X6 35i or 50i

[Bimmer4lifexd]

I know you guys get this a lot but I'm still gonna try to ask and get some insights. I'm about to purchase a f16 x6 but I just can't decide between the 35i and the 50i. I drove the 50i and it felt superb. The 35i on the other hand was just fine. Is the 50i really that unreliable? How much have you spend on repairs and engine work. What's your recommendation?? Thanks first time posting

[HPIA4v2]

Originally Posted by Bimmer4lifexd

I know you guys get this a lot but I'm still gonna try to ask and get some insights. I'm about to purchase a f16 x6 but I just can't decide between the 35i and the 50i. I drove the 50i and it felt superb. The 35i on the other hand was just fine. Is the 50i really that unreliable? How much have you spend on repairs and engine work. What's your recommendation?? Thanks first time posting

Go with the 50i, X6 is very heavy vehicle requires some muscle to move it.

I believe the N63 is updated in 2014 to combat valve-seal issue.
The usual on BMW, return turbo line and oil pan leaks oil,so pick younger year vehicles if you can.

[Bimmer4lifexd]

Originally Posted by HPIA4v2

Go with the 50i, X6 is very heavy vehicle requires some muscle to move it.

I believe the N63 is updated in 2014 to combat valve-seal issue.
The usual on BMW, return turbo line and oil pan leaks oil,so pick younger year vehicles if you can.

Originally Posted by HPIA4v2

Go with the 50i, X6 is very heavy vehicle requires some muscle to move it.

I believe the N63 is updated in 2014 to combat valve-seal issue.
The usual on BMW, return turbo line and oil pan leaks oil,so pick younger year vehicles if you can.

Thanks for replying. I'm looking at a 2015 BMW X6 50i with 47k on the clock. Have they done any engine update for the 2015 model year since 2015 is the year that they completely redesigned the x6?

[Swiftness~]

Originally Posted by Bimmer4lifexd

Thanks for replying. I'm looking at a 2015 BMW X6 50i with 47k on the clock. Have they done any engine update for the 2015 model year since 2015 is the year that they completely redesigned the x6?

Yes it was upgraded to N63tu which has been said to be much better than the previous engine. With bmws it's always a hit or miss when it comes to owning one out of warranty just be prepared if something goes wrong as repairs can be very costly nonetheless I have never owned a V8 bmw without some type of warranty. My current M4 with almost 80k miles have been more reliable than any other V8 bmws I have owned.

[jch1511]

Originally Posted by Bimmer4lifexd

Thanks for replying. I'm looking at a 2015 BMW X6 50i with 47k on the clock. Have they done any engine update for the 2015 model year since 2015 is the year that they completely redesigned the x6?

If you want a smile on your face every time you drive, 50i period, no comparison, no chip, nothing needed.

I have been driving BMW V8s for the last 25 years, some of them to 150k, no engine, tranny issues, just basic wear and tear, cooling issues all BMWs have.

Good luck in your search.

[~ViO~]

Originally Posted by Bimmer4lifexd

I know you guys get this a lot but I'm still gonna try to ask and get some insights. I'm about to purchase a f16 x6 but I just can't decide between the 35i and the 50i. I drove the 50i and it felt superb. The 35i on the other hand was just fine. Is the 50i really that unreliable? How much have you spend on repairs and engine work. What's your recommendation?? Thanks first time posting

I just went from a 2013 X6M to a fully loaded 2015 X6 50i and absolutely luv the 50i 8-Speed Combo.. And if you like to play your music loud you can get the optional Bang & Olufsen in the 50i.. I was lucky as my car had it (Amazingly loud and clean) along with the suspension packages, night vision, and driver assist plus.. The difference from my 2013 to 2015 in technology advancements is night and day.. The best decision I ever made.. I would suggest you use a BMW VIN decoder to aid in your search and find out what options the car your looking at has.. Good luck.. Get the 50i for sure!! You'll have a blast with it..

[Bimmer4lifexd]

Originally Posted by jch1511

If you want a smile on your face every time you drive, 50i period, no comparison, no chip, nothing needed.

I have been driving BMW V8s for the last 25 years, some of them to 150k, no engine, tranny issues, just basic wear and tear, cooling issues all BMWs have.

Good luck in your search.

