petrol or diesel

[javaman]

Well after a few weeks reading through this forum and others ... struggling to decide.

I was originally looking at getting 2.7D s-type. Greater choice Hadnt worked out what trim yet but no matter.

Then unfortunately I googled S-type diesel problems and came up against the dreaded DPF problems which seem to effect lots of Oil burners these days.

I don't do a lot of miles and my daily commute is about 5 miles each way. The last 2 diesel I had didn't have DPF filters but were barley warm during the winter months when I arrived in my works carpark.

So would I be better of looking for a petrol powered s-type. Would have to be the lowered taxed better fuel economy models though.

On the other hand I can change my route to work and travel on motorways for a few miles longer to let the car heat up. Plus I can always take the car a thrash it up to 70 mph evrey few days to help out.

So any suggestions, comments etc to help me on my way.

Thanks

Garry

 

 

 

[JOE-DOT-COM]

Hi Garry

Diesels are generally better if your doing more millage and with DPF filters now days they need regular runs or to be driven sportily to keep that DPF free, but there more and more popular these days, as people see the mpg's they offer and lot of folks looking after the pennies have them,

If your one who does low miles, like your commute, 5 miles, a diesel wont even warm up, you wont even put back in the battery what you took out of it, starting it.

personally I'd go with a Petrol, but the diesel will feel faster, more torque from the diesel, also if your buying a diesel, make sure it has the DPF still fitted, a lot of diesels in the past few years have had the dpf's removed and mapped out, which was great, but from may 2017, all diesels that left the factory with a dpf will be tested at mot time to check that the dpf actually works.

I'd test drive both and see which you like most and take it from there.

there's lot of folk on here with diesel and some must use them just for local miles, hopefully they will tell us what there like to live with

cheers

Joe

[Old Peter]

Hi Garry,

I have a 2.7 diesel on an 07 plate, and I have never had a problem with the DPF in the last 3 and a half years of ownership.  I don't do a big mileage - under 7000 miles a year, but it doe get a longish run  40 miles or so once a month.

I also use an additive to clean the DPF  and the EGR valves.

However, Joe is quite right if you are only using your car for a daily drive to work,  but as I don't  work any more and enjoy the days out in he car, and in the winter I do give it a spell on the battery charger every couple of weeks.

The plus of the 2.7 diesel is that it has great acceleration and does return a good mpg, with 49.2 mpg on the drive down to Dorset a few weeks ago.

The 2.7 also has an auxiliary heater to heat the cabin, and when we go out to Lichfield - 12 miles away, it will normally reach operating temperature after 7 or 8 miles.

Regards,

Peter. 

[BigM]

I've had my 2007 2.7 d sport (loves to be driven exuberantly) for 8 months now and like you my daily trip to work is only a few miles, approx 4.5. Half of it is at 20 mph and half is stop start at about 5mph. Temperature gauge never reaches half way and I've had no problems with either egr valves nor dpf. HOWEVER, I do take it for a 25+ mile blast on the weekends to get some heat into the dpf, to blow the pipes through and to charge the battery, but mainly because I like driving it. I don't care too much about mpg figures as I measure my enjoyment by smiles per gallon...ha (Best mpg has been about 38). I should also add that I only use Shell V Power nitro plus fuel and once every 5 weeks I do a 300 mile round trip using mainly motorways. Just one more thing to note, a couple of weeks after I bought the car I had it Terra cleaned for piece of mind.

Cheers 

Mark

[Guest]

I do 30 mile round commute in my 2.7d sport.  , I have averaged about 34 mpg over last 7 months. I just had to have an EGR valve replaced as it packed in, but even at 90000 miles it was clean. I always use the better fuels mainly shell v power. i have had no problems with the dpf and it seems to work ok.

[javaman]

Thanks for the input guys.

Gave me somethings to think about.

Been having a browse through the car classifieds and seems there are a lot more diesels than petrols out there.

Still early days.

Garry

[stanboy]

A lot more were purchased for some reason. lol

[Russ68]

I have the 3.0 V6 petrol and it's an awesome engine, especially in the manual Sport configuration I have. I average 25mpg all in, although this could be over 30mpg on a run if driven sensibly. Any S-Type you buy will need a little spent on it to keep tiptop, whether it be factoring in coil packs and plugs for the petrol or DPF / EGR / timing belts on the diesel. I've considered mine a rolling restoration, and while I've spent quite a bit on maintenance this year, this is an investment in my view and I don't regret it 

Make sure you check the bodywork for rust, particularly the sills...

[Simjag]

Only 5 miles each way, then it's got to be a petrol!   Get a 4.2 V8.

[Leo]

It seems to me that the DPF problem is talked about a very great deal, but we hear of very few actual cases where it becomes a real issue.

When I had the XF3.0D S I was pretty paranoid about it, but even though my daily commute was a stop start 7 miles, and long runs came only every couple of months or so, I never had any actual problem.

I did love the car, but sold it when I retired because I was going to be doing even less miles, and was worried about the DPF.

So I am just like so many others who view the issue with great concern, but I suspect that we are all much more concerned than we need to be.

I don't regret it though: I bought an XK150 instead, and it is totally impossible for me to regret doing that! 

[Russ68]

Ha ha, that's the spirt David, so we're advising Gary to forget diesels and get a petrol S-Type Sport or 4.2V8, or perhaps an XK150? Sounds good to me 

[Old Peter]

On 07/12/2016 at 8:25 PM, Old Peter said:

Hi Garry,

I have a 2.7 diesel on an 07 plate, and I have never had a problem with the DPF in the last 3 and a half years of ownership.  I don't do a big mileage - under 7000 miles a year, but it doe get a longish run  40 miles or so once a month.

I also use an additive to clean the DPF  and the EGR valves.

However, Joe is quite right if you are only using your car for a daily drive to work,  but as I don't  work any more and enjoy the days out in he car, and in the winter I do give it a spell on the battery charger every couple of weeks.

The plus of the 2.7 diesel is that it has great acceleration and does return a good mpg, with 49.2 mpg on the drive down to Dorset a few weeks ago.

The 2.7 also has an auxiliary heater to heat the cabin, and when we go out to Lichfield - 12 miles away, it will normally reach operating temperature after 7 or 8 miles.

Regards,

Peter. 

Just to save repetition --- But I would add a couple of thoughts.  The DPF is getting the same sort of infamity [have I invented a word] that the Catalytic converter got in the seventies. There is no reason for the fear of it sooting up.  A bit of preventative maintenance can make sure that it does not get full of soot.  The burning off can be done in about 20 minutes every three or four weeks, and also there are several very efficient additives on the market, which, combined with premium fuel will make sure you never get the message that your DPF is full.

Peter.

[Leo]

2 hours ago, Russ68 said:

Ha ha, that's the spirt David, so we're advising Gary to forget diesels and get a petrol S-Type Sport or 4.2V8, or perhaps an XK150? Sounds good to me 

That is not exactly what I intended, but I would never advise against any of those: All great choices! 

[Russ68]

15 hours ago, Russ68 said:

Ha ha, that's the spirt David, so we're advising Gary to forget diesels and get a petrol S-Type Sport or 4.2V8, or perhaps an XK150? Sounds good to me 

In case it wasn't clear, I was being a bit tongue in cheek! I'm sure the diesels are great as well, and if I was doing a lot of miles, an S-Type diesel with a remap to make it similar power to the 3.0 petrol, would be a great choice I'm sure