E60 530d/535d advice

[Liamt4]

Hi there, i'm looking for people's experience and advice regarding the E60 530d and 535d.
I'm looking at the 230bhp 530d version and would like to know how to tell the difference between it and the 215hp version. I know they changed in 2006, but also that some earlier cars could have been registered as 2006.

Although the 530d is all i need, i can't help but look at the 535ds as they are the same price to buy and, well, they have more power :-)

What are they like on fuel compared to the 530d? My daily commute is about 40 miles, with half of that on a dual carriage way so, if they aren't much worse, then i may get one.

Also, what's the reliability like on the 535d? Is the auto ok dealing with the extra power?

Finally, Looking over the net there are quite a few bmw forums around, does anybody have any recommendations?

Cheers

[Liamt4]

Yeah, where the manifold joins the turbos and exhaust does look especially complicated.
What mpg did you get on longer runs? Most of my driving is dual carriageway and single lane national speed limit type driving.

[Liamt4]

I'll probably stick with the 530d then, if the early 535d isn't much better on fuel than the 545.
The only 535d's i've come across, in my budget, are the 2004-2006 cars.
I want something that'll get me high 30s on my commute, while still have a decent amount of power.

[Liamt4]

I had an e39 540 for two years and, on the type of driving i would do on my commute, it could do around 31mpg (calculated). I'd be very disappointed if a 530d couldn't manage 7mpg more than an old 4.4 v8.

As said before, my drive to work is about 20 miles, 10 being dual carriage way and the majority of the rest is single lane national speed limit. Only a few bits at 30 and 40 mph.

I have a light foot, most of the time, and generally cruise at between 65 and 70. I managed Leicester to Ilfracombe, north devon, on just over a 1/3 of a tank in the 540.