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      12-26-2017, 01:42 PM   #1
Johnny Grabble
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535i vs 535d?

Hi,*

Has anyone driven an F10 or F11**535i and a 535d for any reasonable period of time and come to a conclusion as to which is better both in terms of day-to-day performance and real-world running costs?* I'd be interested in any observations.* Although I do 20k+ miles a year in my 535d I'm wondering whether to get into a petrol before (a) they ban them and (b) I'm too old to enjoy one.

Thanks,

JG
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      12-27-2017, 05:44 AM   #2
JLR1969
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Grabble View Post
Hi,*

Has anyone driven an F10 or F11**535i and a 535d for any reasonable period of time and come to a conclusion as to which is better both in terms of day-to-day performance and real-world running costs?* I'd be interested in any observations.* Although I do 20k+ miles a year in my 535d I'm wondering whether to get into a petrol before (a) they ban them and (b) I'm too old to enjoy one.

Thanks,

JG
Go the whole hog and get an F10 M5

If I wasn't so tight I would.

Have you considered mapping the 35D or getting a tuning box it may make you fall in love with the car again.
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      12-27-2017, 07:12 AM   #3
HighlandPete
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If driving 20k+ miles a year, it would be a 535d for me.

I had the choice of 530d, 535d or 535i. But as I only drive about 8k miles a year the 535i, made most sense. No regrets at all, but at high mileage the diesel still rules, IMO. Not just on costs, but the easy access to loads of torque in typical driving, still appeals for high mileage use.

If you were going G30/31, then 530d vs. 540i is slightly different, also depends on whether xDrive is on the list. RWD rules out the 540i.

Personally I compare the F10 535i to the 530d, 535d is another step up.
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      12-27-2017, 08:12 AM   #4
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At the risk of sounding like a 550 fan boy, what about a 550?
More torque than a 535d, more power than a 535i, way cheaper to run than an M5. Who would have thought that a twin-turbo V8 would be the sensible compromise?

If you like exclusivity, it's rare to come across even BMW fans who have ever seen one before. It's no M5 on a track but on the road there is little difference and I don't find the costs a bother, although I do 12K a year not 20.
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      12-27-2017, 03:39 PM   #5
HighlandPete
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If you like exclusivity, it's rare to come across even BMW fans who have ever seen one before. It's no M5 on a track but on the road there is little difference and I don't find the costs a bother, although I do 12K a year not 20.
Not seen another 535i touring, let alone a 550i touring.

When I bought my 535i, there was a similar optioned 550i touring of the same age, similar mileage, (still have the pdf sales file). Was up for £50k, £15k more than the 535i. I recall there was one other F11 550i AUC model a few months later.

Was tempting, after having the V8 'grin' driving my E39 540i.
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      12-29-2017, 04:24 AM   #6
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I've had the 550i, it's a great car but to be honest you're better off with the M5 (with split fold seats as a compromise). There are so many M5 around they represent much better VFM. The service and maintenance costs are where the big difference is. Early 550i arent much more fuel efficient than the M5 although the LCI is better. I'd not have the early 550i again, it was very heavy on fuel... It was followed by an E500 5.5 NA and then an E63 5.5 turbo. Both were better on fuel than the F10 550i. I've had a drive in a later 650i GC and can report that the newer 449hp motor is much more economical and a fair bit more spritely.

As for the 535i, I have driven that in the F10 and it just felt underpowered for the chassis to me. The F11 is going to be even heavier. I have had a string of 335i so perhaps it's just my perspective, as I'm used to that engine (54 and 55) in a much lighter platform. The comment above pitching a 530d against the 535i is spot on, in my view. I drove the 530d in the F10 and it's very similar in feel to the 535i. I've not driven the 'next step' 535d but had a run in with a 15 plate 535d touring when I had my 10 plate 550i. There was very little in it to be honest.

As for the 550i Touring, I've only ever seen a couple for sale. I looked to change from my E61 550i to an F11 550i in 2013 (probably one of the AUC cars mentioned above, it was Azurite or Carbon) but couldn't justify the £40k jump for a 3 year newer car. There's a couple of 535i Touring out there at the moment, (EDIT...In fact five of them on the AUC site; that has to be a record)

I'm looking for a new car right now and my heart says M5, my head says 535d or, looking down the range a little, the 435d/435i/440i. But the F10 represents much better VFM at the moment as it's the 'old' model whereas the 3 and 4 series are still current shape. I've heard the F3x cars don't drive as well as the E9x so I doubt there's much in it between an F10 with Adaptive Drive and the smaller cars...

Do the 535d have hydraulic steering by any chance? Oh, and sorry this post is a bit all over the place...rushing to type and in the middle of an autotrader session!
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Last edited by texasjohn; 12-29-2017 at 05:00 AM..
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      01-01-2018, 07:29 AM   #7
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The LCI 550i certainly sounds better for fuel. I average 26mpg in winter and 27mpg in summer. I can get more than 30mpg on long runs. I can't comment on "more spritely" but the 50 extra horsepower can't hurt.
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      01-05-2018, 04:03 AM   #8
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You do too much mileage for the M5 - it will cost a fortune to maintain.

For the mileage you do, I would go the 535D. Quite cheap to maintain.

I have also driven the 535i. Still a nice car but I was not impressed with the performance, seems dead and underpowered to me.
But that's me....
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      01-20-2019, 05:23 AM   #9
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I have a 535i F11

I have found with a few choice mods you can really get the 535i to sing, I have personally found that it is at the upper echelons where a Petrol will leave a Diesel for Dead.
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      08-17-2021, 03:01 AM   #10
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Sorry to bring back an old thread.

I currently have a E60 535d sitting on 175k miles. So was looking for a little upgrade.

The 535i in f10 was what im looking for. currently on Autotrader there are only 6 available in the country. I excluded the active hybrid and the boot space is too small for a push chair... :-(

the other option was the F10 535d which move like hotcakes, find a good one blink and its gone lol.

The comments above about it feeling underpowered, is that purely due to the lack of torque that the 535d has in buckets?

Also the choice mods would be a catless downpipe, intercooler, new boost pipes and a remap, apparently this alone brings the power closer to 400bhp, but the torque is still less than stock 535d.

For comparison, my E60 535d is running no DPF and a remap. According to the dyno its pushing 350bhp. and close to 600 off torqs. it does go some..

on your experiance would you guys still recommend the 535d over the 535i - my commute to work is 14 miles return.

I would hate to purchase a 535i and come to regret the lack of power...
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      11-22-2021, 01:08 PM   #11
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I'd go 535d. More power, more torque, better economy, easier to find one to buy (in the UK).

As they say; power is for boasting, torque is for wining!
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