Anyone regret their 35d diesel purchase

Originally Posted by Tlon

Everything I read in the abstract says the diesels don't do well until they're warmed up.

I've never heard that.

But then again I warm up all my cars before getting on them....

Seriously, any real data on this would be interesting- post up any links.

Sorry. By "in the abstract," I mean the random opinions floating around the interwebs without any specific data or experiences. It seems to be that in every thread I read someone says "they don't do well until warmed up" and "letting it idle to warm up doesn't help." So, looking for real world experiences since I can easily imagine many a Saturday where my life it inhabiting the seven circles of strip mall hell, in and out of the car, etc.

Originally Posted by Tlon

Everything I read in the abstract says the diesels don't do well until they're warmed up. What exactly does that mean? Is it a problem if the car serves as a errand machine on the weekends? My daily commute is 45-60 minutes, so that shouldn't be a problem, but weekends can be a lot of starts and stops. Problem?

I have no warm up problem with my X5 35D. In extreme cold it may take a couple of seconds for the glow plugs to heat up. I have never been in weather below 25 degrees f yet yet I have not seen the glow plugs needing to heat up. It has started and run just fine when I have been in the cold.

Chuck

I too have had the 35d for about a year and 12K miles - a lot of short drives (under 5 miles) and no issues whatsoever. The US 35d is in its 3rd year so in some respects it has a longer track record than 35i or 5.0. BMW is going to introduce new technology with every model year. Brake power regeneration in the ’11 models is great but who can tell if it won’t cause battery discharge issues for certain driving habits? Next year it will be something else. If you are looking at BMWs, you have to accept that you are going to pay a lot of money for bleeding-edge technology with potentially significant risk factors. IMHO you are safe with 35d, 35i or 5.0 just pick the one that fits your budget and driving desires.

Had a chance this afternoon to actually drive a 35d, so I feel a bit better.

It drove great. The diesel was smooth and a lot of fun to drive. The hesitation (transmission lag?) I noticed on my first test drive a few months ago didn't seem to be there. Not sure why. Drove smooth off the line. And drove fine cold. The car was pulled up and I got in. No warm up. So that too was a relief. And in some ways I preferred the 6-speed to the 8-speed. I'm generally pretty sensitive to gear shifts and the 8-speed on the 35i I test drove felt like it was constantly shifting to be in the right gear, even if the shifts were relatively smooth.

It was noisier than I remember but not a deal breaker. At first I thought it was insanely loud until I realized there was a semi idling 25 feet away. :-o Still, it did make some noise. A lot more than my X3 when idle. But then again, when driving it was perfectly fine. No noise and with the radio on it was great.

But the biggest thing I'm going to have to get used to is the size. The thing is huge compared to my X3. I'm even worried it will fit into my 8ft wide garage. Anyone having trouble fitting the thing into a standard width garage?

2010 35d purchased through VOB in Rockville MD. Angela Decint at VOB was terrific. Dealership has been great on follow through. This is the fourth CPO BMW purchased from VOB.

35d fit and finish is excellent. Averaging 24 mpg city/highway. 2007 530xit had averaged 22.1 mpg.

Good pick up and torque. Great ride. You get used to watching for which stations have diesel. Parking lot steering is a little heavy but very responsive on the open road.

Originally Posted by Tlon

Sorry. By "in the abstract," I mean the random opinions floating around the interwebs without any specific data or experiences. It seems to be that in every thread I read someone says "they don't do well until warmed up".

What am I missing? How is this different from a gasoline-powered vehicle?

If you beat on ANY vehicle before all the fluids are warmed up (engine oil, tranny and diff fluids) you are just shortening the life of the vehicle. This is why my M3 has a variable redline - it actually moves up the tach as the engine oil warms.

Know anyone who lives in Canada or AK? Ever seen a plug-in engine block heater? Here's a thread from a bunch of folks who use them on gasoline powered BMW's, including an older M3:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1357113

Originally Posted by quackbury

What am I missing? How is this different from a gasoline-powered vehicle?

You're missing the point of the question. Yes, some older gasoline engines did poorly when cold, and yes, all engines need to warm up a bit, and since you missed this, all engines have their life shortened if you beat on them, warm or cold, but the issue is whether there is something significantly different about the diesel engine when cold. Does it sputter? Does it lose power? Is it just a pain to drive when cold? And if it does those things or other less pleasant things when cold, does it require 30 minutes to warm up, as some have suggested. If so, that means every short trip would be a pain, not something I experience in any gasoline engine from BMW. Thus, the question. How does it perform when cold? But, if you read my own response above, I was able to test drive a "cold" engine, and it seemed to run fine or at least well enough. That was all I cared about.