Thanks for replying! How much is it to change the spark plug on the v8 cause I know that's a common problem. What else do you need to do to when the mileage gets higher?

[Bimmer4lifexd]

Originally Posted by Jnyvio

I just went from a 2013 X6M to a fully loaded 2015 X6 50i and absolutely luv the 50i 8-Speed Combo.. And if you like to play your music loud you can get the optional Bang & Olufsen in the 50i.. I was lucky as my car had it (Amazingly loud and clean) along with the suspension packages, night vision, and driver assist plus.. The difference from my 2013 to 2015 in technology advancements is night and day.. The best decision I ever made.. I would suggest you use a BMW VIN decoder to aid in your search and find out what options the car your looking at has.. Good luck.. Get the 50i for sure!! You'll have a blast with it..

Thanks for replying! The first time I drove the 50i I fell in love with it. The only thing I'm concerned about is long term reliability with all the people bashing on the v8 engine. What problem have you run into in the past? When you purchased the vehicle did you hire a vehicle inspector to see the car? I would love to see some photos of your 50i if you got any!

[~ViO~]

Originally Posted by Bimmer4lifexd

Thanks for replying! The first time I drove the 50i I fell in love with it. The only thing I'm concerned about is long term reliability with all the people bashing on the v8 engine. What problem have you run into in the past? When you purchased the vehicle did you hire a vehicle inspector to see the car? I would love to see some photos of your 50i if you got any!

Hi.... I'm new to this forum as well, when I have some free time I will have to get some photos up with a proper introduction. The only issue I had so far, was the person before me using the wrong washer fluid with messed up my washer tanks sensor (which I solved by running it empty and filling it up with Prestone Bug Wash to clean off the sensor). As far the N63TU engine goes... Zero issues for me so far... Not a drop of burned oil.. As Strong as an OX.. lol. I swear it's nearly as fast as my older 2013 X6M... Don't forget, you will hear the most horror of horror stories within any forum.... Folks with no issues rarely post everything's great.. And I believe the first generation N63's have more verified issues than that of the current F16 N63TU.. Obviously, any engine can have issues.. When I asked both of my local dealers (service advisors) they both informed me about the N63 valve seals and that they rarely see the same issues with the N63TU.. And they both claim the N63TU to be a solid engine.. Again, for the few to many that post their issues there are thousands and thousands that have none.. I would change the oil every 5k and do scheduled maintenance and you should be fine.. If your truly worried buy Certified from a BMW dealer.

[Bimmer4lifexd]

Originally Posted by Jnyvio

Hi.... I'm new to this forum as well, when I have some free time I will have to get some photos up with a proper introduction. The only issue I had so far, was the person before me using the wrong washer fluid with messed up my washer tanks sensor (which I solved by running it empty and filling it up with Prestone Bug Wash to clean off the sensor). As far the N63TU engine goes... Zero issues for me so far... Not a drop of burned oil.. As Strong as an OX.. lol. I swear it's nearly as fast as my older 2013 X6M... Don't forget, you will hear the most horror of horror stories within any forum.... Folks with no issues rarely post everything's great.. And I believe the first generation N63's have more verified issues than that of the current F16 N63TU.. Obviously, any engine can have issues.. When I asked both of my local dealers (service advisors) they both informed me about the N63 valve seals and that they rarely see the same issues with the N63TU.. And they both claim the N63TU to be a solid engine.. Again, for the few to many that post their issues there are thousands and thousands that have none.. I would change the oil every 5k and do scheduled maintenance and you should be fine.. If your truly worried buy Certified from a BMW dealer.

I have been seeing similar things from multiple posts. So I think I'm gonna pull the trigger. I feel like I will leave myself with so much regret if I go for the 35i so 50i it is. I'll be back to the forum with pics! Any exterior mods I should consider?

[jch1511]

Originally Posted by Bimmer4lifexd

Thanks for replying! How much is it to change the spark plug on the v8 cause I know that's a common problem. What else do you need to do to when the mileage gets higher?

If you want to save money, get your own Bmw oem parts online and bring to dealer, find a good SA, they will take care of you.

Also, join the Bmw cca so you can get dealer discount on parts and labor.

