BMW and M Power Owners

Shoei · 12 Feb 2019 at 08:41

[TW]Fox said:
An end of warranty check (presumably car was 3?) is free of charge.

Car was out of warranty, just getting it done before it was picked up & sent back. Was just at right time in the scheme to get more for it, so changed it for a Mini Cooper. OH has that i get the 218 Tank.

While i'm here, 3 series GT or 4 series Gran Coupe (with option on a 3xx Tourer). Which one?

[TW]Fox · 12 Feb 2019 at 08:47

Shoei said:
While i'm here, 3 series GT or 4 series Gran Coupe (with option on a 3xx Tourer). Which one?

They are mechanically the same car, so if you like the way a 3GT looks it will offer a newer car for the money.

IAmATeaf · 13 Feb 2019 at 11:57

IAmATeaf said:
I'm going to apologise right from the start but having now owned my f30 335i for quite some time I in all honesty have to say I actually preferred my old Accord.

Drove to Bracknell yesterday so a good long drive along A and M roads and the car just, it's difficult to say exactly but it feel too fidgety if that makes sense. It seems to pick up every imperfection on the road, yesterday on the M25 the left hand side of the car was making a different sound to the right and I could alter it by moving the car left or right in the lane.

I did have the car checked over in March and what they did find they fixed but is this the way the 3 series is? I've also tried altering the tyre pressures, currently on around 35 but I've had them as high as 39. Currently it does have run flats on the front and non RF Contact Sport 5 on the back. The fronts will need changing in a month or 2 so I'll get them changed out to non RF.

Overall I'm just disappointed, my Accord never squeaked or rattled, my 3 series does, the audio is not that great even though I have HK.

I do love the engine and the auto gearbox though, I think my ideal car would be my old Accord with the engine and gearbox from the 3

Replying to my own post but I had my front tyres changed, had Asym2 RF before and swapped to Pilot Sport 4S tyres non RF and WOW what a difference they have made.

All the fidgety stuff has gone and the car is so much better to drive now. There is increased tyre noise which I'm hoping will quieten down as the tyres only have a 100 or so miles on them but overall am much happier.

EddScott · 13 Feb 2019 at 13:40

My car is due an oil service in 130 miles.

I need a courtesy car but local dealer says they can't provide for 2 weeks. I'll go over the 130 miles.

Is there an allowance for going over?

In other news, I went to local bodyshop and my car has had paint - gutted I missed it. Haven't missed dodgy paint for a long time.

Local dealer not interested. Selling dealer is miles away and cheaper for me to get it fixed locally. Had hoped I could get selling dealer to pay the costs for local dealer to put right but no dice.

peige · 13 Feb 2019 at 13:54

In my experience going over isn't an issue until you get to the second service.. I think mine was due at 48k and I was told if it went over 50k then it was not included in the service pack, I think I was 200 miles short!

Dr House · 14 Feb 2019 at 14:52

Which new 5 series is the pick of the bunch up to £30k?

You can just about get a 540i for that or a 530e

[TW]Fox · 14 Feb 2019 at 17:38

Dr House said:
Which new 5 series is the pick of the bunch up to £30k?

None of them they'll all be rubbish spec or a 520d for under 30k.

Dr House · 14 Feb 2019 at 19:48

This is one of the cars I was looking at. I think I could get it at 29k which seems to be ok.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201902034557279

Minstadave · 14 Feb 2019 at 19:50

Dr House said:
This is one of the cars I was looking at. I think I could get it at 29k which seems to be ok.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201902034557279

Love that!

[TW]Fox · 14 Feb 2019 at 20:31

Worst colour, base lights and 3k over budget from a private seller?

It's really frustrating BMW persist with the nonsense of having basic halogen indicators on the front of cars like that unless the almost never picked icon led headlight option is fitted.

Robbo · 14 Feb 2019 at 21:23

Best colour

I don't really like the front of the G30 without the proper LED lights, it doesn't look right. Shame it's not standard - though it probably will be on the LCI.

[TW]Fox · 15 Feb 2019 at 07:46

Robbo said:
Best colour

I don't really like the front of the G30 without the proper LED lights, it doesn't look right. Shame it's not standard - though it probably will be on the LCI.

Trouble is you try finding one with them fitted, virtually every car doesn't have them.

Scania · 15 Feb 2019 at 08:13

Dr House said:
Which new 5 series is the pick of the bunch up to £30k?

You can just about get a 540i for that or a 530e

The 520d,

This may be the entry point to the 5 Series range, but it has the best balance of performance, price and running costs.

Not my words, those of What Car (along with pretty much every other motoring publication.)

The 540i is better undoubtedly, depends what your after ultimately.

[TW]Fox · 15 Feb 2019 at 08:17

Scania said:
Not my words, those of What Car (along with pretty much every other motoring publication.)

They've been saying that for every generation of the 5 series since the E60. It's just not the right engine.

Scania · 15 Feb 2019 at 08:24

[TW]Fox said:
They've been saying that for every generation of the 5 series since the E60. It's just not the right engine.

They say / write it because it’s right - every review I’ve read about the 520d rates it as the pick of the range along with seeing anything other than a 520d on the roads is a rarity, it seems the press and vast majority of 5 buyers disagree with your assertion.

[TW]Fox · 15 Feb 2019 at 08:31

Scania said:
They say / write it because it’s right - every review I’ve read about the 520d rates it as the pick of the range along with seeing anything other than a 520d on the roads is a rarity, it seems the press and vast majority of 5 buyers disagree with your assertion.

Because most buyers are vehicle leasing fleets driven primarily by economics.

I have extensively driven most of the 5 series range and there is a 520d in the family. It excels at very little other than initial purchase cost. It's not even hugely more fuel efficient.

Steedie · 15 Feb 2019 at 08:36

Personally wouldn’t want a 520, just because the engine is so obviously a diesel compared to the 530, which is so refined.

Plus, granted I’ve not driven the latest, only the F10. I had that for a few days while my 530 was in, and it was gutless. Given how gutless it was, the MPG I was getting was really disappointing.

After handing it back, I couldn’t really see the point of it other than being the company car engine of choice due to costs.

Scania · 15 Feb 2019 at 08:50

Steedie said:
Personally wouldn’t want a 520, just because the engine is so obviously a diesel compared to the 530, which is so refined.

Plus, granted I’ve not driven the latest, only the F10. I had that for a few days while my 530 was in, and it was gutless. Given how gutless it was, the MPG I was getting was really disappointing.

After handing it back, I couldn’t really see the point of it other than being the company car engine of choice due to costs.

Having recently had a G30 520d for the day we (my partner and I) were both astonished as to how good it was performance wise, the auto box being the clincher I thought, it never felt as if it was in the wrong gear, suited the engine and masked its relatively low power very well, I’d certainly recommend you try one, I believe they are a fair bit lighter than the f10 and imo it shows.

[TW]Fox · 15 Feb 2019 at 09:08

The issue with the 20d is not a lack of power - it offers all the power most people really need - it's how it delivers that power and how it detrimentally impacts the way the car drives.

To a lesser extent the same applies to the 2 litre petrol engine in the 530i, too.

Dangerous Dave · 15 Feb 2019 at 10:20

At least one of the bonuses of the diesel bad press is that plenty of 540i G30/G31s are available second hand unlike the F10/F11 535i