530d manual quicker than a 535d??

[Bernie-the-bolt]

I have a LCI 535D with Sports Auto Transmission and having been lucky enough to own a Boxster S, 996 and X5 4.8iS previously, in my opinion the 535D is without doubt the best car I've ever owned.

I've now got 28k on the clock in just over 12 months, I've had it touched by DMS and it absolutely flies. The way it goes through the gears is amazing and using the SAT and paddles it changes gears in a way a diesel shouldn't and drives like a petrol driven beast. The gear changes are lightning fast and it often severely embarrasses 'sports' cars that think they are more than a match for a large exec saloon.

Obviously each to their own and opinions but I'd really find it hard to believe a 530D can keep anywhere near it.

[pgilc1]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Hmm, theres a stereotypical answer without checking the facts first.

Cheapest 2006 530d M Sport Manual on BMW AUC = £19995
Cheapest 2006 550i M Sport Manual on BMW AUC = £29995

[pgilc1]

tyrone1973 said:

Thanks for all the opinions above.
I don't think it was the 535d "a bad one", on balance I just did'nt like the automatic gearbox.
I am sure one with a manual would be excellent but the auto box just does not feel right for me.
My comment regarding the lack of sensation of speed I stand by. It felt like very linear just like sitting in a large diesel train - some may see that as a compliment personally I like a bit of surge.
Good advice about the large engined petrol models but I am after an '06 model for just over 20k and one of these would be well over budget.
Also as I drive about 15k yearly a touch expensive to fuel.

Fair comment if manuals are your thing, and you're right about the lack of 'surge' as with the 535d you've two turbos so you're very rarely off boost to subsequently have a 'surge'.

An 06 530d M Sport @ £20K is great value

[jamoor]

pgilc1 said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Hmm, theres a stereotypical answer without checking the facts first.

Cheapest 2006 530d M Sport Manual on BMW AUC = £19995
Cheapest 2006 550i M Sport Manual on BMW AUC = £29995

they both have the same options, yes?

[Cyclone1]

pgilc1 said:

Erm, so exactly what i said then? As most people dont buy a 535d for standing starts or quarter mile drag runs, sport mode is best for say, 'cross country' sprints, which the 535d happens to be surprisingly good at.

If you 'really must' have a manual then you have no choice but to buy a 530d, however make sure you buy it significantly cheaper than an auto version as the vast majority of people want an auto on a 530d.

Personally, i dont understand why people want to be bothered with all this gear changing nonsense in a big exec like a 5 series.

To a degree yes I agree(d) with you.

But my point was that even in Sport mode it isn't always sportier, as I've said at times it will not kick down in sport mode when ideally it would be better if it did, in D mode it will nearly always kick down if you floor the throttle. Your comment is right about standing starts , dragging and cross country, but how many people buy the 535d/335d for that. Mine spends most of its life as my work hack cruising up and down the motorways, for me it is D mode all the way and given the mileage/driving I do then a manual is out of the question.

Jules.

[phelix]

jamoor said:

pgilc1 said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Hmm, theres a stereotypical answer without checking the facts first.

Cheapest 2006 530d M Sport Manual on BMW AUC = £19995
Cheapest 2006 550i M Sport Manual on BMW AUC = £29995

they both have the same options, yes?

If the 530d is this one http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details/0,,1260... it would appear to have *no* options.

If the 550i is this one http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details/0,,1260... it has lots of options, very low miles and is a touring.

[pgilc1]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

[dxb335d]

the 530d is over 4 secs slower to 100mph than the 535d

[pgilc1]

phelix said:

jamoor said:

pgilc1 said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Hmm, theres a stereotypical answer without checking the facts first.

Cheapest 2006 530d M Sport Manual on BMW AUC = £19995
Cheapest 2006 550i M Sport Manual on BMW AUC = £29995

they both have the same options, yes?

If the 530d is this one http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details/0,,1260... it would appear to have *no* options.

If the 550i is this one http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details/0,,1260... it has lots of options, very low miles and is a touring.

They havent listed the options on the 530d. For example it clearly has leather from the shot of the inside of the car, which is an option and isnt listed.

