Diesel v Petrol on X Models, am I making sense
Discussion
I suspect we are in slightly unpredictable times with diesel. Nitrous oxide emissions are being declared the latest evil on our (London, Paris, etc) streets and the prime question for me will be what measures are London willing to impose, how soon; and how many of these will spread across the nation.
My local authority has this year imposed a £99 annual parking permit levy on diesel vehicles - when CO2 emissions were flavour of the month they slammed a massive hike on parking permits (I think it was £250 increase on my then 911).
There are four small experimental areas in central London where the authorities are imposing electric only, no diesel and other measures. Whether these will be reviewed and reversed or mark the start of a roll out programme, I dread to think.
BMW seem to be making noises at the moment that the future is electric, albeit the mainstream models aren't anticipated to appear until circa 2021. I was told (by a competing brand salesperson!!) that if you go into a BMW dealer today and enquire about a diesel model, they are being required to ask questions to, if not steer you away from diesel, to ensure that diesel is a good fit for the customer's needs. Apparently this is a new thing - not just common sense.
If you look at a typical BMW dealer's used car stock on the interweb, it is quite striking what a high proportion of the vehicles are diesel and, should political or other pressures move sentiment against diesel, there could be quite a sharp impact on used diesel values. Pure speculation on my part I fully acknowledge but I decided not to find out and yesterday collected my slightly more pc (if not nearly as good to drive) hybrid bus!
Peter
My local authority has this year imposed a £99 annual parking permit levy on diesel vehicles - when CO2 emissions were flavour of the month they slammed a massive hike on parking permits (I think it was £250 increase on my then 911).
There are four small experimental areas in central London where the authorities are imposing electric only, no diesel and other measures. Whether these will be reviewed and reversed or mark the start of a roll out programme, I dread to think.
BMW seem to be making noises at the moment that the future is electric, albeit the mainstream models aren't anticipated to appear until circa 2021. I was told (by a competing brand salesperson!!) that if you go into a BMW dealer today and enquire about a diesel model, they are being required to ask questions to, if not steer you away from diesel, to ensure that diesel is a good fit for the customer's needs. Apparently this is a new thing - not just common sense.
If you look at a typical BMW dealer's used car stock on the interweb, it is quite striking what a high proportion of the vehicles are diesel and, should political or other pressures move sentiment against diesel, there could be quite a sharp impact on used diesel values. Pure speculation on my part I fully acknowledge but I decided not to find out and yesterday collected my slightly more pc (if not nearly as good to drive) hybrid bus!
Peter
northpolar said:
BMW seem to be making noises at the moment that the future is electric, albeit the mainstream models aren't anticipated to appear until circa 2021. I was told (by a competing brand salesperson!!) that if you go into a BMW dealer today and enquire about a diesel model, they are being required to ask questions to, if not steer you away from diesel, to ensure that diesel is a good fit for the customer's needs. Apparently this is a new thing - not just common sense.
If you look at a typical BMW dealer's used car stock on the interweb, it is quite striking what a high proportion of the vehicles are diesel and, should political or other pressures move sentiment against diesel, there could be quite a sharp impact on used diesel values. Pure speculation on my part I fully acknowledge but I decided not to find out and yesterday collected my slightly more pc (if not nearly as good to drive) hybrid bus!
Peter
I was in a BMW showroom last week buying a car, albeit at the Mini end. I was after a car up to about a year old and prepared to take the petrol or diesel equivalent model as long as it had the right kit. They had a suitable diesel model and I bought it. They made no mention of steering me away from diesel, but perhaps it hasn't got as far as Mini.If you look at a typical BMW dealer's used car stock on the interweb, it is quite striking what a high proportion of the vehicles are diesel and, should political or other pressures move sentiment against diesel, there could be quite a sharp impact on used diesel values. Pure speculation on my part I fully acknowledge but I decided not to find out and yesterday collected my slightly more pc (if not nearly as good to drive) hybrid bus!
Peter
Currently diesel models of larger cars trade at a significant premium to petrols, and even at the Mini end of the range, diesel still attracts a small premium. There have been a few cases on here and on Bimmerpost of owners of 335i models or similar being offered much less than the diesel equivalent 330d/335d
northpolar said:
I was told (by a competing brand salesperson!!) that if you go into a BMW dealer today and enquire about a diesel model, they are being required to ask questions to, if not steer you away from diesel, to ensure that diesel is a good fit for the customer's needs. Apparently this is a new thing - not just common sense.
Perhaps BMW better start offering some of their models in a petrol option first!I wanted to buy a X3 with the N55 engine, but they won't sell them in the UK, even though they actually make them in RHD, but BMW-GB won't sell them in UK as they don't think anyone will buy the petrol models over the diesels.
aeropilot said:
Perhaps BMW better start offering some of their models in a petrol option first!
