Maybe a new GM small diesel pickup??????

[aczlan]

Couldn't that happen on any vehicle?

That it could, just something to be aware of as the dealership was clueless and pretty much said we will have to throw parts at it (at your expense) as we have no idea.

Aaron Z

 

[94BULLITT]

The problem with a BMW (or alot of other European cars) is most shops do not want to mess with them too much. Alot of parts that would be available for a domestic at autoparts store are dealer only.

 

[aczlan]

The problem with a BMW (or alot of other European cars) is most shops do not want to mess with them too much. Alot of parts that would be available for a domestic at autoparts store are dealer only.

In his case, he was originally told by the dealer that because the problem began under warranty, it would be covered under warranty. When all was said and done, he was out almost $5k with no apparent results. He took it into an independent BMW shop and they (after 6-8ish weeks) diagnosed it as a carrier bearing. This "was confirmed by an old friend who's a truck mechanic. One 10 mile ride with me and he diagnosed it without every doing anything other than riding in the passenger seat"
He ended up trading it in on a Volvo XC70 and he says that he will never buy a BMW again (the X5 was the 3rd unreliable BMW in a row).

Aaron Z

 

[94BULLITT]

In his case, he was originally told by the dealer that because the problem began under warranty, it would be covered under warranty. When all was said and done, he was out almost $5k with no apparent results. He took it into an independent BMW shop and they (after 6-8ish weeks) diagnosed it as a carrier bearing. This "was confirmed by an old friend who's a truck mechanic. One 10 mile ride with me and he diagnosed it without every doing anything other than riding in the passenger seat"
He ended up trading it in on a Volvo XC70 and he says that he will never buy a BMW again (the X5 was the 3rd unreliable BMW in a row).

Aaron Z

Sounds like a bad dealership.

 

[Hay Dude]

That it could, just something to be aware of as the dealership was clueless and pretty much said we will have to throw parts at it (at your expense) as we have no idea.

Aaron Z

Funny, I just went through $10,000 in repairs to an out of warranty 6L powered Ford I just sold......
Based on my experience with Fords I've owned in the past and currently still own compared to the BMW I owned, I have more faith in the BMW.

Sounds like your observation is based more on a lack of dealer service than a lack of manufacturer quality. BMW makes a fantastic automobile and could be a force if they built a full size diesel truck.

 

[amigauser]

Are German Cars Reliable? The Myth of “German Engineering” | AutoGuide.com News

 

[Gary Fowler]

I just cant see putting a diesel engine in a small truck to be sold in USA. I drove a Toyota with small 4 cylinder as a company truck with 5 speed transmission in Peru and it took a full mile just to wind it up to 70MPH and even in 1st gear it had no power at all. I dont think American consumers would go for that kind of performance. I did have pretty favorable impression of a diesel powered Jaguar in Scotland and fuel economy was close to 50MPG with mostly country road driving.
The way American manufacturers gouge the consumer with $4500 cost difference in diesel engines and then the gas pumps gouge for additional $.60 per gallon, there is no way anyone can justify paying that price difference for a tranportation vehicle which is all they are good for. With gasoline engines routinely going 200K or more without a problem, most folks are ready to drive something different before the engine causes problems and usually it is the other gadjets that go out prior to powertrain failure.

 

[crazyal]

The new *****/ EPA CAFE requirements for trucks sold in the US in 2016 need to average 28.8 mpg. By 2025 they will need to get to 54.5 mpg. At first mfgs liked the idea but as they realize that to get there the cost of new vehicles will double. Sales projections are in the toilet unless they can find a way to sell the majority of the public on under powered trucks.

As far as that X5 goes, I had a new 94 Z28 that had the same issue. The problem was that it would only vibrate at speeds over 60 and even then you would need to get over 65 to really feel the vibration. Corporate rules would not let anyone working for a dealer exceed the speed limit to diagnose or test a repair. On top of that every dealership has a standing policy of also not letting employees exceed the speed limit. The end result was they could only shot gun the problem.

Step one was to rebalance the wheels, then replace the drive shaft, then replace the rear axle. They never did solve the problem but did make it better.

 

[Hay Dude]

I just cant see putting a diesel engine in a small truck to be sold in USA. I drove a Toyota with small 4 cylinder as a company truck with 5 speed transmission in Peru and it took a full mile just to wind it up to 70MPH and even in 1st gear it had no power at all. I dont think American consumers would go for that kind of performance. I did have pretty favorable impression of a diesel powered Jaguar in Scotland and fuel economy was close to 50MPG with mostly country road driving.
The way American manufacturers gouge the consumer with $4500 cost difference in diesel engines and then the gas pumps gouge for additional $.60 per gallon, there is no way anyone can justify paying that price difference for a tranportation vehicle which is all they are good for. With gasoline engines routinely going 200K or more without a problem, most folks are ready to drive something different before the engine causes problems and usually it is the other gadjets that go out prior to powertrain failure.

Man....you gotta drive a turbocharged BMW diesel..... Might be faster than a base or mid Mustang.
I bet theres a dozen different brands of diesels (GM, Cummins, BMW, Peugot, Isuzu, etc) that could be packaged into a 1/2 ton or full size SUV. I would love that since I can fill up at the farm instead of stopping at gas station for gas. Everything else we have is diesel except Tahoe.
I do agree with you on some of what you say though. With the new diesel regs, it's an expensive option and requires more thought to operate than a gasser.

 

[Renze]

I just cant see putting a diesel engine in a small truck to be sold in USA. I drove a Toyota with small 4 cylinder as a company truck with 5 speed transmission in Peru and it took a full mile just to wind it up to 70MPH and even in 1st gear it had no power at all. I dont think American consumers would go for that kind of performance. I did have pretty favorable impression of a diesel powered Jaguar in Scotland and fuel economy was close to 50MPG with mostly country road driving.

You compare two vehicles whose design age are three decades apart. With my 2.5TDI of 1998 i still smoke most family vehicles on the road today. With a ton of scrap on the trailer i keep up with moms in their compact grocery getters in city traffic.

The Toyota in Peru was most likely a naturally aspirated 2.2 putting out 63hp at 4200rpm. Mine is putting out 140hp and 300Nm (220 ft/lb) at 1900rpm, more than double the torque these 1980's IDI toyotas had at 2400rpm...
Actually the TDI engine in my volvo is built by Volkswagen and offered in the Transporter commercial van, and later versions are used in the VW version of the Dodge Sprinter at 163hp.

Carroll Shelby said: Torque wins races on sunday, but horsepower sells cars on monday.