To diesel or not to diesel?

[Letsgo]

I am looking for someone to chime in and help me decide if I should get a diesel X5 or if I should stick with gas.

I had an e70 diesel, great vehicle, did everything I wanted it to, but I did have a number of reliability issues some of which related to the emissions of the diesel cars. I went ahead and did the ‘deletes’ which made things worse. Cold starts were bad, forget the cloud of smoke around the car, the smell would come into the cabin and it was especially bad in the cold.

I really like the torque, towing, and mileage out of the diesels, but I cannot put up with the smell and I don’t want my kids in the X5 if/when it starts to smell.

So the question then becomes whether I should go to gas? I’ve read that diesel F15s without deletes are prone to getting fumes in the cabin so it’s concerning.

I will be buying the vehicle CPO so warranty will cover the emissions components for up to 3 years, but I’d like to keep the car longer and I don’t want to be throwing thousands following warranty expiry to try and mitigate the diesel fumes entering the cabin.

Because of this and what appear to be more frequent reliability problems with the 35d I am leaning towards the N55 gas model.

Thoughts/advice/suggestions?

[RED_Y_]

I have diesel and absolutely love it. No smell, 0 problems (did have few CEL but all was covered by extended EGR cooler warranty), amazing mileage and torque. N57 engine is definitely improved.

[steamboater11]

Originally Posted by RED_Y_

I have diesel and absolutely love it. No smell, 0 problems (did have few CEL but all was covered by extended EGR cooler warranty), amazing mileage and torque. N57 engine is definitely improved.

Seconded, so glad I went w/ diesel

[Barry_S]

Originally Posted by Letsgo

I am looking for someone to chime in and help me decide if I should get a diesel X5 or if I should stick with gas.

I had an e70 diesel, great vehicle, did everything I wanted it, but I did have a number of reliability issues some of which related to the emissions of the diesel cars. I went ahead and did the 'deletes' which made things worse. Cold starts were bad, forget the cloud of smoke around the car, the smell would come into the cabin and it was especially bad in the cold.

I really like the torque, towing, and mileage out of the diesels, but I cannot put up with the smell and I don't want my kids in the X5 if/when it starts to smell.

So the question then becomes whether I should go to gas? I've read that diesel F15s without deletes are prone to getting fumes in the cabin so it's concerning.

I will be buying the vehicle CPO so warranty will cover the emissions components for up to 3 years, but I'd like to keep the car longer and I don't want to be throwing thousands following warranty expiry to try and mitigate the diesel fumes entering the cabin.

Because of this and what appear to be more frequent reliability problems with the 35d I am leaning towards the N55 gas model.

Thoughts/advice/suggestions?

Bought my 2018 35d in September. No issues and no smell. I was surprised when I test drove it that I couldn't smell anything. I was expecting something more like all of the pick up trucks I've seen. Not so. It's also very quiet. You can hear that it's a diesel vs. gas but no smell whatsoever.

I took a 450 mile trip yesterday and only used 5/8 of a tank!

[F15GorDe]

Originally Posted by steamboater11

Seconded, so glad I went w/ diesel

+1^^ for me also for the same reasons.
I’m at 57k miles and 6+ years in and very pleased with my choice.

[BDO]

I was a big diesel hater. Got my 40d as an experiment, thinking it won't last long and I would give it to the wife.

Over 18 months in now, and loving it. The engine response and acceleration is very similar to the N55 in my ex 640i, and other than the sound (absence of it) I really can't fault it. It suits the car perfectly.

[midlifecrisis]

I'm on my second F15 35d, and I bought out the lease on my '17 last year. It seems owner loyalty is extremely high for this powertrain. Power, torque, efficiency, comfort, and refinement are all top notch. I bought an extended warranty to help with possible problems down the road, but this remains an incredibly satisfying vehicle to drive. As a sports car guy, I still can't believe how much I enjoy driving a SAV. The diesel powertrain plays a big role in that.

[W37V]

Originally Posted by Letsgo

I am looking for someone to chime in and help me decide if I should get a diesel X5 or if I should stick with gas.

I had an e70 diesel, great vehicle, did everything I wanted it to, but I did have a number of reliability issues some of which related to the emissions of the diesel cars. I went ahead and did the ‘deletes’ which made things worse. Cold starts were bad, forget the cloud of smoke around the car, the smell would come into the cabin and it was especially bad in the cold.

I really like the torque, towing, and mileage out of the diesels, but I cannot put up with the smell and I don’t want my kids in the X5 if/when it starts to smell.

So the question then becomes whether I should go to gas? I’ve read that diesel F15s without deletes are prone to getting fumes in the cabin so it’s concerning.

