E70 3.0sd vs 35d

[sapphireblack]

I'm close to aborting my search for an early model E70 V8. They're thin on the ground and being of age now have miles on them that dont appeal to me. An X5M 4.4 twin rurbo is more that i want to spend at my age, and they've all got miles on them as well.

But in searching for one i happened upon a 2008 3.0sd and, well, one thing led to another and i concluded i didn't know what that badging meant and started Googling. It seems, as BMW are known for, this was simple badge remodeling, the badged 3.0sd morphed into the 35d and has the same motor. In Googling i found a contributer who insisted the 3.0sd was a 2WD version of an X5 . Now there is much i dont know but im not sure I'd buy that? And another contributor insisted oil changes every 3-4k miles was necessary, despite BMWs published regime.

I also read that the earlier version is in a higher tax band, which could be true, but again, I'm not sure.

Any 'sd' owners care to wise me up?

[X5Sport]

The 30sd was the first iteration of the twin turbo diesel and yes became the 35d with both having the M57 engine unit. The ‘sd’ was a non-US model, so what we got in the UK until the nomenclature changed to 35d.

I’ve only ever seen a 2WD X3 (the iX3 EV) and never one with the X5 unless the xDrive fuse got pulled due to transfer box failure.

The later N57 (fitted to the 40d) reportedly has timing chain issues if the long service intervals are stuck to (2 years/20,000 miles) that can be mitigated by changing oil every 12 months or less. It’s what I now do. Oil changes every 3,000-4,000 miles seems excessive unless that’s all you do in a year maybe? Given how many M57 powered BMWs are still around, the engine is pretty much bombproof - unlike its later generation.

The M57 engine is only EU4 so will be in the higher tax bracket. One of the changes to the 30d (N57) and 40d (N57S) from 2010 on was to make the car EU5 and cleaner, so less to tax. It also brought the evil device called the DPF into use.

[sapphireblack]

Ah, so the 2WD X5 was unsurprisingly incorrect, and i now understand better, thanks. The M57 is supposed to be less temperamental and i have read the timing chain is at the rear of the N57 engine making access harder or maybe even an engine out exercise?

To be clear (my side) the sd badged cars attract tax higher than £415pa?

[X5Sport]

The N57 timing chain is indeed at the rear, so major surgery required. We’re it talking about the same scale of issue as the E53 X5 had with auto-boxes, but there have been a few. On a diesel it’s usually not cost effective to repair the engine due to piston.valve strike. The N47 (2-litre 4-pot) is the real problem.

Any X5 made before 2010 (the LCI was introduced at that point and has LED angel eyes - not fitted to the pre-LCI) with the M57 engine is in the higher tax bracket.

The pre-LCI are all 6-speed ZF boxes, however they use the Mark 2 version that is hugely more reliable than the one in the E53 and others of that vintage. LCI cars have the ZF 8-speed box, which helps with emissions too.

[sapphireblack]

I am confused. My E71 is 2009 with Xenons but obviously not LEDs .Tax is £415. Is there a band above and below for similar cars?

[X5Sport]

My E71 is a MY2011 40d by which time the car was switched to the N57S engine and 8-speed box. These arrived in October 2010. Dropped it to a lower VED band (currently £385).

[Leslie]

Mine is an sd , twin turbo 535d engine from a 5 series , 415 tax ..Will go up in April no doubt , 6 speed box and a great motor .

[sapphireblack]

My curiosity has built during the day, so i prodded around a few other permutations. I know 2006 was a pivotal or bad year for car tax realignment . I was really surprised to discover a 2007 3.0l Se (X5) is £710 . Goverment really do take the pi$$ with everything related to vehicle ownership

[Leslie]

Yes the early e70's really get hammered on tax something I was aware of and keen to avoid when I was looking for mine , 710 is just silly money

[H4MP]

The SD is a twin turbo 3 litre diesel. Very good engine too.
Good power and torque, bullet proof too

[sapphireblack]

The SD is a twin turbo 3 litre diesel. Very good engine too.
Good power and torque, bullet proof too

I have understood for some time that the M57 is better regarded that the N57 successor in may ways. Principally because of the timing chain being relocated to the back of the engine. I think it was also the N57 and its 'abuse' by constabularies that BMWs are no longer used by them.

I am very happy with the 35d in my car. Better mpg would have been nice, though. Questionable figures published by BMW ought to be worthy of a slap for basically lying.

[H4MP]

I owned a 35d for 6 years and the local driving mpg figures are pretty poor. On short runs between 16-18mpg
On slightly longer 22mpg. Long time on motorway around 32mpg. Pretty poor for a diesel. What does swing it in its favour is it's performance and robustness. The N57 It's not just the timing chain, overall it has minor faults. The N57 has a few major faults, for me the number one is bearing failure, which leads to catastrophic engine damage and required a careful rebuild which costs around £7k or a new engine. These are mainly cars that have not been serviced regularly

[Leslie]

My sd returns around 28 mpg overall , above 60 mph that hurts ecoomy bad though but at lower speeds it regularly returns the factory test figures of 34mpg as long as you dont exceed 50 mph.
The later engines had an alumminium fuel pump too which when it fails knackers your injectors ,the m57 one is cast iron and failure is virtually unheard off , not all progress is good

[H4MP]

You know im interested to know what's the difference between the M57 and N57 in terms of the crankshaft, conrods, the bearing tolerances. If you go on Facebook there are literally several X5s, 7 series for sale due to bearing failure.

It's more common on the X series and heavier cars such as the 5 series and 7 series. Wonder what the link is?

[X5Sport]

The TIS has quite a lot of what you are looking for regarding the M57, but has far less about the N57S (in the 40d variants). No idea why, but BMW aren’t being as open.