Sarends, if you do get the X5 35D, get a 2010 or above. The CIC (car information computer) is updated along with the newer I-drive interface. I have a 2010 X5 35D I drive for work everyday. I love the Diesel torque, it performs great and MPH is not bad either. If you end up custom coding and tuning it, you can get even greater performance. I changed my firmware on the transmission to a euro spec one, and now have sport mode. Talk about a performance boost! I also did a lot of other tweeks to it along with the DDE module, butjust getting it stock is not bad either.

Hi Trashheap...

when you said with custom decode, with greater performance, I'm really interest in that aspect of things...

could you elaborate...?

because, i have read on this forum with additional coding you are able to get open and close tail-gate with remote, folding mirrors when locking doors and etc...

is the custom coding involves MPG enhancement as well? or HP gain?

I brought a F250 King Ranch diesel. It was a great looking truck.
Was brought because moving and wanted a large truck, and
a diesel for the mileage, which was a joke.

Came to find, it was the most uncomfortable truck ever had. After a
trip to Missouri decided no more trip in it. Had a friend drive some and
he hated it too. Seems like had to stop constantly for diesel.

The final killer was after the move, found had no need for it and driving/parking
in city traffic was not worth it all. They do not do downtown parking
garages.

If you got 12mpg on the road it was a great day. That fuel regen system
was dangerous. When parked in the garage, if something was close to the
tailpipe it was melted.

hindsight if had it, would have gotten a last year model before the
fuel system. Believe the old 6.0 at the end got fairly decent range.

The X5d is comfortable, traffic friendly and garage friendly

Hi Tonytsi. Yes, I had the X5 custom coded. I now open and close the hatch with the keyfob, mirrors fold in with lock, DVD video plays while driving, no more NAG screen when starting the vehicle, changed the triple blink to 5 blinks for turn signal, and a bunch of other stuff. Plus changing the firmware on the Tranny to give me sport mode. More HP is achived by changing programming on the DDE. The DDE is hard to do though because you have to open the unit up and put the Bosch DDE into boot pin mode to program it. Something you will not want to do yourself. You could even change the SZL and steering wheel to paddle shift if you wanted to... There are a ton of coding options on the E70 like most of the other BMW's.

Yikes! I'm getting over 450 a tank in mixed driving (..60/40 street/highway split) from my 35i.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/attachm...1&d=1372357158

Something is seriously wrong with your vehicle. Have you had it checked out?
My 35d, with 90% in town (also hilly, being Seattle area) gets 450 miles on a tank. My wife and I are both lead footed.

You must be carrying bricks in your vehicle, with 22' boat attached. In town.

My mentor and I had the same issue. I bought my wife an 09 diesel lots of my co-workers started talking about how I must make too much money...I pointed out a few times that a 2012 4 runner or what ever they had for their wives cost more... Then fast forward I daily drive a GMC 1/2 ton it's pretty pimped out with nice 2 tone leather seats and a 6.2L nice truck and fairly expensive but it sucks to drive in the city. It won't always fit in underground parking and even above ground it's not always easy to park and I have drove trucks for 15 years I just find them not comfortable in the city. Our whole discussion started when I had to pull a big trailer and borrowed my mentors F-350 diesel for a week, I went back and said I have no idea how you drive it every day. Although it had every option possible it rode very rough and was next to impossible to park and a PITA in rush hour even more so than my truck.he said he knew and we started looking at X5Ms I usually set up test drives ect for him. He is very very wealthy and has helped me rise through the ranks at work so I like to take care of details for him. Anyway driving X5Ms with him I realized I NEEDED one, he had the same reservations what would clients think if they saw him in that? Although most if not all of his clients are aware he is very wealthy he decided against an X5M. So I recently picked up an X5M but I am also worried about co-workers or worse customers seeing me in it. The you're making too much money off us is in the back of my mind. I have a pretty slack job and most of my customers know it but I don't think they realize I make more money than most of them do :yikes: if they did would they expect more out of me? Likely because no one seems to think you should have life better than them so I was even thinking of De-badging the ///M because most of them and my co-workers wouldn't know the difference so I will play it off as another used Old X5. Most of them do drive newer diesels or fancy edition 1/2tons so its not like any of them are hard done by at all most are fairly well off and have boats and RVs ect which i dont have. Sounds like a hassle? Ya kind of but I wanted to drive something besides a pick up truck for about 10years now so I finally jumped in and did it. I have yet to take delivery of the ///M so I don't yet know the fallout but I have been parking in a different lot than my co-workers because its like high school and people keep tabs on when you come and go :rolleyes: even though its of no consequence to them, so don't think they will find out for awhile except my mentor and a couple guys I hang out with on weekends/after work but even most of them have only seen my truck a few times and they might simply think its my wife's X5 even though hers is black and mine is white most of them have only seen hers once when I was getting some work done and I parked it in our work lot and my customers have never seen it but know i have it, i only usually pick them up to go golfing but i could usually pick them up in a cab since we have drinks at golf if i ever have to go to the field for a visit i might be screwed :( Wow I am bored and have some free time right now so sorry for the life story....but to steal a Nike add campaign...Just Do It :rofl:

I love my X5 5.0. But, for work I went with a 13 Touareg TDI - I love it - it is a fantastic car. And, my customers see it as kind of a normal "everyman's car".

I drove pickups for 10 years and now the Touareg is soooo much more comfy, and a bit fun too. I am a BMW guy to the core, but the X5 would have had the wrong image and would have hurt my sales.

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3aa9dc06.jpg

BTW, the Touareg TDI gets about 550 to 625 miles per tank of fuel. Average fuel economy is 25.0 MPG over 8,371 miles since new. This is a mixture of city and highway - on the interstate I drive (typical) 82 MPH. And, now that it is 90 degrees plus outside, she idles while I write up proposals, check directions to my next appointment etc.

My MPG would be more if I didn't have the cargo box on. Many Touareg TDI owners are getting over 700 miles per tank.

Great choice for a work truck. As we discussed at the beginning of the thread, I think it is about the perception of clients, given that you want to appear professional but not rich-at-their-expense. The Cayenne can be configured to be very close in price to the Touareg, but would send the wrong message. The VW badge on the front says sensible.

I was looking around thinking about our next SUV, though the X3 is soldiering on just fine. The Touareg is on the list.