[~ViO~]

Originally Posted by Bimmer4lifexd

I have been seeing similar things from multiple posts. So I think I'm gonna pull the trigger. I feel like I will leave myself with so much regret if I go for the 35i so 50i it is. I'll be back to the forum with pics! Any exterior mods I should consider?

If you can find a 50i without a front license plate bracket I think that look is the best... If you can get away with it in your state.. You can of course also remove the front license plate bracket yourself and either have the holes filled and colored matched proffessionally or use a company called bumper plugs (which is a little more evasive as it requires you to drill out the holes slightly larger and installing their color matched plastic push in plugs).. That would be my first exterior mode.. I also Looking forward to your pics.

And i also recommend tinting the front windows to match the rear.. This was done as soon as got it... It looks so much better with the tint matching all the way around.

[OnlyGerman]

Many people have had their N63TU engines replaced, not as common as the N63, but 2014+ are not perfect. If your itching for a V8, look somewhere else or get a good extended warranty. To me, even with an warranty, the headaches of this engine are not worth it. Also, the deprecation is so bad the 35i are almost the same in price...So good luck whenever you are trading it in. The problem is people with no knowledge of such cars with these engines buy them and think they'll be OK without some warranty...then the engine fails.

[Kzang]

I've went against several 50i with my MPPK tuned 35i in the last 4 years of ownership and the 50i couldn't lose or shake me. Yes, the 50i was ahead of me but only by a car length. Is the 50i faster? Yes, on paper it's much faster than the 35i but not by much in real life driving...

[Arteezy]

I was in the same boat as you figured buying a CPO'ed 50i would be more reliable considering it had all up to date maintenance done but it's the same shit show stories I have been reading all along. During my 19 months of ownership Ive had two major repairs done for a transfer case and an oil leak which by the way took 3 weeks to diagnose and fix while everything was covered I could only imagine what it would cost if I had to pay out of pocket. My CPO warranty runs out in 3 months so well be trading it in for a G05 which by then hopefully will have most of the bugs fixed.

[HPIA4v2]

Not sure BMW will ever fix the leak issue EVER.
It's the nature of BMW engine, runs hot to satisfy both emission regulation and fuel-saving while maintaining performance. Even so going forward, until BMW becomes fully electric maybe.

The xfer case on X5/X6 has been redesigned probably 6x and yet it still fails prematurely (under 100K miles), so just to show, BMWNA seems to put this as "design feature", so fans just keep buying newer BMW

[duercos]

I have 2 friends/coworkers driving a 2018 X5 5.0 and a 2014 750i. Both told me they need to add a quart or two every month/1000 miles. Both stock engines. I've had my 2018 f16 35i for a year and a half with mppk and a piggyback and not even once I had a problem with oil or anything else. We've tried to roll race with the X5 5.0 and went nose to nose every single time, absolutely no advantage of either car.

At this point, I am very happy with my choice

[duercos]

Also I hear the new engine on a new m340i, I think it's a B58, starts burning oil from the beginning.. I really like the new 3 series and was considering getting one as a second family car, but I won't feel good about this "oil burning" problem, especially when I tune it.

[ponytuning]

My wife and I are in love with our 50is, a 2015 x5 50i and 2016 x6 50i, both CPO with extended warranties. She had hers for an year, I had mine for about 4 months, zero issues on both. I was coming from a 2015 435i with all M performance upgrades (mppk, mpe, mpbk) and I can say the 50i is on another level, can’t really compare them because of their size. The x6 is obviously a much heavier car and it shows when you’re on the twisties but the air suspension helps a bit and the engine smoothness and torque is in another league vs the 6cylinder. The refinement of the v8 can be described as a big as the jump from a 4 cylinder to a 6 cylinder. The v8 definitely is thirsty on short commutes (we avg about 14mpg) but on long trips about 16mpg, not bad for such a powerful heavy luxurious car. As for the oil consumption, none of us got the “dreaded” add 2qt of oil message. I think this has more to do with how we take care of them really. We had three other bmw before, brand new, used and cpo and didn’t have to take either of them for repairs. I think as long as you treat them well they will treat you well, just don’t expect them trash them, not maintain them and last as long as toyotas. These are high performance cars and need to be treated as such. I would not get a 35i because it will probably feel slow without a tune not to mention the nice sound you’d get from a v8 engine. If you’re concerned just get an extended warranty and don’t let jimmy the neighbor work on your car.