XSeries-forum

Just on the mpg question, I average about 34mpg on a normal mixed run of urban/motorway.

Clutch wise, I was told by Jason (re-map guru) that the BMW clutches are large and strong. Mine still pulls like an ox with no slippage at all.

Some good advice there guys but iv driven a e39 530d auto and i thought it was terrible the box was slow it did not seem to use the torque of the engine it would always want to change down the whole point of having a big diesel engine is to cruse around with the revs low.

does the the x5 have the same box as a 2002 e39 530d auto and a 2004 e46 330d or does the x5 have a newer better box.

if it is the same they is no way i could live with it     

i no what im like i would want to get it remapped so i think you would feel the benifit of the remap better with a manual box.

Facelifted version has a ZF 6HP26 version in 4WD (used in various versions and manufacturers cars) and the pre-facelift has a 5 speed version.

Lots of info in this Buyers Guide by AW8.

The X auto's certainly use the torque and often short shift if you don't bury your foot.

Only complaint I have is the rolling start delay from 2nd to 1st. As in flooring the throttle on a roundabout. Zf lurch type two.

Sports mode on the other hand is great and manual selection on the auto box works nicely too.

Mostly I stick in drive and just select sports when approaching roundabouts.

The 8-sp can need a little more throttle when cold for the same reason...it's using 2nd.....so I use 'Sport' at a couple of roundabouts close to home as nipping across the A1 needs instant response.  Once warm it's fine, and in Sport there is no delay as 1st is used - albeit you have to lift off smart-ish or the acceleration winds up very quickly in the 40d (and probably even quicker on a M50d)..

If you had the 330d manual the x5 will feel no different, I had the 330d 184bhp manual then went to focus ST but really liked the 6 cylinder diesel unit and like you never really fancied an auto, so now got 3.0d manual x5 sport on 55plate, 1st gear is a little short but I am comparing it to my old ST. Clutch is no problem, and overall I am pleased with my decision to go for manual. You won't be dissapointed

I purchased everything to convert a pre-facelift 3.0d from Auto to manual...
Excluding front & Rear diffs. 

But if you fit with the Auto diffs it would accellerate nicely but poss loose on overall top end..

Reviews show that 1st gear wasn't that great unless you needed it to get a load moving, and equated something similar to the low ratio in landy's (after a fashion!)
Post facelift 6 spd were better apparently.



got this lot due to my progressive pains ref the Auto box and supplier malarkey but now have got the box sorted (although Torque convertor is making a rattle!!)

Its now sitting in the "well are you going to fit me or not??" list.....

I hadn't realised you can just knock the lever into sport mode and it still shifts automatically until reading this.  Doh!  But on the plus side, something new to try

I have a 3.0D 06 Manual with 42k miles , got it at 29k three yrs ago. Sanj is familiar with it (he was shocked to see one). I dont post much but I had to help due to scarcity of the manual breed.


First off, I have been driving for almost a decade but I have never driven an automatic car ever. I have driven 5series, c class merc, toyotas,  VW golf and all have been manual. I love manuals because of the control that I have when driving.

The X5 manual has that dreaded short first gear but the way around it is never stay there for too long, rev to about 1500 and change to second. After that things get really interesting, the X car really pull its weight and its a lovely feeling that the guys with auto can never experience even with sport mode(am imagining). Am always tempted to pull away, the feeling is like when a pilot opens the thrust levers for take off, its buries you in the seat and you could almost take off.

One other problem that I have experienced is when balancing with the clutch and accelerator, it sometimes loses power more often than the rest of the manuals I have driven and you have to apply more pressure on the accelerator. i don't know if other X5 manual users experience this.

The shift lever for the manual X is very long and placed far out so you have to stretch your hand out most of the time to be able to change gear. You could move the centre armrest forward to get that better feeling of changing while you arm rests on it though.

Getting a manual is really down to whether you are a driving purist. if you really love it, then go for it but they are really hard to find, I guess you know that already.

Hope that helps for a start.