320d Worth Waiting For Half A Year?

[pinoy]

Finally BMW Phil has responded to my emails concerning special ordering a manual tranny 320d. The product person handling my request said that it could take up to 6 months for my order to be filled because they had to homoginized(?) or detune(?) it for our roads. So my question now is if you were in my place would you wait half a year?

The situation here is that BMW Phil is just offering in the steptronic tranny (no 6 speed manuals) of the 320i, 325i and 330i. The performance and fuel figures of the petrol version doesnt impress me much and I would rather have the diesel version.

[PMB]

Originally posted by pinoy@May 5 2005, 08:43 AM
Finally BMW Phil has responded to my emails concerning special ordering a manual tranny 320d. The product person handling my request said that it could take up to 6 months for my order to be filled because they had to homoginized(?) or detune(?) it for our roads. So my question now is if you were in my place would you wait half a year?

The situation here is that BMW Phil is just offering in the steptronic tranny (no 6 speed manuals) of the 320i, 325i and 330i. The performance and fuel figures of the petrol version doesnt impress me much and I would rather have the diesel version.

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But if he is saying that he will have to de-tune it, it sounds like you will not get the "proper" version.

On paper the 320d looks quicker than the std 320 manual (Euro versions) and it may well be, partially because the 320 is now a 4 cylinder engine again and parially down to emmissions. The emmisions requirements on Euro diesels are virtually non-existent. If they were as strict as gas emmissions requirements it would not be cost effective to make any diesel engines.

In US perhaps emmission control on diesel engines is stricter so the de-tune is actually an emmissions exercise. Either way don't expect the same performance.

[pinoy]

Originally posted by PMB@May 5 2005, 07:16 PM
But if he is saying that he will have to de-tune it, it sounds like you will not get the "proper" version.

On paper the 320d looks quicker than the std 320 manual (Euro versions) and it may well be, partially because the 320 is now a 4 cylinder engine again and parially down to emmissions. The emmisions requirements on Euro diesels are virtually non-existent. If they were as strict as gas emmissions requirements it would not be cost effective to make any diesel engines.

In US perhaps emmission control on diesel engines is stricter so the de-tune is actually an emmissions exercise. Either way don't expect the same performance.

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Funny enough all the BMWs here are "de-tuned" though on the product flyer and website the performance matches those found in Europe.


Makes things rather disturbing

[PMB]

[/quote]
Funny enough all the BMWs here are "de-tuned" though on the product flyer and website the performance matches those found in Europe.

Makes things rather disturbing

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[/quote]

Very odd.

I have driven a 320d, it is the 150 bhp version. It gets great fuel economy, but I don't beleive the 0-62 figure. The engine seems to almosst have a powerband line a 2 stroke motorcycle. There is power there but not much, then suddenly it kicks in for 1500 rpm or so then you have to change up. You have to rev the nuts off it to get it off the mark at any real rate. It sounde like the engine is going to explode or something. However, the other 90% of the time when driving it normally it is just as nice as any other 3 series.

I preferred the Jaguar X-type diesel that I also drove. It was cheaper too (in uk at any rate).

[rsn48]

I could see waiting for a double turbo'd deisel, other than that - no, I couldn't see waiting around for a "d" Bimmer.

[pinoy]

Originally posted by rsn48@May 7 2005, 12:53 AM
I could see waiting for a double turbo'd deisel, other than that - no, I couldn't see waiting around for a "d" Bimmer.

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For the price BMW Phil will probably sell it I might as well wait for a parallel import E90 M3.