From 2015 A3 TDI to 2016 328d

ChinaBob

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Location
Newburyport, MA
TDI
2016 BMW 328d x-drive; 2015 Audi A3 TDi
Now that the buybacks have started TDI owners are looking in earnest for alternative transportation. Judging by what I see in the forums, many have already bought but most are still considering. If you want to stay with a diesel sedan or wagon, the pickings are mighty slim, and even more so now that M-B has dropped their only diesel sedan for 2017. Except for the new, and unproven, Jag XE 2.0 diesel and the anticipated Chevy Cruze, there’s only the BMW 328d in sedan or wagon form. Actually, it’s not such a bad choice to have. I got mine in August and now have enough miles, about 12,000, to feel confident in comparing it to my A3 TDI.

The cars: My 2015 Audi A3 TDI is a Premium Plus with the Convenience Package, MMI Navigation Plus and Drive Assistance. The 2016 328d is an xDrive (AWD) with Premium, Cold Weather, Driver’s Assistance, and Luxury Packages plus standalone Navigation System. If I had it to do over again, I’d get the Technology Package, which includes the navigation and adds the Heads Up Display, a very worthwhile addition I only first saw after I got the car. C'est la vie.

I really like the A3, enough to put over 80,000 miles on it in less than two years. It’s been an excellent car mechanically, the only problem being a frustratingly intermittent glitch in the navigation, replaced under warranty. My main design complaint is the lack of visibility out of the rear quarters. I consider the blind spot monitors a necessity, and even then I am extra wary about what’s coming up beside and behind me. The Bimmer, being more upright with thinner window pillars, has no such problem. You can get it with blind spot monitors but I don’t think they are really necessary.

While I like the Audi, I love the BMW. It’s so much more car in almost every way: acceleration, handling, quietness, road manners, etc. It just goes about its business with ready aplomb, all while getting about the same fuel economy in a package the size of a Jetta. Sure, it lists for 10 grand more so it should be better, but still its refinement puts it in a different league entirely. And, thanks to BMW’s aggressive leasing programs, CPOs are plentiful and reasonably priced.

Now for the caveats. (I did say the BMW is better in “almost” every way.) The first is driver’s seat comfort. A small but significant number of 328 owners have a problem with it, including yours truly. I spent a lot of time and effort trying various cushions, bolsters and wedges, including just about every offering at Relax the Back, before I found a wedge that’s acceptable. Not great, but it does the job.

The second caveat is the stereo system. It’s not good. I’m not normally very fussy about audio. The A3’s standard system is just fine with me, but I found the base BMW system really grating. Consider the Harman Kardon upgrade or budget for the Bavsound or other aftermarket audio if it’s at all important to you.

The final caveat is window tinting, or lack thereof in the standard 3 series. I’ve never even considered tinting any previous car, but this one needs it, even in New England, IMHO, and I’m headed for Florida after the new year. I got the legally-allowed 35% on sides and back and it helps a lot.

That’s it for caveats. I could wax rhapsodic for many more paragraphs about the virtues of the 328d as a replacement for the A3 TDI, but I won’t. It's enough to say that for me it's a really great car.
 
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squeegee_boy

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2003
Location
Denali, AK
I very seriously considered a 328d wagon after VW dropped even trying to certify a TDI Golf wagon in the US. What sealed the deal for me was a rental of a BMW X1 in Germany with the same 2.0 diesel engine. After several thousand miles in that car with a 6 speed manual, loving every minute of it, there was no way I was going to accept the automatic-only option in this country.
In the end, we settled on a Honda Accord Sport to get us through the next four years. There are compromises everywhere (especially the sedan layout), and frankly the car is a bit of a disappointment given the overwhelmingly positive media reviews, but it is not lacking in the driver involvement front, which is the most important part for me.
 

ChinaBob

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Location
Newburyport, MA
TDI
2016 BMW 328d x-drive; 2015 Audi A3 TDi
I very seriously considered a 328d wagon after VW dropped even trying to certify a TDI Golf wagon in the US. What sealed the deal for me was a rental of a BMW X1 in Germany with the same 2.0 diesel engine. After several thousand miles in that car with a 6 speed manual, loving every minute of it, there was no way I was going to accept the automatic-only option in this country.
One thing that's struck me reading the various BMW forums is the great enthusiasm wagon owners have for their cars. Makes me almost wish I'd gotten a wagon, in spite of the fact that I don't need a wagon, it's 200 pounds heavier and costs $2000 more.
 
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Mike in Anchorage

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Location
Anchorage, AK
TDI
2016 Touareg Lux, 2015 Golf Sportwagen SE, new 4 Sept 2017;2009 VW Jetta TDI Sportwagen (Ruby) sold to VW on 22 SEP 2017
I've been considering a 328d wagon, though perhaps not the XDrive version, for my '09 Jetta Sportwagen potential replacement. A couple of questions I have not found the answer to, but you may be able to help with are how the tranny works.

