Practically Classics Forum

I owned a Citroen C5, one of the first cars to be fitted with a DPF. The expensive oil is needed because anything non fully synthetic clogs the DPF up (allegedly) not to extend service intervals, which were the same as non-DPF cars using the cheaper stuff. The DPF doesn't need to be replaced at all, you can clean them with a pressure washer, although Citroen offered them as a service exchange at around £250. I also needed to top up the catalyst tank (at £30 a litre ) and to reset the ECU (my local independent did this for a tenner)

John, my Golf is a 2008 Bluemotion, fitted with a DPF as standard. Removing it would cause MOT failure under the new regs! I don't know when DPF legislation came in, bit I thought it was before 2008 (though I gather it was an option on earlier Mk5s).

I agree about "net hysteria" - I have always said that few people report a good item/service or whatever and only post when they have problems. I well remember a teacher going out to buy a Mazda van to convert to to a camper because the forums were full of Transit woes. I did ask how many Mazda vans he'd seen compared to trannys (vans that is), but he still went and bought the only problematic Mazda about! However, mythology doesn't explain how the breakers couldn't find me a used engine - he said they sold out very quickly - and a local VW indy (a good one!), who said that these engines are known to be problematic.

Pete - perhaps Citroen are different - most of the DPFs I've come across don't use additive, but I think it was "Honest John" that reported the need to renew, though I gather there is now at least one firm that can clean them chemically. I seem to remember he also said that technology was improving and longer service life can be as it does. That doesn't help me much at the moment - though I do let mine regenerate and it usually gets a good thrash at least once a week (and hardly does trips of less than five miles).

I agree that the "DPF" oil is different as it is supposed to reduce the soot in the oil, where ordinary semi-synthetic (as per last Golf) doesn't. However, the Mk5's owner's handbook does give two different oils for fixed and variable intervals (I will be using Castrol Edge or Quantum - VW's "aftermarket" oil). The "correct" Edge is the same for both fixed and variable according to Castrol's website - perhaps proving John's theory!

If it wasn't for the fact that I am making my new kitchen in the garage, I would get the Lady codged to make it safe to use. Mind you, Tesco's £3.00 delivery charge is probably better value!!

Bluemotion

Could the higher gearing of the Bluemotion model be responsible for any incidents involving bottom end related failures? My MK7 has a with Blue motion technology badge on the back but isn't a Bluemotion model as such mainly because that didn't come with DSG which was a must in this case, so its gearing is slightly lower in 7th than that of its Blue Motion (why can I not see that name without sniggering and thinking about festival toilets) equivalent in its highest gear, whose number I can't remember as some of the manual ones have six and some five. Do you suppose that the extremely high gearing of the Blue Motion could be too much for it, much as the "Yellow top" (high torque) 850 found in some small Reliants was teamed with a 2.7:1 diff in place of the "Red top"'s 3.23:1 in an effort to make the Rialto E a genuine 70mpg car form of transport but in practice, that particular engine became known for eating its rings and breaking its liners below the water jacket as well as not actually being as economical because people felt it labouring and would change down in an attempt to spare the poor thing.

But then my comment about Blue Motion VWs being higher geared applies to the current, 1.6 litre 16 valve short stroke ones, does the same difference also apply to earlier cars and are the failures that you mentioned only coming to light in Blue Motion models?
Either way, perhaps the most important thing of all is that the engine in Diesel Volvo V40s would appear to be a generally strong one.
So anyway, in an effort to help Rich, I asked a few people I know from the reconditioning trade what sort of demand they'd experienced for the old 1.9D as found in earlier S/V40s and the one reply that seemed to fit best included the following THREAD from a Volvo forum which involves a relatively minor issue on a fairly - but nowhere near fatally - high mileage example, this doesn't cause me to doubt that the engine or the car that comes with it should be in any way less reliable than any other Volvos such as the 120/140 B18s and B20s with their timing gear teeth issues, the B21 OHC 240s with their crank distortion and poor oil feed to the top end on ones that aren't used sufficiently or the vacuum issues that cause over revving and clutch drag on Variomatic 66s and 340s.

Any car will only be as good or as bad as the person who looks after its maintenance and Volvos are well served by loads of independent specialists who can help with parts and cheaper labour rates than main stealers. I'd be tempted by that car subject to it not misbehaving in any massive way.

You may have noticed that the whole thread is a bit off piste
i spend most of my time there
thanks for the advice chaps, just need to get some dosh together

Well if you hadn't spent all your spare pennies on diesel for your full size Tonka toy making holes in your garden....

Perhaps suffice to say that the father of a local indy VW garage owner drives a V70! He did try others (including a Rover 45), but keeps going back to Volvos.

(as an aside John, the VW engines I mentioned are also used in Skodas, Seats, Audis, Caddies and some "ordinary" Golfs)

tractorman wrote:Perhaps suffice to say that the father of a local indy VW garage owner drives a V70! He did try others (including a Rover 45), but keeps going back to Volvos.

(as an aside John, the VW engines I mentioned are also used in Skodas, Seats, Audis, Caddies and some "ordinary" Golfs)

not forgetting ford...

And of course none of the PDs fitted to Galaxies ever failed their oil pumps, did they? Food for thought there, Rich. What's that flicker in the corner of your eye that you no longer see the minute you turn your eyes toward the dashboard? That little red glowing thing, there, that's the one. Now what's that funny knocking sound? Has it always done that?

Gawd help me when the CR engine in mine gets old and frail. It has an electric this, that and the other and I'd have to sign up for a six month refresher course in AI to be able to understand the schematics for its brain. Then there's that slight judder when pulling away, is there transmission fluid on the odd clutch? Nope, can't be that 'cos it usually takes off in 2nd so there must be contamination on the even clutch too, thank goodness that the Jetta has wet clutches and a 1.9 PD engine 'cos that's the Mexican bundle of fun I'll inherit and run on corn oil and turps long after the German MK7 has been moved on in favour of a Datsun Leaf made by Mackems in Washington. OMDB I would!

TerryG wrote:Well if you hadn't spent all your spare pennies on diesel for your full size Tonka toy making holes in your garden....

everyone should have one...
john please dont depress me any more about the galaxy.. got a nasty feeling the power steering pump is poorly...
meanwhile i was out clearing rubbish from a mates garden today & managed to save 2 hedgehogs, they are now hibernating in my garage

rich. wrote:.....john please dont depress me any more about the galaxy.. got a nasty feeling the power steering pump is poorly...

OK, I won't.

rich. wrote:meanwhile i was out clearing rubbish from a mates garden today & managed to save 2 hedgehogs, they are now hibernating in my garage

Nice work with the hedgehogs. I'm veggie myself but I'm told that their meat tastes like a cross between cat and chicken so they're probably very nice served up with Hoi Sin sauce and an extra portion of number 37.

Rich the conservationist eh? So when do you take delivery of your Datsun Leaf then mate?