3.5vs5.0

[llcool]

Hi everyone,
I am having tough time to decide 3.5 or 5.0.
Anyone has experience to choose 3.5 or 5.0?
I know it sounds like funny to ask those question.
I need an advise from current owners. Thanks

[spmd11]

I have 5.0. It's a monster. 0-60 in 5.3 secs and my mpg after 22k miles is 17.8. If u can afford it, get the V8

[llcool]

Thanks

[Michael_s]

At one point not long ago I had both. I drove the 35i and my wife drove the 50i. To make a long story short, I traded in the 35i. It is a great car but I found the car to be lacking power, especially since I am a power junky. I thought I would be happy with the 35i as I drove to NYC everyday for work but I needed more power so I bought my wife a new car and took her 50i. Much happier now.

But, my overall mileage is 13.8 MPG v. 19 MPG for the 35i.

[D.B.S]

From the perspective of a 35i owner (who has modded it). I love my 35i, but from a modding perspective, the 50i is a better platform (for performance mods).

My MPG's suck though, as it's all city driving and I get about 12 - 14 mpg (im in DS mode 50% of the time), I'd hate to see what my MPG's would be like in the 50i.

Don't get me wrong, the 35i is quite good performance wise (it's on par, with the the old X5 4.8, and hell of a lot better than the 3.0), but the 50i is just so much more... If I traded in my 35i I could get the '12 50i for the same amount i paid for my 35i a year ago (equipped the same)...

If you want the power (and don't plan to mod) go for the 50i
If you want MPG's (and don't plan to mod) go for the 35i.

But if you plan to Mod, I'd go for the 50i if I had to do it all over again..

[llcool]

thanks for advise. but somehow in delemma. i wish bmw makes only one model either 3.5 nor 5.0

[JSteinMD]

The 50i is worth it for the exhaust notes alone!

[14bmws]

35i is a much sweeter drive. The straight sixes are always the better way to go with bmw's. 5.0 is nose heavy and ponderous.