Anchorage is a mountainous area and I use the hill-hold and the auto downshift features of the tranny in the JSW often. The BMW sales-folks and maintenance techs could not answer my questions about those features on the Bimmer. I can't imagine they would NOT be there, but I want to know that they would be there for all models, and not offered only in certain packages. Can you help with that?

Also, I did drive a '15 328d wagon with XDrive and noted how low the RPMs were at a given speed. At 100 KPH in my JSW, I'm turning just over 2k RPM. The Bimmer with its 8 peed was turning more like 1600 RPM. Do you find the low RPMs at speed to have any effect of lugging that you don't care for? It certainly adds to making for a quieter ride at highway speeds.

TIA.
 

ChinaBob

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Location
Newburyport, MA
TDI
2016 BMW 328d x-drive; 2015 Audi A3 TDi
I've been considering a 328d wagon, though perhaps not the XDrive version ....

... I use the hill-hold and the auto downshift features of the tranny in the JSW often. The BMW sales-folks and maintenance techs could not answer my questions about those features on the Bimmer. I can't imagine they would NOT be there, but I want to know that they would be there for all models, and not offered only in certain packages. Can you help with that?

Also, I did drive a '15 328d wagon with XDrive and noted how low the RPMs were at a given speed. At 100 KPH in my JSW, I'm turning just over 2k RPM. The Bimmer with its 8 peed was turning more like 1600 RPM. Do you find the low RPMs at speed to have any effect of lugging that you don't care for? It certainly adds to making for a quieter ride at highway speeds.

TIA.
I'll do what I can ...

First, I think the wagon comes only in xDrive - 2wd is not available.

As for the hill-hold and auto-downshift I'm afraid I can't be too much more help than the BMW people you've talked with. I'm sure they're there, too, but they're not as noticable as on the VW's. I mostly use the paddle shifters (!) (yep, standard equipment, even on the diesels) for negotiating the hills in New Hampshire. Much more fun. Whatever the tranny does, it's the same in all trim levels, no options there.

The engine speed questions are easier. The BMW's turns just shy of 2000 RPM at 80 MPH. The car is much quieter than any of the three TDI's I've had, especially on the highway. The twin scroll turbo all but eliminates turbo lag and it's noticeably more responsive at all speeds than the TDI. For highway on ramps I usually put it in sport mode, which works like the DSG's sport mode, for an extra boost for merging and passing.

A note on acceleration: one poster in a BMW forum complained that his 328d xDrive wagon was slower than his JSW TDI. Huh? My BMW is a rocket ship compared to any of my TDI's. True, the wagon is 200 pounds heavier than the sedan, but it can't make that much difference, can it? Anyway, it might be something for you to check out.
 

Seppoboy

Active member
Joined
Jan 12, 2014
Location
Central PA
TDI
2014 Passat TDI SE 6MT, traded due to seat discomfort, hello BMW 328xd
I replaced a 2014 Passat TDI with a 2014 BMW 328xd sedan, because the Passat seats were killing my back. After 26 months and 54k miles, I traded the BMW on a different type of car.

The BMW standard seats (M-sport versions had an upgraded sport seat, but I didn't want M-sport) were certainly better than the Passat, but still not ideal in comfort. The halogen headlights were terrible, the worst I have driven in forty years, and I wasn't a fan of run-flat tires.

Otherwise, 328xd is a very nice driving car, the ZF 8-speed automatic (my first ever auto after decades of driving stick) is superb, and the engine is very good as well. Size, visibility, ride quality, and general handiness are also 3-series plus points.

The DEF system had multiple faults, however. The injector lines are heated to prevent freeze-up, but bitterly cold weather still resulted in a freeze. Sensors went nuts, other components needed replacement, and as long as it was in warranty the cost was okay, the inconvenience was not okay. At 53k miles, out of warranty, the CEL lit again, and BMW comped the repair, but said the next one would start at $850 if only minor problems were caught early.

I'm convinced with the TDI scandal and what I have heard from other BMW and MB diesel owners, the weak link is the Ad Blue exhaust treatment, very touchy components prone to failure. So for now, I'm out of a diesel, very reluctantly, after ten years and 275k miles in TDIs and this BMW.
 

PeteZ06

Veteran Member
Joined
May 16, 2012
Location
Algonquin, IL
TDI
E320 CDI
I replaced a 2014 Passat TDI with a 2014 BMW 328xd sedan, because the Passat seats were killing my back. After 26 months and 54k miles, I traded the BMW on a different type of car.

