E60 535d Pre-Facelift vs Post Facelift?

E60 535d Pre-Facelift vs Post Facelift?

Author
Discussion

Tam11m

Original Poster:

20 posts

131 months

Monday 29th September 2014
quotequote all
Hi guys,

I'm looking at getting a new car and have really got the idea of a 535d stuck in my head, I did consider one before but the time wasn't right. I want to save up for next year in getting an E92 M3 next year maybe.

Now in the year im looking at doing around 16k mileage. But I need the power, I might consider a 530d if its in amazing spec but not really looking for one. Really want to 535d.

In regards to the cars, what are the differences? I know most of the generic pre/post facelift stuff like different interior bits and lights but focusing just on the 535d, whats different? From my research its the gearbox, post facelift has a bit more power (but I am guessing both engines are the same just different tune so a remap to both cars will be similar power outputs?)

Also the MPG is slightly better in the post -facelift? by maybe 4-8mpg? Am I right?

Does the pre-facelift have more problems than the post or are they both similar in every other way?

Thanks

T

p1tse

1,375 posts

191 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
LCI facelift for sure

reasons being
better gearbox, rated to higher power and smoother joystick shifter
ironed out electrical gremlins and changed metal swirl flaps to plastic
mpg is far great, pre LCI is rubbish apparently where as I know the LCI can do not too shabby mpg


converted lurker

304 posts

125 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
I had a pre-facelift E61 and I never understood why people seemed to say that the MPG was a lot better post LCI. I got 42.3mpg long term average on it. The LCI was only a tweak and is usually more focussed on emissions and lets face it is done to give the guys coming off a three year lease/company car something to be motivated about new on their replacement.

They don't magically 'find' a whole load of previously unavailable power or economy as if by magic. IF something big changes like a whole new gearbox or something then fair enough. However, slightly different lights, a software may and some interior trim improvements are small fry really. If the pre-LCI car you come across is notably cheaper or has better history then don't be afraid to buy it.

p1tse

1,375 posts

191 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
converted lurker said:
I had a pre-facelift E61 and I never understood why people seemed to say that the MPG was a lot better post LCI. I got 42.3mpg long term average on it. The LCI was only a tweak and is usually more focussed on emissions and lets face it is done to give the guys coming off a three year lease/company car something to be motivated about new on their replacement.

They don't magically 'find' a whole load of previously unavailable power or economy as if by magic. IF something big changes like a whole new gearbox or something then fair enough. However, slightly different lights, a software may and some interior trim improvements are small fry really. If the pre-LCI car you come across is notably cheaper or has better history then don't be afraid to buy it.
that is impressive.
i've never heard of a 535d lifetimeaverage to be that good
did you sit on the motorway at 50mph for majority of miles?

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
Me neither, I don't believe him, he is the only person who ever managed to average over 35mpg in a pre facelift I have ever heard of.
An average of 580 miles a tank with only 61 litres before reserve, just not going to happen imho.
There must have been tankfuls at low 30s which means there must have been tankfuls at nearly mid 50's.
Just don't think it is possible.

Best I ever saw was in France, we were sat at 70mph in heavy traffic for nearly 600km I had just filled up and it was showing 38mpg by the time we arrived, but was soon down to 35mpg by the time we filled up again.


Figures for the 2006....

Fuel Consumption Imperial (miles per gallon)
Urban 25.40 MPG
Extra-Urban 43.50 MPG
Combined 34.40 MPG

To get the extra urban figure as a long term average is just not possible imho.
That is achieved with a warm engine reaching 70mph once and then cruising at 33mph to average 39mph over all.
That is no traffic, no cold starts etc. etc.


Compare that with the facelift...

Urban 30.70 MPG
Extra-Urban 50.40 MPG
Combined 40.90 MPG

Might be possible on that, but hardly making use of the power if you hit those figures?


Edited by gizlaroc on Tuesday 30th September 19:19

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
I should add, that I had 3 friends with 535d sport tourings, myself and the other 2 with pre facelift ones saw 27mpg average, the other guy got 36mpg, in fact that was your 535d touring p1tse, what did you get average?

zip929

670 posts

176 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
I had an E61 530D pre LCI and now have a 535D LCI.
Both remapped.
Differences not really that noticeable.
The 535D is a bit quicker as expected but both cars feel very similar.
I never really worry that much about mpg so cannot really comment as I never really paid much attention to it when I had the 530D.
Pre LCI Or LCI? They are both great cars and either would not disappoint.


gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
zip929 said:
I had an E61 530D pre LCI and now have a 535D LCI.
Both remapped.
Differences not really that noticeable.
The 535D is a bit quicker as expected but both cars feel very similar.
I never really worry that much about mpg so cannot really comment as I never really paid much attention to it when I had the 530D.
Pre LCI Or LCI? They are both great cars and either would not disappoint.
The 530d was a lot more economical than the 535d. Pre facelift anyway.

