niktee

I beleive it's just a matter of time, and sooner rather than later, until the U.S. market gets BMW diesels.

New535

Mercedes and VW sell Diesels here....
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Hello,

The US Governent cares about pollutants that cause local SMOG, and Regional ACID RAIN, and does not place a heavy emphasis on CO2. Diesels are nasty, even the new ones. I drive them in Europe and they drive great and get great fuel mileage. However, our air is cleaner here in the USA and we like it that way.

Cars cause at most 2% total of the world's Co2 output. Most CO2 comes from Coal power plants and other sources. Your Euro governments have you all conned that CO2 from cars is directly causing Global warming and that that by taxing you they will save the world. What they are doing is taking money from the middle class and giving it to the people who choose not to be productive.

It is easy to bash the USA and Bush. Please note that China and India are exempt from Kyoto. Why not tax OPEC for the amount of oil they sell? Why not tax coal mines? Why is this just American drivers' fault when only 2% of all Co2 comes from cars, and 1/10 of that is from the USA?

BTW, the Euro's favorite USA President Bill Clinton did not make any effort ratify the Kyoto Treaty. Nobody talks about this. It just became President Bush's fault when he inherited the problem left behind by Clinton.

Younger people in the UK are anti US and becoming more and more socialistic. They all want to live in an Abba video world and take 6 weeks vacation per year in France, work 35-40 hours a week, wear a slick suit and retire at 60 with a pention. Did you ever notice that the French never come to the UK to spend money and do not buy British goods? Some friend the French are to you. Keep this path up and watch as eastern Europe, India and China takes everything from Europe in the next 40 years. Good luck.

Sorry bouoght the rant. I just spent a few days in the UK forced to watch BBC news non stop.

-Doug
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wooooah! you needed to get that off your chest! I kind of tend to agree with you that we get force fed a load of horse sh*t by our governments - who are not really interested in protecting the environment at all - however I don't think we are unique in that.

I thought the biggest concerns with diesel fumes were the soot, the nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide (and of course PM10) all of which are significantly less than they ever were with diesel cars before the modern emissions standards (such as EU4). To the point now where it can easily be argued that modern diesel engines are genuinely better for the environment than similar standard modern petrol cars (less carbon monoxide, less hydrocarbon emissions); and even more so over their lifetime.

Aside from the simple fact that you can get more miles to the gallon from diesel fuel, it can also be significantly cheaper (and simpler) to produce, and there are also more sources that you can get diesel fuel from (recycled chip fat no less!). So it isn't just about the outputs from burning diesel.

Having said all of that, the main reason I am buying a 535d is that I can get great performance and not have to stop so often on long trips to fill up the tank. I've never had a diesel car before, so this will be an experience - If I lived in the US, honestly, I don't think I would care that much if the diesel wasn't available, but I would probably think about it a bit...

wiszmaster

i'd have bought the 530d/535d is available here.

vw carries the 1.9l TDI PD engine w/ 100hp ... hopefully soon the 2.5l TDI PD engine, or at least the higher output 1.9l TDI.

diesels are great cars, for more than just gas milage. mainenance is also lower, no need to change your oil every 4K miles .. not that its required w/ the e60 .. but most other cars out there are still on a 4K service schedule.

skaffa

BUT the particles are causing cancer, therefore Diesel is NOT the better fuel. It saves the climate a very very little, but kills ppl.

I'd never buy a Diesel! No matter how cheap the gas is. It is irresponsible. IMHO.
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Iceman You are not serious!

If You listen doc's, Greens, etc. We can not eat, drink, burn or generally consume anything, because they cause cancer, mutations in DNA, extinction, global warming etc. You know that spoon is the worst killer in the world? Everyone who has used it has DIED!

And for Doug, You said it Your selve, US governmetn cares only LOCAL hazards, fuck the rest of the world! (I know You are inteligent human being and I don't have to use so hadr words, sorry. )

What comes to China and India... I have spend there several years and I know what it is. But unfortunately people care more about food, TV, car, leather sofa than clear air and clean water. Like in many other places. It comes when all above mentioned are achieved.

I WILL NOT FEEL RESPONSIBLE OF ANY HAZARDS CAUSED TO AIR OR EARTH BECAUSE I DRIVE 530d BMW!

For using too much electricity or water, pooring oil to the ground, peeing to the lake, throwing trash around I feel responsible and don't do it.

Skaffa

skaffa

Maintenance... Yeah, 183,21? for oil change! Of cource it includes 8,5L of oil, filter and disposal fee.

Skaffa

Iceman

Sorry, I am serious, but I didn't meant the drivers are irresponsible. Should have wrote that better. The Industry is irresponsible. They could built cars with 500 HP that don't harm the environment or ppl.

Damn, I drive a V8, so I really don't mean the driver, skaffa. If I would mean the driver, I should have bought a 1series...

drjochen

BUT the particles are causing cancer, therefore Diesel is NOT the better fuel. It saves the climate a very very little, but kills ppl.

I'd never buy a Diesel! No matter how cheap the gas is. It is irresponsible. IMHO.
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Particulate trap technology has progressed quite a bit, so I would not worry about modern passenger cars at all. Their soot levels are extremly low now.

The real soot producers in Europe are the 20 year old semis from Poland, Russia etc. I grew up in northern Bavaria close to the A9. When I go back and drive there, the rocks next to the Autobahn on steep hills are almost black from the soot from these old stinkers. But then, the trucks here in the US are no better. Just look at your avarge dump truck or garbage truck with the black soot billowing out...

Btw., exhaust aftertreatment technology is still progressing, see for example
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/83/i05/8305notw4.html (a little self-advertising...)

Iceman

Of course it's better today. But the Industry has the technology for "clean" cars for years, for decades to be accurate, and is not using it.

There are bigger problems than cars that harm the environment, so I really don't worry about cars too much.
If I would, I wouldn't be driving a V8, allthough my V8 is "cleaner" than the first cars I drove in my life...

skaffa

Yep, there You are right! BUT compare saying that,"guns don't kill!" Manufacturers make that what they can sell. Demand creates supply, like in drug business.

No hard feelings!

We all should have Prius or similar. But what ever we do we consume and if there is not enough supply also our consumption will end some day. Or consumption of some ppl that is...

I think BMW has (EURO4 cars) at the moment as enviroment friendly range as possible. We could make worse choice?

Skaffa

Iceman

That's right!