Also, the 550i was this one (a saloon)

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details/0,,1260...


Irrespective, its a clear £10,000 cheaper, my point is that there would be an impression that big engined petrol bmws are cheaper than their diesel counterparts, thats clearly not the case.

Edited by pgilc1 on Saturday 9th August 16:34

[pgilc1]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

So your original point doesnt hold any water as year for year the 550i isnt any cheaper. If you're saying buy a 2yo 550i, then you could buy a much more desirable 530d for a full £10K less.

I was a little ambiguous in my first post, but you seem to have ignored my clarification (I'll ignore the bizarre suggestion that a 530d is "much more desirable than a 550i"!):

anonymous said:

[redacted]

If all you care about is having a newer car (extending the warranty typically is not a problem) and kidding yourself that you are saving a fortune driving a diesel for 15,000 miles a year, then fine, buy a nearly new diesel.

A quick perusal of Autotrader suggests you could pick up a 545i with approx 40k on the clock for around £15k - shop around and you might get something with about 20k on the clock for not much more, there's a 12,000 miler at an official dealer on at £16,995, for instance (and all cars sold at dealers get at least one year warranty, which is all you will get with a 2006 diesel model, anyway).

Anyway, that's a big saving on purchase price of a newer diesel model that you will struggle to offset with fuel and tax savings. And in return you get a fabulous V8 petrol engine. As far as I can see, the only reason to go with the diesel is to keep up with the Jones with a newer reg plate - not exactly the enthusiast option.

Edited by caboosemoose on Saturday 9th August 14:07

The 530d will be the more desirable car come resale time, it will sell a lot easier than a 545i / 550i

You can easily get a 530d with 40K on the clock for the same money as your unloved 545i...

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/BMW+...

The one you are quoting as being £16995 is an 03 car, in unloved SE spec (hardly the enthusiasts choice?)

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details/0,,1260...

Heres an 04 530d SE from a dealer too for £16790

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details/0,,1260...

So its a full year younger and in diesel terms is still barely run in with below ave miles of 36K.

anonymous said:

[redacted]

So this paragraph of yours is wholly wrong. You can buy an equivalent or younger 530d for the same price or cheaper than a 545i. Yes, you get a creamy v8 engine note, but you'll get woeful fuel economy, sky high tax, and you will struggle to sell it come resale time.

Edited by pgilc1 on Saturday 9th August 16:25

[pgilc1]

Cyclone1 said:

pgilc1 said:

Erm, so exactly what i said then? As most people dont buy a 535d for standing starts or quarter mile drag runs, sport mode is best for say, 'cross country' sprints, which the 535d happens to be surprisingly good at.

If you 'really must' have a manual then you have no choice but to buy a 530d, however make sure you buy it significantly cheaper than an auto version as the vast majority of people want an auto on a 530d.

Personally, i dont understand why people want to be bothered with all this gear changing nonsense in a big exec like a 5 series.

To a degree yes I agree(d) with you.

But my point was that even in Sport mode it isn't always sportier, as I've said at times it will not kick down in sport mode when ideally it would be better if it did, in D mode it will nearly always kick down if you floor the throttle. Your comment is right about standing starts , dragging and cross country, but how many people buy the 535d/335d for that. Mine spends most of its life as my work hack cruising up and down the motorways, for me it is D mode all the way and given the mileage/driving I do then a manual is out of the question.

Jules.

You seem to be confused about what we're talking about here. The comments were around was the 535d auto quicker than the 530d manual. Some comments were made about how the manual was more the drivers car and that the 530d felt quicker 0-60. My response was that the 535d auto was a fast car cross country in sport mode, though it may not necessarily be quicker to use sport mode for a sprint from 0-60.

I personally prefer the 535d over the 530d because of how little it actually does have to kick down and how much grunt it actually has for refined overtaking.

If you dont actually use the power of a 535d at least on occasions, you'd be better off with a 520d auto.

[pgilc1]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

[pgilc1]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

[jamoor]

Why aren't we comparing 530i vs 530d and 535d vs 545i/550i

they seem a more fair comparison.

[pgilc1]

jamoor said:

Why aren't we comparing 530i vs 530d and 535d vs 545i/550i

they seem a more fair comparison.

