BMW and M Power Owners

Sargatanas2511 said:
Makes sense, I was beginning to wonder if my normal £200 service was suddenly going to be £1500 or so on an M2 :D.

My current car is off the road with an ABS control module issue and it's getting more and more problematic so I am starting to seriously look for an alternative.
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BMW do very reasonably priced service plans.


£32 a month on my 320d inc brake fluid
 
Just had to reject my Skoda Superb Estate Plug-in Hybrid that I picked up in August – it’s been nothing but issues for the last two months! Before that, I had a petrol Superb Estate 2.0 TSI, and it was fantastic, no problems at all until it got written off in a crash.

Back then I did consider a BMW 5 Series estate but decided to go with another Superb. Now that I’m back in the car market much much sooner than expected, so my search has lead me the 5 Series estates again. I’ll be getting around £20k back for the Superb, so I’d appreciate it if anyone who knows their BMWs could give me some guidance here. Just to note I also test drove a 3 series estate back in August but this was to small for my needs (Tall, quite fat and in need of a bigger boot)

My budget could stretch to £25k if it’s worth it, I was happy with the performance I got from the 2.0 petrol Superb so am not after a powerhouse – just a smooth, comfortable ride with some good creature comforts (Android Auto, decent stereo, heated seats, etc.) and, most importantly, reliability.

For those familiar with BMWs, what models should I be looking at in the £20-25k range? And any specific packs or options I should aim for to get those creature comforts and a bit of luxury?

Is it realistic to expect a 5 Series within that budget? Or am I better off just going for another Superb?

Edit: Happy with Petrol, Diesel or Plugin Hybrid (have charger at home)
 
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MrRockliffe said:
BMW do very reasonably priced service plans.


£32 a month on my 320d inc brake fluid
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I don't think this is reasonably priced. You're paying £768 every 2 years if its £32 a month on a car that needs servicing every 2 years. That seems very expensive?

I've never been able to make the pay monthly plan work for me, the only service pack I've ever found good was the one you can buy before the first service. That was good value.
 
roccles said:
Is it realistic to expect a 5 Series within that budget? Or am I better off just going for another Superb?
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You can quite easily buy a 5 Series for that budget - but whether you should will depend on what version you want. You are looking at older, higher mileage 6 cylinder cars or newer, lower mileage 4 cylinder cars. My usual view is that if you're buying a 5 Series it has to be 6 cylinders - the engines suit the cars far better - but if you really don't care about that and were happy with the engine in the superb you'll get a lot more 520i Touring for your budget than you will any other 5 Series.
 
[TW]Fox said:
I don't think this is reasonably priced. You're paying £768 every 2 years if its £32 a month on a car that needs servicing every 2 years. That seems very expensive?

I've never been able to make the pay monthly plan work for me, the only service pack I've ever found good was the one you can buy before the first service. That was good value.
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I can’t remember exact numbers. I’m paying it over 2 years, but it covers the next 2 services

So assuming the cost remains the same, it was £150 ish cheaper than paying at the time. But chances are, prices will increase during that time, which won’t impact me.



I think it covered me for 3 ish years based on predicted usage, and I’d just done a service too, so for £32 a month for 2 years, I was covering the servicing for the length of time I estimated I would have the car


As it happens, I’m having to sell it anyway, but it seemed good to me in a spreadsheet I made.
 
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I've just checked again to see if it had changed and the price I am being offered for a service pack to cover my next 2 services is £20 more than just paying for the services when they are due. The payment options are odd as well, I can either pay up front for both of the services - at more than the individual cost of each - or I can pay just £25 a month but with a deposit of something like £500? :D

It does helpfully let me include the cost of an MOT in my package at a handy £54.85 which just happens to be the cost of the MOT anyway (Although there is often an offer on which takes it below this).

When I bought Service Inclusive on my previous car - which is the package offered before the first service is due - it cost me about 50% of the cost of buying the services as I went. I just don't understand the point in these pay monthly plans/pay up front without them offering a significant discount in return for committing to the next few years of servicing.
 
