Hi, Stick with petrol if you only do low miles, modern diesels (2004 onwards) have Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR ) valves to reuse the exhaust gas and tends to carbon up pretty quickly if you only do short trips, the carbon build up eventually hits the turbo (if it has one) so the repairs get expensive, some of the newer cars also have the Diesel Particle Filters (DPF) as mentioned and those don't like short trips either. If you do get one it's possible to bypass both the EGR and the DPF but it'll cost money (especially the DPF) so take that into consideration too. Regards Deker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yod dropper Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Have a look at Honest John online (Telegraph), lots of threads and lots of comments. Problems for a modern diesel likely to be DPF and DMF depending on use. Some makes and models or year of manufacture better than others, repairs such as injectors can get very expensive on modern diesels. Check out specific issues on what you might consider, by model and year, e.g. early Volvo V70; injector problems (denied by Volvo but they changed the design), early years Subaru diesels; DPF problems (later moved nearer engine for increased temperatures and burn off), Nissan X Trail (2.2DCi); turbo problems (from engine being turned off before turbo cool down - still spins but no oil). Sometimes not every model is affected though. Modern petrol engines are much better than they used to be, but it depends on your budget. I don't know a great deal about van models or their problems if they have any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westward Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I agree with most of the above. Modern diesels do give good mpg with low emissions but they don't like continual short journeys because the built in DPF maintenance cycle needs a monthly 20 miles or so run at motorway speed to regenerate itself. My local servicing shop charges £45 to regenerate a DPF and they do a nice trade from the local pensioners and young mums who've been conned by the fuel consumption stats into buying a modern diesel. A mate has an 'X' reg diesel Astra van with 162K on the clock which I borrow occasionally. It only ever does really short local runs and not only gives no trouble but it's brilliant on fuel too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/topic/271685-peugeot-partner-escapade/ Could be ideal..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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