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Is a seven mile journey enough to allow my BMW 320d's DPF to regenerate?

I drive a BMW 320d and was interested in your response to the email from EJ, Market Rasen concerning the burning off of diesel particulates. What do you consider to be a short journey? I travel seven miles to town and then return home. Is this round trip a “short journey” for my car?

Asked on 26 October 2013 by DP, Newark,

Answered by Honest John
That's just about long enough. I tested this on three return runs from my house to Heathrow, each at well below zero last winter (so 6 starts from cold) in a 320d. After the last one I could feel and smell the DPF regenerating when I got home. Normally, in normal distance driving, I would never notice because the DPF would easily burn off the soot.
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