DECISION MADE ! DIESEL WINS (Help to decide : 2008 4.8 vs. 2011 3.5d)

[alexmish]

Hi folks,

My current lease for 2008 4.8 is coming to the end in a few months, and I am undecided what to do next. I've pretty much ruled out 3.5i and 5.0i due to their cost, and at this point it is down to buying off the leased 4.8, or going for 2011 3.5d.

From the TCO (total cost of ownership) point of view, both choices are about the same, with 3.5d coming out slightly ahead due to savings on fuel and availability of $4500 credit. I would be sacrificing 0-60 on 4.8 for 2011's new iDrive, fuel efficiency and other minor goodies (multi-countour seats, iPOD/USB, better camera, google send-to-car, etc.).

To those who own 3.5d, can you please comment on:

a) Acceleration (obviously I would test drive it myself as well) - both from the standstill and highway passing
b) Issues with the diesel fluid - especially those living in North East -did you have any/many issues with fluid freezing up during winter?
c) Sound/smell - any problems with that?
d) MPG - I am a 75-80 mph driver (daily commute of 50 miles in NJ), what do you get?

Any advice, opinions, asnwers to the above are greatly appreciated !

P.S. I know what my brother genemish is going to say about diesel vs 4.8

[spmd11]

Easy decision.

I was in same boat. Had a 09 4.8 and bought a 10 35d. Hands down, not even a contest. Get the 35d. Absolutely amazing gas mileage. 650 mile range. Whisper quiet on highway.

Acceleration is close. Close enough to satisfy. On the upper end of the rev range, it poops out a little with only 265hp. But you won't care, because this engine totally fits the character of the car.

Diesel fuel sucks, but you will only fill up twice a month, so it's bearable.
Pain finding the right station and the gas stinks

We have had many, many BMWs. This is one of my favorites. Don't even think about it. It's not a fair fight. Now the 2011 with the new engine is a tougher choice between performance and economy.

Bottom line is the 4.8 is barely better performance wise.

If you want a truck with economy the 35d is absolutely amazing and fun to drive, to boot. If you could care less about economy, get a 2011 with the new ttV8

[grover432]

Originally Posted by alexmish

Hi folks,

My current lease for 2008 4.8 is coming to the end in a few months, and I am undecided what to do next. I've pretty much ruled out 3.5i and 5.0i due to their cost, and at this point it is down to buying off the leased 4.8, or going for 2011 3.5d.

From the TCO (total cost of ownership) point of view, both choices are about the same, with 3.5d coming out slightly ahead due to savings on fuel and availability of $4500 credit. I would be sacrificing 0-60 on 4.8 for 2011's new iDrive, fuel efficiency and other minor goodies (multi-countour seats, iPOD/USB, better camera, google send-to-car, etc.).

To those who own 3.5d, can you please comment on:

a) Acceleration (obviously I would test drive it myself as well) - both from the standstill and highway passing
b) Issues with the diesel fluid - especially those living in North East -did you have any/many issues with fluid freezing up during winter?
c) Sound/smell - any problems with that?
d) MPG - I am a 75-80 mph driver (daily commute of 50 miles in NJ), what do you get?

Any advice, opinions, asnwers to the above are greatly appreciated !

P.S. I know what my brother genemish is going to say about diesel vs 4.8

I don't own a 35d but have spent a fair bit of time in one and compared it to the 4.8.

There is no question I'd opt for the 35d. It returned 12.8l/100km in the city and around 9l/100 on the highway. Acceleration in town was not much different than the 4.8 - actually more responsive off the line. The 4.8 has longer legs for the highway and has better passing capability at speed.

I liked the 35d, but worry about diesel prices once the economy starts rolling again. Before things tanked, diesel cost more than premium fuel.

I'm curious about why you would not consider the 35i? It is less money than the 35d, has better performance and gets better fuel economy than the 4.8.

[alexmish]

spmd11 - thanks for the comments ! I am cost-aware at this point, as ttV8 is just too much for me $-wise.

grover432 - re the 3.5i, it is actually more expensive because it does not get $4,500 diesel credit. And I wasn't impressed with acceleration, even though the specs say it is the same as outgoing 4.8... So if I am going to suffer for acceleration, I can at least do so knowing that I am saving on the car's and fuel's cost

[jayjay_dee]

Originally Posted by alexmish

Hi folks,

My current lease for 2008 4.8 is coming to the end in a few months, and I am undecided what to do next. I've pretty much ruled out 3.5i and 5.0i due to their cost, and at this point it is down to buying off the leased 4.8, or going for 2011 3.5d.

From the TCO (total cost of ownership) point of view, both choices are about the same, with 3.5d coming out slightly ahead due to savings on fuel and availability of $4500 credit. I would be sacrificing 0-60 on 4.8 for 2011's new iDrive, fuel efficiency and other minor goodies (multi-countour seats, iPOD/USB, better camera, google send-to-car, etc.).

To those who own 3.5d, can you please comment on:

a) Acceleration (obviously I would test drive it myself as well) - both from the standstill and highway passing
b) Issues with the diesel fluid - especially those living in North East -did you have any/many issues with fluid freezing up during winter?
c) Sound/smell - any problems with that?
d) MPG - I am a 75-80 mph driver (daily commute of 50 miles in NJ), what do you get?

Any advice, opinions, asnwers to the above are greatly appreciated !

P.S. I know what my brother genemish is going to say about diesel vs 4.8

Hi Alex, not sure now if you are the one i met at the dealer (JMK) or your brother, but surely one of you...

a.) acceleration - i spent some time with a 4.8 (courtesy of Paul Miller BMW) and i would say it is almost the same compared to my '10 35d

b.) DEF issue - i had the warning once last winter, but once the weather went back to mid 20s, it never came back...

c.) Sound/smell - clatter sound annoyed me a lil bit before, but once i got used to it, i cant even notice it anymore, especially when im next to those UPS trucks . There is no smell (from the exhaust).

d.) MPG - im averaging around 450 miles / tank, mixed hway and city... and im always on DS leaving the toll or from a red light....

[alexmish]

Hey jay jay, yeap it was me

I am going for a test drive tonight to see it first hand... How do you find availability of the diesel at gas stations in NJ ? Did you ever struggle finding one, while at home or when traveling?

[jayjay_dee]

I havent had any problem finding diesel, they have it at HESS in Rt 440 which is just 1-2 miles away from my house. Gas stations near Holland Tunnel have diesel too...

Traveling back home from PCD, diesel stations are everywhere, so no problem there...
Same thing when we went to Niagara falls last March...

[grover432]

Originally Posted by alexmish

spmd11 - thanks for the comments ! I am cost-aware at this point, as ttV8 is just too much for me $-wise.

grover432 - re the 3.5i, it is actually more expensive because it does not get $4,500 diesel credit. And I wasn't impressed with acceleration, even though the specs say it is the same as outgoing 4.8... So if I am going to suffer for acceleration, I can at least do so knowing that I am saving on the car's and fuel's cost

Hi Alex,

We don't get the credit in Canada, so the 35i is a better deal before considering fuel economy. Good point though.

[alexmish]

Just came back from a test drive, side by side with my 4.8... I think I am sold, acceleration is great, maybe a bit lag first 0.5 second, but then the torque really kicks-in and pushes the car a lot.

I think I can live with that considering the savings on fuel.

Any other things that I should be aware of, especially around dealing with pre-mature use of the DEF ?

[Bora20]

Buy a box of latex gloves from WalMart for when you fuel up and buy the diesel. This isn't even a contest.