There are still plenty of instances where diesel makes the most sense, most obviously big miles or someone who regularly tows (something heavy). The example you use is, as Rob points out, the classic example of a diesel being used in a role it isn't suited for, and so 'extra journeys' need to be made for the sake of the DPF. This is not a problem for the traveling rep doing 50k miles per annum pounding up and down the motorways.

It is very likely that only a small proportion of those who drive diesel actually need diesel. This is partly down to the government pushing everybody towards diesel back in the late 90's, but also because of the meteoric rise in popularity of the SUV, most of which, apart from some smaller ones, are diesel.

Why would anyone buy a new diesel?

Because I like the torque and driveablity of a good big diesel and it's my choice - you pays your money and you takes your pick!

I do not own a diesel and my comments are only info picked up on the forum. I agree diesel for the consumer with the correct miles is probably fine. What prompted me to comment was the HJ comment about the latest INgenium diesel or any other and the need if neceesary to run the car 10 miles or more to help save the life of a vital expensive component.. Seems a big drawback to me and as for commercial vehicles idling for long periods seems a worry to me. I drive and I also walk the main roads and emmisions are a problem, more noticeable in the recent cold weather. I wonder if readers saw that lad being towed on his toboggan behind his dads truck, I bet his lungs had an abnormal dose of exhaust probable diesel. I find a lot of the replies on here are too quick to jump to conclusions however the tech part is very informative and overall agood read!

It's in the buyers hands, or rather the buyers pocket, that the cure for this failed regen lunacy lies, whilst people continue to buy vehicles unfit for purpose, then makers will continue to churn them out.

We had this with spare wheels, people actually believed when told they didn't need a spare wheel, so spare wheels started to disappear and still these cars were bought,

We have this with frankly ridiculously wide and large wheel rims, with stupidly thin sidewalled elastic bands stretched round them, plus complimentary concrete springs and rock hard dampers, yet people can't buy these boneshakers quickly enough especially if they look aggressive or have some R or S or M badge put in place apprenatly to impress others, no i don't get it either.

Also happy to buy into electric parking brakes and robotised manual gearboxes which are ticking time bombs of eye watering bills just waiting to go off in your face....though for those who change when warranty expires it matters little, but what never ceases to amaze me is how many want thse things as used buys out of warranty, you couldn't pay me enough.

Yet for all the money people are prepared to spend out on these vehicles, some barely fit for purpose on UK's ruined roads, they baulk at having their car sensibly serviced in order to keep it running well for as long as possible, and just as they've been told they need an EPB or DSG but don't need a spare wheel, they've swallowed hook line and sinker the daft service intervals these car sellers have come up with in order to make the car appear a better bet on the balance sheet.

You couldn't make it up, £25k car set to lose some 50% or more of its purchase price in the first 3 years, yet can't possibly conceive of spending £100 on an extra oil change every other year to keep the thing running hunky dory.

Anyway back to Diesels and regens, all this need not be as it now is, it only needs as found in Euro 6 lorries, where the condition of the DPF can be monitored simply so anyone with half a brain can understand state of play on the diagnostics menu, and if a regen is needed then the driver can if they so wish either manually start a regen when conditions are right or indeed cancel one that is just about to start automatically, how on earth can the car know when a regen is best achieved, the car doesn't know where or when the vehicle is travelling, the driver does, the present system is potty and the car buyer is the one paying for the bad joke.

Its utter lunacy buying a Diesel to save money then having to drive it nowhere to satisfy some bodged up half thought out an poorly implented device, that does its own thing anyway.

The buyer has such power in this world yet doesn't use it, these makers want your money and the state wants you to repay all your earnings in tax or buying goods so they get the tax from the suppliers, one way or another the state wants what little is left in your wallet, stop giving it to them until they make vehicles that are quality products and fit for purpose, and are not just bling trinkets.

Hopefully the nasty downturn we are going into will bring some sense back into the world of cars, the industry has got a bit above itself over the last decade and the public have paying through the nose to fund them.

When I was looking for a new car about 4 years ago, every single salesperson told me that their diesel was not suitable for my usage; probably because I made a point of telling them my expected mileage. Some (volvo especially) didn't really have an alternative, so they were waving goodbye to a possible sale.

If people can't be bothered to discuss this when looking then that's their lookout

If people stop buying diesel cars then manufactuers have to offer alternate petrol models.

I'm still waiting to see how long the new generation small capacity turbo petrols will last before they start going wrong. It's feasible that some of them may be better than I think, but with the manufacturers putting cost cutting first these days I'm not that positive.

My mum still has a Morphy Richards food mixer bought in 1976. Admittedly it doesn't get a hard life now, but it was used a lot in it's early years, and still works. I can't imagine anything that you'd buy at an equivalent cost would last anything like as long these days.

I ran a Peugeot 2l HDI diesel auto for four years, on a moderate mileage, no more than 10k/annum, and never had a problem.

It is not just how many miles you drive, but how you drive it. I think part of the problem is the engines do not get warm enough. I think a warm engine, warm exhaust etc helps modern engines, and avoids expensive problems. Running at light throttle, low revs, all the time will not help.

I have just bought a 2nd hand large diesel auto, which I expect to keep about 2-4 years. I dont buy cars with a history of diesel and related problems eg VAG.