Bmw Diesel Vs. Petrol

[Eurofan]

I opened a thread sometime back asking for advise between the e46 320d vs 318i. But thought of opening up this new thread for as generic for all bimmers. Since the permit scheme came about there had been people flocking to get diesel bimmers for the price offered. But what how would a diesel bmw compare to a petrol in the following areas

1. Fuel efficiency (obviously a diesel has better efficiency, but how do petrols do

2. Routine maintanance

3. What are potential high spending maintanace parts

4. Driving pleasure

5. Second hand market

[Eurofan]

Here is my view based on a 2000 E46 320D

1. Fuel efficiency (obviously a diesel has better efficiency, but how do petrols do

My conventional diesel engine does about 11 Km/liter in the city. Pumping super diesel, it comes to about Rs. 9.7 per Km run based on a diesel price of 106.50

2. Routine maintanance

Had to replace various things like alternators, suspension, fly wheel and clutch plates. Car has done 90,000 miles

3. What are potential high spending maintanace parts

Turbo, Diesel pump, fly wheel and clutch plate especially on diesel manuals

4. Driving pleasure

Performance is fantastic with loads of torque. But idle is not smooth as a petrol, and has the diesel clatter, which are the downsides

5. Second hand market

Well maintained cars seem to have a reasonable second hand market given the fuel efficiency

[Gayan Weerakoon]

BMW disels sounds like tractors trust me buy a petrol

[g-unit]

BMW disels sounds like tractors trust me buy a petrol

Are you saying that other diesel engines don't is it? Dude BMW make the best diesel engines in the world and sound better than audi and merc motors and have a more linear petrol like power delivery to boot. I'm not saying they sound as sweet as petrol units but hell, a little harshness (barely audible once inside) is worth the huge savings at the pumps.

[VWvortex]

With diesels you may save at the pump.. But don't forget you've already paid a huge premium at the port.

And if its an older car I'm sure the maintenance and repair bills will wipe out your savings at the pump.

[ShintaroX]

Well one of the perks of a BMW is with the ladies right? Diesel works just as well:

lady: Wow, is that your car?

G-Unit: Yeah sweet cheeks

lady: ooh fire it up

G-Unit: Ok

lady: OMG that sounds like a bus

G-Unit: cos its diesel. I save when i pump!

lady: ooh being miserly and bus-like is so sexy, plus i love it when you say 'pump'

G-Unit: well it delivers linear sweet cheeks, like petrol

lady: linear? really? The tractor sounds make me feel like a roll in the hay...

[g-unit]

With diesels you may save at the pump.. But don't forget you've already paid a huge premium at the port.

And if its an older car I'm sure the maintenance and repair bills will wipe out your savings at the pump.

No body really buys a fully duty paid diesel anymore. Therefore it works out to about the same price as a new petrol. BMWs of old may have had some issues but my E60 520d just passed 50,000 k.m still runs like a dream and no engine/drive train related repairs to date.

[g-unit]

Well one of the perks of a BMW is with the ladies right? Diesel works just as well:

lady: Wow, is that your car?

G-Unit: Yeah sweet cheeks

lady: ooh fire it up

G-Unit: Ok

lady: OMG that sounds like a bus

G-Unit: cos its diesel. I save when i pump!

lady: ooh being miserly and bus-like is so sexy, plus i love it when you say 'pump'

G-Unit: well it delivers linear sweet cheeks, like petrol

lady: linear? really? The tractor sounds make me feel like a roll in the hay...

Ah well. The jester has returned. Ha Ha Ha.. I missed you darling.....

[rangerover]

Ok, I don't know how many of you have actually used either type of these bimmers. But i just upgraded from a 2003 E46 320D to a 2006 E90 320i, and let me just briefly explain the first hand experience of the differences

1. Peformance - Even though there is very small difference between the bhp figures of the two cars, almost a 130 NM more torque in the older diesel car sure gives better acceleration at low rev range. The Petrol cars being rev happy really hit their peak at very high rpm's

2. Fuel economy - Obviously the 11 km/l i got in the order diesel car has dropped to 8 Km/l in the petrol.

3. Driving impression - The petrol car sounds waay sweeter than a diesel engine during start, acceleration and idle. But during movement, the common rail diesel was as silent as a petrol after the 2nd gear or so.

4. Maintanance - Thankfully my car was very reliable during my ownership. But potential turbo faliures on common rail diesels, diesel pump faliure in the older diesels and little niggles that might crop up with ageing diesel engines are not unheard of. I was told by the agents that the petrol cars are much easier to maintain than the diesels and they also don't usually take diesels for trade ins.

None of the differences above are unique to bmw diesels vs petrols. Its generic to all brands. However, the drawbacks of diesels are quickly becoming extinct given the significant developments in this area, lead by the german autos

[madmax]

4. But potential turbo faliures on common rail diesels,

I had two turbos replaced at 30k miles on my petrol, so it's not only the diesels

[beemer]

i think the newer bmw diesels (eg: e90 320d, x1) these cars are pretty good diesels