Diesel Fill Up Tips or Tricks?

[XXX555]

Thanks Edco

"6) Lastly, and this is a few years old and may have changed with BMW engines, I always added a measured amount of diesel fuel additive at every fill up. I had four baby food jars each with the right amount, and a funnel, and would pour the additive in FIRST. 4 baby food jars = one bottle of the additive, and I didnt have to mess with figuring out am I above or below the line in the cold and wind. Again, these were kept in a zip lock bag. So my little "kit" made for an easy fill up, and had me prepared for any slip ups."

At the risk of going to BMW prison for even asking, anyone comment on diesel additives?

[edco]

Originally Posted by Fraser

I trust the walk wasn't too painful. Many thanks

No..not much.. There is an interesting story I will share. When I bought the car, it was a base vehicle, no heating seats, cloth interior, etc etc.
There is a board called TDIClub.com that I became a member of, and subsquently read a story about a chap in Florida who unfortunately had a semi back up onto the hood of this car to the roofline. The car was totalled but he had photos of the damage and I noticed that the interior, including leather heated electric memory seats, matching door cards were untouched. I bought a wiring harness from Germany and a buddy who at the time lived close by and I spent a November Sunday tearing out the old interior and installing the new leather, power, etc parts so that it was a "FrankenTDI". I bought all the parts, including a steel belly pan - TDIs typically come with plastic below engine covers that dont last in cold climates where ice and snow accumulate and pull them down. The ripper was the guy sold me all the parts for $500 delivered to my door, I spent probably another $250 for an OEM CD player, wired in an XM radio kit, and a gaggle of small odds and ends, and for a while she was a stunner.. then parts that were unrelated to the work we had done (ie non electrical) started to fail, and being "naked" with an untrustworthy TDI was not looking good to me..I ended up selling it for about what it cost me 3 years and 30K miles later as diesel prices were about 25-40 cents cheaper in NJ than reg or premium.. but it was a bugger to keep running..special tools needed, ie VagCom..unique anti-freeze.. My favorite part since they take a while to warm up in the interior, was installing an electric heat pump that would circulate (via an A/C plug I installed in the bumper) and heat the coolant on a timer when I knew I was going to be driving the next day. It took about 2 hours and when you got inside and fired her up it was all warm and toasty. My neighbors thought I had an electric car !

Oh and the additive I used at EVERY fill is called Power Service.

Good Luck and Happy Thanksgiving all
Ed in NJ

[bigx5er]

Well folks, this thread made me decide to cancel my X5 35d order. My wife went out to a couple of local stations and she said the pumps were nasty. She wanted no part of the diesel experience.

Bummer, because it is a great vehicle. We take long trips and have no desire to mess around, especially in cold Minnesota where gas even gets on the ground during the winter.

I guess I should be thankful that I read this thread. My 2008 X5 will do for now.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by bigx5er

I guess I should be thankful that I read this thread. My 2008 X5 will do for now.

Good thing you found out about the pumps in your area before buying it. Luckily, I have yet to have the experience of a really bad diesel pump in Illinois/Wisconsin.

[jaaX3]

Pumping fuel made you change your mind?
Although I'm not quite sure I agree with your choice, I do respect said choice. This was one con that outweighed the pros, eh?
I would say stop reading car forums when you are purchasing a vehicle, because there are unpleasant things about every car. But then again, have you read all of the positive things about the diesels?
Then again, you already have a wonderful X5.
To each their own...

[bigx5er]

Originally Posted by jaaX3

Pumping fuel made you change your mind?
Although I'm not quite sure I agree with your choice, I do respect said choice. This was one con that outweighed the pros, eh?
I would say stop reading car forums when you are purchasing a vehicle, because there are unpleasant things about every car. But then again, have you read all of the positive things about the diesels?
Then again, you already have a wonderful X5.
To each their own...

I can take the heat! I've bought over 25 new cars and trust me, I have made plenty of dumb decisions. This could be another one of those! If it weren't for the X5 forum here, I never would have even considered the diesel. I fully understand that forums tend to lean toward the negative and I also know this forum has been overwhelmingly positive for the X5 diesel.

But heck -- we BMW owners are supposed to be a bit eccentric?

If anyone wants me to change my mind, they will have to go through my wife. Good luck!

[X5-UK]

FYI, in the UK (where diesel has been the norm for decades), every gas station has free supplies of disposable gloves mounted next to the diesel pumps.

Maybe the USA should start a campaign for the same now you have that beast of an engine (35d) over there!

[Craig]

I fuel mine all the time and I don't wear gloves. I watch where I walk if fuel is on the ground, but you wouldn't want to step in gasoline either...

Glad you figured it out before hand...

Craig

[jaaX3]

Originally Posted by bigx5er

I can take the heat! I've bought over 25 new cars and trust me, I have made plenty of dumb decisions. This could be another one of those! If it weren't for the X5 forum here, I never would have even considered the diesel. I fully understand that forums tend to lean toward the negative and I also know this forum has been overwhelmingly positive for the X5 diesel.

But heck -- we BMW owners are supposed to be a bit eccentric?

If anyone wants me to change my mind, they will have to go through my wife. Good luck!

No heat here. I have a wife, too.

[moolis]

I have not had any problem whatsoever with fueling my diesel. I do it just like I always have. I've not had spills or bad smells, nothing. I think your wife should maybe try it out. You'll be missing out on a great vehicle. This is coming from a wife