Should I buy a petrol or diesel small van?

I want to buy a small van for our dog walking business. The Peugeot Partner/Berlingo/Cargo Life are absolutely ideal for our needs. It is lots of stop-start short journeys so we looked at the 1.2-litre petrol but there are not too many about so their prices tend to be high. With the diesels, there are thousands around which has pushed the price down, sometimes by as much as £3,000 on a like-for-like vehicle. The diesel is also a lot more economical around town too. Should I go for a diesel and take it for a motorway run once a week?

Asked on 15 November 2021 by mark Goodman

Answered by Dan Powell

I wouldn't recommend buying a diesel van for these types of journeys. The DPF (diesel particulate filter) will not complete a successful cycle when it's being used around town and you will be inviting a range of other issues, too, due to the fact the engine will seldom reach its correct operating temperature.
It's possible a weekly 20 mile run on the motorway will clear the DPF and any potential carbon build-up within the engine, but I would personally choose a 1.2 petrol and avoid the diesel.

Tags: diesel particulate filter dpf buying a diesel buying a used van buying a new van