[JBH320]

Similar exterior colour but different interior.

The colour looks great when washed and in the sun.

[tuned2ride]

Frankly go buy a 320i or 328i if you want it equipped. The 328d is no quicker at any speed than even an automatic 320i and no way that going "d" will save you any money in USA.

[DBV1]

Completely false statement and horrible advice. If you own, long term and high mileage driver, the 328d will save a lot of money and have less fuel stops too. 328d definitely feels faster to me than the 320. Torque is great!

Originally Posted by tuned2ride

Frankly go buy a 320i or 328i if you want it equipment. The 328d is no quicker at any speed and no way that going d will save you any money.

[ibimmer954]

In California (SoCal anyway), diesel is about the same price as Premium Gas or maybe a little cheaper. I've found that gas prices are more volatile so that delta keeps changing. But our market is a little different than the East Coast of the U.S. In California gas taxes are crazy high which artificially makes the gas more expensive. And we don't have to worry about the fuel oil market messing with diesel prices, keeping them lower. It makes the 328d a much more attractive proposition.

For example, at my last fillup for my M3, Premium Gas was $4.239/gal.
My last Jetta TDI filliup was 4.039/gal.

Overall, my Jetta has averaged me $0.11/mile. The M3 averages $0.25/mile.

I'm seeing more and more diesels here in SoCal. As a matter of fact, I know of two co-workers who purchased a 328d in the last year. One replaced a Ford Focus, one replaced a Prius.

[300hp]

Originally Posted by tuned2ride

no way that going "d" will save you any money in USA.

I went D, my best highway economy (round trip to Florida from NJ) was 23mpg in my X5 35i. Guess what my first tank in my X5 35d in 50% city, 50% h/way driving got me 22.6mpg Similar 50/50 driving would have yielded 17-18mpg in the X5 35i

I imagine 28mpg highway should be achievable for when I go on long trips.

Diesel is the same price as premium in my neck of the woods.

[ingenieur]

Originally Posted by ibimmer346

In California (SoCal anyway), diesel is about the same price as Premium Gas or maybe a little cheaper. I've found that gas prices are more volatile so that delta keeps changing. But our market is a little different than the East Coast of the U.S. In California gas taxes are crazy high which artificially makes the gas more expensive. And we don't have to worry about the fuel oil market messing with diesel prices, keeping them lower. It makes the 328d a much more attractive proposition.

For example, at my last fillup for my M3, Premium Gas was $4.239/gal.
My last Jetta TDI filliup was 4.039/gal.

Overall, my Jetta has averaged me $0.11/mile. The M3 averages $0.25/mile.

I'm seeing more and more diesels here in SoCal. As a matter of fact, I know of two co-workers who purchased a 328d in the last year. One replaced a Ford Focus, one replaced a Prius.

Finally!
Good to hear that the BMW diesel is being accepted more in the US.

I've just reached 6500 km / 4k mi. and fuel economy has actually gradually risen to an average of 5.5l/100 km or about 42.7 mpg.

The torque is always right there when needed - even in ECO mode.

[tuned2ride]

Originally Posted by DBV1

Completely false statement and horrible advice. If you own, long term and high mileage driver, the 328d will save a lot of money and have less fuel stops too. 328d definitely feels faster to me than the 320. Torque is great!

Impressions don't matter... numbers talk.

Given the HUGE price difference, there is ZERO money to be saved and if you look at Car&Driver, the 320i is quicker than a 328d - * at any speed *

Anything else?

[DBV1]

Don't trust the C and D numbers. I trust my own impressions from countless test drives. Think you need to try that yourself.

Also, definitely don't value your opinion, when your locations says Hell.

Originally Posted by tuned2ride

Impressions don't matter... numbers talk.

Given the HUGE price difference, there is ZERO money to be saved and if you look at Car&Driver, the 320i is quicker than a 328d - * at any speed *

Anything else?

[tuned2ride]

Originally Posted by DBV1

Don't trust the C and D numbers. I trust my own impressions from countless test drives. Think you need to try that yourself.

