I had some very good advice here regarding my contre visite because of ‘a bit over on the pollution front’, but can’t remember which thread as I think it might have been as part of thread drift
Anyway I was advised to take the car for 2 periods of 10 minutes at 3500 rpm in 2nd gear to clear out the clag. I was also advised to put some Bardahl in the tank.
The visite is tomorrow and I have worked out the best route to get there to achieve this but thought that I would do a test run today to make sure of it. The Bardahl I bought came in 2 bottles with instructions to do it twice.
Fair enough but, do I put one bottle in today for the test run and the other tomorrow on the way to the real thing?
Or, just do the test run today and do both bottles tomorrow (or today)?
I think the Bardahl additive is for about 10 litres of fuel, i.e. not much in the tank. Use that and then do it again with another 10 litres of fuel.
I guess it depends how much fuel you’ve got it the tank.
When getting the van on Monday, I was surprised to learn that vehicles classed as utilitaires, although still having a CT every two years as per normal requirements, also require a yearly pollution test😳
David, you should have put one bottle of Bardahl in the tank and then done the couple of runs and then filled the tank and put in the other bottle. If you put in one bottle today and go for a run (about 50 kms in 4th gear)
it will get through the system. To be honest its a bit late now for the Bardahl if the test is tomorrow. This should have been done when you got the additive.
Thanks all, but therein lies the problem as I mentioned before. the tank is at least 3 parts full, this car is hardly ever used (600 kms in 2 years) and there is no way I can put in the mileage needed to get it right down. So we are where we are, if it does no harm to put both bottles in today, one each in 2 10 minute blasts, that is what I should do. It may not work but the only question is, today, tomorrow or one bottle each day.
If it fails again I shall just park it up in the garden. I know it still has to be insured, though I have personal proof that the insurers just mention it and then forget about it, and as far as I have heard the prefecture (or whoever) do not chase un-improved failures. As long as they are not used on the road of course.
The 3rd party only (around €100) has just been renewed for 12 months so I have plenty of time to let them know it will be the last time.
Yes I had to as well on a vehicle that was not used for many years but kept on minimum insurance in case someone hurt themselves, otherwise the file is an open ongoing policy.
Therein, possibly, lies your problem. I think you’ve said previously that you have a 2010 ish Peugeot Partner diesel. If it’s that car, then very low mileage usage, especially if it only gets used for very short journeys, can cause problems for the diesel particulate filter which can cause test failures. The other issue is that fuel has a certain shelf life, so if it’s got 3/4 full tank and only do e 600km in two years, is the fuel in the tank (or part of it) 2 years old ? Not sure if very old fuel could cause a test failure, but I wouldn’t be surprised.
Shit or bust really, if it fails it wont be used, if it passes then don’t worry. It’s not going to do any harm so put both bottles in and give it a good thrashing (not like Basil:rofl:) today and tomorrow before the contre visite
@Sandcastle I have a Piaggio Ape 3 wheeled van in the garden, not used since 2009 when the law changed to make it necessary to have a carte grise for such vehicles. When I didn’t renew the insurance they told me I needed it anyway but just gave a shrug and said no more when I didn’t. One of the aides who comes here says she has 2 ‘proper’ cars in her garden with no insurance or CT for years and nothing has ever been said. I think if you have other insurance with the same company, and I have had, they prefer to take a lenient view to keep your business.
BTW, not sure proof of scrappage makes much difference. After Fran wrote off the Saxo we used to have it was scrapped and I have all the correct paperwork to prove it. Imagine my surprise when I lent my trailer to my neighbour and after impressing on him to put his own number plate over the Saxo’s, I got a speeding fine through the post. He had failed to do so and got flashed. The points were transferred to him along with the fine, but it shouldn’t have happened should it with a scrapped number?
@hairbear No the Partner is the main vehicle which I use all the time, although with not great mileage these days. The car in question is a 2004 Berlingo which although it has getting on for half a million kms on the clock is hardly ever used these days, hence the problem.
Well, the best laid plans etc… The bloody thing wouldn’t start so I put the battery on charge and it will have to be the test and re-test all in the same journey tomorrow.
I had already, with very great difficulty put the first bottle of Bardahl in the tank, so will give it the 2nd before I set off in the morning. But for anyone with less than fully fit fingers it is a nightmare to open. 2 sides of the top have to be squeezed imwards while turning at the same time. Then, once off (might cut the arresting tabs off tomorrow first), there is a plastic ring pull which needs superhuman strength to pull out. Just as I thought it wasn’t going to give it came with an explosive jerk which splashed liquid all over the place, fortunately none of it on me.
Passed with flying colours.
Should think so too after a very joyless 30 km drive in 2nd gear with the engine screaming in protest at me.
Put the 2nd bottle in the tank at halfway (remembered the mole grips and the screwdriver ) and left both with the box on the floor just to prove I had made the effort.
Was surprised to be required to pay €10 though, I am sure contre visites used to be free, weren’t they?
) today and tomorrow before the contre visite
) and left both with the box on the floor just to prove I had made the effort. 