Originally Posted by ANZAC_1915

the 35i makes more sense to me - fewer things to go wrong.

Well, the diesel has no ignition system, so that's a few less things to go wrong on the diesel. Having just had my Z4 flat-bedded 100 miles due to a bad coil this Summer (with the hold down chain scraping bare spots in the bumper paint), I can appreciate the lack of spark plugs and coils on the diesel.

Originally Posted by Tlon

You're missing the point of the question. Yes, some older gasoline engines did poorly when cold, and yes, all engines need to warm up a bit, and since you missed this, all engines have their life shortened if you beat on them, warm or cold, but the issue is whether there is something significantly different about the diesel engine when cold. Does it sputter? Does it lose power? Is it just a pain to drive when cold? And if it does those things or other less pleasant things when cold, does it require 30 minutes to warm up, as some have suggested. If so, that means every short trip would be a pain, not something I experience in any gasoline engine from BMW. Thus, the question. How does it perform when cold? But, if you read my own response above, I was able to test drive a "cold" engine, and it seemed to run fine or at least well enough. That was all I cared about.

No I am not missing the point at all.

My 2011 X5 35D performs just fine when cold, and even better when it is warm. It does not sputter. It does not lose power. It runs like a freaking BMW. In that regard, it is no better or worse than my 2008 M3. (If YOU are lumping my M3 in with "some older gasoline engines", you are not just missing the point, you are nuts).

Originally Posted by Tlon

Sorry. By "in the abstract," I mean the random opinions floating around the interwebs without any specific data or experiences. It seems to be that in every thread I read someone says "they don't do well until warmed up" and "letting it idle to warm up doesn't help." So, looking for real world experiences since I can easily imagine many a Saturday where my life it inhabiting the seven circles of strip mall hell, in and out of the car, etc.

You came on this forum and asked for REAL WORLD feedback from folks who actually own and drive BMW diesels. Every one of us who responded told you we had no problem with our diesels. So why do you feel a need to tell us our experiences are somehow inferior to the "random opinions floating around the interwebs"? Glad to hear you finally got around to test driving one, rather than continuing to bash the motor with hearsay and innuendo.

Originally Posted by Tlon

Had a chance this afternoon to actually drive a 35d, so I feel a bit better.

It drove great. The diesel was smooth and a lot of fun to drive. The hesitation (transmission lag?) I noticed on my first test drive a few months ago didn't seem to be there. Not sure why. Drove smooth off the line. And drove fine cold. The car was pulled up and I got in. No warm up. So that too was a relief. And in some ways I preferred the 6-speed to the 8-speed. I'm generally pretty sensitive to gear shifts and the 8-speed on the 35i I test drove felt like it was constantly shifting to be in the right gear, even if the shifts were relatively smooth.

It was noisier than I remember but not a deal breaker. At first I thought it was insanely loud until I realized there was a semi idling 25 feet away. :-o Still, it did make some noise. A lot more than my X3 when idle. But then again, when driving it was perfectly fine. No noise and with the radio on it was great.

But the biggest thing I'm going to have to get used to is the size. The thing is huge compared to my X3. I'm even worried it will fit into my 8ft wide garage. Anyone having trouble fitting the thing into a standard width garage?

Gotta admit I think you're on to something here. If you have difficulty parking it in your garage, it's probably too much car for you. I think you'd be much happier in a Forester.

Well, I want to thank all of you 35d owners for the positive comments!!! This helped me seal the deal and I have ordered a 35d. I am so looking forward to owning one! It will be alpine white/black with every option except HUD, lane departure and entertainment system. This will be my first X5 and diesel and I am way too excited!!! Thank you all again and I look forward to commenting on how great the 35d is!

Originally Posted by quackbury

My 2011 X5 35D performs just fine when cold, and even better when it is warm. It does not sputter. It does not lose power. It runs like a freaking BMW. In that regard, it is no better or worse than my 2008 M3.

This is all you had to say. Thank you. That's the real world feedback I asked for and to which everyone but you responded pleasantly. And for which I thanked everyone, which you would know if you'd read the thread. Thanks again for your feedback.

