Whilst I agree that manufacturers have an obligation to inform the consumer of such limitations, which frankly are a load of old horseshit because honestly, why should a diesel car have to be driven differently to a petrol equivalent, this is not in itself a problem with Subarus. The problem is the DPF, and the emissions requirements set out by people who clearly think that cars are killing the planet.EB# wrote:I have been considering a new 2.0L diesel Outback for a little while now, but reading through this thread my intentions have certainly been placed on the back-burner, so to speak. I think it has been posted before in this thread (?), but here is an excerpt from the Subaru website regarding the diesel engine and the DPF.
..... To help alleviate this situation the DPF is subjected to computer controlled regenerative processes that raise the combustion temperature to force drive the DPF burning process. However, these regenerative processes also require an engine operating temperature that is not sustainable in a continued urban driving environment.
When this situation occurs the driver is warned via a warning light to drive the vehicle at a higher speed & load to raise the exhaust temperature so the DPF can burn the soot particles. Failure to do so will ultimately result in the DPF becoming blocked. If this happens it will possibly be necessary to replace the DPF at a significant cost (thousands of dollars).
So again it is clear that a diesel engine vehicle requires a driving style and method of use that is only suitable for longer distances and higher loads! ......
Refer:
http://www.subaru.com.au/car-advice/ben ... sel-engine
The tone of these statements, directly from Subaru, seems to suggest that the owner would perhaps be liable to cover the replacement costs of a damaged DPF inside the warranty period if the car is not driven in a 'certain fashion'. Frankly, this situation is incredulous for a mainstream manufacturer such as Subaru to be offering a car for sale with a 'caveat' of sorts on the driving style. My respect for the Subaru brand is now somewhat diminished and I am of an opinion that the diesel engine/dpf issue is problematic in both an urban and a rural environment going by the accounts in this thread.
It is obvious that the dealerships and their sales staff do not offer this information at the point of sale!
Ignoring the argument that they are or they aren't, the rules have been agreed and now just about every passenger diesel car is required to have a DPF fitted. This has been the case since about 2010 or perhaps 2009. What differs is the way the manufacturers have set them up and how they regenerate, and under what circumstances.
If you have a quick look online for DPF issues, you'll find them everywhere. Volkswagens, Volvos, Holdens, Subarus and everything in between. The manufacturers have been forced into fitting these things, and there's no easy way around it if you want to sell a diesel car.
They're compromised, they cause more problems than they solve, and I absolutely don't blame Subaru for the trouble they cause. So personally, I won't go bashing Subaru about how problematic they are. Sure, it's subaru's problem to fix in this instance (or they can get around the problem by placing the blame on the buyer), but they are not alone. If affects most diesel cars made in the last few years.
My prediction? Sales will decline rapidly as these problems become more widespread, or as dealers warn potential buyers of the need to buy a car to suit their intended use. DPFs will KILL diesel sales, which is a pity.
As for me, we've had no problems recently with ours since they cleaned the turbo out. 70/30 mix of city and freeway driving too. Not a single shudder, no warning lights, all seems to be well for now. Not holding my breath though...
