Do we need a Diesel Particulate Filter?

Neil's dream car to own was an S-type Jaguar, a la Inspector Morse. 3 years ago when we returned from work and were car shopping we found one that fitted the budget. We knew repairs would be costly but with the low mileage Neil does, we have been fortunate over the 3 years that nothing major has gone wrong.

Until now.

It started with an occasional bit of smoke coming out the side of the bonnet when the engine got hot. A suspected oil leak dripping onto a hot engine. The car was due a service so when it went in, we mentioned this and when we got it back they said they had tightened something up.

A few days later, more smoke.

Back to the garage and then came the bad news... there was a fracture on the Catalytic Converters, the repair bill in excess of £1,200.Parts alone would be near £1,000.

Wow.

We decided to try and source the parts ourselves. We have done this before and saved substantial sums on the cost of the parts. I found an online website that sold the 2 cats for £145 each. I rang the garage to check we needed both the left hand and right hand cat. Yes, both were fractured. Then the phrase that would lead to a lot of stress. 

'Make sure they are the DPF'

Logic told me to ask for the part number, to make sure I got the correct parts. I was given the necessary number. I rang the online parts people and gave them the part number. 'That's the number for the DPF, not the Catalytic Converters', I was told. 'Are you sure that's correct?' As I'd been told to make sure it was the DPF I confirmed that was what I had been asked to get. 'Well, the cost of that part is £600!' 

Gulp!

'And I need the pressure sensors', I said.

'Another £180', was the reply.

We would still be saving over £250 on the repair so, not knowing what else to do I ordered the parts to be delivered direct to the garage.

A couple of days later I got a call, the garage had received the parts... but they were wrong. 'They've sent the DPF, we need the cats that go with the DPF'. 

'OK, can you get the correct part numbers for me, to make sure these at £145 are the right ones'. I also asked them to send me a photo of the bits I needed. This is what we needed:

The best price I could find for these, genuine Jaguar parts was £745...

Each!

This is what we were being told was the correct part to buy: 

At a price of £145... Each.

Having already bought a part, only to find it was the wrong one I was extra keen to make sure I got the right ones this time. After all, the Jag was off the road, engine dismantled awaiting parts so it could be rebuilt.

The people at http://www.onlineautomotive.co.uk/ were incredibly helpful, and kept assuring me that the part numbers I was giving them related to these parts, as Jaguar replacements. 

I wasn't convinced, the length of the down pipe made me feel something wasn't right. I said I would get back to them and that night I sat down and did what I do best.

I did my research, with my trusty aid... Google.

It was an evening of education, a steep learning curve, and of being proved right...

And opened up a whole, new can of worms...

To Be Continued...