2011 30i bad??
 

Been reading on another forum and of course there is a heated debate of the 35i vs. the diesel and that the 8 speed tranny is actually a negative for the 35i...is this true? I have never owned a diesel, nobody in my family has ever owned a diesel, and the X5 will never be used to tow anything except having a bike rack attached to the back. Is the 35i a bad choice? I just saw driving today that diesel costs more per gallon than premium here in Houston.

I would think the 8 speed tranny would be great for a 300hp/300ft.lb torque vehicle of this size.:dunno:

ps..seeing now that the Sport Activity trim has flared wheel flares where the Premium only has flat flares, I may have to deal with teh rougher ride of the 20's, but will make sure I don't get Bridgestone tires.

I love my 35i with the 8 speed. Superb drive and very quick.

Drive both of them and make your own call. You'll find diesel lovers here and folks like me that prefer the new gas turbo engines.

The nice thing is we have a choice.

Thanks...other than performance difference (which I think would be minimal), what other advantages/disadvantages does gas/diesel X5s have?

Your thread title references the 30i. There were criticisms that the 30i was underpowered for the weight of the E70, but that is over now that the 35i is out. The 35i has more hp than the 30i, but also has great torque at low rpm, important for the E70.

It is really a personal choice, there are no wrong answers between the 35i and the 35d. If you like going up through the rev range, and the traditional refined sound of the BMW straight six, you may prefer the 35i. If you enjoy big torque and operating at lower rpm ranges, with an improvement in fuel economy, then the diesel may be your choice. You have to drive them. There is some difference in engine sound, some notice that the diesel is a little louder. The only other real difference is when you refuel. Sometimes diesel owners use gloves to avoid getting fuel on themselves, and think more about where they can find fuel, but that isn't true of all purchasers in all locations. Where I live diesel is readily available, although it is a little more expensive than premium, eroding some of the diesel fuel consumption advantage. Check your local fuel prices.

One advantage of the diesel is that you get to join the diesel owner's club, and they tend to be a solid group that promotes the diesel option.

I don't see a negative to the 8 speed transmission, other than suspicion on the part of some that there are a few more gears to go wrong. I wouldn't give it a second thought.

Right now, seems like a no brainer to get the 35d with the Eco Credit. When BMW eventually kills that, will be a much tougher sell for the diesel.

Unless for some reason you regret having the diesel for the life of your ownership to save $1800.....I believe that is what the credit is. Also, it costs $1300 more to build the D to same specs as the 35i so saving is only $500. Not worth it in my opinion.

I believe you are confusing the federal tax credit ($1800) with the BMW Eco Credit incentive cash back payment ($4500). Not sure if the numbers have changed by now.

The 8 speed auto of 35i is amazing vs. 6-speed. Forget all the back and forth with the D and I, just drive them both back to back and make your own decision based on the factors that are most important to *you*. I did that twice to make sure and the decision for me was very clear - but you need to make your own based on the same experience.

Subtract $6300 off the price of the diesel (4500 ECO credit/discount + 1800 tax credit). Worth it in my opinion!

It is really funny that a diesel purchase is such a challenge for many.

My family owned a mercedes 220D back in the day, And a Diesel VW Rabbit.

I've owned a F2504x4 turbodiesel, and a kubota diesel.

I've rented cars in europe extensively that were diesels...there was ZERO question/fear/concern about "diesel ownership" ... it was no big unknown...

But I suppose I can understand the fear. Rest assured that many, many people own and swear by diesels all over the world. Only in America is it 'newfangled'. ;)

A

There's nothing "wrong" with an 8-speed transmission. It actually helps increase gas mileage. It could be a bad thing if the transmission wasn't good on its transitions, but BMWs is supposed to be really smooth.

If you haven't, you really need to go drive all the models you are considering for an extended period of time by yourself. Like at least 30 minutes or so. A dealer should let you do this if he has determined that you're serious about purchasing from him. If you "can't tell the difference", buy whatever is cheaper. If you can, then you should be able to determine what you like better. Then there's the task of determining if you like it better enough to pay more.

Personally, I envy your position. I had to make a decision about which 2011 model to choose based only on being able to drive 2010 models. The 0-60 data and mileage specs on the 2011 models weren't even published yet. I was leaving behind an E53 and I wanted something just like it "but better". The E70 30i definitely did not fit that bill at all.

I bought a 35d+sport+adaptive drive for various reasons. I would have gotten a 50+MSport if I could have afforded the config and could stomach the gas mileage (it wasn't any worse than my exiting E53, but the projected range would decrease because of the smaller tank and that just bummed me). So I REALLY liked it better, but not $10k better.

From reading magazine reviews and posts on forums, there's a good chance that I could have been more than happy with a 35i+MSport this time had I been given the opportunity to drive one (at least drive a 35i). Theoretically I would have gotten the boost of the new engine over my old, the new tranny, and the MSport styling that I so dearly love. Let me tell you, I will NOT go drive one of those puppies until its time to buy a new one.

So, go drive a few and buy what you like. Others opinions be d*mned. Take off like you're dragging out of the dealer lot [ok, maybe the next light] Drive it fast. Drive it slow. Do donuts. Speed bumps. Back it into a parking space (I got a backup camera because of THAT one). Accelerate fast on on ramps. Change lanes really quick (check body roll). Find a twisty road with no one in front of you (we have one really close to the dealer, so its a test course). If they make you drive with them in the car (some of them do), make them shut up (they seem to always want to talk the whole time you're driving the car, why is that??) and do your best to drive it as if you're alone and its your car and not theirs.

I did almost all my test driving with a friend in the passenger seat. She had driven with me in my E53 for probably 3yrs. She could even tell the difference between the four types of cars that we drove. "Is this one worse than your car? It seems pretty sluggish." (30i), "Wow, less body roll, how come? (at the time we didn't know why)"(50MSport), "(insert head plastered plastered the head restraint here)"(35d on an on ramp), etc.

And -- if your garage is tight -- drive it home and make sure it will fit in your garage. I had to do that one. [If my mirrors are out, it won't fit -- small single doors on our double garage].

Good Luck!