BMW To Offer Lease Termination If Your Diesel Gets Banned By Your City

As sometimes happens, there’s a war brewing in the heart of Europe. This one isn’t like the others, though — instead of nation versus nation, it’s a case of lawmakers versus privately owned vehicles, primarily those of the diesel persuasion.

So eager are some city governments to ban the operation of diesel-powered cars and trucks in or near urban centers, BMW Group has taken the unusual step of issuing a promise. In a bid to allay fears of new (or newish) vehicles becoming useless to their owners, the automaker claims it will let German lessees return their diesel vehicles and switch to a gas-powered model.

Don’t worry about the government, BMW wants its customers to know. Just enjoy that compression ignition engine while you can.
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MDarringer - 3/14/2018 8:46:39 PM

-1 Boost

If you can afford a BMW, you can afford gasoline.

TheSteve - 3/14/2018 11:48:17 PM

+3 Boost

Good move by BMW.

@MDarringer wrote "If you can afford a BMW, you can afford gasoline" -- When I bought my Audi Q5 3.0 diesel, it cost about the same as the gasoline version of a similar BMW. I chose to save on fuel, lower emissions, and save on cost per mile (better fuel economy + lower pump prices). My meticulous spreadsheet says I've saved 36% to 39.5% in cost per mile! That means I'd be paying 56% more in fuel costs per mile if I had got a gasoline engine. Yeah, I know I could pay a lot more... but why?

___
For those anti-diesel folks who are so dying to condemn me (I'm sure Matty is at the head of the line):

1) I don't claim diesel is the right choice for everyone.

2) I don't claim "diesel is best."

3) I am not telling folks to "run out and get a diesel"

4) If you want to pull the "Dieselgate" card, first do your homework, and learn about the specifics of my 2nd Generation 3.0 Liter V6 diesel. That's NOT the engine implicated for cranking out "40 times" legal NOx levels.

mre30 - 3/15/2018 9:25:44 PM

+1 Boost

I have a MB GL350 diesel and I really like it. However it is my last one. Maybe they function better in Europe but with all the pollution control/emissions systems on them, they are fragile - just the opposite of the Mercedes Diesels from the 1980's that went 500,000 miles with only oil changes.

Diesels and American regulatory standards do not mix.

MDarringer - 3/15/2018 9:41:26 PM

0 Boost

^^^
pedant alert

TomM - 3/15/2018 7:47:31 AM

+2 Boost

WHile I agree that current Diesel Technology cannot compete environmentally with other options - on a level playing field - that still does not exist in Europe - where the price of Gasoline is often twice or more the price of Diesel. AS a result - the middle and lower classes simply cannot afford a gas car for regular transportation - and most have diesels.

Completely banning diesels overnight would be a disaster for any place - but in Europe it would mean a depression unless they reduce gas prices. I would suspect that eventually - you MIGHT see them ban NEW diesel sales as they allow the older diesels to leave the market over time maybe a few years.