Ford Fiesta 1.6 ECOnetic Diesel 2009 DPF and week distances

[EduardoTr]

Hello y'all

I am close to buying this 2009 Ford Fiesta 1.6 ECOnetic Diesel (82k miles on the clock) (going to see it today)
Although, a mechanic friend told me that might be unwise, since on average I will be doing 5-8 miles (tops) a day during the week days and during the weekend long distances (200-300miles).
He told me the car wouldn't get to the right temperature to keep it clean.

Any inputs on this?

Also, does it already have DPF?

 

Thanks

[TomsFocus]

Well it won't regen during the week with the low mileage.  It will be able to regen at the weekend if you're doing that mileage every weekend.  It might even out and be ok overall, but its certainly a risk with the low weekday mileage.

[EduardoTr]

I see...

But do you reckon it'd supposedly be ok with that weekend mileage?

Also, does it have DPF? I've heard the 09 1.4 don't have... But I don't know about the 1.6 ECOnetic

[TomsFocus]

As I say, there's no way to tell without trying it.  Basically the soot will build up in the DPF during the week.  But then some will be burnt off at the weekend.  However, if too much builds up during the week, it won't all be able to burn off at the weekend.  That will then compound each week until the DPF becomes too full of soot to even start a regeneration (burning off).  There is no way to know exactly how much will build up as it's all down to driving style, location, temperature etc.

I'm fairly sure that car does have the DPF.  If possible, you'd be better off without a DPF with the low mileage during the week.

[EduardoTr]

I see

yeah, it's just I have been hunting for a car for quite some time and the state that this one is at, the price, insurance, tax etc looks too good :/

Can it get stoot even when it's not working?

If anything, I can always go for a 30min ride midweek (wednesday). Is 30min enough?

Also, this is from Monday to Thursday. I will do long mileage on Friday and then again on Sunday

[TomsFocus]

27 minutes ago, EduardoTr said:

I see

yeah, it's just I have been hunting for a car for quite some time and the state that this one is at, the price, insurance, tax etc looks too good :/

Can it get stoot even when it's not working?

If anything, I can always go for a 30min ride midweek (wednesday). Is 30min enough?

Also, this is from Monday to Thursday. I will do long mileage on Friday and then again on Sunday

As I say, there are too many variables to tell you that it would be fine...it's a risk we all take when buying modern diesels and doing quite low mileages, me included!   

Soot won't build up with the engine off.  But will build up with the engine idling, stop start traffic in town and driving on a cold engine is especially bad for it.  If you find that the soot is building up and causing problems, going for a 30 minute midweek drive at 60mph+ should help.  But then you have to factor in the extra fuel cost of doing that, that's an extra £3.00 or so of diesel each week.  It might be fine with your mileage, no one can say for sure.

 

[EduardoTr]

Got it...

Apart from the light signal is there any way I can check the DPF?

I am nowhere near rich, but I don't mind spending extra £3/£4 each week to avoid a £1k+ repair.

[Jethro_Tull]

That's not good.  You shouldn't regularly use it for journeys under 7 miles.  Regen occasionally on a longer run is helpful indeed, but you lose a bit of capacity each time as regens aren't 100% effective, and eventually it will cause you premature issues.  Its an inappropriate engine for the use to which you're putting it.

[EduardoTr]

So you're saying journeys under that mileage 4 days/week, then long journeys won't help? :/

Quite "sad" since the car is at a such great price 

[Jethro_Tull]

Long journeys will help, but they'll serve only to postpone the (almost)inevitable.  Particularly as its already got significant mileage, so the ash can isn't likely to be spangly clean inside.

On top of that, the clutch is probably within the last 20% of its life at that milage, which means a new DMF too, which is £600-800 sheets.  There's a reason its such a great price.

But as far as the DPF goes, the pattern of mileage you propose is inappropriate in a diesel.

[EduardoTr]

I see

I mean, I plan to own it for no longer than 2 years. I know that there are a lot of variables in play here but can I assume from your comments that it won't last that long?

Can always go for a 20-30min drive every wednesday. That should be helpful no?

[Jethro_Tull]

Its a 9 year old car with a noteworthy mileage, and several components known to be expensive and troublesome as they age, ie, DPF, turbo and DMF.  

It might save some fuel over, say, the 1.0 100/125 petrol motor, but one bit of grief is liable to wipe out any fuel saving, and then some.

Ageing hi-tech diesels are called "used hand genades" in the trade - I'd avoid it myself, unless its massively cheap. 

[EduardoTr]

got it

It seems even the regular wednesdays and long drives on weekends won't help

[Jethro_Tull]

Nothing you can do will completely eliminate the grief that regular journeys under 7 miles causes, short of fitting a new DPF.  Periodic longer journeys will mitigate it somewhat, but it won't cure it, and its already got 80+k miles of so elses soot in there.  Its at a fairly high-risk point in its age/mileage for needing some significant pennies spent on something soon, DPF, DMF and blower being common favourites.  Its also coming uo due a cambelt and bottom pulley, which is more expense.  Its cheap for a reason.

On a social level, low milage diesel use is massively polluting and contributes to a significant number of yearly deaths.

[EduardoTr]

Got it

Let's see what the car dealership has there