D33ZNUT5

The ride height helps with the debris that gets left behind in winter.

E60714

Well, the AWD models give you a quicker launch. When I turn corners going too fast, I still feel like the car is control since it doesn't..you know.. slip out from underneath me.

And a 530d keeping up with 545s? Really? I'd love to see that. I always felt bad for diesel owners across the pond that had to deal with performance times up to a second slower than their petrol counterparts.

Since I didn't buy my car, I had to listen to my dad when he said he wanted the AWD and not the RWD. While I felt the money saved on the xi could have been used towards convincing him to drop it on an M Aero Kit,, the fact that I drive an AWD car isn't really noticed until I go to look at wheels and springs. While taste in wheels is subjective, H&R springs are not, and they're out there and seem to have the same results as non-RWD springs.

I have yet to drive my 535 in the snow, and if I did, I wouldn't be climbing Mt. Everest with it, so I don't care for whether it can handle 4 ft. of snow.

Either way, I'm happy with it and know that I'm in good company with the AWD like the Evos, STis, Veyrons, and R8s. Speaking of which, how are their AWD systems "different?" You won't drive a Veyron in the snow, but why make it AWD? To move the heavy thing?

mobilejo

I don't know about 530d v 545i, but I can tell you this, take any diesel and remap it, and you can gain huge amounts of power and torque. Its really common over here and cheap. 530d goes from 231 to 270bhp with a remap. My 535d went from 272bhp to a claimed 330bhp, with an extra 100nm of torque. These results are what people typically see on the rolling road. All I know is my last car was an e46 M3 and this car is hella fast. Once its rolling not a lot can match its acceleration. A magazine tested a remapped 535d and got something like 0-60mph in 5.5sec, 0-100mph in 13.5sec and 50-70mph in 3.0sec.

I'm not saying AWD is bad, just saying BMW make great RWD cars and just not so great AWD cars - thats what Audi are there for.

C's Bimmer

If I lived on the other side of the pond, I would get the 535D in a heartbeat and do the DMS remap. That car puts up serious numbers with that tune.

mobilejo

hell yeah it does. I'm talking like night and day difference since getting the remap done. Over here, the 550i is really rare, due to our stupid petrol prices. Tuned 535d's are accepted as the way to go for e60's over here. The M5 is still popular though - then again people buying M cars don't worry about running costs

OverSoft

Yeah, really.
BMW diesels have an enormous amount of torque, chip-tuned those are even higher (mine has 620NM).
Okay, an uncapped 545i will win on top-speed runs, but on acceleration alone, a chipped 530d will win, hands down.

rkhettry23

my 535 with x-drive gets plenty of love.

Pioneer530

I got an XI mostly because with CPO's in the Northeast, there isn't much else to choose from. Not sure the all wheel is worth it for most winter driving in this part of the country. After all, how often am I going to be trekking through a foot of snow, if the weather is that bad, I just stay home. If I am at work, I leave early. Suppose it's good if you get caught in a snowstorm, but I don't notice that co-workers with front wheel drive cars have a worse time getting home than I do. I don't ski, I don't need to drive in bad weather, so I am thinking that the better handling and less weight of the non XI might be something to consider next time .... if the fuel pump problems are fixed!!!!
BTW, my wife's C class 4 matic is much better in the snow than my XI - without snow tires. If you have to get snow tires on an XI, might as well just get a front wheel drive.

Kzang

Stock XI = No sport suspension.
The sports suspension really makes a BMW a BMW.. That is all.

sdg1871

Absolutely. The 535D is a monster at legal speeds. Huge power off the line. Obviously, if you are up at higher than legal speeds, the gas engines are better.

I really wish that the 535D was available in the US. If it was and it had sport package, I might very well get that and do a remap.

Unfortunately, due to the unpopularity of diesels in the US, I doubt that BMW will ever bring the 535D to these shores. What a pity.