Problem is that most SUVs to return acceptable mpg, are diesel. And most of the SUVs are used for school run or other short trips. A fatal combination.

When I decided for my CX5, the only reason for choose a diesel is because, at the time, a petrol automatic wasn't available. But to minimize the problems, my shortest trips are 10-12 miles, always drive until the regeneration finishes, and using only Shell V-Power.

A lot of requirements, right? Well, that's the price for driving a diesel nowdays.

And for someone driving less than 10-12k miles per years, a heavy 2.0 or 3.0 diesel won't be much more cheaper than a 2.0 petrol mid-sized vehicle. If instead my £40 weekly fuel bill I had to spend £60, an extra £1000 per year still reasonable, considering the maintenance costs and the inicial price.

So if someone buys a huge SUV, diesel, just to drive down 2 blocks to Waitrose or the School. too bad. You have more money than common sense.

'Firstly, every vehicle engine needs an oil and filter change at least every year or every 10,000 miles whatever the manufacturer may say.' That isn't always the case. It depends on the engine, the engine oil and the way the car is used. Some cars might need to have an oil change every 6 months/5,000 miles. Some cars might manage 20,000 miles/24 months before an oil change is needed.

He said AT LEADT ..(I.e) minimum requirements.. Therefore these may have to be more frequent but not less..

For a modern car, other than a supercar, will not need a service at less than 10k miles or 1 year. I can understand that for some cars that are well over 20 years old (I remember looking at a mid 90s petrol Civic that required services every 6k/1yr min.

If I was doing a LOT of driving - say over 40k miles pa, even in a diesel and mkost of it motorway miles, I would, if it were my own car, seriously consider at least getting the oil and filter changed every 5-6k in between 'normal' service intervals, just to keep the car in tip-top condition.

In the grand scheme of things, an intermediate oil change, even in the UK where its relatively expensive compared to North America and more affluent parts of Asia, is well worth it for well-used cars or high-end/rare ones you want to keep long term - they'll give far less trouble (assuming they don't rot [eventually]) if you do. That's why, despite many of their cars being of poor quality (IMHO) many US-designed and built cars regularly run to several 000k miles no problem. Much cheaper to keep them well oiled with quality stuff than have to suddenly fork out £5k - £20k for a new or reconditioned engine for your beloved motor.

If I'm driving steady speed and pace, flat road, if the instant mpg drops to 20's or less, without reason, a regen is happening. As you expect the person driving the car daily can feel the engine a bit heavier, easy to spot. For sure a warning light would be better, but just imagine the queue of LRs and Q7s at the dealers when such warning pops out? People don't read manuals, don't use common sense. At least I hope the electric cars would somehow simplify the ownership of a vehicle. One can only hope.

Today is the era of people who are lazy/stupid and don't do their homework when buying a car, because for many they are a fashion item. And they wonder why they have no money half the time or are deep in debt...

"Ooof! A bit harsh."

I have started to notice an increasing trend towards irascibility from HJ, I must admit. Could it be a spot of angina setting in? ;-)

I think he's starting to get fed up with people who continually write to him about issues with:

• VAGs, especially dieselgate-related or DSG twin clutch boxes;
• Fords with similar problems to the DSG - generally people who think that twin clutch 'auto' gearboxes can be used in slow moving traffic without reliability penalty, when they were designed for performance use at decent speeds and not in heavy, slow-moving traffic jams;
• JLR diesel cars or 4x4s generally bought for fashion reasons or shod on low profile summer tyres that get stuck in light snowy conditions when, for the most part, a standard FWD car shod on 55 profile or above decent all-season or (when required) winter tyres would do better;
• People who STILL buy diesel-powered cars for use on predominantly short urban trips from cold and then whose cars suffer from continual DPF and oil related issues;
• Tales of woe after completely believing the sale hype at the dealership or 'official mpg figures' and why they should only be used to relatively compare cars only, not what you'll get once you buy it, and why they should get their money back even though a short bit of (easy) research would've saved them from all the grief.

I think he is starting to believe he's talking to a proverbial brick wall. He's not the only one either - we on the forums are seeing more and more of these idiots, plus many of the 'I want to buy a 10-15yo German sports saloon for peanuts' thinking it'll be a 'safe buy' and 'cheap to run' for their average to low annual, urban mileage, especially if its a diesel, as it gives better mpg than a petrol engine...(and they haven't budgeted for repairs, insurance, yadda yadda).

Its like the nation has got more stupid in the last 20 years. I can see why so many professionals (like myself) and comfortably-off over 50s are emigrating in such large numbers, especially if so many of those under 40 think the likes of JC (no, not Clarkson, the OTHER ONE) are the second coming.