TDIclub Secret Society of BMW Owners (SSBMWO)

LNXGUY

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Location
Barrie, Ont, Canada
TDI
'05 Jetta TDI Wagon
No nav is a good thing. Prone to failure on these cars, and HVAC is disabled if it does fail. Unit is $3K. Then there's install.
Eh, I haven't seen many cars with NAV issues. Maybe the odd failed hard drive but that's an easy fix. NAV, CA and a few other options were a prerequisite on mine.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
We have a local shop owner who had his nav fail and says it's pretty common on the E90 platform. I didn't want NAV anyway because I wouldn't use an in-car NAV (at least I don't think I would, never had one), and I like the appearance of the dash much better without it. I also get two cubbies on the console that the NAV controllers take on the cars with that option.

I assume CA is collision avoidance. Done pretty well with that on my own, at least so far.
 

dogdots

Vendor
Joined
Sep 4, 2002
Location
Kansas City
TDI
None
My wife's X5 has nav, my 335d does not. My daughter's E60 had it before it got totaled but her replacement E90 does not. I find the factory nav not very user friendly vs. my portable or my cell phone.
 

swetbak

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2015
Location
Ft. Myers, FL
TDI
03 Jetta Wagon, 2010 BMW 335d
NAV was a prereq on my list, but behind Sport model. The deal I found was sans NAV and I'm ok with that as it's one less thing to go wrong. However in car NAV is handy when there is no cell signal for phone NAV.
 

Dangerous_Dan

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 10, 2004
Location
Fargo ND
TDI
1998 Jetta, 2017 Jaguar XE 20d
Built in SATnav

For the past 5 or 6 years I used phone based SATnav. Then I bought the Jag...

While the user interface on the integrated SATnav stinks, and the touch screen on the Jag is very slow, I very much like having a warning display in the dash that tells me which lane(s) to be in when I am using it on congested urban freeways.
 

Lat

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2007
Location
Vancouver, BC
TDI
2012 BMW X5 35d, 2006 Jetta TDI
The fluidamper is now released (about 5,000 miles too late for me :(

http://www.e90post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=377 Mine failed at 137,500 miles. I had the guibo replaced at the same time, preventatively, since it was getting pretty worn out too.
Still waiting for it to ship! Andrew Rodriguez posted photos of 'em on pallets today, so they must be coming soon.

It's been tough driving only the PD TDI the last two weeks without my 335d! Quite a downgrade :p
 

ATR

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Location
Baltimore
TDI
2011 Golf TDI 6MT
NAV was a prereq on my list, but behind Sport model. The deal I found was sans NAV and I'm ok with that as it's one less thing to go wrong. However in car NAV is handy when there is no cell signal for phone NAV.
FYI a cool feature that not many people know about is that Google maps has "offline maps" so you can download local maps in areas that don't have good cell phone coverage :cool:
 

German_1er_diesel

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Location
Ratzeburg
TDI
BMW 118d
NAV was a prereq on my list, but behind Sport model. The deal I found was sans NAV and I'm ok with that as it's one less thing to go wrong. However in car NAV is handy when there is no cell signal for phone NAV.
Why not get a nav app with on-board maps, which will work fine without a cell signal? I've been using Navigon since 2006, but TomTom, Here, Garmin, iGo would also work.
Sure is a lot more user friendly than on-board systems.

What I find necessary on BMWs is the sports seats. I can't stand the flat standard seats.
I'm not a fan of the BMW sports suspension or the look of the M-Sport version on most BMWs.
Going to try my luck with a Bilstein/Eibach B12 sports suspension now that the rear shocks are worn out though...
 
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jnecr

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2004
Location
Raleigh, NC
TDI
2014 BMW 328d
What I find necessary on BMWs is the sports seats. I can't stand the flat standard seats.
Couldn't agree more. The seats in my MKVI Golf were 10 times better than the non-sport seats in my 328d, they're just flat boards with a bit of cushion. May as well be a bench seat.
 

n8ronJ

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2007
Location
Niagara Frontier - Somerset, NY
TDI
2014 BMW 328d XDrive, 2003 Jetta GLS TDI 5speed Platinum Grey (sold), 2010 Jetta 6speed (bought back)
I love the Sport package. The seats and styling are just fantastic!

Couple questions regarding the '14 328d...

What's the current thinking about adding PowerService or other brand of additive? I have seen the "no additives" sticker on the car.

Also, I was thinking about getting it undercoated. I live in New York snow and salty climate (north of Buffalo). I've never had any of my cars sprayed with coating but I've had plenty of rusty nasty hardware to deal with in the past.
 

tomo366

TDI Lifer, Member #68
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Location
Kensington, Maryland USA
TDI
2015 Jetta SEL TDI
I love the Sport package. The seats and styling are just fantastic!

Couple questions regarding the '14 328d...

What's the current thinking about adding PowerService or other brand of additive? I have seen the "no additives" sticker on the car.

Also, I was thinking about getting it undercoated. I live in New York snow and salty climate (north of Buffalo). I've never had any of my cars sprayed with coating but I've had plenty of rusty nasty hardware to deal with in the past.
I use Optilube XPD in every tankful...
 

