What do u think will be cheaper to run round town? Diesel or petrol

[D4mo_c]

I'm looking to get an e70 3.0 diesl or petrol of some description. I've got the older shape 3.0d on an 04 at the moment and was wondering to go for a petrol this time? My mrs only does short school/shopping runs and my 3.0d gets a bit coked up round town so wondered if it may be better going for the petrol?

[Moments]

Once the engine is warm, diesel will be cheaper as it uses less fuel at idle.
BMW petrol and Diesel engines over fuel from cold, in my experience. Neither like short journeys, and a top-up battery charger is a good investment if they are subjected to constant short trips.
Diesels fitted with the thermotop will run that a lot on short journeys, I've noticed.
Newer diesels need a good "Italian tune" every now and again to clean them out. My E53 gets a lot of particulate build up in the exhaust, especially after long and gentle motorway runs.
The best care for a BMW, and especially a six cylinder, is to run the car for about three times as long as it takes to get the engine up to temperature.

[535dboy]

But diesel car will cost more and diesel fuel costs more

Then there are the turbo risks

I'd go petrol, won't be a lot in it

My diesel X5 only returned about 24 in its life time.

[535dboy]

[quote="sunnydude959"]
Which petrol were you thinking? The 3 litre, 4.4 or 4.8?
[/quote]

He says E70

You'll struggle to find a 3 litre, there is no 4.4

4.8 will be GVFM

[sunnydude959]

[quote="535dboy"]
[quote="sunnydude959"]
Which petrol were you thinking? The 3 litre, 4.4 or 4.8?
[/quote]

He says E70

You'll struggle to find a 3 litre, there is no 4.4

4.8 will be GVFM
[/quote]

Sorry my mistake. I didn't realise that they only started the 4.4 in 2011!

I'm not sure what the real life MPG of the 4.8 is? Agree with 535dboy about the turbo risk

[X5Sport]

The turbo risks keep being raised but there a few on here who have suffered one - far fewer than have suffered a gearbox issue, and fewer than have had a diff go due to incorrect tyres.

If you keep the oil up to spec, service properly and allow proper warm up/cool down cycles it should just run fine.  Plenty of diesels with high mileages that have never suffered a turbo failure.  Don't let that be a deal breaker.

Richard

[Moments]

I got 204,000 miles out of my E39 525TDS and the only under bonnet excitement was losing 3 glow plugs at 160k. Diesel turbos run cool, just change the oil more than BMW recommend - I change the E53's midway between services.
I have no experience of petrol turbo cars - yet. I'm a curious watcher as the F15 eDrive is on my wanted list! Given that BMW have shortened oil change intervals on their newer and more stressed turbos, we can infer what their thinking is.

[Moments]

Also - 33mpg average over 123,000 miles for my manual E53 Sport 3.0d. Economy seems to strongly relate to use, in my experience. I get 23mpg from the E46 M3 and (so far) 31mpg from the 23sDrive Z4.

[sunnydude959]

[quote="X5Sport"]
The turbo risks keep being raised but there a few on here who have suffered one - far fewer than have suffered a gearbox issue, and fewer than have had a diff go due to incorrect tyres.

If you keep the oil up to spec, service properly and allow proper warm up/cool down cycles it should just run fine.  Plenty of diesels with high mileages that have never suffered a turbo failure.  Don't let that be a deal breaker.

Richard
[/quote]
You're probably right.
It's just that my Dad suffered one when he had a 3.0 E53 LCI a few years back.

[Dan Alex]

As a petrol head all the way, GO FOR PETROL!!! regardless of mpg, taxes, whatever, especially if it's meant for the city. By the WAY, seeing your traffic i can say that it is extremely light! Feather light!

[shadrack]

get petrol, i noticed when i was contemplating an e70 before the ml there were more 30si around than i thought (was seaching petrol only) but just get 4.8i, more power and v8 noise, im currently getting 16/17 mpg av from the 6.3 on the trip computer, and where i live is very hilly, and i did a tank calc a couple of tanks ago just out of interest as im not concerned for mpg and got 20mpg,

[IanP]

[quote="shadrack"]
get petrol, i noticed when i was contemplating an e70 before the ml there were more 30si around than i thought (was seaching petrol only) but just get 4.8i, more power and v8 noise, im currently getting 16/17 mpg av from the 6.3 on the trip computer, and where i live is very hilly, and i did a tank calc a couple of tanks ago just out of interest as im not concerned for mpg and got 20mpg,
[/quote]

Off topic a bit I know, but how are you getting on with the 6.3? I was thinking of changing the 4.6is for one (or a Cayenne Turbo is anyone has any experience). 4.6 is getting 18mpg average at the moment

[Denis O]

[quote="sunnydude959"]
You're probably right.
It's just that my Dad suffered one when he had a 3.0 E53 LCI a few years back.
[/quote]

I may be being pedantic here but WTF is an e53 LCI when it's at home.

[graemeX5]

Hi
I have spotted an E70 3.0 petrol automatic car here if interested only 3.0 petrol I've seen
http://www.jamespaul.co.uk/bmw-x5-3.0-s ... rt-4122962

If only doing a few thousand miles a year personally I would go the petrol route, which I did over a diesel as you get a nicer engine sound of a V8 and I do about 2,000 miles mostly the annual holiday and weekend trips

The reasons for me were were
a) the cost of a diesel car was more
B) the cost of diesel was more than petrol although super unleaded the same and
C) the breakeven point was approx 15 years for me so pointless getting a diesel as its a weekend car

D) I would be careful if the diesel has a DPF wHich I belive most cars have from 2008 on as these can cause probs if the car does not get up to temperature and can block up causing the car to run bad, your diesel needs a good run.

Which I'm finding is a problem with the wife's 07 plate Astra which does about 3 miles at most some days which it doesn't like, but I just take it for a good 30 minute run and use a lower gear to get it fully warmed and then it's usually fine

On the up side of the diesel especially the E70 newer ones they are a lot smoother to drive and have bags of torgue, they hold their value better and I think are easier to re sell later plus better economy and if driving 10-15k a year it makes sense to have a diesel over e petrol. But go and drive both you'll then know which one suits you then it's the hard choice of does the the head or heart rule, decisions decision.

I couldn't t believe that the twin turbo 35sd models were like when I drove the X6 version, to me it was like a V8 without the soundtrack, I can only imagine how good the nearer 40d or the m50d are like. As I'm still saving towards the E70 shape one.

But whichever car you go for, I wouldn't be without my X5 I know it's 10years old but it still seems to turn heads possibly as it is kept clean or possibly because people perceive it's more expensive than it really is, but I enjoy driving it which I guess for me is what it's all about.

[sunnydude959]

[quote="Denis O"]
[quote="sunnydude959"]
You're probably right.
It's just that my Dad suffered one when he had a 3.0 E53 LCI a few years back.
[/quote]

I may be being pedantic here but WTF is an e53 LCI when it's at home.
[/quote]
What do you mean?