Also, definitely don't value your opinion, when your locations says Hell.

I don't trust your own impression; 5-60mph in 8.0s confirm everything we hear about lag.
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...ed-test-review

The 328d doesn't make any sense in USA unless you really want it.

[darrenterrence]

Just drove a 328d this week, the torque for low rpms and low speed acceleration is great, but when you floor it, you'll feel that its lacking high speed and high rpm acceleration. I'm now owning a 320i and I felt that my car has more power at higher speeds. If you're the type of person who doesn't really drives fast and drives a lot then get it, otherwise get the 328i. Anyway the gas consumption on 328d is amazing, I managed to get 40.5mpg on the city and I expect more on the highway. The 320i I have only get around 26-28mpg in city. It mostly got the same equipment with the 328i but the only different thing is the exhaust.

[stevehecht]

Originally Posted by tuned2ride

I don't trust your own impression; 5-60mph in 8.0s confirm everything we hear about lag.
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...ed-test-review

The 328d doesn't make any sense in USA unless you really want it.

You can choose to excerpt one number from the C&D review and distort the thrust of the article, that's your choice. You managed to forget to include what they really think about how the car feels:

But the 328d doesn’t feel slow. The 328d’s ample low-rpm torque (280 lb-ft at 1750 rpm) and strong part-throttle response are suited to the way most people drive, well, 99.99999 percent of the time. The diesel’s twin-scroll turbo delivers fairly seamless response, the only discernible lag being a half-second interlude occurring if you hammer the accelerator from rest. Other than that, be prepared to let Old Man Torque and his many pound-feet kick you down the road. Diesels love highway miles, and once freeway velocity is attained, this turbo oil burner maintains momentum with dogged determination and minimal effort....

BMW went a step too far with the previous-gen 335d—its burly engine was shared with the diesel X5 SUV for cost reasons—but this time the automaker seems to have gotten the formula just right.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...-torque-page-2

[glangford]

I just took about a 1600 mile trip and filled up twice the whole time. If I had taken my gasser Honda CR-V I would have filled up 4-5 times. it won't take long for payback of diesel fuel over premium gas.

The other factor is not what is the cost differential now, but what might it be if we have another crisis and oil jumps a bunch. Sure gas and diesel will jump, but when they do that differential in cost will be less significant and payback even quicker. So I went diesel, hoping to somewhat future proof.

[tuned2ride]

Originally Posted by stevehecht

You can choose to excerpt one number from the C&D review and distort the thrust of the article, that's your choice. You managed to forget to include what they really think about how the car feels:

What they say essentially is that it is not "slow" if you don't push it. Anyway, the 320i is quicker at any speed and that is the real money saver.

[diablo2112]

Originally Posted by tuned2ride

Impressions don't matter... numbers talk.

Given the HUGE price difference, there is ZERO money to be saved and if you look at Car&Driver, the 320i is quicker than a 328d - * at any speed *

Anything else?

Why yes. Residual and resale values on the diesel are dramatically higher than equivalent gas engines. As much as 20-40% for older cars. So yes, if you want to actually save money over the long term, consider the diesel. I'm amazed at all these so-called economic analysis of diesel vs. gas that completely fails to consider resale.

[diablo2112]

Originally Posted by tuned2ride

What they say essentially is that it is not "slow" if you don't push it. Anyway, the 320i is quicker at any speed and that is the real money saver.

Problem with comprehension here? How in any way-shape-form does speed equate to money??????????

[tuned2ride]

Originally Posted by diablo2112

Why yes. Residual and resale values on the diesel are dramatically higher than equivalent gas engines. As much as 20-40% for older cars. So yes, if you want to actually save money over the long term, consider the diesel. I'm amazed at all these so-called economic analysis of diesel vs. gas that completely fails to consider resale.

At very best, that would be a break-even point so why even bother in your pink glasses scenario? The idea of that thing was to save money and it isn't happening.

