I've had my DPF light come on a few times too, and I've found that if you catch it before the EML comes on it will do a regen with a good run, but once the EML comes on, it won't and it has to go in for a forced regen. Never had my DPF light start flashing though, it just usually comes on and stays on until I give it a good run. It has to be virtually straight away though or the EML comes on and I've had it!

The dpf light flashes as it's doing the regen I think.

Part of the issue is the wife has changed jobs so she's only doing 10 miles a day now so it's not even getting warm really

Anyway...

the bonnet looked terrible, was ok when we bought it but it must've had a bad paint job as it ended up looking this...



Found a replacement bonnet in the right colour fairly locally



A big improvement

Another addition made last year are the extra driving lights at the front, just some cheapy ebay ones as I had them sitting in the shed doing nothing. Pilot light wired to come on with the side lights and the light comes on with full beam.

Will fit a switch so I can switch them off once I find a switch I like and somewhere suitable for the switch to go

Good looking motor. What happened to the paint on original bonnet, can't really tell from picture?

It would be good if it did flash when it was doing the regen, as then you would at least know it was happening and continue driving until it finished. Mine never flashes, it's always either on or off. If it comes on soon after leaving home I have to give it a good run straight away to put it out before the EML comes on.

It seems that these diesel vehicles with DPFs don't like regular short journeys at all. 10 miles a day isn't anywhere near enough. Such journeys are best done with a petrol or electric car. I am retired so I don't have many regular journeys but when I do go out on short journeys I make sure I include one long one to give it the opportunity for a regen. I'm not going anywhere at the moment though, but that's nothing to do with the car.

Mine was good for first 12 months and then at 160ishk I changed shocks all round which made a reasonable difference then had a few real niggles like tailgate not opening and had to wait for new microswitch from Japan - none in UK then all fine for a while till I had engine light come on a few times showing EGR and O2 codes - new EGR was of as I do long fast drives with only the odd short run. Then recently after that car started pulling to right when foot down then swing left when let off......... (mine is Celtic Tuned with 221hp) so had wheels swapped front to back and 4 wheel alignment. Tracking was out so they did best but said couldn't adjust one of the rear control arm body bushes but car should track better. Yep straight line ok but accelerate and pulled off to side so into garage and after changing rear control arm bushes they swapped new control arms at front as well as new wheel bearings but were not fully happy about handling but suggested I now get it 4 wheel aligned to see if that has done the trick. They did also point out what seemed excessive vertical movement in the front subframe rear bushes. Driving along the ride seemed somewhat harder and road imperfections seemed to vibrate through more for some reason. All I can assume is the front has had a bit of pulling around which may have upset the subframe as it appears the nearside driveshaft was jammed in place and took some removal to allow wheel bearing fitting........................................anyway driving along car seemed to wander across road and still veered off when accelerating and slight vibration when pulling out of a corner so someone on here suggested typical symptoms of track rod ends so today car is in having track rod ends (which will hopefully stop the wandering and pulling to side as there's nothing else that could cause it that hasn't been replaced) and a new front subframe which was cheaper than expected - if pulling to side now cured I'll get 4 wheel alignment done - garage I use for that set up racing Subaru so get things spot on! Wish I could do stuff myself but I'm in architecture so mechanicals is no good. Think it's cost about £1200 since summer but on plus side it's very quiet engine at 178k miles for 11 Reg Facelift T31 and average mpg is mid 40's going to over 50 when on motorway at 70.

Those are extremely good fuel consumption figures Jim. I'm lucky to get anywhere near 40 mpg at any time, it's usually low to mid 30s. Mine is the pre-facelift model though, I don't know if that makes any difference. I would be interested to know what others get.

I don't do that many long journeys without the caravan on the back though. I don't have much reason to go more than 50 miles from home unless I'm going on holiday. I'm retired, all my children and grand children live within a 20 mile radius, and I have no known other living relatives. I might have the odd day out but the nearest coast is about 35 - 40 miles away, not that we always go there.

Yes mine is late 30's and early 40's on a run .Did go up to just over 50 mpg today, but that was holding the revs at 3k for 10 mins to warm the engine up on a run ,then soon dropped to normal after .

They did do some tweaking on the Facelift models - not 100% sure but if you look at quoted figures on Autotrader for 2010 T31 and then a 2011 Facelift T31 they are different. I've always had good mpg from it even after the Celtic tuning.

I zero'd it today at garage and when I got home it was showing 44 for mixed driving. If I sat at 55 on in 6th gear on dual carriageway in cruise I can guarantee it will give 52 and only drops to 49 ish when at 70!!!!! I find cruise really is superb for fuel economy.

I used to use Shell V Power and standard Shell but find Sainsbury's fuel runs fine - never had any egr issues. When they changed O2 sensor before Christmas he checked egr and found it clear!!!!