New 530D - Driven One Today

Housey

Housey

Housey

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Joined
21 Feb 2006
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Took the new 5 for a spin today and thought it was lovely. Had the new sports auto with 8 speeds and various other clever bits. Goes well even with 30 miles on the clock and ran up to a rapid pace very nicely. Still not sure I am really wanting a big saloon and currently I have it specced at around 46k but will have a think this week. Found it road better than the previous model and also compared it to the new E class to today and preferred the BMW. Looks lovely in Silver on big wheels but I WONT have another silver car. Will add more when I have time.
 
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Large saloons are really not my sort of bag at all but a quick question... what do you actually do on a test-drive in one? Hit the motorway & marvel at its comfort & turn of speed?
 
Coco said:
Large saloons are really not my sort of bag at all but a quick question... what do you actually do on a test-drive in one? Hit the motorway & marvel at its comfort & turn of speed?
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It was on the road for the first time today and I didn't have much time but I took it for around 20 miles on a mixture of main roads and cross country, which replicates my typical use. I will have one for a day in the next week or so as I need to evaluate it properly before/if I buy one.

paradigm said:
Was this at the Bluebell event?
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Nope, local dealer provided it for me.
 
Coco said:
Large saloons are really not my sort of bag at all but a quick question... what do you actually do on a test-drive in one? Hit the motorway & marvel at its comfort & turn of speed?
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Accelerate, break, go round corners, fiddle with the kit. Never been on one before?
 
Coco said:
Large saloons are really not my sort of bag at all but a quick question... what do you actually do on a test-drive in one? Hit the motorway & marvel at its comfort & turn of speed?
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You drive it like you would any other car, what a daft question :confused:
 
I went to have a look today also. Didn't get out to drive it. It looked great in Black.

For a reasonable spec, the 530d is £42k, does anyone have an educated estimate for what a year old model will be selling for this time next year with modest mileage?
 
Sounds interesting, any thoughts about the fit and finish of the interior etc ?

I can't help but feel 8 gears is a bit ...well pointless to be honest, 6 is the sweet spot I think. I only have 5 and get along just fine.
 
Howard said:
I'd be marvelling at the EIGHT gears, personally. Hmm, do I need 6th or 7th..
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I am not convinced the diesel needs 8 gears, seems a little pointless in a car with such a torque curve but if you have them why not use em. The sports auto adds the extra gear and also sport and sport + settings (from what I could tell) which holds the gear to the red line. The impressive bit was the Sat Nav which is like Google Earth but also in 3D with mountains and hills represented - very nice. Seats felt OK, this car had sports with moveable leg bolster which I would want having spent so long in cars with sports or bucket seats I HATE short seats. Steering was a little vague compated to the E60 model I drove last week (a 520d which is all they have left of that model new and though cheap will never do me as its too slow) but the ride, being it was an SE was MUCH better.
 
Perhaps it was a pretty pants question but destroying motorways is what this car is intended for & I was under the impression that Housey does churn out the miles? Tackling backroads would be pretty low on my list in a test-drive in one, fiddling with the toys makes sense though RobbieG.
 
Moeks said:
Sounds interesting, any thoughts about the fit and finish of the interior etc ?
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I felt it was a good move forward over the E60, some of the fittings in that such as the crappy cup holders on the passenger side needed replacing and the quality of the leather in the E60 was poor I felt. The new model is a step up from that car and has the feel of a 7 series inside, which is a good thing. Didn't like the silver aluminium trim in the car I drove, looked wrong to my eyes but other than this I felt the interior was well resolved and much nicer than the E Class.
 
Coco said:
Perhaps it was a pretty pants question but destroying motorways is what this car is intended for & I was under the impression that Housey does churn out the miles? Tackling backroads would be pretty low on my list in a test-drive in one, fiddling with the toys makes sense though RobbieG.
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I do a lot of miles on a mix of roads. I only need a few seconds to see how it goes in a straight line. Drive, pull out, overtake, sit back and feel the ride, done. On a B road it takes more time to play yourself into it, not least when you have just stepped out of an RS4 and how it deals with miles and how I deal with the miles in it will come when I borrow it for a day.
 
Housey said:
Silver S-Line, Silver RS4, Silver GT3, Silver M3......

Time for a change, but the car did look lovely in silver :(
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Ah makes sense then :)

I reckon the F10 would look awesome in black but black cars are a complete PITA to keep clean
 
Housey said:
On a B road it takes more time to play yourself into it, not least when you have just stepped out of an RS4 and how it deals with miles and how I deal with the miles in it will come when I borrow it for a day.
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And thats the critical part really, its very easy to have a dealer test-drive for a short period of time & be impressed but to borrow one for the day is where you see its true colours.
To be honest the motorway testing was a little jab, surely after your past motors this would be a down-grade with respect to driving on more enjoyable roads?
 
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