I was leaning towards the 35d to replace my 08 3.0si when the time comes, but now I'm leaning towards the 35i.

Never.

No diesels for me...EVER!!
48i now -> 50i or X5M in the future (BMW) :D

Maybe you should use -> instead of >

HAPPY!? :dunno:

Good choice. As I mentioned in facelift E70 thread, 0-60 on 35i is same as outgoing 48i.

That, plus the inconvenience of not every station having diesel, the cost of the diesel vechicle being more than the comparable gasoline version, and the MPG's not balancing out the higher cost of diesel fuel (I don't put enough miles on the X for it to make a big impact). Add all of that up and a fuel efficient, good MPG gas vehicle is better for me.

I think the diesel torque curve fits the X5 very well but personally I wouldn't buy one if I lived in a country where diesel fuel wasn't available at every garage.

The cost of diesel fuel is artificially inflated here in the US as well. The crude oil refining process yields gasoline and diesel, it doesn't take any extra effort by the oil companies to produce it, with the exception of the process to lower the sulfur content. And yet, the US imports the diesel that it sells to consumers, and exports some of the diesel that it produces to countries like Spain! Go figure.
I just read an article in one of the big 3 auto mags about it.

Yes! Assuming they stick with the 3.0 diesel engine. It's amazing what this little engine can do.