My BMW loaner for the day...an oil burning 328d

"N51fanatic" (n51fanatic)
07/14/2014 at 14:03 • Filed to: None

So I dropped off my car today for some service, and this was the gem I was given the keys to. A 2014 jet black 328d. I was excited, as it would be my first time driving an F30, and a diesel no less.

First Impressions: You step on the gas, this thing goes. I got back to the office this am to learn that the 328d utilizes the 2.0 liter turbo engine rated at 180 hp, 280 lb/ft tq. My first question is, why isn't this called the 320d? Pretentiousness much?

I am guessing the reason this thing feels like it hauls @$$ compared to my N52 is because of the 280 Torks.

The suspension (compared to my Bilstein/Swift setup) is like driving on a cloud. If you have a long commute, lots of long road trips, this would be an ideal car.

There was crazy traffic, I was at a light and could see the window sticker sticking out of glovebox. The sticker on this thing was $419XX. That is effing crazy. This had no sport package, no xenons, no nav, nothing. Moonroof and heated seats were the only options. These things have to all be leased, becuase i can find much better ways to spend 42k than a 180hp diesel 3series with fake leather.

DISCUSSION (17)

Saracen > N51fanatic
07/14/2014 at 14:06

I may be looking at off-lease CPO'd 328d wagons in three years.

BATC42 > N51fanatic
07/14/2014 at 14:07

In Europe it is called a 320d, no idea why they would name it 328d in the US. To appear more powerful and to justify the price tag maybe?

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > N51fanatic
07/14/2014 at 14:08

I gotta say, that body style does absolutely nothing for me. I'm sure the black doesn't help things much.

If that car was comparably priced to a regular 3 series, would you consider it over the gas engine?

scoob > N51fanatic
07/14/2014 at 14:10

To be honest, I doubt many people here (by here I mean in the US) even know what the numbers are supposed to mean anyway.

I had to explain to someone that basically: the lower the number, the less you pay. But this doesn't apply nowadays. Explaining engine displacement would be a nightmare.

N51fanatic > BATC42
07/14/2014 at 14:10

that is simply insulting to US consumers though. I mean dont get me wrong, many are pretensions, but this is a bare bones BMW, yet it costs $42k. Was lightly optioned to boot.

Manuél Ferrari > BATC42
07/14/2014 at 14:14

That is exactly the reason.

I read that BMW USA's marketing department didn't think people would spend that much on the car if it was labelled 320d.

N51fanatic > scoob
07/14/2014 at 14:14

i understand that naming convention is complicated. However, BMW has gone against their ALREADY complicated naming convention with the 328d.

320 implies 2.0 liter turbo with 180hp.

328 implies 2.0 liter turbo with 240hp

The 328d has the former, thus should be named 320d. smh

N51fanatic > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated!
07/14/2014 at 14:16

I'd have to do the math on the fuel costs per my normal driving usage to make that call.

PS9 > N51fanatic
07/14/2014 at 14:18

"Man, did you really have to post a pic of your D to the front page?"
"That's N52, he's all about the D."
"So when you get in the car, how does it feel to sit on BMWs D? Is it comfortable? Painful? Precise and exacting? Is it reliable enough to keep you from thinking about Audi's D?"
"I heard BMWs D has a really funny smell to it, can you verify?"
"'Muricans are satisfied with domestic D, but some just have to import theirs."

Ok. I...I think I've got it all out of my sys- IT'S 328D IN THE US BECAUSE BIGGER IS BETTER

ok. I'm finished now. I'll...I'll go in the corner and think about what I've... D one.

Cé hé sin > Manuél Ferrari
07/14/2014 at 14:21

Imagine how they'd react to a 318d (same engine, less power)?

Cé hé sin > N51fanatic
07/14/2014 at 14:22

Well, it generally is a 320d. But not in America, because big numbers impress.

mjswee > N51fanatic
07/14/2014 at 14:23

I also got one as a loaner when the last time I took my 335d in. I was happy to get it as a loaner since I was considering getting a 328d wagon, but compared to my 335d, it just felt slow (425 lb-ft in the 335d). I wish they would have done the 4 cyl and 6 cyl diesel models for the US, but then the 6 cylinder would probably cost $50k optioned out.

heliochrome85 > N51fanatic
07/14/2014 at 14:45

the base suspension is pretty soft. All Xdrive models and any luxury line or base line models get that suspension.

The 328d doesn't really make much sense to be honest. My 328i gets 36 highway, and wasn't much more considering i have navi/xenons/msport/cold weather package. BMW is failing in that they want you to think diesel is a premium product. They would be better off marketing it like mercedes does, with the diesel being either a no cost option or the cheapest model in the line.

N51fanatic > heliochrome85
07/14/2014 at 14:51

agreed.

Captain_Spadaro > BATC42
07/14/2014 at 14:51

Pretty much. Can't be going down in badge numbers, that would make them look weak (even though most people have no idea what they mean anyway).

Brian Silvestro > heliochrome85
07/14/2014 at 15:18

:'(

IT'S TRUE

N51fanatic > N51fanatic
07/14/2014 at 18:41

ride home update. This thing moves pretty effin well. I briefly entertained picking up a jalopnik edition 320 last year, but i just compared the numbers the gas powered 320 only has 200 torks, vs the diesels 280. All that being said, i thought 35k for a sport packaged 320 was too much, 41k for the 320d is more insane.