Quite possibly.

Interestingly, the guy i've now bought 2 535d's off, (ie, a senior new car salesman in a major BMW dealership) cant remember the last time he sold a 550i - its been years.

Dont get me wrong, i've no doubt the 550i is a dream to drive with its creamy v8 engine, but i just dont think too many people can justify the extreme running costs.

I certainly dont see any sense in buying a 550i two years older than a 530d just so that i can pump £5000 extra of fuel through it.

[jamoor]

pgilc1 said:

jamoor said:

Why aren't we comparing 530i vs 530d and 535d vs 545i/550i

they seem a more fair comparison.

Quite possibly.

Interestingly, the guy i've now bought 2 535d's off, (ie, a senior new car salesman in a major BMW dealership) cant remember the last time he sold a 550i - its been years.

Dont get me wrong, i've no doubt the 550i is a dream to drive with its creamy v8 engine, but i just dont think too many people can justify the extreme running costs.

I certainly dont see any sense in buying a 550i two years older than a 530d just so that i can pump £5000 extra of fuel through it.

I think a 535d has the extreme running costs-

Injectors
2x Turbos
Autobox

[pgilc1]

jamoor said:

pgilc1 said:

jamoor said:

Why aren't we comparing 530i vs 530d and 535d vs 545i/550i

they seem a more fair comparison.

Quite possibly.

Interestingly, the guy i've now bought 2 535d's off, (ie, a senior new car salesman in a major BMW dealership) cant remember the last time he sold a 550i - its been years.

Dont get me wrong, i've no doubt the 550i is a dream to drive with its creamy v8 engine, but i just dont think too many people can justify the extreme running costs.

I certainly dont see any sense in buying a 550i two years older than a 530d just so that i can pump £5000 extra of fuel through it.

I think a 535d has the extreme running costs-

Injectors
2x Turbos
Autobox

I've had two 535d's and i havent spent any of the overall running costs on the any of the above?

Typical running costs include

Fuel
Tax
Insurance
Depreciation

All of which will be higher for a 550i (particularly the fuel consumption)

Plus we're talking here about buying an approved used 550i / 545i / 535d, which will have a years warranty.

[pgilc1]

jamoor said:

pgilc1 said:

jamoor said:

Why aren't we comparing 530i vs 530d and 535d vs 545i/550i

they seem a more fair comparison.

Quite possibly.

Interestingly, the guy i've now bought 2 535d's off, (ie, a senior new car salesman in a major BMW dealership) cant remember the last time he sold a 550i - its been years.

Dont get me wrong, i've no doubt the 550i is a dream to drive with its creamy v8 engine, but i just dont think too many people can justify the extreme running costs.

I certainly dont see any sense in buying a 550i two years older than a 530d just so that i can pump £5000 extra of fuel through it.

I think a 535d has the extreme running costs-

Injectors
2x Turbos
Autobox

So what do you drive yourself if you're advocating a 550i over a 530d / 535d? I take it its some big engined petrol car?

[jamoor]

pgilc1 said:

jamoor said:

pgilc1 said:

jamoor said:

Why aren't we comparing 530i vs 530d and 535d vs 545i/550i

they seem a more fair comparison.

Quite possibly.

Interestingly, the guy i've now bought 2 535d's off, (ie, a senior new car salesman in a major BMW dealership) cant remember the last time he sold a 550i - its been years.

Dont get me wrong, i've no doubt the 550i is a dream to drive with its creamy v8 engine, but i just dont think too many people can justify the extreme running costs.

I certainly dont see any sense in buying a 550i two years older than a 530d just so that i can pump £5000 extra of fuel through it.

I think a 535d has the extreme running costs-

Injectors
2x Turbos
Autobox

So what do you drive yourself if you're advocating a 550i over a 530d / 535d? I take it its some big engined petrol car?

I have a 530d, and I wouldn't make the same mistake again. Next time I wll go for a 3.0 petrol, but I wouldn't dismiss the V8.

I can't spend 20k on a motor anyway, so it will be older higher mileage ones, where the difference is more apparent.

[dxb335d]

is your 530d mapped?