BTW, VW Tdi sales are dramatically down. There is no future for diesel in North American cars.

http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/04...een-car-sales/

[diablo2112]

Originally Posted by tuned2ride

At very best, that would be a break-even point so why even bother in your pink glasses scenario?

I simply disagree. I did a fairly comprehensive economic analysis, and the higher resale of the diesel was much more than break even. I'm pretty sure you pulled that statement out of your ass without anything resembling a quantitative analysis.

Premium gas is roughly $0.07 a gallons cheaper where I live, and BMW provided a $1500 Eco incentive on top of other deals when we purchased the diesel earlier this year. Given all these factors and the higher resale, the diesel was a better choice for us by about $6000 over its lifetime. YMMV, but don't try to convince me that your gas engine is cheaper. It isn't.

[diablo2112]

Originally Posted by tuned2ride

http://green.autoblog.com/2014/03/04...een-car-sales/

Fail. Clean diesel sales in the US are increasing dramatically compared to the rest of the market.

"For clean diesels, August's 41.8 percent increase was preceded by a 38.1 percent in July 2013 over July 2012. It was the 32nd monthly increase in diesel car sales in the past 36 months, with 27 of those months registering double-digit increases."

You can cherry-pick any one month you want (as you do, above), but if you look at the overall market, clean diesel sales are way, way up. Any given maker in any given month is subject to other factors, such as new model introductions, incentives, etc. This isn't close to a fair picture. Learn some statistics (and basic math, while you're at it).

And diesel sales will continue to increase, driven mainly by one, single factor: CAFE. Automakers have no choice.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...223292461.html

[tuned2ride]

Originally Posted by diablo2112

You can cherry-pick any one month you want (as you do, above), but if you look at the overall market, clean diesel sales are way, way up.

OLD data is old.

Latest data suggests that diesel cars sales are going downhill (again). See my table. And it was published by green.autoblog.com, mind you.

[ibimmer954]

Except that Volkswagon sales in the U.S. are down by about the same percentage. It's not that diesel sales of TDI are lower, it's that sales of all VW models are lower.

[glangford]

Originally Posted by ibimmer346

Except that Volkswagon sales in the U.S. are down by about the same percentage. It's not that diesel sales of TDI are lower, it's that sales of all VW models are lower.

Yes, all there models are a little stale. The golf finally do for a 2015 update. The Jetta is not far behind I think.

[sy74vt96]

I have put in an order for a 328d xDrive. Diesel here is only about $0.10 to $0.20 more than Premium. I'm going from a M5's 15mpg to this, so lots of gas savings for me!

A few of the specs/options:

1) M-Sport

2) DHP - Dynamic Handling Package
- Only way to get a sporty suspension feel. All xDrives have standard suspension, even if you get a Sport or M-Sport line.
- You could get new shocks and springs and lower it ... but from what I've read, that is bad for the xDrive

3) Sport Automatic Transmission with Shift Paddles
When you want to have some fun and control the shifting. With this option, the shifting is actually faster and more responsive when you manually shift ... versus without this option.

4) w/Mixed Summer Tires - increases the delimiter to 155

Some pointers from what I've read about diesels:

5) Opti-Lube XPD is one of the best additives to use for diesel engines.
- US diesel has minimum of 40 Cetane ... while Europe is higher, closer to 50
- Low sulphur means low lubrication
- Officially BMW does not recommend additives, so it's a judgement call and up to you

6) Carbon build-up can be an issue - (see #5)
- Especially if you do more city driving than highway
- Read lots of issues with this for the E90 diesels
- But not a lot of issue with the X5 diesels
- Speculation is that the E90 is lightweight and not putting a lot of load on the diesel engine. Diesel engines need to work hard to burn/combust more efficiently. X5 weigh heavier
- F30 is a 4 cylinder diesel, so it will work harder and hopefully be less susceptible to carbon build up

7) AdBlue - diesel exhaust fluid, carry a bottle in your car just in-case you need it between oil changes. If it gets too low, the car won't start!