Isn't "Efficiency Dynamics" mostly a software thing? Because I'm FURIOUS....

[Penguin]

> there are individuals who care a lot about the environment.

I have done more than most people in the U.S. to help the environment -- I decided to not have any children. As far as I am concerned, anyone who has children is impacting the environment far, far more than me, even if I decided to drive a Winnebago instead of a Smartcar.

[Fredo]

Originally Posted by brian5

Why do you say the average US consumer doesn't care enough about fuel consumption??? Where the did you get that information from? And what say do you really think the electorate has in the signing the Kyoto Protocol!?!?!?

As you may be able to tell, I don't like it when populations make generalizations about others.

over...

I am sorry to have offended you but when you look at the options that the US consumer makes when it comes to the vehicles they choose to buy it is clear that fuel consumption is not the top priority. I don't know what the average MPG of a car sold in the US is versus any country in Europe but I am happy to stick my neck out and say it's probably worse.

The electorate has since re-elected the President who chose not to sign Kyoto. They had a choice.

[canamx5]

Originally Posted by Fredo

The electorate has since re-elected the President who chose not to sign Kyoto. They had a choice.

...and BMW chose money (more expensive to build) over our environment by not offering it here.

I would bet that if they had offered a diesel option at the inception of the E70, the 4.8 petrol would be at the bottom of the x5 sales scale.

[marcx5]

this is EXACTLY why BMW should be offering the efficiency dynamic feature, at minimum, as an option:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmsOIjzQ1V8

this is a VERY creative and funny video... but does have an underlying meaning....

[brian5]

Originally Posted by Fredo

I am sorry to have offended you but when you look at the options that the US consumer makes when it comes to the vehicles they choose to buy it is clear that fuel consumption is not the top priority. I don't know what the average MPG of a car sold in the US is versus any country in Europe but I am happy to stick my neck out and say it's probably worse.

The electorate has since re-elected the President who chose not to sign Kyoto. They had a choice.

Yes, the average MPG of a car sold in the US is probably greater than European countries. No surprise there. The roads in most European towns are smaller than US roads so the vehicles HAVE to be smaller. Also, there are sorts of incentives that one has to take into consideration as the benefits for 2.0L and less cars in UK; the lower price of gas in the US; etc. It does not mean the US consumer does not care about fuel consumption; we have BIGGER things to worry about such as the war in Iraq...

And the comment about the re-election a President who chose not to sign the Kyoto is irrelevant. We DON'T base our selection of President on the signing of the Kyoto!!! In most cases, I agree that it's difficult to tell why a certain president was elected but that is often the case world-wide...

[X5JDX]

Originally Posted by Fredo

Just to clarify 100% all of those saving are directly related to the ED car...a non ED 3.0d or sd would be that much more expensive for me to run. Here in the UK road tax is banded according to emissions so the higher the Co2 output the more car tax you pay....and if you drive in Central London the congestion charge is also based on emissions. Some cars are exempt, most pay £8 per day and the high emissions cars will pay £25 from next year. The non ED diesel X5's fall into that category, the ED models don't.

The savings in fuel consumption are between 5 and 10% across the range which is a massive difference. It's like introducing next generation engines.

Just to clarify the 3.0sd also falls into the UK lower tax band F.
My MY07 3.0d is band G and I accepted this tax band at the time of ordering as I still wanted to buy an X5 thinking that the residuals would be stronger than most alternatives.

I am absolutely p*ssed off with BMW to launch the ED variant, which I consider to be a huge change, so soon.
It places myself and others at the fate of the Government as to what changes they make for the highest Tax band motorists. Depreciation of non ED X5's in the Uk will be much higher than ED variants. This leaves owners with a difficult situation, trade-in for an ED car and loose thousands in depreciation now or pay the road tax which will no doubt go sky-high over the next few years and still suffer huge depreciation. Take the London congestion charge change as a hint for what the next budget may announce!

My only concern for the new ED vehicles is that the CO2 emissions are very tight to the upper limit of Band F - will these cars pass an MOT in 3 years time?

BMW have screwed up big time for 2007 customers, but then customer care is not their strong point ££££$$$$$$ is.

[Fredo]

You are right to be angry with BMW over the introdcution of ED so early after it was launched. I was actually very lucky as my dealer told me at the launch that they were very sure that there would be revisions made to the range to accomodate the new congestion charges coming into place in London. Being a London based dealer they were obviously lobbying very hard as it is very important for their business, your dealer was probably not so well informed given you are in Scotland. I was just lucky that my dealer had the information and also because I have bought cars from them for so long that they looked afetr me by telling not to buy a car until the revisions were made.

That doesn't change the fact that they have made a major revision to the car that will have a big impact on future residuals and running costs.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by Fredo

.....they have made a major revision to the car that will have a big impact on future residuals and running costs.

I understand where you are both coming from, but I think we have to get used to continual updates. My '08 535 was released earlier this year, around April, and I waited until September production to get a manual transmission. All of the ED features were announced for the '08 models, but mine doesn't have the air flaps in front of the radiators. Seems they will be out in October (unconfirmed). I also didn't get the light telling me when to shift, but I am pretty sure I can live without that one

Life is too short to sweat it. Buy another in three years, and you will be current for at least a few months.

PS: I got burned when I lived in the UK and drove a new diesel Discovery, received right before the introduction of the new tax structure on company cars (based on emissions). I had to pay the leasing company a pile of cash to take it back early as the taxes were punitive, and then I paid that cash outflow off with the tax savings on my much cleaner-burning VW diesel. Stuff happens.

[Fredo]

It's very true that whatever you buy it will almost always be out of date relatively quickly. It is almost unheard of though to launch a car and make such a big revision within months, I can never remember it happening before. This change is also much more important here in the UK than say new headlight design or gearbox, it will literally change the running costs and thus residuals by thousands of pounds.

[X5JDX]

Originally Posted by Fredo

It's very true that whatever you buy it will almost always be out of date relatively quickly. It is almost unheard of though to launch a car and make such a big revision within months, I can never remember it happening before. This change is also much more important here in the UK than say new headlight design or gearbox, it will literally change the running costs and thus residuals by thousands of pounds.

Very well put.