CD Article: 2009 BMW 335d

[CD_Editor]

First Drive:


Quiet, powerful and fuel-efficient, the new BMW 335d will erase any memory you have of noisy, smelly diesels, says Contributing Editor Chris Chase, who finds it "terrific" and "a joy to drive."
 More: View the photos | All the First Drives

[vdk]

  Let's go sideways...
 

[tpl]

Drool indeed. But...
That "exhaust fluid" tank must be strong to allow the contents freezing solid every night and being thawed out in the morning. (Rant. If Canada had thought about the 2007 EPA rules and only used them for gas engines and kept the old rules for diesels it would have saved a lot of grief in the diesel car industry)
I hope that this car is successful so that we get the smaller engines. A diesel 325 or even a 320 ( unlikely) might have the diesel BMWs as common as Jettas on the roads which would be a good thing.

[quadzilla]

The 25-litre reservoir, accessible through a port in the car’s rear bumper cover, is designed to hold enough fluid to last the engine’s 20,000-24,000 km oil change interval, and its replacement is covered by the car’s warranty as a regular maintenance item.

BMW says urea is typically priced below $10 per gallon (approximately 4 litres).

So it will cost about $60-70 to re-fill the reservoir. So your out of service oil changes are going to be around $200-300? Probably not a huge concern to those that can afford this car.

I wonder how many of these will they sell vs if they brought over the 320d or wagon?

[safristi]

so $240 for just an OIL change on a 3 series...............

[tpl]

That change is only once a year.

[safristi]

does OHIP cover TRANNY changes..............


 Wish BMW had brought the cheaper/smaller diesel version to TEST the WATERS/UREA so to speak.................putting it's hope inna $50K territory isn't gonna get the upper incomers wanting to get their gucci mitts smelly wiffit........poor choice of consumers...one who don't worry too much about $$$$...................

  Love to have it on my Lottery Winners DREAM TEAM tho'................Torque Me Down Psych -MAN....... issh HERR Deisel still spinning in his GRAVE......Torque amongst yerselves.....

[tpl]

does OHIP cover TRANNY changes..............


 Wish BMW had brought the cheaper/smaller diesel version to TEST the WATERS/UREA so to speak.................putting it's hope inna $50K territory isn't gonna get the upper incomers wanting to get their gucci mitts smelly wiffit........poor choice of consumers...one who don't worry too much about $$$$...................

  Love to have it on my Lottery Winners DREAM TEAM tho'................Torque Me Down Psych -MAN....... issh HERR Deisel still spinning in his GRAVE......Torque amongst yerselves.....

I agree.   The 325 would have been a better intro imho  and yes... diesel fuel is nasty stuff to get on clothes and especially leather shoes

[Eric Green]

I agree with tpl's point. Also, one shudders at the cost of replacing a complete exhaust system in an out-of-warranty diesel Bimmer. One is likely better off financially by driving an Otto cycle vehicle than incur the long-term costs of 1) higher NA diesel prices and 2) the complexity of the Blue clean-diesel system.

I like the concept of diesel passenger vehicles, and VW appears to have got the engineering/cost equation right, but BMW, MB, etc. are likely bringing crippling long-term costs to the market today. Time will tell.

[johngenx]

"As a premium model, the 335d will command a premium price in the 3 Series lineup: its starting MSRP of $49,700 is $800 more than a manual-equipped 335i."

I hate this new marketing of diesels.  Expensive economy...

[TopGun]

Clarkson on the 330d M Sport.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article5371946.ece

Once you get through his rant on call-centres in India, unbreakable plastic packaging, bank machines and airport security...he says...

In many ways, this is a perfect car...You can find more power elsewhere, and more economy. But for a combination, with almost none of the tingling you normally get from a coal burner, this big six is the tip of the arrowhead...The best bit of the 330d, though, is not the engine or the way it drives; it’s the suspension, which manages to be firm and comfortable at the same time. No other car maker can do this.

Surprisingly, he rates the car low thanks to some quibbles about the satnav and "worst of all is the torque...all you get is an ear-splitting screech as the tyres leave big black lines down the road".

[tpl]

"As a premium model, the 335d will command a premium price in the 3 Series lineup: its starting MSRP of $49,700 is $800 more than a manual-equipped 335i."

I hate this new marketing of diesels.  Expensive economy...

Actually John that makes it cheaper no?    A 335i the automatic is an option at about $1600 but its standard on the 335D.

Whether you'd ever configure a totally base 335i or 335d and be able to order same is another matter

[ovr50]

so $240 for just an OIL change on a 3 series...............