The BMW standard seats (M-sport versions had an upgraded sport seat, but I didn't want M-sport) were certainly better than the Passat, but still not ideal in comfort. The halogen headlights were terrible, the worst I have driven in forty years, and I wasn't a fan of run-flat tires.

Otherwise, 328xd is a very nice driving car, the ZF 8-speed automatic (my first ever auto after decades of driving stick) is superb, and the engine is very good as well. Size, visibility, ride quality, and general handiness are also 3-series plus points.

The DEF system had multiple faults, however. The injector lines are heated to prevent freeze-up, but bitterly cold weather still resulted in a freeze. Sensors went nuts, other components needed replacement, and as long as it was in warranty the cost was okay, the inconvenience was not okay. At 53k miles, out of warranty, the CEL lit again, and BMW comped the repair, but said the next one would start at $850 if only minor problems were caught early.

I'm convinced with the TDI scandal and what I have heard from other BMW and MB diesel owners, the weak link is the Ad Blue exhaust treatment, very touchy components prone to failure. So for now, I'm out of a diesel, very reluctantly, after ten years and 275k miles in TDIs and this BMW.

Thanks for the info... a 328D has been on my list as something I might get in a year or two... what did you replace it with?
 

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
There are lots of threads here about cars people have purchased to replace their TDIs. and almost without exception the reviews of the replacement cars list disadvantages, some significant, of the new rides. This despite the fact that many members have paid cash or incurred debt over and above their buyback on the replacement car.

VWs aren't perfect. And I've been looking with interest at the 328d. I don't have a CR to replace as I sold mine before the scandal, but I do have a bunch of old cars with lots of miles on them, and sometimes I think something newer would be nice.

But then I read reviews like this one. And what I hear is the 328d is a car that has seats and stereo that are sub-optimal, hard riding run flat tires, crappy headlights, require frequent trips to the dealer during the warranty, and may be extremely expensive to maintain out of warranty. All for around $50K. It's pretty hard for me to get excited about that.
 

ChinaBob

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Location
Newburyport, MA
TDI
2016 BMW 328d x-drive; 2015 Audi A3 TDi
QUOTE=Seppoboy;5201161]I replaced a 2014 Passat TDI with a 2014 BMW 328xd sedan, because the Passat seats were killing my back. After 26 months and 54k miles, I traded the BMW on a different type of car.

The BMW standard seats (M-sport versions had an upgraded sport seat, but I didn't want M-sport) were certainly better than the Passat, but still not ideal in comfort. The halogen headlights were terrible, the worst I have driven in forty years, and I wasn't a fan of run-flat tires.

Otherwise, 328xd is a very nice driving car, the ZF 8-speed automatic (my first ever auto after decades of driving stick) is superb, and the engine is very good as well. Size, visibility, ride quality, and general handiness are also 3-series plus points.

The DEF system had multiple faults, however. The injector lines are heated to prevent freeze-up, but bitterly cold weather still resulted in a freeze. Sensors went nuts, other components needed replacement, and as long as it was in warranty the cost was okay, the inconvenience was not okay. At 53k miles, out of warranty, the CEL lit again, and BMW comped the repair, but said the next one would start at $850 if only minor problems were caught early.

I'm convinced with the TDI scandal and what I have heard from other BMW and MB diesel owners, the weak link is the Ad Blue exhaust treatment, very touchy components prone to failure. So for now, I'm out of a diesel, very reluctantly, after ten years and 275k miles in TDIs and this BMW.[/QUOTE]



Sorry to hear that. I went from a Passat to a BMW, too, with a Jetta and the A3, all diesels, in between.

You'd think after over 100 years of designing cars, and seats, the recipe for building a comfortable driver's seats would be well known, but apparently not. I had trouble with the Passat's seat, too. In fact, the only seat I haven't had a problem with is the A3's. But, as I pointed out in my original post, the Bimmer's seat problem was at least fixable, I just had to find the right cushion, which turned out to be a wedge from Relax the Back.

The other problems you had with your 328d might have been related to 2014 being the first year for the 4-cylinder diesels. I hope that they've been ironed out by 2016, which happens to be my year. The halogen lights have now been replace by LEDs, no problems there, and I haven't heard many complaints about the run-flat tires lately. Mine certainly work fine for me. Ditto the DEF/Ad Blue exhaust, at least so far. I'll let you know the other end of the winter but, again, nobody else seems to be complaining about it lately.

The one thing I've noticed reading the various BMW 3-series boards is the lack of problems. Sure, there are failures here and there, but there doesn't seem to be any pattern of things that go consistently wrong with them. I have enough confidence in the car now that I am cancelling the extended warranty I and getting my money back for it.
 