Originally Posted by JMK

Well, I want to thank all of you 35d owners for the positive comments!!! This helped me seal the deal and I have ordered a 35d. I am so looking forward to owning one! It will be alpine white/black with every option except HUD, lane departure and entertainment system. This will be my first X5 and diesel and I am way too excited!!! Thank you all again and I look forward to commenting on how great the 35d is!

Couldn't agree more. Thank you. It's been a big help.

I've had mine for a year now, and have absolutely no regrets. I've taken several long trips ( 1,000+ miles, driven thru snow and ice storms and love this truck. The few problems I've had have been fixed right away. Couldn't be happier.

Originally Posted by Tlon

But the biggest thing I'm going to have to get used to is the size. The thing is huge compared to my X3. I'm even worried it will fit into my 8ft wide garage. Anyone having trouble fitting the thing into a standard width garage?

Fold in your side view mirrors

Originally Posted by Tlon

But the biggest thing I'm going to have to get used to is the size. The thing is huge compared to my X3. I'm even worried it will fit into my 8ft wide garage. Anyone having trouble fitting the thing into a standard width garage?

What is the standard width for a garage? A bit of googling suggests that it's either 8 or 9 feet, with the latter being common in the USA. My garage has one double door and one single door, with the latter for a bay that is two cars deep. I park my 2003 GMC 2500 HD pickup truck in the single-wide bay with no issues, although you have to watch the mirrors when entering and exiting, and it's tough to park it so that both the driver and passenger doors open easily. But this truck is absolutely huge compared to an X5, nearly 4 inches wider (79.7 versus 76.1), not including the mirrors. The X5 isn't narrow, but at around 3 inches wider than the previous generation X3, it should fit in a garage just fine.

I have two standard single doors (house built in early 90's). No problem fitting the X5 in, probably have about 6 inches to spare on either side. I went slowly the first time, now it's super easy.

Originally Posted by ANZAC_1915

There have been a couple of threads on DEF needing refilling and issues with BMW covering it, enough to put me off. I think the 35d drives very well, but all things considered (even with the eco and tax credits) the 35i makes more sense to me - fewer things to go wrong.

compare HPFP failures of the 35i vs a few issues with DEF (which can be had at any truck stop for around $10/gal)

to each his own...

Originally Posted by d geek

compare HPFP failures of the 35i vs a few issues with DEF (which can be had at any truck stop for around $10/gal)

to each his own...

Latest issue of Consumer Reports shows the X5 diesel being a bit more reliable than the X5 six.

Originally Posted by d geek

compare HPFP failures of the 35i vs a few issues with DEF (which can be had at any truck stop for around $10/gal)

to each his own...

I thought the issue was the owner couldn't access the DEF tank on the 35d...

Originally Posted by ANZAC_1915

I thought the issue was the owner couldn't access the DEF tank on the 35d...

There are no issues with accessing the DEF tank.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...473&highlight=

Originally Posted by hsindogg

There are no issues with accessing the DEF tank.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...473&highlight=

My bad, the issue was draining/flushing and lack of drain plug: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...=349351&page=9

Point is (judging by the issues raised in the thread) - another issue to deal with. Didn't intend to start a petrol vs diesel bash (but for the record, no issues on my N54 HPFP).

Also not sure the N55 on the 2011 E70 uses the same HPFP as the N54.

Originally Posted by ANZAC_1915

My bad, the issue was draining/flushing and lack of drain plug.

BMW now does not specify a flush, but only a top-off of the DEF.

No more flushing issue.

And, as I said earlier, just do a Google on "bmw ignition coil problem" and realize that with the diesel, this is another issue you don't have to deal with.

Originally Posted by SkipSauls

What is the standard width for a garage? A bit of googling suggests that it's either 8 or 9 feet, with the latter being common in the USA. My garage has one double door and one single door, with the latter for a bay that is two cars deep. I park my 2003 GMC 2500 HD pickup truck in the single-wide bay with no issues, although you have to watch the mirrors when entering and exiting, and it's tough to park it so that both the driver and passenger doors open easily. But this truck is absolutely huge compared to an X5, nearly 4 inches wider (79.7 versus 76.1), not including the mirrors. The X5 isn't narrow, but at around 3 inches wider than the previous generation X3, it should fit in a garage just fine.

Thanks. I figured it'd be fine.

Just got to 32,000 miles on my 2009 x5 3d. No regrets. Never owned a diesel before and will now never buy a regular gas engine again for a vehicle this size and weight.

Few issues over the year and 1/2 I've owned but not unique to the diesel model .... Some Battery issues, auto parking break issues, I-drive issues ... Nothing too bad.