Short journeys and Cali's

[2into1]

I'm tempted to re-enter Cali land, but am worried by the idea that my repeated short journeys (and the odd long one) will kill a modern diesel engine with all it's emissions tech.

I've spent my years oscillating between having (diesel) Cali as my only vehicle and my current situation of having a Ducato motorhome and a small Lexus hybrid for local journeys. I enjoy the hybrid car's ability to do the 10 min drives to mix up the daily dog walks and fetch shopping etc seemingly without harm. I like the idea of having a Cali again so I can mix up my camper holidays with Airbnbs and hotels without feeling guilty leaving the motorhome at home.

Looking at the Cali market, I prefer the T6 for camping but obviously they are virtually all diesel. The Multivan Cali offers some advantages for carrying my E-MTB inside, but the added length and reduced camping ability argue against it, but it's easier to find petrol and PHEV versions that would remove my short everyday journey worries.

So I'm left wondering, does many short cold engine trips really kill diesels? It will be bought with the aim to keep it a while, beyond the 5 year warranty period. My last adventure in Cali land was with a 2006 model, which did hit dpf and clogged egr problems, but it was 18 years old with 130k miles. How are newer models doing?

Thanks

 

[sidepod]

Tricky one. If it was me I’d make sure the oil was changed regularly, at the most every 6k due to the regen dilution thing.

You could also get the engine heater flashed so you could pre warm the engine which would help?

 

[Dave bee]

My T5.1 did a lot of short journeys as a daily plus long distance too. I regularly had to do fast, high rev 5 mile ish runs to get the dpf light off the dash, it worked but was a pain! My T6 regularly does short journeys and a regular 50 mile journey once a fortnight with no issues. Longer runs are less frequent but all good, come back to the fold

 

[sidepod]

Just make sure you regularly rev the tits off it whilst held in a low gear/foot to the floor. These engines rarely rev beyond 2.5k if left to their own devices!!

 

[WelshGas]

I'm tempted to re-enter Cali land, but am worried by the idea that my repeated short journeys (and the odd long one) will kill a modern diesel engine with all it's emissions tech.

I've spent my years oscillating between having (diesel) Cali as my only vehicle and my current situation of having a Ducato motorhome and a small Lexus hybrid for local journeys. I enjoy the hybrid car's ability to do the 10 min drives to mix up the daily dog walks and fetch shopping etc seemingly without harm. I like the idea of having a Cali again so I can mix up my camper holidays with Airbnbs and hotels without feeling guilty leaving the motorhome at home.

Looking at the Cali market, I prefer the T6 for camping but obviously they are virtually all diesel. The Multivan Cali offers some advantages for carrying my E-MTB inside, but the added length and reduced camping ability argue against it, but it's easier to find petrol and PHEV versions that would remove my short everyday journey worries.

So I'm left wondering, does many short cold engine trips really kill diesels? It will be bought with the aim to keep it a while, beyond the 5 year warranty period. My last adventure in Cali land was with a 2006 model, which did hit dpf and clogged egr problems, but it was 18 years old with 130k miles. How are newer models doing?

Thanks

And don't forget the Diesel Adblue system, expensive to repair, and they do go wrong.
If you are keeping the Motorhome then the T7 California in Tsi or Hybrid form would be the ideal accompanying option.
I'm sure you would adapt to the 50cm increased vehicle length .

 

[Perfectos]

DYOR on the wet belt system employed in the current VW engines.

 

[Jay586]

I just got a wee Up to go with the Cali. Lots of fun, tsi.

 

[2into1]

If you are keeping the Motorhome then the T7 California in Tsi or Hybrid form would be the ideal accompanying option.

Thanks WG. The plan would be to sell the motorhome and pocket the storage, insurance, maintenance costs etc towards some more Airbnbs. I'd have a Cali to use as intended for nice weather camping (we are retired so can pick and choose when we go). Hence the greater camping ability of the T6 etc is a pull, but most of the time it would be on 'only car' duties.

 

[2into1]

I just got a wee Up to go with the Cali. Lots of fun, tsi.

Yes. I'm trying to get to one vehicle for simplicity's sake (hence by forum name reflecting many years of struggle). I did see Harry's Garage review the new electric Panda last night, so something like that might be the other angle

 

[FivetonesCali]

DYOR on the wet belt system employed in the current VW engines.

