Contemplating: X5 Diesel or 535d
 

Ok let's be objective. Someone just offered to buy my X. Drooling I am. But
I can't decide. So…. I turn the question over to you experts. :dunno:

If you know Both vehicles, what are the pros and cons? No I'm not considering a gas BMW I have one already.
For the purpose of this discussion i'm just considering diesel.

First obvious question: do you need an SUV? If no, then dont buy an SUV.

I would not hesitate to buy an LCI E70 35d or a 535d given the choice.

However I will not give up my manual transmission willingly.


I am all about clean diesel technology, all the grunt and torquiness of diesel that you love, its clean, and you'll be getting approx 28-30 mpg on the E70 and higher on the 5 series, I think the new 328d is rated at almost 45 mpg.

Considering we all put 91-93 octane in our bimmers for the most part, the price for fuel is lateral, not increased. I love it, and wish my wife would get a clean diesel vehicle for her next one.

I'm with you on diesels, though the modern emissions requirements complicate them unnecessarily, IMHO. I test drove an 09? 3 series diesel, and loved it, when shopping for the CEO's last previous vehicle, which became an 06 Benz 320 cdi, great car I wish she hadn't insisted on selling. We have a cousin with a 2011? X5 diesel, great vehicle, quiet, excellent fuel mileage, etc. That said, if you find you don't really need the X5's towing/cargo, the new 5 series sedan w/diesel would be hard to pass up.

Right now i'm sporting a 2005 X5 4.4 SAV. I didn't need it when I bought it but it has come in handy on several occasions.
That said at my age I buy what I want not what I need and what I want always suits my needs. ;)

Is the lounge dead these days or what?

We have been happy with our 2009 X5 diesel, but it's not quiet by any means. One of the louder diesel SUV's on the market. Also, highway MPG is more like 26 mpg, not 30.

Thanks for the feed back. I would hope the 2014/15 models may have seen
An uptick in technology, MPG specs, and noise reduction. I haven't heard yours
but Having driven a 76 Peugoet 504 you may not know what real Passenger car diesel noise really is. :rofl:: :rofl:

Re: The lounge. The site has changed quite a bit as you may have noticed.

Contemplating: X5 Diesel or 535d
 

Not sure about the noise, but the new model is good for about 5 more MPG and I am sure it is a step up with regard to technology as well as it's interior in general vs the e70. I think the fact that the new model has the 8 speed trans compared to the 6 speed in the e70 makes the difference in MPG.

The new model is a bit down on power compared to the e70 and a little slower accelerating even with the trans advantage. New model also has EPS, which has not been a good thing for BMW if you are particular about steering feel.

Diesels have great torque and economy, but don't like to rev. The tach on our e70 looks strange topping out at 5k when I'm used to the 8k redline in my M3. Also, I do notice some turbo lag with the diesel. Especially when starting off from a stop or at low rpm. If you don't need the torque and are ok with a bit less economy, the 35i may be the better choice. Especially if you are picky about how a vehicle drives.

If you place a high importance in how a car drives, I would rule out the current 5 series completely.


Tapatalk

The current 5 line up is not great. The car has become a big and the ride is soft.you c
I think you can improve it by getting adjustable suspension but that is a lot of money.

The new 3 is almost the size of the E60 and seems like a direction I might go though options add up quick.