# Question on turbo lag



## Enthusiast 456 (Jun 23, 2014)

Love, love, love my 328d. Best vehicle I have ever had. 

Had a couple instances recently where I had to stomp on it to get going. Now, when I know and can plan ahead I have learned to hit the throttle about 1/2 second earlier than I would in a gas car. But occasionally you don't have advance warning and just need to giddy up and go. Granted, once it spools up it throws you back in the seat like a DC-10 on takeoff when the captain takes his foot off the brakes. Are there any techniques I can use to avoid the lag in a must-go-now situation?


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## KeithS (Dec 30, 2001)

It may just be my interpretation (of our 335D), but I seem to get faster response by easing into full throttle (such as over 1 second) rather than just stomping on it.


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## Flying Ace (Jan 26, 2015)

with these turbo diesel BMW's I've noticed the lag as well. I've learned to maintain a certain level of constant partial throttle to keep the turbos spooled up. It doesn't help with MPGs though.

When you play around with the throttle position, you can feel when the boost is building, and I'm saying just maintain that threshold without applying more throttle, then when you need it, hit the throttle harder and the turbo will spool to the max.

BTW I'm driving a E70 X5 diesel, so completely different turbos and weight but similar concept.


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## floydarogers (Oct 11, 2010)

Put it into sport mode - that starts off in 1st gear rather than 2nd.


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## spencer500 (Oct 21, 2012)

One thing that you have to learn to manage, particularly in the 335d is the rear wheel spin. When I accelerate very hard, my rear tires will break loose (which is amazing with a diesel) and the traction control will kick in and that completely kills the power delivery. 

Having has a long list of diesel VW's over the years, the 335d is simply amazing.

Past VW Diesel history:
1981 Diesel Rabbit
1982 Diesel Vanagon (slowest vehicle on the planet)
1985 Diesel Golf
1986 Diesel Jetta


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## Michael47 (May 9, 2014)

Best technique is anticipation. Except for takeoff from complete stop, I've not noticed enough of a turbo lag from my X5 35d. But that may be due to years driving a Jeep Libby diesel that has a 2-3 second lag. When the turbo in that vehicle finally spools up, you can spin all four wheels. So I've probably developed a lot of habits that make the tiny lag of the X5 unnoticeable. But that won't help the OP. I guess practice, practice, practice anticipating what might happen next so you never get surprised that way.


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## Hoooper (Jun 17, 2013)

floydarogers said:


> Put it into sport mode - that starts off in 1st gear rather than 2nd.


The 328d starts off in 2nd? Wtf?


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## need4speed (May 26, 2006)

335d and 328d are very different animals. N4S


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## floydarogers (Oct 11, 2010)

Hoooper said:


> The 328d starts off in 2nd? Wtf?


All auto BMWs from E90 and on do that.


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## Hoooper (Jun 17, 2013)

If your e90 335d starts in 2nd in normal drive it has a problem


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## KeithS (Dec 30, 2001)

floydarogers said:


> All auto BMWs from E90 and on do that.


I don't think so. This has been a BMW rumor for decades. Count the gears as you are coming up to speed.


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## floydarogers (Oct 11, 2010)

KeithS said:


> I don't think so. This has been a BMW rumor for decades. Count the gears as you are coming up to speed.


My E90 335d does it. My wife's F30 328d does it.

BTW, the easiest way to discern the starting gear is to force a shift (up or down doesn't matter) just before you start decelerating for a stop light/sign. As you come to a stop (with your foot off the gas), it will continue to display the gear (until you begin accelerating from the stop).


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## floydarogers (Oct 11, 2010)

Hoooper said:


> If your e90 335d starts in 2nd in normal drive it has a problem


It does it, but it's not a "problem", it's a "feature".


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## Hoooper (Jun 17, 2013)

floydarogers said:


> It does it, but it's not a "problem", it's a "feature".


Right, a feature where the car is not operating as it was designed and not operating as all other properly operating vehicles of the same make and model operate. Kind of like injector failure or overheating are features.


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## Hoooper (Jun 17, 2013)

floydarogers said:


> My E90 335d does it. My wife's F30 328d does it.
> 
> BTW, the easiest way to discern the starting gear is to force a shift (up or down doesn't matter) just before you start decelerating for a stop light/sign. As you come to a stop (with your foot off the gas), it will continue to display the gear (until you begin accelerating from the stop).


The easiest way to tell us to put it in m2 from a stop and pull away, then put it in m1 from a stop and pull away. Compare to a normal pull away in d and you know. If you have ever used manual mode and left a stop sign in m2 it would be blatantly obvious the car doesn't normally start in 2nd because it's ridiculous. When you let it downshift as you come to a stop it will always stop in 2nd, that's what it does, but if you shift to d from there still at a stop it will downshift to first. This is for the 335d. I can't say what kind of goofy programming they put in the 328d


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## KeithS (Dec 30, 2001)

Hoooper said:


> When you let it downshift as you come to a stop it will always stop in 2nd, that's what it does,


This is done while costing to a stop because the 2 to 1 gear change on deceleration would cause the car to jolt, resulting in lots of owner complaints.


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## ChasR (Aug 29, 2012)

My 335d starts in 1st gear in D or DS. If I forget I'm in manual mode, it starts in 2nd.


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## rungolden1 (Dec 14, 2014)

You could always buy a sprint booster if you want to feel more response the second you put the pedal down.


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