The 807 wonder van took us to France and back, arriving home last night and carrying all of us and luggage efficiently all the way.
Before we left, I was contemplating having the DPF removed and the ECU remapped. However, I ran out of time and ended up taking the car to a trusted local garage to get a diagnosed boost leak fixed. The garage told me that there was no boost leak and that the car was pulling well (as well as I would expect with a stage 1 remap) and cleanly - something that it wouldn't do if the DPF was badly clogged. The DPF removal garage also said that - according to the diagnostic software - the Eolys (diesel additive) system wasn't working; yet, on our travels, the "diesel additive minimum level" warning began to appear each time we started the engine.

I'm unsure what to do, as refilling the Eolys container and resetting the software will cost at least £80 - something I don't need to do if the DPF is removed and the software is remapped at a not-substantially-higher cost. However, if the system is working as intended, then I'd far rather just top it up and allow it to get on with polluting the planet.

Although I'm well aware of the potential legal implications of removing the DPF, I've been told that Mazda are doing this (clandestinely) on their own vehicles as part of a recall, as they have internally admitted the system doesn't work. Doesn't seem right...

When my 307 started to go all wonky I found the peugeot forums really good. There are a network of people that have the required software (planet peugeot software or something) to reset pretty much anything for either the price of a beer or not far off and it won't mean you having to go to a garage.

But you are correct if you have the DPF removed then the eolys won't be needed. Plenty of people had done it, taken off the DPF drilled a loads of holes in it and then stuck it back on (so it looks the same to the MOT tester). Conversely I read that it can cause issues with the turbo because there isn't as much back pressure (that might be complete balls of course).

And you can forget about filling up the eolys and the warning will disappear , it works on the number of "squirts" rather than the actual level (or it does on the 307). Which is why you need the software reset. You may then find that the warning is an MOT failure.

Thanks sugerbear. I'm toying with the idea of buying the PeugeotPlanet software and cables so that I can reset the counters myself (and diagnose inevitable future issues). At the moment, I just get an error message warning that the additive level is low, which is a bit tedious but doesn't affect the way the car drives. If this develops into an engine warning light and limp home, obviously I'll have to take more urgent action. I can get the DPF de-cored and ECU remapped for £200, which will almost certainly be cheaper in the long run (changes to MOT legislation notwithstanding). It is alleged to have better fuel economy and performance as a side-effect and from what I can gather, the actual polluting effect is much the same or better than having the DPF regenerate every few hundred miles. On the other hand, I've also heard the smoky turbo suggestion due to lower back pressure.
I was also told that the fuel filler flap sensor on my car isn't working, which would prevent the additive counter from being reset (you are supposed to refuel with diesel after refilling the additive tank and the filler flap is how the ECU knows you've done this. You actually only need to open the flap for 2 minutes, rather than actually adding any fuel).
Whether this is true or the just garage creating business, I don't know.

£200 seems a good price if it gets rid of all these issues permanently, but I imagine others will swiftly be along to take their place...

a DPF delete doesn't normally reduce backpressure, as the catalytic converter is usually just as restrictive

a DPF delete and remap will transform the way the car drives. You might be given the choice of a performance map, an economy map, or a balance of the two, usually called a blended map. My blended map on my Alfa GT gave me a useful increase in performance plus about 3-4mpg improvement in fuel consumption.

£200 is a VERY good price, as gutting the DPF is a horrible, messy, filthy, PITA job

That's good information, Nigel. I can buy a ready-to-fit de-cored DPF from the FaceBook owner's group guru for £59, which would reduce the garage bill further still.

The reminded me, it's actually the number of times that the fuel cap is opened that determines when the level of the eolys is low (in the 307 at least) not the actual level in the eolys tank.

So always make sure you fill to the brim and avoid putting £5's worth of diesel in !

I spoke to my mechanic-friend today, who reckoned (like Nigel), that the price I've been quoted is a good one. He also said that if you pursue the "do it all by the book" path, you can end up paying a grand with no guarantee it'll work (or not break down in another, equally-terminal) way. I need to remember it's a 140k-mile car that cost me £800...