Xoutpost.com > BMW SAV Forums > X5 (E53) Forum > Not Another Comparo

[jbny]

Hi Guys,

I posted a thread in e53 section and have'nt had much luck, I hope the members here can provide some input, I am thinking about making a move from x5 4.8is to x5 35i (5.0 - too expensive for me right now) so was wondering if someone had made a similar move and what their opinions are, I have'nt driven the x5 35i yet but sat in my buddy's x5 e70 4.8i.

Do you think it's worth to make the shift from 4.8is to x35i ( not too keen on e70 4.8i from what i have read so far) now or would it be better to wait for the 5.0 prices to come down in the pre owned market.

Thanks all for your input.

BTW - I dont really know how to post the link so i make the subject as the old thread name..sry abt that.

[jbny]

anyone?

[UCrewX5]

I recommend that you drive the E70 3.5 and see if you are comfortable with the performance. Only you know what you are willing to settle for. Personally, I would keep the E53 4.8is. It has the performance and was the top of the line model (versus the bottom of the line that you are comparing it to)

[UCrewX5]

By the way, here is the link to your original post - http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...r-comparo.html

[ukwildcat]

This is my first BMW, but I test drove both the 35i and the 50i. Price was not really much of an issue, so take it for what it's worth..

The 50i is a BLAST to drive. It will kick you in the pants every time you touch the accelerator, no doubt. I shouldn't say this - I'm sure I'll get razzed on it - but that wasn't always a good thing.

Both passengers on the test drive (friends of mine in the backseat) were literally nauseous the whole time. The vehicle had, for better or for worse, a tendency to literally JUMP off the line and while this is really VERY exciting, in daily use, it would probably also be VERY annoying. There's also the fact that it gets like 14MPG.

The entire time, the SALES GUY kept telling me that the 35i was probably plenty of power, not to mention its significantly better fuel economy. After driving THAT one, I tended to agree. Aside from sheer acceleration - which, in my humble opinion, is PERFECTLY adequate on the 35i, there is no difference in the experience. From what I could tell, they are identical in every other way. Salesman pointed out they have slightly different rear ends, but at a glance, you would never know.

When I expressed concern about acceleration, that's when he introduced me to SPORT mode, and while it's not the same as that beast of an engine, it's good enough.

I went with the 35i, of course, and have not regretted it.

This is my first performance vehicle, however, and I may well change my tune in a few years when its time for a new one and maybe go with a bigger engine. For now, though, the 35i is plenty, and I appreciate the improved fuel economy (and the range that goes with it).

Try one - the turbo and this eight speed transmission makes a big difference. It seems to stick a little between first and second, but so far I chalk that up to me not being used to a vehicle that wants to get up and go in the first place.

[jbny]

Thanks Ucrewx5 and ukwildcat for your response, I do plan on test driving both when I go in for my X5's service.Even though I like the body shape of the e70 (front only, rear is ok ...just my opinion vs the older 4.8is), I am not sure how much i'd be able to tell from a 10-15 min test drive, from the specs 50i does look like a monster however 35i seems adequate , what worries me more is about the feel and how that compares to 4.8is, but i guess i should just test drive and find it out myself but yea i still love my 4.8is and it's been troublefree so maybe i will go with Ucrewx5 advice and wait for the prices to come down and just test drive for now.

[ukwildcat]

Quite welcome. I will say that from my experience, there is an immediate and obvious difference when you step on the gas, but other than the 50i kicking you in the butt - you will notice this immediately - and the 35i more like pulling you along quickly, there is no difference between the two. In fact, the 50i literally wants to jump off the line when you touch the gas, and to me this was rather ANNOYING, despite the fact that all I could do was laugh and laugh while it rocketed from one light to the next.

Best I could tell, handling is more or less identical, but I have to add that the 50i I test-drove had the M package (the 35i did not).