I will be buying the vehicle CPO so warranty will cover the emissions components for up to 3 years, but I’d like to keep the car longer and I don’t want to be throwing thousands following warranty expiry to try and mitigate the diesel fumes entering the cabin.

Because of this and what appear to be more frequent reliability problems with the 35d I am leaning towards the N55 gas model.

Thoughts/advice/suggestions?

Get a D. If you can find one with active suspension, this car might be the last vehicle you own. I love mine. I just wish it had active suspension. If you seek more power from it, you can always get a tune.

Mileage wise the best I got was 42+mpg. So, if you drive a lot, get a diesel.

[CarCzar128i]

About 6 weeks ago I traded my low mileage 2013 X5 diesel for a 2018 X5 gas. My 2013 I bought CPO with only 25k miles, and traded it after 4.5 years with 70k miles. I got top dollar for trade as it needed nothing other than a wash and carpet shampoo.

About 50% of the time I had the diesel, premium gas was more, and 50% of the time it was less. I got about 22 mpg suburban driving and 26 mpg highway (I drive with a light foot). Outside of the car you could hear the diesel rattle, but not inside. The low end torque was amazing, especially in October when I climbed Okemo Mountain twice in a day with 4 adults, no sweat. However I never towed, and 98% of my driving was flat. I got to know the service techs well troubleshooting why it failed emission inspection twice in 4.5 years. The last visit was not a warranty item and I spent $1100 bucks. For emissions, on a car with 60k miles at the time. I have a gas station with diesel pumps less than a mile from my house, but when on vacation in Canada I had to pull out the plastic nozzle adapter to fuel. Not convenient.

My 2018 6 cylinder X5 gets nearly the same MPG, and although it revs a little higher, I don't feel like I've given up any power. I'm sure the 8 speed vs. 6 speed helps there. Again, I don't tow, so you towwers may feel differently. It's nice to not worry about accidentally filling with gasoline instead of diesel and destroying the engine.

Diesel vs gasoline is not a black and white choice. If you are going to tow, or drive a zillion highway miles a year, diesel makes sense. I also own a 2010 low mileage 128i convertible, and a 2015 X1. Like my current X5, I am very comfortable owning those well past warranty. The diesel, not so much.

[Letsgo]

To be clear, I prefer the usability and practicality of the low end torque of the diesel. I really enjoyed my E70 in that respect.

This isn't a question about which one drives better as much as it is a question about the potential emissions components failing, getting fumes into the car, and entering into a never ending money pit past the warranty period to try and maintain stock emissions/avoid 'deletes' which will definitely create a smell issue in the cabin.

It's good to hear that the F15 gas models are getting decent mileage, the 8 speed tranny is definitely the reason for that.

I do drive a lot, doing the quick math I'd be spending $1,500/year more than diesel to drive the equivalent mileage paying for premium gas. The question now remains if going to diesel, will the savings of $1,500 offset all future emissions related headaches/down time that will happen without a doubt. And then there is smell issue.

It seems that the N55 in the X5 is much better than its predecessor and seems reliable for a BMW, the diesel not so much, in fact the issues seem never ending and the solution on the internet is always to 'delete' it. Having done that I know I don't want to drive a deleted X5 that stinks of diesel upon start up especially in the cold and effectively sniffing diesel every time I drive it. I know this seems like normal part of owning a diesel vehicle, it's not something I am willing to live with.

[CarCzar128i]

I never played with tuning/deletions, as my state has an annual emission inspection. Never has a diesel smell, never had soot around the tailpipe, even when it was failing inspection.

[Rydogg21]

Ive owned a 35i ,50i, and E71 (X6M) and now the 35D for the last two years. So far the diesel has been my favorite all around option. I tuned the engine and its faster than most cars on the road, gets on avg 26mpg (36 hwy) driving spirited and I pay around $1.80 a gallon in Colorado. It just does everything well, is fun to drive and has been super reliable. That said, the 50i or X5m options are a lot more fun/fast but that comes at a cost (fuel, more maintenance, more issues in the drivetrain in my experience). The 35i is great for someone who wants fast enough, low cost of procurement and a gasser. The 35D is between the 35i and 50i in terms of performance, is better with MPGs than both and the cheapest to own of the bunch. I bought a third-party warranty just in case I encountered emission equipment issues but at 70k, that hasn't proven to be needed yet. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another diesel SUV in the future, nor do I think I would prefer any of the gasser options if I could do it again. Hope that helps!

[W37V]

Originally Posted by Letsgo

This isn't a question about which one drives better as much as it is a question about the potential emissions components failing, getting fumes into the car, and entering into a never ending money pit past the warranty period to try and maintain stock emissions/avoid 'deletes' which will definitely create a smell issue in the cabin.

The question now remains if going to diesel, will the savings of $1,500 offset all future emissions related headaches/down time that will happen without a doubt. And then there is smell issue.

