Turbo lag on tuned 530d

[jimbo22]

My new 530d Sport Touring arrives in a few weeks. Against the advice of my dealer I have ordered a manual (crazy I know ) and I plan to have DMS work their magic on it once it has covered it's intial 5,000 miles.

I know the 3.0D is more prone to lag than the 535d due to lack of smaller turbo but does anyone know if the DMS tune will go anyway to lessening this lag?

[StuB]

I have 2 chipped BMW TD's and the boost kicks in sooner/lower down the rev range and then boosts harder than as standard as a result of re-mapping the variable nozzle etc..

The 6 speed auto in my 530d kicks down very readily, in fact resuming cruise can be a bit of a neck snapping experience now!

[daver]

My father in law's always going on about the kickdown (often 2 cogs) in his Volvo V70D (or whatever the estate is called).

Before I say anything else, I'll confess that the only oil burner I've ever driven was a hired VW transit sized van which ran out of puff where a petrol engine would just be getting going, so....

If diesel's party trick is low revs torque, why the need for speedy kickdowns? Or are the ratios so close and the powerband so narrow that we're talking about only dropping a few hundred revs to keep things in the sweetspot - in which case, where's the advantage?

I saw in some BMW comic that, for 5'ers (or was it just the 530?), diesel outsells petrol by about 10:1. Not all those folk can be wrong but I have to say that I just don't get it!

[StuB]

Daver, stop reading and just go for a drive in one, then tell us what you think.

[Beemer-5]

Dave, drive a DMS-d 535d and see.

[alfaspiderman2]

so, if cost wasn't an issue, would you still chose a 530d over a 530i?

(I ask because cost isn't an issue for me as it's a company car and fuel/residuals/servicing are pretty much even)

[Patrico]

alfaspiderman2 said:

so, if cost wasn't an issue, would you still chose a 530d over a 530i?

(I ask because cost isn't an issue for me as it's a company car and fuel/residuals/servicing are pretty much even)

probably not in standard form but if you can remap I would go for the d

[alfaspiderman2]

no chance of remap so petrol it is....

[Beemer-5]

alfaspiderman2 said:

no chance of remap so petrol it is....

BMWCar magazine test both this month.
The 530d came out on top.

[alfaspiderman2]

yeah but on what basis?

for a private purchase it's diffcult to argue against the d but economy, servicing and residuals don't concern me

on a pure driveabilty basis would anyone actually chose a standard 3.0d over a 3.0i ?

[Beemer-5]

In which case it is a tough call, but i would go with the 530d out of the two. Reason?
It's the gruntier car and is quicker most of the time, if not in outright 0-60 or 0-100 on-paper figures. It won't sound as good, i agree.

The real answer (imo) is for you to add £5k and get a 535d.

[alfaspiderman2]

a fair point

(in my case we are probably talking about comparing 330i, 330d, 335i, 335d but the question is as relevant)

[Beemer-5]

The 335d will be awesome, i think.
Slightly better engine than the 535d, from what i hear, with a little less weight.

(Swine!)

[plfrench]

I've been wondering about the benefit of auto on 530d... it seems too keen to kickdown. If you floor it at around 50or 60, it drops into second and then revs away beyond the useful powerband. I can't help thinking that if it stayed in third, then the big slug of torque would pull things along much quicker.

Very impressive bit of kit though nonetheless, and I can only imagine what a DMS tuned 535d would go like!!

Paul.

Edited by plfrench on Friday 25th August 12:02