I thought the 35i was perfectly adequate - I am not an overly aggressive driver and I don't need any tickets thank you - so the 50i was overkill. It's very nice to have that sense of sheer power, no doubt about it. The more I drive the 35i, the more I notice that the X5 as a whole seems optimized to perform better the faster it goes. Both models will go from say 70 to 100 before you even realize it (had I not had the speed alarm set I wouldn't have) and you won't even feel it. It's astounding.

I would recommend the same thing I did: drive the 50i FIRST, then see if you miss anything in the 35i.

Some folks really live for the kick in the pants of such a powerful engine, but you have to decide whether that's worth like 5MPG (and reduced range - gas tank is the same size between the two) and another ~$8K to you or not.

I know the BMW purists hate the thought, but I spent the extra $8K in creature comforts (and extended warranty to 100K miles).

[roadkillrob]

The 5.0i is awesome, but the the 3.5i is as good as the 4.8i was a year ago, so basically you can have what was the best X5 6 months ago in the 3.5i now, it is still fast and fun to drive, much better than the old 3.0 was on power, but if you are addicted to power, the 5.0i is the way to go!

[barbja]

Are any of you guys trumpeting the E70 35i coming out of E53s? I traded my '03 E53 3.0 for an '11 35d. I'm finding that this thing is not Nearly as a hoot to drive as my E53 was.

Because I am currently disappointed in my driving experience, I went to my dealer and tried a 35i MSport and wanted to try a 50, but they didn't have one. Here is a report of my 35i experience:

I drove a 35i yesterday and take-off s*cked - bimmerfest - BMW Forums

Perhaps I tried a 'bad apple', I don't know.

There are A LOT of people that are quite enthusiastic about their 35ds. I don't want to knock the love of their vehicles. Personally, I just find that compared to the E53, the 35d (and Really the 35i as you can see from my link) just isn't as nimble or quick or sprightly or whatever word you want to put on it. Seriously, if I could get my old car back, I would. I don't dislike it enough to buy a non-X5 though -- oh noooo.

The 50 however, if it drives anything like the X6 50 I drove, is awesome. Do you think that when they come out with the active hybrid it will drive anything like the 50? That would be extra cool. Although it would not be extra cool if they 'penalty price' the active hybrid like they do on the X6.

[micahmiles]

Having just moved from a 2008 4.8 to a 2011 50i, I'll weigh in, as I too strongly evaluated and drove the 35i. I've always driven and built high performance cars so my evaluation is a little more on the sporty side than most.

The turbo six in the 35i is a pretty remarkable engine. I'm fairly certain the 300/300 rating is conservative from BMW. It gives very good performance with impressive mpg's and will be more than adequate for all but enthusiasts. The engine does have less torque than the 4.8 and seems slightly less responsive at lower rpms as such from mild turbo lag. This is mostly noticeable at initial take off from idle. I noticed no turbo lag at highway speeds. DS mode will keep the turbo's spooled enough for instant throttle response.

One thing that surprised me was that the front end weight savings was noticeable with the six. Transient response is a little better in the 35i than the 4.8 and 50i, all things being equal (sport packages, wheel/tire sizes, adaptive drive, etc...).

This X5 is my wife's daily driver and she and I both would have been perfectly happy with the 35i, but we did opt for the 50i after driving it. The engine is simply amazing all the way around and is perfect for this type of application and gets a little better mpg's than the 4.8 did. In true BMW fashion, the 50i pulls very hard all the way to redline. The 1200 mile break-in period was VERY difficult, but fortunately my wife drives alot, so I only had wait a couple of weeks before stretching it's legs. We decided against the X5M since, for us, it's mainly the family car, but the engine is very addictive and now I'm looking forward to a Dinan tune they will bump the power to that close to the M.

BTW, in case anyone is interested, last night I recorded a 0-60 of 5.19 seconds, and an amazing 0-50 of 3.82 seconds in our 50i. That's faster than both a two year old 911 Carrera and a Cayman.

I don't think you can go wrong with either engine when moving from the 4.8, it's more a matter of personal preference and how much performance you desire.