E60 BMW 535D Pre LCI

[TroubledSoul]

Well after my original thread about my car was so rudely derailed by people who just wanted to have a go at me for having the audacity to do my own maintenance and for daring to think dealers should check cars before they sell them, I'm starting this new one.

About 5 months in now and I'm still enjoying the car. The issues it had haven't seemingly caused any trouble up to now, thankfully.

We have done many awesome miles together so far...



I would like a remap at some point, but maintenance is going to come first. We're upto 97k now, and I would imagine that some of the bushes will need doing in the next year or so. I tend to be a bit anal about stuff being right, so generally tend to do these things before they absolutely need doing. I'm currently debating going Powerflex all round. I don't know if I will do the diff and subframe bushes or not. I need to read up on this and see whether they are likely to need doing or not.

I also plan to replace the shocks with Koni FSD items. I'm trying to decide on whether to go with Eibach springs or stay standard. I know the Eibachs are good, but I don't particularly want the car to be lowered.

Decisions, decisions!

My front towing eye cover has also vanished, and I have a slight blemish to get sorted on the n/s/r bumper corner....

Oh yeah, I bought some electrical contact cleaner from Halfrauds to clean the MAF as well.

If I could just finish rebuilding this Audi S3, I could get on with it!

Edited by TroubledSoul on Monday 17th February 13:16

[r44flyer]

Be careful cleaning the MAF, they are fickle things. If you think it's knackered cleaning will rarely offer anything more than a temporary improvement and if you are planning a remap the MAF will need to be spot on to make the best of it. Have diagnostics confirm it is operating within spec.

[vescaegg]

Im seriously looking at these for my next car. Is super rapid with about 30mpg achievable?

[TroubledSoul]

I average 28-32,depending on how I've been driving it. Higher can be achieved solely on motorway runs.

Re: the MAF, INPA shows codes for it, although there aren't actually any running issues, so doesn't seem to be a big deal as it is. Going to clean it and see if any codes return, but as I say the car does run perfectly.

Just being cautious

Edited by TroubledSoul on Monday 17th February 13:18

[muhnkee2]

hello from a fellow 535d'er!
I am getting 25mpg in round town driving.
Like you, thinking about a remap, but perhaps should just enjoy what i have!
If i could change anything, it would be the noise - its just not dramatic enough, but i have come down from an M5, so perhaps my expectations of getting some exciting noise from a twin turbo v6 are too high!?!??

[TroubledSoul]

muhnkee2 said:

hello from a fellow 535d'er!
I am gettIng 25mpg in round town driving.
Like you, thinking about a remap, but perhaps should just enjoy what i have!
If i could change anything, it would be the noise - its just not dramatic enough, but i have come down from an M5, so perhaps my expectations of getting some exciting noise from a twin turbo v6 are too high!?!??

Well it's actually a straight six, but I know what you mean

25mpg will be about double what the M5 gave you I imagine? What % of an M5 do you think the oil burner gives for what % of the cost?

The only thing I'd change really is how lazy the gearbox feels when cold. I've had a few moments when pulling out of junctions with it!

[muhnkee2]

Hey troubled soul – thanks for the correction, I clearly needed more coffee yesterday!!
On the same run to work and home the M5 would get 12.8mpg which was exactly what I thought it would get, so it wasn’t a surprise, but it did mean visiting a petrol station every 4-6 days.
If I had to compare the two cars, I would say that the 535d gives 40% of the fun but the M5 was 200% of the cost. Sure the 535d isn’t slow, but it’s just not epic, there is a massive gap in excitement and sense of adventure in driving it, I will never drive a car as amazing as my M5 again. In the M5 I would always drive in manual MDM mode so I could thump through the gears and enjoy the crack and fizzle of the overrun, but even with the sport gearbox on the 535d I don’t have an urge to drive around using the paddles, like you I find the gearbox to be sluggish and not worth the effort, so I just cruise around in auto mode, only going to sport auto when I get a nice motorway run.
Every day driving the M5 I felt like a rockstar (even if the car only cost £16,000), the 535d feels nice, but not in the same league, but the M5 costs started to take away the shine so I am happy to have settled for the 535d, and I if I compare it the Avantime I had before it’s a really great car, taught, powerful with great driving dynamics, but as someone wise said “there’s no replacement for displacement”.
I must be getting sensible in my old age!

[TroubledSoul]

Age is a terrible thing! I used to try to always move to a faster car on every change.

Now I try to find something that will be enjoyable without bankrupting me!

I am probably going to get an E46 M3 after this car so that I can scratch an inch, but for now I do still love my big 5.

I'm currently trying to establish whether or not to go full Powerflex on the bushes. I'd like to firm it up but I am scared of ruining the car if I go too far.

[BMRuss]

I contemplated a 535d, but I just didn't want a diesel, although I have heard they're rather punchy after a remap, I settled for an LCI 550i and I'm really impressed with it, looks like my fuel consumption isn't too dissimilar to yours either!

Now I'm hankering after an M5 but I think it will make me a poor man and 12.8mpg confirms that what with mine being a daily driver, the 550 sits nicely between the 535 and M5 in my opinion