If you had to replace nox sensors (2x$300) and metering unit($300), you would still be saving at least $500. Unless you run into serious bad luck, you should not be clogging up your cats. EGR cooler is covered by warranty for a while. Not sure what else if there that is emissions related specific to diesel.

[smyles]

The choice was obvious in pre-turbo days. Now, aside from the still better mileage- and N57 made a significant enough leap forward over M57 to maintain the gap,- I'm not sure diesels have that many arguments left, and modern turbo-gassers are just fine for 95% users from the performance and normal usage perspective. Can't speak for their reliability, though.

[The Libertine]

Owning a diesel is on my “bucket list”, as crazy as it may sound; unfortunately, when shopping for my F15, a diesel model was not readily available but was able to get a great deal on a gas model so I made the purchase.

Reliability has improved by leaps and bounds. If you come across a model configured to your liking - I say go for it!

[BDO]

Originally Posted by Letsgo

To be clear, I prefer the usability and practicality of the low end torque of the diesel. I really enjoyed my E70 in that respect.

This isn't a question about which one drives better as much as it is a question about the potential emissions components failing, getting fumes into the car, and entering into a never ending money pit past the warranty period to try and maintain stock emissions/avoid 'deletes' which will definitely create a smell issue in the cabin.

It's good to hear that the F15 gas models are getting decent mileage, the 8 speed tranny is definitely the reason for that.

I do drive a lot, doing the quick math I'd be spending $1,500/year more than diesel to drive the equivalent mileage paying for premium gas. The question now remains if going to diesel, will the savings of $1,500 offset all future emissions related headaches/down time that will happen without a doubt. And then there is smell issue.

It seems that the N55 in the X5 is much better than its predecessor and seems reliable for a BMW, the diesel not so much, in fact the issues seem never ending and the solution on the internet is always to 'delete' it. Having done that I know I don't want to drive a deleted X5 that stinks of diesel upon start up especially in the cold and effectively sniffing diesel every time I drive it. I know this seems like normal part of owning a diesel vehicle, it's not something I am willing to live with.

So get a N55 then?

[chumbedi]

Diesel or not depends on a) how you intend to use your car (i.e. long distances driving, towing....) b) nowadays also where you live (i.e. loved my Diesel, got rid of it couple years back when problems VW started in US and got BMW X5 40E as - living in Germany - parties were debating on banning Diesels in major cities... tax incentives on Hybrid-/ E-vehicles.
..................................
New problems for Diesels; as todays Diesel s get more or less castrated, you'll get problems with EGR .....

[happydude]

If you are in the US diesel emissions components are warrantied for 10 years from in service date.

[hockey21]

i agree, i have a diesel and really really like it. almost sold it for a cayenne gts then got cold feet because i would miss it and backed out of the 16 cayenne gts....

only issue is there are bad stories when out of warranty. i dont get the smell

[hockey21]

Originally Posted by Letsgo

To be clear, I prefer the usability and practicality of the low end torque of the diesel. I really enjoyed my E70 in that respect.

This isn't a question about which one drives better as much as it is a question about the potential emissions components failing, getting fumes into the car, and entering into a never ending money pit past the warranty period to try and maintain stock emissions/avoid 'deletes' which will definitely create a smell issue in the cabin.

It's good to hear that the F15 gas models are getting decent mileage, the 8 speed tranny is definitely the reason for that.

I do drive a lot, doing the quick math I'd be spending $1,500/year more than diesel to drive the equivalent mileage paying for premium gas. The question now remains if going to diesel, will the savings of $1,500 offset all future emissions related headaches/down time that will happen without a doubt. And then there is smell issue.

It seems that the N55 in the X5 is much better than its predecessor and seems reliable for a BMW, the diesel not so much, in fact the issues seem never ending and the solution on the internet is always to 'delete' it. Having done that I know I don't want to drive a deleted X5 that stinks of diesel upon start up especially in the cold and effectively sniffing diesel every time I drive it. I know this seems like normal part of owning a diesel vehicle, it's not something I am willing to live with.

where do you live where there is such a concern for smell? i didnt even notice this smell once- are you sitting in traffic non stop? never heard of this smell issue

[Letsgo]

Originally Posted by hockey21

where do you live where there is such a concern for smell? i didnt even notice this smell once- are you sitting in traffic non stop? never heard of this smell issue

Toronto

I am not saying you will smell it sitting in traffic, with a properly functioning system everything is good. It's when they fail that it becomes an issue tracking down the smells and corresponding fixes required to mitigate.

[Letsgo]

Originally Posted by happydude

If you are in the US diesel emissions components are warrantied for 10 years from in service date.

Do you have a link for this? First I've heard of it.