As stated, only once a year, and BMW includes this type of maintenance as a BMW-paid item for first 4 years of ownership.

[quadzilla]

so $240 for just an OIL change on a 3 series...............

As stated, only once a year, and BMW includes this type of maintenance as a BMW-paid item for first 4 years of ownership.

Isn't this capped by mileage though (80k)?  Next to wanting big amounts of tq, isn't the other reason for a diesel, high mileage. So at 30K/year the free maintenance is gone before 3 years are up.

I also look past the once per year thing. So if it was $500 once/yr that would also be ok? BTW, I pay only $105/yr for oil changes.

But I'm sure people that will buy this car really don't care.

[tpl]

One thing occurs.    If it sells well then maybe M-B will bring in the diesel version of the C-class... and VW the diesel Passat, Audi the diesel A6.   

[ovr50]

so $240 for just an OIL change on a 3 series...............

As stated, only once a year, and BMW includes this type of maintenance as a BMW-paid item for first 4 years of ownership.

Isn't this capped by mileage though (80k)?  Next to wanting big amounts of tq, isn't the other reason for a diesel, high mileage. So at 30K/year the free maintenance is gone before 3 years are up.

I also look past the once per year thing. So if it was $500 once/yr that would also be ok? BTW, I pay only $105/yr for oil changes.

But I'm sure people that will buy this car really don't care.

True, and it is capped by mileage but not that many folks go 30K per year.

And you're right, buyers will likely not care.

I pay about $130 for an oil service (if I do them more than BMW suggests, which I do).

[vdk]

so how much would an oil change be after 80k? $240 or $130?

[mlg2ca]

"As a premium model, the 335d will command a premium price in the 3 Series lineup: its starting MSRP of $49,700 is $800 more than a manual-equipped 335i."

I hate this new marketing of diesels.  Expensive economy...

Actually John that makes it cheaper no?    A 335i the automatic is an option at about $1600 but its standard on the 335D.

Whether you'd ever configure a totally base 335i or 335d and be able to order same is another matter

Bingo ! One other thing: no manual tranny is offered because BMW doesn't make one that can handle the torque produced by this marvel of an engine. This explains why the manual tranny isn't offered anywhere in the world.

[Demosthenes X]

While the diesel uses a twin-turbo setup like the company’s range-topping gasoline six-cylinder (used in the 335i, among others), the two are not the same. This one is a sequential arrangement with two different-sized turbos, one to provide boost at lower engine speeds, and another that takes over at higher revs. In the gasoline turbo six, each of the two identical turbos provides boost to three cylinders.

Then it's not a "twin turbo" at all, is it? 

Astounding fuel economy for the power.  425 ft/lbs?    Too bad about the lack of a manual, though.  335d + manual + AWD would be a very good combination...

[Mike-NB]

I like Chris Chase's comment about the diesel revolution being "a quiet one."  That's a great play on words, but if there is to be a diesel revolution this car won't be the one to start it. 

I'm a big diesel fan and have been for a while.  I never saw the same limitations that others saw (noise, smell, low-revs and low HP).  I always liked the positives (noise, smell - those are great to annoy people who need to be annoyed - , torque, frugality, ... and did I mention the torque).  These new crop of diesels have pretty much done away with the previous perceived limitations. 

But at $50K this car won't start a revolution.  Of the passenger diesels on the market (M-B, VW Jetta, and now BMW) only one of them is in the price range of us mere mortals.  Or those of us with decent incomes but other places to put it, like kids, houses, retirement savings, etc.  And the VW has a less than stellar reliability reputation among some people.

No, for the real diesel revolution to start, Honda and Toyota need to get into the game.  Followed, I hope, by Mazda, Nissan, and the Big 2.  (Let's face it, RIP Chrysler.  Though when the 300 came out I thought that if they had put the M-B 3.0 V6 CDI in that I'd be driving that today instead of a Mazda...)  Yes, Honda is reportedly planning a diesel launch in NA but in the Acura line-up to start.  That's still a premium brand and won't start a revolution.  Put that engine in the Accord and that might start a revolution.  Or a suitably sized diesel in a Civic.  And then a diesel Camry and Corolla, Mazda3, Maxda6, Nissan Altima and Maxima, Ford Fusion, Edge and Flex, and maybe a Malibu and even a CTS.  Once that happens I'll believe that the revolution is here.  (Okay, once Honda finally sees the light and puts their NA-bound diesel in the Accord I'll declare the revolution started.) 

And what's with BMW not putting a manual transmission in a 3-series?  "Premium" is slushbox only?  Their excuse is lame.  Sure, they may not sell many, but this car still deserves to have a true manual transmission.