LNXGUY

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Location
Barrie, Ont, Canada
TDI
'05 Jetta TDI Wagon
We have a local shop owner who had his nav fail and says it's pretty common on the E90 platform. I didn't want NAV anyway because I wouldn't use an in-car NAV (at least I don't think I would, never had one), and I like the appearance of the dash much better without it. I also get two cubbies on the console that the NAV controllers take on the cars with that option.

I assume CA is collision avoidance. Done pretty well with that on my own, at least so far.

Comfort Access. Also the stock seats are garbage so I had to do this..

 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
The key configuration on the base model is silly. Why have push button start if you have to insert a key in the dash? Stupid.

What are those seats? I don't have any complaints about the base seats. But then again, I've been driving base VWs for years and don't mind those seats either. I used to travel by air so much that I'd say if a car seat is as comfortable as a coach seat on American Airlines I'm fine.
 

rtking

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
Location
Southern California
TDI
2011 Jetta Sportwagen 6MT
What's the current thinking about adding PowerService or other brand of additive? I have seen the "no additives" sticker on the car.
I use Redline Diesel Fuel Catalyst every tank. It served me well on my TDI with 240,000+ miles on the original fuel pump and zero issues.
 

DubFamily

Veteran Member
Joined
May 30, 2012
Location
Swan Point, MD
TDI
2014 BMW 328D xDrive
I have the non-sport seats with lumbar support (Lux line, Premium package) and I think they are great. Sure they aren't as sporty but they are extremely comfortable.
 

kooyajerms

grocery getter
Joined
May 5, 2004
Location
Pomona, Southern California
TDI
97 B4V (mine), 11 x5 35d (hers) 04 V10 (that one you want), 2014 Q7 (mom's) 74 Shasta 1400
Can someone compare a mk6 JSW or golf seat to an e70 X5 standard/sport/comfort.

Most BMW threads talk about comfort is amazing, can't live with out them. Well what if I've lived with the mk6 JSW seats. Will sports be good for long hauls? The standards look like trash, but getting all my options I want and comfort can be difficult.
 

DubFamily

Veteran Member
Joined
May 30, 2012
Location
Swan Point, MD
TDI
2014 BMW 328D xDrive
Can someone compare a mk6 JSW or golf seat to an e70 X5 standard/sport/comfort.

Most BMW threads talk about comfort is amazing, can't live with out them. Well what if I've lived with the mk6 JSW seats. Will sports be good for long hauls? The standards look like trash, but getting all my options I want and comfort can be difficult.
I have no idea what the seats in an X5 are like; but I think you can reasonably compare JSW seats to the standard 3 series seats (like I have, flatter but very comfortable) and the sport seats are more like an upgraded GTI seat, well above even the Golf TDI sport seats.

I would assume the X5 will have higher-end sport seats that are somewhere in between the two but I can't guarantee that.
 

kooyajerms

grocery getter
Joined
May 5, 2004
Location
Pomona, Southern California
TDI
97 B4V (mine), 11 x5 35d (hers) 04 V10 (that one you want), 2014 Q7 (mom's) 74 Shasta 1400
Thanks Bill, now what do you think of the sports?

I may have one on the line... just need those bastards to negotiate. Been 3 months of crappy dealers.
 

kooyajerms

grocery getter
Joined
May 5, 2004
Location
Pomona, Southern California
TDI
97 B4V (mine), 11 x5 35d (hers) 04 V10 (that one you want), 2014 Q7 (mom's) 74 Shasta 1400
Sorry, I should have clarified. I’m getting sloppy seconds from other people’s packages they chose on these x5's.
 

jnecr

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2004
Location
Raleigh, NC
TDI
2014 BMW 328d
Sorry, I should have clarified. I’m getting sloppy seconds from other people’s packages they chose on these x5's.
When it comes to BMWs, that's the best way to do it. New ones depreciate so quickly because of BMW's lease programs. Slightly used BMWs are a dime a dozen!

And unfortunately when it comes to diesel BMWs you don't usually have a smorgasbord of choices.
 

k1xv

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2009
Location
southern Vermont
TDI
09 TDI sedan, sold back 12/16. Present cars 2013 BMW X5 diesel, 2015 Corvette convertible
I have a 2013 E70 X5 diesel with the standard seats. They are the most comfortable seats for long distance driving I have experienced in over 50 years of driving. And in my cold climate, the seat heaters warm quickly but never get uncomfortably "hot".

The climate control works well also.

I would have never bought this vehicle new. Got it as a CPO. If you go to the BMW USA web site, you can do a search of all BMW dealers nationwide for their used/CPO inventory. I was wary of cars that started their lives in one place, were turned in, went to auction, and wound up far away from where they started. The car I bought was a lease return, and I got it from the same dealer who first put it on the road. The car spent its first 3 years/29K miles in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

I did not want a car that spent its first 3 years on the Long Island Expressway or similar "hard miles".
 

Armourbl

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2016
Location
Phoenix
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4DR
Seriously considering a 2014 BMW 535d that is mostly loaded. Only thing it doesn't have that I'd like is the M Sport Package.

Any wisdom to share before it pull the trigger?

Has about 46,000 miles on it now.

Thanks,

ben
 
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