I wanted to buy a X3 with the N55 engine, but they won't sell them in the UK, even though they actually make them in RHD, but BMW-GB won't sell them in UK as they don't think anyone will buy the petrol models over the diesels.
X3 35i - I considered importing one from South Africa for the same reasons...I wanted to buy a X3 with the N55 engine, but they won't sell them in the UK, even though they actually make them in RHD, but BMW-GB won't sell them in UK as they don't think anyone will buy the petrol models over the diesels.
VerySideways said:
aeropilot said:
Perhaps BMW better start offering some of their models in a petrol option first!
I wanted to buy a X3 with the N55 engine, but they won't sell them in the UK, even though they actually make them in RHD, but BMW-GB won't sell them in UK as they don't think anyone will buy the petrol models over the diesels.
X3 35i - I considered importing one from South Africa for the same reasons...I wanted to buy a X3 with the N55 engine, but they won't sell them in the UK, even though they actually make them in RHD, but BMW-GB won't sell them in UK as they don't think anyone will buy the petrol models over the diesels.
I'm buying a X5 instead now anyway, and obviously its going to be a diesel as, as much as I'd like the 5.0i version, my wallet wouldn't like the fuel bills, as by end of the year I'll also have a weekend toy with a 383ci SBC that will need feeding so the diesel is now the slightly better option anyway.....even though the thought of owning a diesel still makes me shudder a little bit
Smuler said:
I always like it when threads, asking for advice, are concluded; so not to be a hypocrite:-
I went for the diesel. I preferred the engine, felt it was smoother and picked up better. I did briefly consider the more powerful 25d but won't be driving this vehicle on for example long demanding, motorway journeys where I might want that extra, extra surge and although I'm impressed with this X1's handling and ride, I'm hardly going to take it on a b road blast as I do the M3, so I really wouldn't get the value.
Thanks a lot to this forum I've learnt about Broadspeed, Coast to Coast and TRL. I got their best quotes and found a local dealer to beat that price, to the extent of 10% of their discount.
Options I considered but discounted, pano sunroof seemed a nice idea but really expensive and the excellent visibility in the X1 gave plenty of light even considering my two test drives were in vehicles with the horrible privacy glass.
Reversing camera, I'd been recommended but I found too much information and a bit confusing, rear visibility is good and parking sensors with graphics is sufficient.
I went for driver comfort pack, because I did fancy the front parking sensors.
Folding mirrors because I drive down such tight streets, it's really handy
Lumbar support and elect adjustable seats, bad back meaning extra support and because I like to make minor adjustments to driving position on the go.
Sport Auto, as discussed so many times here, it really suits the engine and the sort of driving I'll do in the X1.
I hated RFTs in my 335i, so going non RFTs added space saver, as I won't use that much of the storage space, so it can use up the underfloor storage
Finally, as it was only 150£ I went for EDC a bit of a punt but it supposedly sharpens things up; though I did feel there was more weight with the standard steering than I'd found on other similar BMWs
Car is the M Sport so anything else I wanted was standard.
Thanks again.
Many thanks for letting us know how it ended as ee don't always get the end result! I went for the diesel. I preferred the engine, felt it was smoother and picked up better. I did briefly consider the more powerful 25d but won't be driving this vehicle on for example long demanding, motorway journeys where I might want that extra, extra surge and although I'm impressed with this X1's handling and ride, I'm hardly going to take it on a b road blast as I do the M3, so I really wouldn't get the value.
Thanks a lot to this forum I've learnt about Broadspeed, Coast to Coast and TRL. I got their best quotes and found a local dealer to beat that price, to the extent of 10% of their discount.
Options I considered but discounted, pano sunroof seemed a nice idea but really expensive and the excellent visibility in the X1 gave plenty of light even considering my two test drives were in vehicles with the horrible privacy glass.
Reversing camera, I'd been recommended but I found too much information and a bit confusing, rear visibility is good and parking sensors with graphics is sufficient.
I went for driver comfort pack, because I did fancy the front parking sensors.
Folding mirrors because I drive down such tight streets, it's really handy
Lumbar support and elect adjustable seats, bad back meaning extra support and because I like to make minor adjustments to driving position on the go.
Sport Auto, as discussed so many times here, it really suits the engine and the sort of driving I'll do in the X1.
I hated RFTs in my 335i, so going non RFTs added space saver, as I won't use that much of the storage space, so it can use up the underfloor storage
Finally, as it was only 150£ I went for EDC a bit of a punt but it supposedly sharpens things up; though I did feel there was more weight with the standard steering than I'd found on other similar BMWs
Car is the M Sport so anything else I wanted was standard.
Thanks again.
Hope you keep enjoying the new car!
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff