530d GT - Should I?
- Thread starter Django x2
- Start date
'cept with those wheels of course!
Nothing wrong with the wheels, except they look too small.
I don't think the E60 drives any different to the E39. I think the interior is fine, it's wearing well, just as well as i would expect from BMW and better than the E46 I used to have. The drive is fine, remaining on hydraulic steering, we'll remember that the F10 is electric (part) and therefore pretty feeless unless opted with dynamic packs, yet, for the type of normal day to day driving most of us do, probably nothing to worry about.
The one thing I wish my e60 had was SAT (Sports Auto), the gear changes in manual are just not quite quick enough (although, a thousand times quicker than the Charger we had in the states).
The one thing I wish my e60 had was SAT (Sports Auto), the gear changes in manual are just not quite quick enough (although, a thousand times quicker than the Charger we had in the states).
It definitely does. The E39 is a bit 'rollier', but has more compliant suspension and gives a better ride. The gearbox is also much smoother (old slushy style) and it just softly glides around town seamlessly.
It's definitely not very good. I had a 190k+ E39 and it had fewer points of wear than the 535d (leather excepted). The OllyM5 has done hardly any miles and yet has very similar points of wear. There's lots of little touches; the E60 has this horrible dirt-magnet felt thing that bridges the gap between the steering column and the bottom of the instrument cluster. In the E39 is was a nice piece of (probably faux) leather.
I'd agree that the E60s steering is fine. The trouble the E60 has is that the E39 was equal to it in almost every way. Gadets and performance aside it is probably the better car, and when you consider the E39 arrived in 1995, it's not just a plus for the E39 but a bit of a minus for the E60. The game went very backwards with the E60 pre-LCI, and the LCI brought it almost level. That's below expectation in my book.
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Take it from somebody who drives both, often back to back. It does. The biggest things you notice are that the steering is better in the E39, and it feels more planted (Though the latter could be due to the runflat tyres).
I'd be only too happy if the E60 was simply better in every way, as I could grab a nice one and have another 5 years of happy ownership. But it isn't, so I can't.
There are lots of bits like that. Reach into the door pockets and it's carpeted and perfectly lined - even right up into the areas of the door pocket you can barely reach. The E60 has a only one side halfheartedly trimmed in something that feels far less plush.
My parents E60 is on 70k miles now. It has a rattle from inside the dash. It has a rattle from the back seats. It has about 3 rattles from the parcel shelf. It was the same story with my E92.
It's just doesnt have the same teutonic feel.
The E60 looks and feels more modern. That is about the only plus point (Oh, and reliability aside the economy from the N53 engine is excellent).
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 4,898
The above is a bit confusing.
Are you an employee of the LLP or a partner? You refer to "my company" which suggests a partner, but then talk about benefit in kind which arises only for employees.
For tax purposes an LLP is treated the same as a normal partnership. The partners are taxed personally on their percentage of the profits. As a partner you, generally, get a much better deal on car expenses than as a director of a limited company.
I actually think the 7 M Sport is a good looking beast, much better than the previous model.
What's that bulb looking thing on the lower bumper?
Active cruise control sensor
I am a partner in an LLP (for clarity myself and one other partner own the company). At the moment I just track my mileage for business at 40p a mile and reduce my taxable income through this. I own my car as opposed to the business owning it. I am interested in either myself or the company going for a contract hire and would like to know the tax implications. Thanks for any advice!
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Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 4,898
You really need to speak to your accountant, but generally speaking for a vehicle on contract hire with an element of personal use you can reclaim half of the VAT on the lease payments and all of the VAT on any running costs (or maintenance element of a contract hire or lease).
For income tax purposes, you would need to agree a business/personal use split with HMRC specific to your circumstances - something around 70-30 will be easy, you can get a better split but you'll need to provide evidence.
Say your CH costs are 10k per year, and 5k per year fuel and other costs, you can claim 70% as a business expense (£10500) and the 30% personal use is not tax deductible.
You will also have to reduce the contract hire amount claimed as business expense by 15% if the CO2 output is greater than 160g/KM. This would reduce your business expense claim to £9000 in the above example.
For income tax purposes, you would need to agree a business/personal use split with HMRC specific to your circumstances - something around 70-30 will be easy, you can get a better split but you'll need to provide evidence.
Say your CH costs are 10k per year, and 5k per year fuel and other costs, you can claim 70% as a business expense (£10500) and the 30% personal use is not tax deductible.
You will also have to reduce the contract hire amount claimed as business expense by 15% if the CO2 output is greater than 160g/KM. This would reduce your business expense claim to £9000 in the above example.
How come that 7, which is lovelydoesn't have a proper badge on it? Is it a spy pic of a model about to come to market?
Looks like a brand new unregistered US market car that hasn't had a PDI yet.
yeah, Merc did a much more discrete job with their "Distronic" sensors.
That BMW one looks very odd.