ChinaBob

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Location
Newburyport, MA
TDI
2016 BMW 328d x-drive; 2015 Audi A3 TDi
There are lots of threads here about cars people have purchased to replace their TDIs. and almost without exception the reviews of the replacement cars list disadvantages, some significant, of the new rides. This despite the fact that many members have paid cash or incurred debt over and above their buyback on the replacement car.
VWs aren't perfect. And I've been looking with interest at the 328d. I don't have a CR to replace as I sold mine before the scandal, but I do have a bunch of old cars with lots of miles on them, and sometimes I think something newer would be nice.
But then I read reviews like this one. And what I hear is the 328d is a car that has seats and stereo that are sub-optimal, hard riding run flat tires, crappy headlights, require frequent trips to the dealer during the warranty, and may be extremely expensive to maintain out of warranty. All for around $50K. It's pretty hard for me to get excited about that.
Yes, and I plead guilty here. The thing to remember is that by definition people who prowl and contribute to these boards are at least to some extent obsessed with their cars, and this is especially true of BMW owners. It's easier, and I guess somewhat part of human nature, to pick apart things that we find less than perfect. I'd wager that most BMW owners are happy with the seats, sound system, etc. I would certainly not want to discourage anyone from buying a BMW, it's a great car.
 

Seppoboy

Active member
Joined
Jan 12, 2014
Location
Central PA
TDI
2014 Passat TDI SE 6MT, traded due to seat discomfort, hello BMW 328xd
Please don't take me wrong, I'm only trying to explain what worked and didn't work for me personally, everybody has their own needs and preferences. I loved the Passat except for the seats, and enjoyed driving and owning the BMW 328xd, despite the circumstances that resulted in both of them being expensive ownership experiences.

The added complication of the exhaust treatment systems seems to have affected the old feeling that diesels will run forever with reasonable maintenance, and few issues. Maybe a couple years of added development mean that this year's models have the bugs worked out, but the regulators sure have turned against diesels, that depresses manufacturer interest in additional models and further development. I'm very sorry this is happening, my diesels were ideal powerplants for my high mileage driving.

It looks like I won't be making the daily round trip of 85 miles for more than a couple of years, so with much less driving in my future it won't much matter what I drive. In the meantime, the BMW was traded for a CPO Lexus GS 350 AWD.

If you had told me three years ago that I would own a Lexus, I'd have said you were crazy, I dislike the brand generally. But the GS actually drives quite well, better than the BMW 5-series, and the warranty is unlimited miles through the first quarter of 2020. Seat comfort is great, so are the headlights. It will do, but I would have loved to have found a used Audi A6 3.0T instead. None available within 300 miles, several dealers have waiting lists, and lots of lease customers buy them at the end of the lease.

I hope those who keep their VWs have happy long term ownership, and those who choose a BMW finds it a good choice for them, they are good cars.
 
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TomB

Veteran Member
Joined
May 1, 2003
Location
Cle Elum, Washington/Las Vegas, Nevada
TDI
2015 Audi TDI Prestige Sport
I just test drove the 2017 328d xDrive station wagon this last weekend (since BMW does NOT stock diesels..????).

I must say after 17 years of VW diesels I was disappointed with the BMW engine. VWs and Audis still bring back the excitement of my first 1983 GTI. Sharp, responsive, fun driving. Really I tried to like the BMW and be won over by it.

The BMW under full acceleration yielded moaning noises from the engine with a distinct metallic vibration. It was not quiet and smooth like my A3. The performance was very sedate, the A3 has spunk. The BMW station wagon was like a land cruiser.

The appointment was disappointing for a $50,000 car. Even my A3 TDI Prestige at $42,000 always kept amazing me at the INCLUDED technology, features, storage, a comfort. I found the BMW interior very bland.

The Eco, Comfort, Sports, and Sports plus setting were interesting to say the least. There were differences, yet one thing remained, the car bounced like an old Buick. Any quick moves side to side was like a land yacht rolling. The Audi Drive Select was always impressive on its truly different driving dynamics.

Oh a biggy, the brakes. The were soft. I found that they faded when you pushed them fully down. I am used to the Audi and VW with crisp, quick responding and definitive stopping power. You never need to press the pedal all the way to the floor on an Audi or VW.

Sadly I was disappointed. I hoped for a diesel replacement and found myself not liking the drive train, the technology, the style, or the appointment. The radio just sucked too.

One positive, the back seat room seemed slightly better than an A3 or A4.

The styling was not to my liking either, it looked like a maxipad, or kotex to me. The curves were just too exaggerated and not crisp.

Again, I hoped for more likable vehicle. I found the pricing approach odd too. It was a maze of adding this feature and then this and the price kept going up $1-3,000 a pop. I like Audi's model. I just buy the Prestige level and EVERYTHING is there including some features you can't even add on to a lower level.

Just my two cents to contribute.
 
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