Traded my e70 3.0d for an e53 4.8is - AND I PREFER IT!
 

Had a big spec 3.0d with 20" etc one of the first ni the UK....
Drove a mates E53 the other day and preffered it....didnt seem to crash so much over bumps

Picked up the 4.8is e53 today and its doing 22.5 mpg. The e70 was doing 24mpg and with petrol in the UK 115 and diesel 130, bizarly that now makes it cheaper to run a nearly 5 litre v8 than deisel!

The seats are comfier on the e53 and theres slightly more room in the back, although that may have been as I had the 7 seater.....

Took a big hit as well. 9 months old paud just over £50k and took £40k for it (was offered £36k by and independant!).....The dealers are awash with nearly new ones so there really taknig a pounding on the used car value front.........

Just my thoughts of the day....

Jess

lets see some pics!

22.5 MPG is equals about 19 US MPG, way to good for 4.8is. Also if your diesel is getting 24 MPG (20 US MPG) there is something wrong with your car.

Why? The 4.8is was rated at 16 city 22 hwy? :confused:

Real world consumption lower based on what I read from this site.

Congrats! Lets see some pics.

I had a 2004 4.8is and it was leaps and bounds better than my 07' E70 3.0si and my 08' 4.8i. I even think the front end of the E53 looks much better than the E70. E53 interior was great too, and much easier to use on a daily basis. Congrats and good move!

Funnily enough, I phoned my dealer yesterday to see if he has sold my E53 4.6 which I recently traded , since it was a better car than my E70 4.8 that I have now.

1. the interior was better put together
2. the gearbox shifted very smoothly
3. the fuel consumtion was much better
4. it was faster off the mark (yes!)
5. It didnt have any front suspension noise after 25k miles let alone 5K miles like my E70 had

:( But hes sold it,.. I wonder who the lucky buyer was :(

I have a E53 4.8is and E70 4.8i

Hands down the 4.8is is a better driving car
However, the 4.8i is a more comfortable ride (with comfort seats) has enough power for day to day and is more refined

The 4.8is is still the beast

Would it be a fair to say that the E53is is better since it is a later production model (I believe the E53is is also the mid-cycle refresh; thus most problems debugged) and that the current E70 (in it's second year of its lifecycle) may be as good/superior as it reaches the same age?

Has anyone that has a second year (2001) E53 make a comparison of it vs the second year E70?

I would agree but this is 2008, not 1978. Manufacturers should not be releasing this type of vehicle at this end of the market with anything like the number of defects that are showing up, especially for a premium brand. Mine was a 2003 for the info

Well, of course you do. Only a computer nerd would prefer the E70 3.0d (which should've gotten better mpg) over the E53 4.8is (which should be getting worse mpg).

I have been told by some friends that they like E53 4.8is look better than E70.

:iagree:

THe E53 4.8is is by far the best looking E53. Still great from the front and sides, but the rear is dated. E70 rear is much nicer.

You should proberbly gone for the E70 3.0sd M pack, that would have kept you :thumbup:. It truley is the best buy. Fast good looking and economical for its presence.

I had a 3.0d Sport 2001 E53, never had the go i wanted even with a tuning box, the E53 design now looks very very dated, rather like a E39 Touring on stilts, the proportions and the way it sits on the road are wrong, E70 is a much more comprehensive design, it loks correct especialy on 20 inch wheels and is colour sensative, probably more so than E53.
Traded in my 535d Sport for my E70 3.0sd SE just over a month ago. Fantastic, the way it goes handles, the double wishbone front suspension is a major improvement, the way it goes down the road is great, no E53 could do that and it looks great, Space Gray SE, no so sure about the looks of the M Sport, a bit too much colour for my liking and they can look all wrong.
So to all you Ludites out there things must progress and they have in E70 and i am chuffed with mine.

Good for you.. I'm not saying the E70 hasn't made some improvements, but if I told you the number of times its been in the garage compared to my E53, you'd see where I'm coming from.

Heres the pics!
 

I dont know anybody with either an e53 or e70 3.0d getting better than 25mpg. Mine at best was 24mpg and as low as 20 around town!

On my old 4.6is I used to get 18 around town and 21 on a run. the 4.8is seems to be more efficent and I gettnig 19 around town and 22 on a run. So overall I still think petrol is now cheaper than diesel.....

The e53 4.8is feels quicker than the newer e70 4.8i and sounds much better as well......

Id now only go X6 with the 5.0 twin turbo and only if its as hardcore as the e53 x5 4.8is.....

that would be for me...my missus is havnig our 4.8is and says theres more room in the back for the isofix child seats!

and the pics of the old one!
 

old one!

Sooooooo much better! :thumbup:

:rolleyes:

I actually GET 15-16 around town and 21-22 on the hwy with my 4.8is.

Like the color combo. :thumbup:

I haven't driven an E53 for a long time so can't remember what it was like over bumps but I have to say my E70 SD is awful over speed bumps etc...much worse than my old 535d Sport but bizarrely has a better ride in general.

I wonder if switching from RFT's would solve it? I changed my 535d to normal tyres which improved it's ride noticeably.

Y E S. Will never use RFTs again... what a difference.

Fuel consumption figures are a bit like penis size and depth of snow... quoted figures bear little resemblance to fact!