530d replacement.?

Axeboy

Axeboy

Axeboy

Soldato
Joined
13 Nov 2002
Posts
5,451
Location
Scotland
Hi Guys

Ive had my e60 530d since Jan and i love it.. its a great car for the money.

I'll be looking to move up in a few months but im already looking around and im sure, like many of you, you too read up and investigate months in advance.

To cut a long story short, its for business use, I opted out of the company car scheme and get a small fixed allowance of £180/month plus 40p per mile. Generally I do about 1000 miles per month.

As much as I love the e60 and I have no real reason to change, id still like to; variety is the spice of life. :)


Ive been nothing but impressed with BMW approved used as they have picked up the car for servicing and fixed quite a few things under warranty without quiz or querie. I dont have to buy approved used, but like the idea of a BMW/other manufacters warranty. To sum up my needs/wants:

Space not critical but is a help
Doesnt need to be diesel, but I do prefer turbo'd/larger engines
A good ride would be nice
From say £10k to £18k
Prefer saloons but open
Manual preffered but auto would be ok if it has to be (like the 535d)

Quite simply i'm open to options but as a guide Ive seen an approved used e60 535d estate which would do me for say 2 years. Also considered a 3.0 TDi A6 or the Merc E320 CDI (even thought about the E500).


So, I know its open ended really, but what would you guys choose? Please be realistic as possible... I'd like a monaro, but doubt it would work... or would it? :)

Want to see if im missing any tasty treats basically
 
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I'm not entirely sure why you wish to move up from an E60 when your budget doesn't get you anything newer than an E60. If you let us know your motivation for the upgrade we can advise you better.

Currently though you seem to want an executive saloon and if you can get over the styling then the best executive saloon for your budget is the one you already drive.

You've only had it 6 months?!
 
Yeah, as i said, its not really needed, just a nice to have.

I could keep the 530d longer if i need to, but its probably just a choice thing for me.


S4 was a consideration as they appear to have dropped in value recently. Its a possible.

As is a 335i saloon or coupe
 
You are going to haamorrage money if you chop and change 15kish exec cars every 6 months. Money which, saved up over 2 years instead, could bump you into the 20-30k market instead in the future.

This just seems a bit silly, really. If you are not making a credible move forward why bother? After a few months when the novelty wears off you'll wonder why you bothered.

You could get a 535d but you wont get an LCI one for the budget, neither will get you an LCI 335i Saloon either so I'd discount both of those. The Audi A6 just isn't as good as your E60, and the E Class Merc is the old shape model thats been replaced and was a better wafter than your E60 but not a better drivers car. All these cars are from the same generation as yours.

The S4 at this money is more of a downgrade really, it's just a facelift version of the A4 that was released way back in 2000 when the E39 was facelifted!
 
Possibly, i could force myself to hang off

In terms of budget then, i assume its pretty pointless looking for a move. i.e an a6 at that budget is no better than the e60?
 
Axeboy said:
Manual preffered but auto would be ok if it has to be (like the 535d)
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Why on earth would you prefer a manual on a car like this?

If you're bored with your current car, as seems to be the only reason for the change, then you have to ask yourself why you're bored and whether or not a x35i would really satisfy that boredom.

PS - ignore blanket statements such as 'x' is better than 'y'. Test drive the Merc or the Audi and you may prefer it for your requirements, or you may not. I would certainly never be so short-sighted as to say one is better than the other. One guy is not the next guy.
 
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I prefer a manual, thats it really.

Some cars however, do suit an auto better or only come as auto, thats what Im saying.

What would be wrong with a manual 535d if they done one? Its not exactly madness.
 
Robbie G said:
PS - ignore blanket statements such as 'x' is better than 'y'. Test drive the Merc or the Audi and you may prefer it for your requirements, or you may not. I would certainly never be so short-sighted as to say one is better than the other. One guy is not the next guy.
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Yup. agreed. Already tested a e320 cdi and it was nice in a wafty retired kinda way. Engine and chassis not too hot, but i prefer the interior. Overall it was ok.
 
Axeboy said:
I prefer a manual, thats it really.

Some cars however, do suit an auto better or only come as auto, thats what Im saying.

What would be wrong with a manual 535d if they done one? Its not exactly madness.
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An auto has advantages in terms of point-and-press ease and not having to flap your left arm and leg around in a motorway queue like you're fitting. What advantages does a manual gearbox have in an 'executive saloon', especially a company car, when the vast majority of your miles are going to be 'I just want to get to work in comfort' miles?

Half the reason for such a car is to remove the effort of driving.
 
Stick with what you've got. I struggle to think of a better allrounder, unless you were into very nearly new, in which case I'd be looking at an XF D.
 
A 5 series while a bigger saloon seems to be quite agile from my point of view. It doesnt feel big at all.. in fact it feels more lively and 'tighter' than a new mondeo.

Thats why I live the 5, it can be a good blast down back roads or waft on the motorway, its a great all rounder.
 
[TW]Fox;16798173 said:
I have a manual gearbox in my 5 Series.

I would not swap it for an automatic, I really enjoy the box I have.
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Hmmm yes Fox but to be fair, you are notorious for preferring whatever you have at the time. What tangible benefits does a manual offer you, apart from the fact that you already have one?

When you are travelling at 5mph through Plymouth city centre and come to a grinding halt at some lights, and then repeat the aforementioned x 5, do you think 'gosh I love my manual box, I have so much control over my extremely slow traffic driving'? Not even a tiny part of you thinks - actually, it's a 5 series not an Elise; an automatic would save me a lot of unnecessary limb-waving?
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
Stick with what you've got. I struggle to think of a better allrounder, unless you were into very nearly new, in which case I'd be looking at an XF D.
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Aye, you may be right.

I do like the XF... need to check prices

edit: 20k minimum, but do look good
 
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Robbie G said:
Hmmm yes Fox but to be fair, you are notorious for preferring whatever you have at the time. What tangible benefits does a manual offer you, apart from the fact that you already have one?
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Errr I realise that my car purchase was before your time but I spent 6 months looking for a manual because 90% of them were auto. I didn't end up with a manual, I specifically hunted one out and went to a heck of a lot of effort to find one. This is very much common knowledge on this forum, as people got rather sick of my whinging that all the 530i Sport's were autos when I was in the market for one!

Buying an automatic instead would have been far easier and far more convenient.

What do I like about it? I enjoy changing gear, I enjoy the additional performance the manual transmission offers, I enjoy the involvement in the drive, and it makes hitting the right road even more enjoyable.

Plus it's hardly a chore on my long drives - once its in 5th, it stays there.
 
I always chuckle when Robbie G thinks he's made a smart comment, gets proved wrong and then runs away, replying to newer posts yet casually ignoring these ;)
 
Not disagreeing with you, but his traffic comment does stand in general, obviously in your specific case it doesn't, but for the vast majority it does. hence the rarity of manual 530i.


Either way, op, I think you should stick with what you have and maybe get it mapped or something, or is that only the 335d/535d?
 
Sukh said:
Not disagreeing with you, but his traffic comment does stand in general, obviously in your specific case it doesn't, but for the vast majority it does. hence the rarity of manual 530i.
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It applies as equally to a Clio 1.2 mind, which is probably even more likely to find itself in a city centre traffic jam.
 
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