chicagotribune.com's view

The BMW 524td is a solid, quiet machine that will get you from Point A to Point B in comfort. The problem with the car is the td, which means the compact luxury sedan has a turbo diesel engine.

The 2.4-liter, in-line six delivers 24 m.p.g. in city driving, which is perhaps the main reason for opting for a diesel. It is the quietest running diesel we`ve driven–and that includes Mercedes-Benz–thanks to 26 different sound insulation components including a fiberglass panel on the inside of the hood to cut down on noise getting into the passenger compartment.

Diesel ping? Very little. Starts? Nearly as fast as a gas engine. Smoke? Didn`t see any. Diesel aroma? Hardly a trace. Sluggish performance? Not with the turbo boost and the resulting 114 horsepower and 0-to-60 m.p.h. in11.5 seconds.

The problem isn`t so much with the car as with the fuel. Before GM put oil burners in its big cars, diesel was found at truck stops and not always easy to find. After the giant got into the diesel fray, station owners figured it was a fuel of the future, and many stations added a diesel pump, and it was relatively easy to find. Now that GM has dumped diesels, gone are many of the pumps.

We traveled out of the city with the gauge on less than a quarter, and it was an adventure finding a station with diesel–at $1.35 a gallon. A diesel extends the tank`s cruising range, and on the open highway you`ll get more than 30 m.p.g., but you have to accept the possibility of searching for diesel fuel before opting for a diesel-powered car.

BMW introduced the 524td four-door sedan in 1985 as the third model in its 5-series to join the 528e and 535i gas-engine models. The 524td is built on a 103-inch wheelbase and is 189 inches long overall, meaning the wheelbase is about the same as a Chrysler New Yorker, the length about the same as a Chevy Celebrity. Styling? BMW calls it “restrained,“ which is German for lackluster.

The base price is $24,145.Standard equipment includes a four-speed automatic, fully independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, power steering, steel-belted radials, air conditioning, AM-FM stereo, cruise control, velour carpets, tinted glass and electric windows, rear defroster, sunroof, outside rear view mirrors and locking system. Options are limited to eight-way electric adjustable seats for $415 and a limited slip differential for $390.