Which one is faster 35i vs 35d

[anzer]

Um ...2010 35d is actually 7 secs dead to 100km/hr ...and faster in these Melbourne winters

[Fraser]

Originally Posted by anzer

Um ...2010 35d is actually 7 secs dead to 100km/hr ...and faster in these Melbourne winters

The 7.0sec claim comes from BMW Australia's public website, I believe, but it is at odds at with their other information. See the attached spec sheet.

[XXX555]

Disappointed that BMW took a step backward with their new 35i engine:

2011 BMW 535i: The Dyno Results

[barbja]

You know, I'm 100% certain that the 0-60 published numbers on the 2011 35d are Loads better than on my E53. However, in real life, it all has to be determined on how you drive your own car.

I traded a 2003 E53 3.0 for a 2011 E70 35d. I've had my new car since the beginning of June, so I'm certainly used to driving it now. I know that I could have toasted myself in the E70 with that E53 in all respects.

The E53 is faster off the line, so I'd get a head start. I would drive the E53 in sport mode all the time, so when I needed to down shift (which I did regularly), I could do it in a heartbeat. I know how and when to shift from driving a standard xmission for 20 years. My dad even taught me how to shift without a clutch (on a car that actually has one) from listening to the engine speed. [Be one with the engine...]

My E70 is slow off the line because of the turbo lag. I can't drive it in sport mode all the time because the shift points are just stupid. So, when I need the 'extra oomph' to pass, or to keep up my speed, I end up shifting into neutral (freakin' hell!), or, that extra time it takes to have all the thoughts go through my brain to move the shifter to sport, then shift makes it too late.

And just "stomping on the gas" will not overtake someone who is good at working a standard transmission, no matter how much torque you have. Perhaps if you have enough straightaway, but you usually don't.

There's a section of road leading to my house that goes from two lanes down to one. I always get in line in the correct lane and I HATE it when people run up the other lane and cut in; its just rude. A couple of days ago, I was a little more than a car length, maybe more, behind the person in front of me. We were going 40. A guy in a jeep directly behind me pulled around me and MADE IT (he just had to get his front end in front of mine before I closed the gap -- its a dovetail, and he did it). It didn't take me by surprise. I saw him start it, and I knew what he was doing and I didn't want him to do it. There is no way on god's green earth that he would have been able to do that had I been driving my E53. Why? I would have been in sports mode and dropped down to 2nd and been able to close the gap in about 2 seconds in my E53. I didn't have time to shift in my E70, so just the gas was my only option and it wasn't nearly enough.

I can't drive in sport mode on that road in my E70 because it drives it the entire way at 40mph in 3rd gear and that's way annoying. My E53 would do it in at least 4th (out of 5 gears). I wish there were some way to program sports mode to be 'less aggressive', so that I could be in that mode so that I could shift myself and also have the shift points more to my liking. If I could do that, my E70 would be much more of a peach for me.

Now here's something I want to know: why is there such a pronounced turbo lag on the 35d? I had a 1988 Volvo 750 turbo with a standard xmission for 7 years. I don't remember that car having a turbo lag. It would take off like a bullet. Annnddd -- about 6 months ago, I ended up right behind it at a light in a left turn lane onto an access road (I know it was my old car because it had custom pin-striping). I wasn't trying to do anything sporty myself, I was just admiring my old car -- it still looked pretty good. But when that light turned green, holy hell! It was just gone. When I turned the corner, it was WAYYYYY up the road and still going fast, there was no way I would have ever been able to get to it. Oh ya, that was a fun car to drive. It definitely was not your grandma's Volvo.

So, as you can see, 0-60 numbers on paper aren't necessarily going to be able to tell you what you are going to be able to do with your car when you are behind the wheel. Me, behind the wheel of either the 2003 E53 3.0 or a 1988 Turbo Volvo would definitely toast me at any speed behind the wheel of a 2011 E70 35d. A 50i? I'll bet that's a different story . (Ya, I know a 50i isn't under discussion, but still...). I'll take the interior of my 35d over the other two in a microsecond however. I loves my toys!

[JCL]

Barbja, interesting comments, but you are comparing your 35d to your E53. The comparison was to the 35i in the E70.

I wouldn't necessarily call what you are experiencing turbo lag, as it is just a fact that the diesel won't make any power down low until you have the turbos spinning. The 35i has torque at 1200 rpm or so, while the 35d is building to around 1700 rpm (from memory). Naturally aspirated diesels last a long time, but what they don't do is make much power. It is diesel lag as much as it is turbo lag. For your driving style, you may have preferred the 35i, which gets more torque lower down than the diesel does. I think the 35d could be very effective in traffic, but it would require a slightly different driving style.

Your Volvo was a very low pressure turbo, so the turbo was always spinning. That turbo was designed for a different purpose than ultimate horsepower (like the Volvo T5 was).

[barbja]

Originally Posted by JCL

Your Volvo was a very low pressure turbo, so the turbo was always spinning. That turbo was designed for a different purpose than ultimate horsepower (like the Volvo T5 was).

Ah, well that makes sense then...

[Richard in NC]

Have you tried Manual mode with the E70 35d? You should be able to be in the gear you want to be with minimal time and effort. Around town, a double push from 5th to 3rd should take no longer than doing that with a manual transmission.

One advantage the manual had (E53 or Volvo) was a higher than idle clutch drop. Any desire for a quick take off is simply to push it as you drop the clutch. That raises RPMs to "pre load" the torque, especially with a turbo. You would need to hold the brake, press the gas a bit, and release the brake to do the same with an auto. I couldn't tell you if that works well with the 35d. Note that with AWD, you'll likely get so much traction, you could bog the motor and loose the RPM advantage.

[barbja]

Originally Posted by Richard in NC

Have you tried Manual mode with the E70 35d? You should be able to be in the gear you want to be with minimal time and effort. Around town, a double push from 5th to 3rd should take no longer than doing that with a manual transmission.

Yes, I do use manual mode when I have advanced notice (ie, I know I'm going to do something 'less than smart' so I want to be able to shift if I need to). However, unlike my E53 which I drove in Sport mode (ie Manual, or steptronic, or whatever) all the time, I don't like to drive in that mode all the time with the E70 since I find its 'default' behavior annoying. So, since I'm not in sport mode, my 'double push' (or single) puts me into freakin' neutral! [The first few (hundred) times it happened I panicked, now when it happens I can put it back into gear fast enough that no one is the wiser...at least no one Outside the car since this smooth move always comes with an expletive, if you're Inside the car, you know something's up. ]

Now if you mean 'use manual all the time', that would interfere with drinking sodas! I've never made a concerted effort to exclusively 'manually' drive my automatic car. I could try it though -- it could be fun! Perhaps I'll go out and try that now...

[Richard in NC]

Manual mode is easy and fun with paddles (the Z4 DCT and the 550i sport auto had them). I am still getting used to using the shifter for that on the X5.

[Retired Profile]

...I know I can go further that's for sure