balboni Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 Am thinking of taking the plunge and getting a 535d in January. I have not driven the car yet, but will in a few weeks. I am looking at getting a 3 yr old fully specced 535d sport for around 20K which is a great car for the money. My only question is what is the average mpg 535d owners see on their trip computer in the real world? Also, is there a BMW equivalent to Audi Fontain (ie. a very good specialist independant) ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizze Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 I sold mine at 18 months old and with 43k miles on it, I averaged 25.9 mpg. Still miss it. The LCI versions with the joystick style gear leaver will return around 33mpg doing the same driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punas Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 I recently got an LCI version. I have only really done my 12 mile daily commute so far and have been getting 30mpg. My previous A4 2.0T and before that BMW 325ti compact both got about 32mpg for the same journey. However I am confident that on more open journeys the 535d will do a lot better, my feeling at the moment is that 38mpg could be achieved quite readily - but this car doesn't encourage frugal driving.... P.S - The wife's Golf GTI does that journey at 28mpg, maybe one of these figures will give you a yardstick against your own driving/car? (LCI though) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balboni Posted December 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 (edited) I recently got an LCI version. I have only really done my 12 mile daily commute so far and have been getting 30mpg. My previous A4 2.0T and before that BMW 325ti compact both got about 32mpg for the same journey. However I am confident that on more open journeys the 535d will do a lot better, my feeling at the moment is that 38mpg could be achieved quite readily - but this car doesn't encourage frugal driving....P.S - The wife's Golf GTI does that journey at 28mpg, maybe one of these figures will give you a yardstick against your own driving/car? (LCI though) My budget wont extend to an LCI car (although I would love one!). Does your 535d have less than 10,000 miles on the clock ? (ie. engine has not been fully bedded in). Diesel costs more than £1.07, and the gap between petrol and diesel seems to be widening ever further. Interesting comparison you have made against your Golf GTI. If you say that diesel on average costs 10% more than petrol, then you would need to get at least 10% more mpg than an 'equivalent' petrol. 'Equivalent' to me would probably include a Golf GTI (ie. desirable, quality, practical family motor) which is what the BM is (although I would say the BM has the Golf licked on performance). Therefore both your cars roughly cost the same in fuel terms for your daily commute. Incidentally, is this mainly a slow town commute, or a mixture of open roads and lots of traffic lights? A non-LCI 535d would probably struggle to get an average of 30mpg. Hmmmmmmm, need to check the maths and calculate how much mileage I will be driving and whether I can afford to run this baby! Man, did I just say that? Questioning whether I can afford to run a DIESEL? How sad am I! Edited December 1, 2008 by balboni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizze Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 I am currently in a Mercedes E320 petrol, and that is definitely cheaper to run that the 535d. It costs me £55-60 to fill up at 90p a litre and I get 350-450 miles from a tank depending if I am doing all town work or a couple of longer journeys. Don't buy it for economy that's for sure!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punas Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 (edited) Balboni, The fuel cost difference between petrol and diesel was not my first consideration, I certainly don't do enough miles to justify a diesel. I wanted to give diesel a try and wanted a big fuel tank so that I didn't have to keep filling up - the actual cost to fill up was/is secondary, but not irrelevant. My LCI has done about 15K miles and the commute is 30/40 mph in traffic with traffic lights but no queuing. I gave you the figures for all of the other cars to show how a typical 2.0T would fair on the same journey with me driving. Then if you happened to own something similar, you would be able to judge what MPG a 535d might return for you, taking into consideration that a non-LCI 'might' be 4-5mpg lower. As I said, I can only give you accurate commuting figures at the moment, but I am confident that on a non-commute the 535d will always beat the Golf GTI for fuel economy when driven similarly, and probably by some margin. I hope some of that helps you. Edited December 1, 2008 by punas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smarty156 Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 If you're worried about being able to afford the marginal increase in economy, then sorry but there's no way you can afford to run one. Have you looked into the servicing costs? I have a 530D and it's not exactly cheap to maintain. We also have an S-Max 2.5T petrol that puts out the same power as the 530D (218bhp) so similar performance. The fuel consumption is horrendous on the S-Max but petrol is cheaper so that helps a lot. However, every trip to the dealer I reckon is about half the price with the Ford compared to the BMW. That's main dealer to main dealer comparison but then if I was in the market for a second hand 535D I wouldn't touch one that hadn't been serviced by a main dealer. I think in the last year my 530D had an oil service (incl fuel filter and air filter), new front discs and pads, micro filters and a vehicle check. All in I reckon it's cost about £1,000 parts labour and VAT at a main dealer. I know that's covered an oil service that won't need to be done for 15,000 miles now and brake discs and pads that will cover a lot more (pads about 30,000) but it just goes to show how it all adds up. An oil change alone is around £200. Don't get me wrong, I'd take the 530D over the S-Max any day of the week (and I'd love a 535D) just be prepared to pay for the privilege. Oh, and the S-Max was a lot cheaper to buy as well. Hope that helps with your decision making. