# BMW Deisel



## Vestigator (Sep 4, 2012)

Does the deisel get any better mileage than the gas version? Considering a diesel.


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## d geek (Nov 26, 2008)

There's a big diesel subforum here on bimmerfest.

Quick answer is yes. Check fueleconomy.gov and fuelly.com for fuel economy estimates & reported FE.


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## floydarogers (Oct 11, 2010)

+ as Geek says. I get 5-8 mpg better than my son's 335i. Sometimes even a bit more. Unfortunately, diesel is a fair bit more than gasoline right now but in the past it was less than premium.


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## badgerbob (Oct 25, 2009)

If you drive one you will love it, and likely buy one. Be careful, it is a great car.


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## DZLMAN (Mar 1, 2011)

Gas mileage diesel is approx 30% better, but as badgerbob mentioned, its a lot of power for its size, in my world power is torque [low revving engine extremely strong pull from dead stop] but if you're more into high revving, horse power, likes down shifting kinda person than you may not like it. Fuel consumption wise diesel is better. Hope this helps. Good luck!


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## UncleJ (May 7, 2006)

I think that 30% is on the high end, but it is possible. It is also possible to not see much if any improvement over gas if you flog the car heavily. Driving style accounts for a lot but overall diesel will give you at least 10-15% better mileage. There are trade-offs however. The smell of diesel is off putting to some (it is more aromatic than gas and the smell lasts longer), especially if it gets into the interior of the car through spillage on your hands or shoes. It can be hard to find -- although this is not really that much of a problem -- and it can cost more than premium -- again, not always, but sometimes. Over all it is a great fuel and the engines are built to last because of the very high compression required for ignition (no spark, just compression heat). The new high speed light weight turbo diesel engines are truly marvels (all makes, not just BMW) and they are worth your consideration. Just take your wife on the test drive and at least one fuel stop to see if she will buy off on the car!


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## henrycyao (Oct 23, 2012)

Diesel fuel has about 15% higher energy content per gallon than gasoline. So it gets 15% MPG better given the same level of technology. To get above 15% MPG improvement has more to do with the tuning characteristics of the engine and how you operate. The BMW rates X5 35i as 16 in the city and X5 35d as 19 in city. That is pretty close to the expected efficiency from the fuel itself. 

In Silicon Valley, diesel costs more than the premium fuel. The price tends to stay flat and constant due to lack of demand. So, your cost of operation may be slightly ahead to flat. I was ahead when the gasoline shot up due to southern California's refinery fires. I am now on par in cost because diesel moves slower.

I got diesel engine because I like low end torque. Diesel does not rev as high as gasoline engine and requires more shifts. As the result, its 0-60 time is slower than gasoline engine.


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## dunderhi (Dec 10, 2006)

I guess I'm lucky to live in a area where diesel pumps are as clean as the gas pumps (no gloves needed) and where the price averages out over the course of a year to be roughly equal to premium gas. In the Summer diesel is cheaper and in the Winter gas is cheaper.

The 335d is the first car that I have owned that has averaged equal or better than the EPA highway rating in my everyday driving.


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## DZLMAN (Mar 1, 2011)

dunderhi said:


> I guess I'm lucky to live in a area where diesel pumps are as clean as the gas pumps (no gloves needed) and where the price averages out over the course of a year to be roughly equal to premium gas. In the Summer diesel is cheaper and in the Winter gas is cheaper.
> 
> The 335d is the first car that I have owned that has averaged equal or better than the EPA highway rating in my everyday driving.


x2 ditto/same applies to me. Doing 130 km/h, approx 70 mph I get 850 to 900 kms per tank, approx 550 miles. My friend has a 335i driving the same way he gets 450 to 500 kms per tank, approx 310 miles, this is all highway driving. Again the difference between X5 gas and diesel is not much, put the same engine in a smaller/lighter 3 series body with RWD instead of AWD drive train and u see significant difference.


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## Snipe656 (Oct 22, 2009)

floydarogers said:


> + as Geek says. I get 5-8 mpg better than my son's 335i. Sometimes even a bit more. Unfortunately, diesel is a fair bit more than gasoline right now but in the past it was less than premium.


How far in the past? Down here diesel has been priced at and usually more than 93 octane since mid to late 2004. There have been a few exceptions to that but nothing that stuck. Prior to the change in 2004 it has been around the cost of 87 octane for a number of years.

I have yet to have a diesel car or truck where maintenance and repairs were cheaper than their gas sisters when looking at overall costs for 225-300k miles of use.


