[Sb32]

Hi! First post here

I have a budget of £21k and am struggling to choose over a 335d or 540i. My yearly miles are around 10k and this consists of lots of short A road trips with around 1000 miles of motorway journeys. I don't think my mileage and especially the roads that I drive warrants a diesel?


I'm concerned with buying a high mileage petrol at 80k+, this is what my budget allows for with the 540i and the 335ds are coming in at 50k mileage

Regarding depreciation what is more likely to see a bigger loss? Especially if i want to sell the 540i and it being high mileage

[Tommy D]

Have you looked at the 4 series?

[keithyo88]

Please be kind to yourself and keep it really simple. Get the right car for you now and try not to worry about resale. I have messed up many things in my life by too much Analysis

[440i6MT]

Given what you're saying, I would choose the 540i.

[schernov]

Go for 2018 or newer 535d (EU) sold as 540d in US which is stellar.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by keithyo88

Please be kind to yourself and keep it really simple. Get the right car for you now and try not to worry about resale. I have messed up many things in my life by too much Analysis

Great advice. The simpler the better works much better in the long run. The resale value enters the picture when the vehicle is an exotic model.

When buying a used car, a one-owner vehicle with verifiable maintenance history would be the more valuable element to look for.

[Samir72]

I would definitely go for the 540i, I have seen some amazing examples on autotrader recently. Although slightly above your current budget.

If possible I would try to increase slightly even if it meant waiting a little longer.
This one below has a very nice spec and is £24k with 50k in miles
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-det...g302aw&fromsra


I was also considering switching from my 340 to 540 given some of the amazing individual specs i have seen recently. Heated and ac ventilated massage seats being one of of the options I liked the sound of.


Given you are already in a 520d it would be a nice upgrade too

[Salty B.]

Originally Posted by schernov

Go for 2018 or newer 535d (EU) sold as 540d in US which is stellar.

There is no 540d sold here, nor any other diesel BMW since the 328d was dropped some years ago.

[Billfitz]

I'd be looking at the 3 versus 5 series in terms of which you like better from the standpoint of comfort and driving experience, not the fuel.

[TurboWeasel]

For comparison, I have a 2016 330d and my brother has a 2018 530d, which I've driven a lot. Both are 2WD M Sport flavour and both have the 370/340 Blue brakes and chassis/seats etc package, LED headlights etc.

So really, the comparison just boils down to the core platform differences but in your case, the 540i X drive would be faster than the 335d if performance is important. The 3 litre diesels aren't as punchy low down as you would imagine. They are more linear, and not torque thumpy like VAG diesels.

In terms of comfort, refinement, handling and build quality - 5 series all day long.

The only thing I would put a minus against next to the 5 series is tighter corners, where you start to feel it's weight and size. The G30 platform seems to have dropped the famously good integral link rear arms that the E39 and F10s had, so its more or less the same rear setup as the F30 platform.

Maybe consider if you actually need X Drive as 2WD will save you a bit of money, complexity and weight. 2WD is perfectly usable in snow and ice with decent winter tyres. You would need to drop down to the 340i or 330d in that case as 335d is 4WD only, and no M Sport option either.