Ed FM

Evening,

i'm hoping someone on here will be able to help me clear up the differences in E61 models. I am looking for a 535d, I have found one but it is a sport. I have also seen ones advertised as SE and finally M-Sport. I also was wondering if they changed as they got newer, the one I have been looking at is on an 05.

My second question is related to icy/snowy road performance. I currently have an E46 M3 that is terrible in the cold stuff mostly because of SMG and 19" wheels. I would probably invest in a second set of winter wheels and tyres for the E61 if it was needed.

Thanks in advance,

Ed

neil.d

Hi and firstly good luck in your search.

Firstly - Sport and M Sport are the same thing.

Around 2002 BMW started to use 'brand marketing' to use the 'M' name sake in selling more run of the mill models.

SE models are more comfort orientated.

I came from an E39 M5 to a 535d and agree about the snow performace. Awful.


Buying the tiniest set of wheels and a decent set of snow tyres will be the best decision you can make for cold weather performance!

Let us know

Neil.D

Ed FM

Thanks for that Neil, good to know that I have both the sport and M sport to look at. How did you find the change from M power to diesel power?

mmitev

I second what Neil said.
Especially on the winter wheels & tyres.

neil.d

Hi Ed

Well, as you can imagine, a diesel cannot compare in regard to performance or all round emotive ability.

However, my M5 was an every day machine and was driven in the summer or grottiest winters. It was essentially a 4 door saloon with drag car acceleration. A trait I loved.
As with your M3 there this a warming feeling that you own a machine that is head and shoulders above its peers.

The 535 is simply a standard BMW. Not an insult by any means but you know, hand on heart its a step down from an M car.

Conversley, once any common issues are dealt with, Swirl flaps, losing the runflats, Tourings self levelling suspension issues and those with sunroofs and their water ingress, it does make for a happy compromise.

Once re-mapped - mine isnt yet done, it will do 175mph yet 40mpg on the motorway and is a very relaxing drive with its auto box.

The particulate filter will need doing around 120k miles (the thing that catches all the diesel soot) and costs 1k to replace.
This tends to offset the MPG benefits!

Anything specific then please ask.

Neil

neil.d

Actually, the last post felt a bit negative.

Judging the car in a more objective way,

It is certainly a step on from the E39. It feels a lot more tight, taught and direct.

I love the clean styling and in black with privacy glass from B pillar back it looks very mean - a bit like a V8 RS6 does in the same combo.

I fill up about 2/3'rds as often, but if youre doing a big journey on the motor way it says 600 miles on the MPG count down. My M5 wou d see 350 ish.

Im not a rich individual but I could afford the M5 and this was an expensive car. Every 4 months or so it was costing my 1k ish on out of the blue repairs.

The diesel does feel a more long term investment and I hope its more easy going ride than the M5.

Ed FM

Thanks for that, just need to sell mine now. My M3 is used as your M5 was and although great fun as a daily driver I could do with better than the 21 mpg I am getting. My main reason for the change is the need for space and the E61 definitely has that. I did look at 335's but still think I will struggle with my increased need for space.

Cheers,

Ed

neil.d

On the motorway you will get nearly double that milage. Everywhere else it suffers on MPG as it's still a hefty lump of a car.

People that I have spoken to were very disappointed with the lack of room in the 3 series touring. You're making the right choice

Kell

Hi there,

first of all, from the previous posts I can imagine any car would feel like a step down from an M5. There is something emotive about a petrol engine that you just don't get with a diesel - no mater how quick or capable the diesel is.

That said, the first time I experienced an E60/61 was a friend's remapped 535d and I was massively impressed. So much so, that instead of buying an A6 3.0TDi, we bought a 530d instead.

Even that, in it's unmapped state, feels quick. To me, the 535d would not be a compromise as suggested above, but the optimum 5-series. It's the perfect blend (to me anyway) of power vs mpg. The only thing it's missing (in the UK anyway) to make it an ideal all-rounder, is 4WD.

Which brings me rather neatly on to the second point - winter driving. I can only echo what others have said about the problems. Lots of power to rear wheels + no real weight over them + wide tyres = no traction.

I bought a set of winter wheels and tyres (from a member on here actually). They're actually 16" wheels from a 3-series shod in Dunlop Winter Sport 3's. They're definitely better, but where I live is really hilly and I still have problems occasionally.

That said, I had to use chains once as my wife couldn't get teh car up one hill, but I still reckon I could have done it.

stilling

Hi

In relation to the different 535d versions, does anyone know about the 272 HP version vs 286 HP version, is that just BMW playing with remap them self, or is it a compleedly different engine ?