E70 twin-turbo diesel service history

[ForbesZ]

Is there anyone out there that can give us feedback about the service history of the new twin-turbo diesels?

I've been anxiously waiting for the E70 twin-turbo diesel to be available in the US, but as I wait, I see that the turbo diesels from Mercedes and Volkswagen are noted for having a lot of problems.

It also makes me nervous that the US based stealerships don't have mechanics experienced with servicing diesels, so if there are a lot of problems with the new models, it might end up being a case of the blind leading the stupid.

If anyone has any experience with the twin-turbo diesel motors, please post feedback.

Thank you!

[golfer4life]

Originally Posted by ForbesZ

It also makes me nervous that the US based stealerships don't have mechanics experienced with servicing diesels, so if there are a lot of problems with the new models, it might end up being a case of the blind leading the stupid.

Isn't this the case now for the current E70's? Just my observation.

[STALKER]

Diesels gas offered in EU is not the same here in North America. So the reason that many of the MB cars are having issues is because the systems are designed for the high grade/quality diesel gas offered in EU.

[ForbesZ]

Originally Posted by STALKER

Diesels gas offered in EU is not the same here in North America. So the reason that many of the MB cars are having issues is because the systems are designed for the high grade/quality diesel gas offered in EU.

But isn't that the very reason why we haven't seen BMW diesel's here in North America? Surely BMW has avoided bringing them to North America to date because the sulfur content in our diesel fuel. When they first brought the 4.0 liter V-8 gas motors to North America it turned out the sulfur content in our ordinary gas was higher, which created more sulfuric acid than the soft alloy engine blocks could take. They ended up doing a ton of warranty work because of it, and then they came out with the 4.4s which were fine.

Would they really be so stupid to bring a diesel to North America without realizing this fact? Then again, Mercedes seems to have.

[Quicksilver]

For the record diesel is a fuel not a gas. Having said that i believe there may some corrections needed to understand what is assumed the US market and the fuel sold here.

Ultra-low sulfur diesel was proposed by EPA as a new standard for the sulfur content in on-road diesel fuel sold in the United States since October 15, 2006, except for rural Alaska. California required it since September 1, 2006, and rural Alaska will transition all diesel to ULSD in 2010. This new regulation applies to all diesel fuel, diesel fuel additives and distillate fuels blended with diesel for on-road use, such as kerosene, however, it does not yet apply to train locomotives, marine, or off road uses. By December 1, 2010, all highway diesel will be ULSD. Non-road diesel will transition to 500 ppm sulfur in 2007, and to ULSD in 2010. Locomotive and marine diesel will also transition to 500 ppm sulfur in 2007, and to ULSD in 2012. There are exemptions for small refiners of nonroad, locomotive and marine diesel that allow for 500 ppm diesel to remain in the system until 2014. After December 1, 2014 all highway, nonroad, locomotive and marine diesel produced and imported will be ULSD.

The EPA mandated the use of ULSD fuel in model year 2007 and newer highway diesel fuel engines equipped with advanced emission control systems that require the new fuel. These advanced emission control technologies will be required for marine diesel engines in 2014 and for locomotives in 2015.

The allowable sulfur content for ULSD (15 ppm) is much lower than the previous U.S. on-highway standard for low sulfur diesel (LSD, 500 ppm), which not only reduces emissions of sulfur compounds (blamed for acid rain), but also allows advanced emission control systems to be fitted that would otherwise be poisoned by these compounds. These systems can greatly reduce emissions of oxides of nitrogen and particulates.

Because this grade of fuel is comparable to European grades and engines will no longer have to be redesigned to cope with higher sulfur content and may use advanced emissions control systems which can be damaged by sulfur, the standard may increase the availability of diesel-fueled passenger cars in the U.S. European diesels are much more popular with buyers than those available in the U.S.

Additionally, the EPA is assisting manufacturers with the transition to tougher emissions regulations by loosening them for model year 2007 to 2009 light-duty diesel engines.[1] As a result, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, and others are expecting to begin producing diesel vehicles for the U.S. market to join those from Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen.[2]

[ForbesZ]

You could say automobile gasoline is not a gas either, it too is a fuel. Propane, helium, hydrogen ... those are gases.

So I guess you could say this suggests BMW (and others) were wise to bide their time and not bring diesels over here until now. That's definitely encouraging!

I wonder if MB sold enough diesels in North America to have made it worth their while dealing with all the fuel related service issues.

[Fredo]

Er to get back on track!

I have owned a 535d for nearly three years ( I had one of the first ones delivered in October 04). In that three year period the only problem I have had mechanically with the car was a faulty starter motor. The car has behaved faultlessly apart from that.

The image of diesels has been transformed here in the UK in the last 10 years (we were much later adopters thanthe rest of the EU), they deliver performance on a par with the petrol engined cars with significantly better performance. The real beauty of them is that they deliver power where you need it, beleive me it starts to seem antiquated having to rev a car to get the power after driving the new generation diesels.

This is most definitely reflected in depreciation, petrol engined cars are "very bad news".

I would go as far as to say that the only cars that BMW make that are better as petrol engined are the M cars. You could argue for the 335i and also the 130i....but that's it.

[The Big Easy]

Certainly the resell price is higher with diesels, but parts are sometimes more difficult to come by, and they cost more (unless your motorplan is current in which case the cost to you would be zero). Loads of power, and better consumption which means less $$ out of your pocket. But does a person necessarily own the car long enough to make that extra $$ really count? On a side note, we have have al ready seen turbos fail and need to be replaced around the 30 to 45 K mark on the E53, will this get better with the E70.......? This is a heavy car, and there is allot of strain on a 3l engine with a turbo......

[jamesboags]

This is the first diesel I have owned... and I must say it will not be the last.. the standard X5 3.0d is awesome and I have to back off when driving... I can only imagine the TT will be better with less lag .. but will have about the same sensation of great torque at around 1700 rpm !!!

[Fredo]

Originally Posted by The Big Easy

Certainly the resell price is higher with diesels, but parts are sometimes more difficult to come by, and they cost more (unless your motorplan is current in which case the cost to you would be zero). Loads of power, and better consumption which means less $$ out of your pocket. But does a person necessarily own the car long enough to make that extra $$ really count? On a side note, we have have al ready seen turbos fail and need to be replaced around the 30 to 45 K mark on the E53, will this get better with the E70.......? This is a heavy car, and there is allot of strain on a 3l engine with a turbo......

There haven't been widespread reports of turbo failure in the UK. The twin turbo would obvioulsy be less "strained" than the single turbo. I'd also say that the torque figures tell you these engines are very capable of handling the strain.....

Parts are a moot point for me as I would always renew the warranty. Taking into account the deprecaition the running costs are definitely better and if you do higher mileages it's a no brainer. The parts are more expensive because it's a more advanced technology, car manufacturers have known that for years but have not put the money into developing it until the last decade or so when oil prices have forced them too. The next generation of engines will effectively be a combination of petrol and diesel technology which takes the best of both worlds.