Tam11m

Original Poster:

20 posts

131 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
thanks for the comments guys, to be honest I just did some quick maths with the figures above. and with a pre-facelift. Over 16k miles the cost of fuel will be £2,958.13. In a facelift it would be £2,488.01 so really onle a saving of £470.12 would mean it would take 4 years plus to recoup the value of purchasing the facelift.

I guess in resale the money could be made back but I guess I have a bigger fishing pond to fish for the right car now? I want the highest spec possible.

I do plan to get it remapped in the future. Swirl flap should be removed right? If I got a pre-facelift can I upgrade it to the plastic swirl flap or remove it altogether?

converted lurker

304 posts

125 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
My apologies - I thought I had made it evident that I was talking about a pre-LCI 530d. I was wrong because I was writing on more than one thread and got muddled. I apologise.

The OP has done the important thing and realised that the marginal fuel consumption is inconsequential compared to the acquisition price. If pre-LCI 535d E60's were so terrible on fuel there must be a sound engineering reason. Did they have different turbo manufacturers or different injectors or HPFP's?


Tam11m

Original Poster:

20 posts

131 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
worst mistakes have happened mate haha.

I do think that the LCI would be great if I could afford one with the spec im after and good history too. Also guys, how often should the engine oil be changed on the car?

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
The other option is a 545i or 550i, that is only 3mpg behind the 535d pre facelift.
I know two people with one, and they have run them for a long time, and both are averaging 24mpg from it, one of them had the 535d for a while too and he saw 27mpg from it.


Top pup

308 posts

205 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
I'm currently running a pre facelift E61 535D sport and it's currently averaging 32mpg according to the OBC over the last few thousand miles, it certainly seems pretty reasonable considering it tends to get driven quite hard. Perhaps they vary quite a lot between different cars.

p1tse

1,375 posts

191 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Answered own question if you don't want to go over budget stick with a pre LCI
Still a great car but as grizloc points out mpg isn't that great in them on short journeys anyway and on long journeys you need to be doing consistent speed to achieve higher mpg

Grizloc, 535d is now sold frown
What a great car it was.
Mine was used for shorter journeys to be fair. Over 3 years was less than 30k. A longer term tracker says my average was 32mpg. Best from a tank is 38.9mpg.

But I've seen 50mpg drafting behind a lorry on motorway for 20 miles!

E65Ross

34,943 posts

211 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
p1tse said:
But I've seen 50mpg drafting behind a lorry on motorway for 20 miles!
To be fair, I can get 37+ mpg doing that in my 745i....

Tam11m

Original Poster:

20 posts

131 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
p1tse said:
Answered own question if you don't want to go over budget stick with a pre LCI
Still a great car but as grizloc points out mpg isn't that great in them on short journeys anyway and on long journeys you need to be doing consistent speed to achieve higher mpg

Grizloc, 535d is now sold frown
What a great car it was.
Mine was used for shorter journeys to be fair. Over 3 years was less than 30k. A longer term tracker says my average was 32mpg. Best from a tank is 38.9mpg.

But I've seen 50mpg drafting behind a lorry on motorway for 20 miles!
I believe you might be right, I just cant see myself justifying spending so much more for not a lot more if that makes sense.

Off topic but, is Logic 7 a whole lot better than the stock system? Are the sound systems different in terms of age?

Thanks

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Yeah, L7 is one of the best factory systems you can get imho.

The standard system is quite possibly one of the worst factory systems yu can get. But easy to upgrade with a £100 amp and and hour of time.

The Hi-Fi system in between is too sharp sounding, horrible, and hard to upgrade.


converted lurker

304 posts

125 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
quotequote all
Logic7 is immense. Total convert now.

DuckDuck

459 posts

147 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
quotequote all
converted lurker said:
I had a pre-facelift E61 and I never understood why people seemed to say that the MPG was a lot better post LCI. I got 42.3mpg long term average on it. The LCI was only a tweak and is usually more focussed on emissions and lets face it is done to give the guys coming off a three year lease/company car something to be motivated about new on their replacement.

They don't magically 'find' a whole load of previously unavailable power or economy as if by magic. IF something big changes like a whole new gearbox or something then fair enough. However, slightly different lights, a software may and some interior trim improvements are small fry really. If the pre-LCI car you come across is notably cheaper or has better history then don't be afraid to buy it.
All aluminium alloy engine block is pretty major as are the gearbox changes. LCI is a Wonderful car

superlightr

12,842 posts

262 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
quotequote all
LCI ? need educating pls