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## floydarogers (Oct 11, 2010)

Snipe656 said:


> How far in the past? Down here diesel has been priced at and usually more than 93 octane since mid to late 2004. There have been a few exceptions to that but nothing that stuck. Prior to the change in 2004 it has been around the cost of 87 octane for a number of years.


4-6 months ago, it was the same price as mid-grade. It's now about $0.15-0.20 over premium, in the $4.10-$4.30 range. Regular unleaded is just above $3.50 at the discounters (Costco, Safeway, Arco.) This is a typical season price change that you see in the northern tier where demand for heating oil increases fuel#2 prices.


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## Snipe656 (Oct 22, 2009)

Down here 4-5 months ago diesel was abnormally low and below 93. That however has not been the case in past years. Like I said I have seen abnormal low spikes but for the most part for the past 8ish years down here diesel has been at or above the cost of 93 octane.


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## KarlB (Nov 21, 2004)

just up the road in our area diesel fluctuates from a few pennies less than premium to a few pennies more than premuim has for years and still does. maybe its because we are more ag here than humble is??:dunno:


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## Snipe656 (Oct 22, 2009)

Or maybe it is the costs of the gasoline that is more different there and bringing the difference down. I am Lubbock right now and diesel is about the same as Houston but gasoline is not. Also gas is slightly lower octane levels here for whatever reasons.


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## DC-IT (Sep 27, 2009)

If you do a lot of highway cruising then the D is an excellent choice as it gives you great driving range and effortless performance.

If you do a lot of city (stop+go) driving then the FE is not good but still better than the gasser.

If you are not in a hurry you might want to wait for the new 320/330D?


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## F32Fleet (Jul 14, 2010)

IIRC diesel is taxed @ a slightly higher rate as well.

Sent from my MB525 using Bimmer App


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## Pierre Louis (Oct 23, 2011)

According to the www.fuelly.com data, which may be as good as any since it is reported using fill-ups and odometer readings, a 2011 335i gets on average 21.5 mpg while a 2011 335d gets on average 30.8 mpg. If premium fuel was $3.75 a gallon, then diesel would need to be (30.8/21.5)x($3.75)=$5.37/gallon for us to BREAK EVEN on the price.

By similar calculations, my last diesel car, a 2005 Mercedes E320 CDI saved me around $10,000 in fuel alone over 200,000 miles ownership. That would have paid for a lot of repairs had I had them! I did sell the car for a couple of thousand more than if it had been a gasoline V8, which is what the diesels should be compared to, not the gasoline V6 usually anyway due to their monster torque!

Too many people in the US don't know how to do simple Math!

PL


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## Snipe656 (Oct 22, 2009)

I have spent over $10k in repairs in less than 24 months on my diesel truck, $5.4k or so in just 2-3 weeks time. My brothers gas truck that is the same basic truck as mine has had I think $2k in repairs for same time and miles. I'd have to go digging to compare the 300SD to the late 380SE or 500SEL that all were 1985 models. Would have to go digging to compare the old Chevro let down trucks too. But bottom line, my experience has been that my diesel cars and trucks have cost me a lot more in repairs/maintenance for 200-300k miles than the gas sisters I or my family have had.


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## Pierre Louis (Oct 23, 2011)

http://blog.iseecars.com/2012/01/27/most-reliable-used-diesel-cars/


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## henrycyao (Oct 23, 2012)

Pierre Louis said:


> http://blog.iseecars.com/2012/01/27/most-reliable-used-diesel-cars/


BMW X5 35D is not one of them  Thankfully, I did not buy BMW X5 35D for their reliability.

Gasoline engine has gotten really good these days. You can go on for 100k miles without problems. My brother's Honda CRV just turn 100k and still working well. 200k miles is very likely if they decide to keep the car.

Their cost of ownership? Pretty much just your standard maintenance. In effect, the technology and market demand has closed the gap between diesel and gasoline to the point that most users don't see a difference. What is more important as a difference is the cost of fuel.

Even with 30 cents to 40 cents adder, I still beat regular price by a few cents thanks to Diesel's 15% more energy content per gallon. It is a small win but a win nevertheless. X5 35i certainly can't live with regular fuel. That is really its nearest competitor.


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## Snipe656 (Oct 22, 2009)

The 335d on the freeway seems to do better than the EPA figures. If actually going around the speed limit. It is the stop and go stuff that makes the mpg nose dive for me. I always have speculated this is because of how easily the small turbo kicks in. But I also speculate the turbo setup is what really makes the 335d such an enjoyable drive.


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