Only in the transit-derived Transporter diesels. The 2.5 PHEV has a chain.

The “T7” Cali’s are Multivan based and don’t have a wet belt.

To the original topic: I’d avoid the bi-turbo models as a precaution these seem more vulnerable to short journey issues (have a look on the T6 Forum for details).

 

[AdamsFamily]

Ours is the daily commute for her good self. 5 miles considered short?
Either way, it gets taken out weekends for a good belt just in case.
2 years in, a tad over 12k on the clock with second service imminent (not that they do much) and *touches wood* trouble free.

 

[hirsty]

I’d prefer to do more miles than fewer, and have read many comments here to same (most from Paul!) but so far / so good for me.

my early T6 / 65-plate has only 61K miles - many of them 12-mile return trips, with the odd 200-miler and a couple of 1,500+ tours a year.

I’ve got through more scored brake discs than I’d have liked, but no diesel or adblue issues yet touch wood.

 

[temporarysecretary]

Its certainly the wrong vehicle to buy with the intention of doing lots of short journeys.

A cheap run about, with a few years tax and insurance costs less than 1 DPF. You can also park it anywhere at the supermarket/airport/gym/city centre and not worry about it.

I think every household needs a banger

 

[sidepod]

You know you just want another 4, just admit it

 

[2into1]

You know you just want another 4, just admit it

If I could have a few of my old ones back....I would

 

[sidepod]

If I could have a few of my old ones back....I would

…..oooh schoolboy error!

 

[Lost Boy]

I went for the 2 extremes, again only me really to consider but the van for the long journeys/holidays/weekends away etc and the Lotus for the short stuff and of course the summer. I feel like I have the best of both worlds, albeit Lotus lives in a garage when not in use.

 

[sidepod]

I think driving the Cali as a daily (or similar) would just do my head in! It’s a lovely drive but only on Euro roads, not in the UK.

 

[larrylamb]

. I did see Harry's Garage review the new electric Panda last night, so something like that might be the other angle

I watched that, there are some cracking small electric cars around now, perfect for all the local stuff. 18-20k for a pre reg/ex demo.

 

[sidepod]

£20k for a little runabout , that’s funny.
Alternative, £1500 on a Polo diesel. It’ll still be worth that when you’re done.

 

[FivetonesCali]

Nah, another diesel for local when diesel is heading to £2 a litre? You can get a nice and simple e-Up! for less than 8k these days.

 

[larrylamb]

£20k for a little runabout , that’s funny.
Alternative, £1500 on a Polo diesel. It’ll still be worth that when you’re done.

Absolutely, you could also say the same for a 20K Cali vs a 50-60K one, you pays yer money.....etc.

 

[stoobthealien]

We're using a Diesel multivan Cali as our only vehicle in a suburb of Newcastle. No issues with dpf clogging (our old Jag epace was terrible for it) and no issues in 99% of car parks, just an old multi storey in town has a few tricky spaces. Honestly fine in the supermarket, other multi storeys etc

 

[California Dreamer]

We’re currently using t6.1 Cali as our only car while waiting for my EV to arrive. No issues with the van itself as a daily driver (and I am in a built up city location) but DPF light has been a bit of a pain doing so many more short runs. So consider the balance of short vs long distance journeys, I always thought cali would be fine as an only car looking ahead to retirement but I now think also keeping a cheap runaround would be a better idea.


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[stoobthealien]

We’re currently using t6.1 Cali as our only car while waiting for my EV to arrive. No issues with the van itself as a daily driver (and I am in a built up city location) but DPF light has been a bit of a pain doing so many more short runs. So consider the balance of short vs long distance journeys, I always thought cali would be fine as an only car looking ahead to retirement but I now think also keeping a cheap runaround would be a better idea.


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It's interesting that you're having those issues with a T6.1 and I'm not with a T7 - my daughter has been in hospital recently so the Cali had done a LOT of short 1-2 mile runs every day (including a very short school run while she gets her mobility back) and has had no issues - I was expecting to have to take it out one night onto the motorway but so far no issues at all.

I wonder if the different vehicle architecture makes it less susceptible? I mentioned my old Jag E-Pace above which was terrible for it, there's actually a legal class action ongoing against Jag from owners because internal documents proved they knew the DPF was too far from the engine (as they used an old freelander architecture) and therefore the exhaust gasses had cooled too much before they got to the DPF.