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfer Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 Now my X6 has run-in I am getting 30MPG driving fairly hard and can better this with light driving, It has the 286BHP diesel engine that the 535D has, so 35MPG should be got easy with the 5 series IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlot Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 30-32mpg out of my LCI 535d on average. Low of 25 and high of 37. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balboni Posted December 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 thanks for the advice. Has been v helpful. In conclusion I will either be doing loads of miles or very few at all, depending on job. If I will be doing lots of miles then I will opt for a 520d and if not then I will be going for the 535d. Will keep you informed how it all goes..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richi Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Why not get a 530d its not much slower than the 535d, a lot more economical and cheaper to buy so you can get a newer one. Also theres more of them about so youll be spoilt for choice. i got rid of 330d sport(same angine & similar performance to 530d) about 1 month ago, very rapid and it averaged 45mpg with 80mph on cruise motorway driving and plenty of fast A&B road blasts. I've now got a 520 sport with the new 177hp engine, its cracking for a 4pot diesel but it doesn't make the corners of your mouth turn up when you boot it like the 3 litre did, also its only doing 44mpg (14K miles on the clock) for the same journey. I've always liked the 5 in sport guise and i love the car but i can't help thinking i should have bought the 530d. Best thing to do is take a well run in one of all the engine options and see what you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted December 29, 2008 Report Share Posted December 29, 2008 Just bought a 9 month old 535 d, it averaged 43.5 on it first A road/motorway run. OK a lot of time on cruise 70 - 80 mph, the old blast but nothing mental. Local stop start, no decent runs 29 - 33mpg. I ran a Cupra TDI for 5 years prior to getting this and the economy isn't vastly different, well I had the cupra in the 50's for some runs. I am sure the 535d will do 45+ I will let you know what the mpg is like when I drive it like I stole it ;-) It is a stunning car, rather pleased I got it, seems to be a jack of all trades, bit like the Cupra but on a whole different level - BUY ONE!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveP Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 I have gizze's old car, it now has 64k miles on it. Long term average was 28mpg. Recently it has gone down to 24mpg. I currently have a 118d loan car and it is returning just under 45mpg. So to get over 40mpg in a 5 series people must drive like grandads!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 not quite like a grandad but who else do you suggest I drive on a busy single file A road and a busy m25? Accelerate hard, brake, accelerate hard? I will be doing the same trip on friday early in the morning, that will give a decent idea of MPG, there will be little traffic, and anything in the way on the smaller roads I am sure can be dispatched with little effort ;-) I will order the pipe and slippers just in case I get over 40 mpg! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfer Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 I have gizze's old car, it now has 64k miles on it. Long term average was 28mpg. Recently it has gone down to 24mpg.I currently have a 118d loan car and it is returning just under 45mpg. So to get over 40mpg in a 5 series people must drive like grandads!!! Yours must be nackered, I get 30+MPG from the X635D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizze Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 But yours has the new gearbox which saves around 20-25% consumption wise. Want to sell it back yet Dave?? Do you a nice trade for an M3! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biscuits Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 My remapped pre-LCI 535d returned 29.?mpg all day long and 34-38mpg if driven lightly on a long run. Which 535d you looking at ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveP Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 Want to sell it back yet Dave?? Do you a nice trade for an M3! Been considering options, but have just been offered £15k against a Passat Estate highline 2.0 tdi. So not worth doing it for that! (you know how much that would mean I have lost on it). The figure 24mpg has been the worst it has given because over the last month it has done LOTS of small trips. 95-100mph through france in the summer with 4 bikes on the tow bar it returned 29mpg. I have NEVER seen it give more than 35mpg. This is a PRE-LCI with a DMS remap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizze Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 Well let me know if you do decide to do something, I miss that car. So would you if you swapped for a bloody passat!!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveP Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 Not driven one! So dont know. Just wondering about a bargain - if such thing exists. Top of my list (of not driven cars) is a new shape A4 avant 2.0 170 tdi cr. But not at ANY cost!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 OK "normal" driving I got just under 37 mpg, pretty swift journey without being a tw@t. Amazing really, still sure a 45+ is possible early morning motorway run and boring speeds, but who cares anything over 35 for a car this quick is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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