luigi524td

Stopped at my Dealer yesterday to do some window shopping. Was curious to see what the service guys were saying about the new diesels finally coming back to the United States. Their response was, as drivers, they are great cars! However, since none have been sold [ at their store ] they had no experience with service issues.

One of the sales guys said he thinks it is because the cars and X5s they have received are pretty base cars - not even Premium Pkgs. Although that makes the cars/X they have to sell some of the lowest priced on their lot, he feels that BMW customers want the bells and whistles.

I told him that when I come in for service in a couple of weeks I'd like to take one of them out for a spin - to which he offered, when you come in for service you can have one for the day ... just let us know in advance! I probably will ...

Any thoughts out there about the survivability of BMW diesels in the US Market?

Krozi

http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=73060&hl=

The Mercedes CDI are pretty damn good. I see no reason why the BMW diesels shouldn't do well.

luigi524td

I know ... if you notice my signature luigi524td ... my first BMW back in 1986 was a turbo-diesel! One of the best cars I've ever owned. And I've driven them in Europe whenever one was available in a rental fleet.

The problem seems to be how BMW will attract enough buyers to sustain sales targets. To do that, IMHO, they have to make enough models, at the right price point, to attract new buyers to their stores. I don't think BMW has been very successful converting Benz owners. I feel, and maybe it's out dated thinking, that the typical Benz diesel owner isn't looking for BMW performance. Their demographics, in general (and I may be a little out of touch here), are not what BMW folks are like. e.g., I don't see a lot of modded E series on the road!

sdg1871

Yesterday, my BMW dealer also told me that it has not sold or leased a single BMW 335d and that, as a result, to increase awareness of the car in the market, it was going to use one as a loaner.

Pretty sad situation when a terrific handling car with 425 foot pounds of torque is not moving off the lot.

westcoast550

It was a fuel strategy, with gas back to a "value" price point the demand for diesel dried up here, just wait till the government dictates their requirement with extra fuel taxes( this will get Dranged all F----d up !! ) Bawaaaaaa

sdg1871

The 335d is a performance car, not just a high mpg miser. It's been clocked at 5.3 seconds from zero to sixty, almost as fast as the 335i. With that kind of torque, it has to feel faster off the line than the 335i.

It ate up the Audi A4 in a recent comparo in one of the major car mags this month. I hope that there is a place for it in the US market.

westcoast550

I totally agree ! We just have a tough time with the idea of diesels vs gas...........they got over this a long time ago in Europe, with help from gov't taxation on gasoline or Petrol as our Brit friends call it

luigi524td

I'm not a marketing expert but I think the decision to bring diesels back to the US market should have included the 5 series. That model is at least in the size and price class of the Benz offering.

The 3 series is a hot sports sedan that also happens to get economy car fuel economy and decent cruising range. You're right about the comparison between the A4 and 335d - the BMW blew the doors off the Audi and achieved Honda Civic fuel economy.

IMHO, while the hybrids are getting all the attention, BMW needs to promote their real green offerings by having enough of them available at the right price because it's only a matter of time before gasoline prices in the USA are 2x today's prices. It still offers class beating performance and top class fuel economy.

Go fast and farther for less - how's that for a marketing slogan!

ObD

I think a BMW diesel would have made it if the economy hadn't tanked. Now it's time to re-evaluate the whole line up. I think that the diesel market is dead for for a few years in the US. Used cars are selling like hotcakes.

Krozi

Agreed.