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[TW]Fox said:
You can quite easily buy a 5 Series for that budget - but whether you should will depend on what version you want. You are looking at older, higher mileage 6 cylinder cars or newer, lower mileage 4 cylinder cars. My usual view is that if you're buying a 5 Series it has to be 6 cylinders - the engines suit the cars far better - but if you really don't care about that and were happy with the engine in the superb you'll get a lot more 520i Touring for your budget than you will any other 5 Series.
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Thank you. I think I would probably be more than happy with the 520i so will have a look there to see what is around. Any thing I should be looking out for options wise?
 
Cars built after late 2019 have the updated and much more modern iDrive system - but there are many 2020 registered cars which are older than this, so it can be difficult to find one. You can tell which ones have the updated system because the instrument cluster doesn't have conventional looking circular dials. For me, this would be important - the new system is more modern, has better connected functionality and includes things like Spotify.

I'd want one with the visibility package for the better looking and better performing headlights, but this is a challenge on the 520i. There look to be at least two cars around your budget on the BMW site which include this option though. You might also want the technology package which will give you a head up display and upgraded audio. A reversing camera is also optional and not standard.

The updated 5 Series was introduced from July 2020 and at this point the reversing camera became standard and the iDrive screen increased in size, along with some changes to the exterior and the lights. It also introduced mild hybrid technology for most engines in the range (Though I think the 520d was a bit earlier?) It is unlikely there will be many of these in budget.
 
[TW]Fox said:
Cars built after late 2019 have the updated and much more modern iDrive system - but there are many 2020 registered cars which are older than this, so it can be difficult to find one. You can tell which ones have the updated system because the instrument cluster doesn't have conventional looking circular dials. For me, this would be important - the new system is more modern, has better connected functionality and includes things like Spotify.

I'd want one with the visibility package for the better looking and better performing headlights, but this is a challenge on the 520i. There look to be at least two cars around your budget on the BMW site which include this option though. You might also want the technology package which will give you a head up display and upgraded audio. A reversing camera is also optional and not standard.

The updated 5 Series was introduced from July 2020 and at this point the reversing camera became standard and the iDrive screen increased in size, along with some changes to the exterior and the lights. It also introduced mild hybrid technology for most engines in the range (Though I think the 520d was a bit earlier?) It is unlikely there will be many of these in budget.
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Thanks, that is great information thank you, by "conventional looking circular dials" do you mean physical dials or could they still be virtual. For example, the one linked below does this include the new iDrive?

Edit: Sorry I see what you mean now by looking at some newer ones, so the one linked is in fact the older iDrive system?

BMW 5 Series 520i M Sport Touring 2.0 5dr

This stunning 520i Touring comes in Black Dakota leather with blue stitching., Individual Piano Black Interior Trim Option 488, Front Lumbar Support Package Z0C, Visibility Pack, Technology Pack, Run Flat Tyres , Technology Package, Visibility Pack, Bluestone, As a company, we strive in...
usedcars.bmw.co.uk usedcars.bmw.co.uk
 
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Yes, that car is a good example of the issue you'll find. They produced a lot of them prior to the change in late 2019 which were then not registered until much later. That car has the older system - even though it was registered in 2020 it was probably built in 2019.

If you're not that bothered about this then that car is an example of one with a fairly good specification - it has both the technology and the visibility pack (But looks to be missing a reversing camera).
 
Went to see a manual M2 LCI today.


I’ll keep it brief:


I definitely need to be in a manual again
N55 is such a delicious engine, even if it isn’t a proper M engine
Great chassis
Rubbish damping - feels like my old E88 in that it crashes over bumps and you get this awful hollow thud sound
Porsche feels in a different league as a package
M2 has better steering, loads up more nicely
So. Many. Rattles. Car felt like it was going to fall apart
Don’t think I want a coupe. I’d miss a convertible for the extra experience.



Don’t think it’s worth taking 8k out of the Porsche for the M2. It feels about 15k cheaper. Better value cars IMO exist.
 
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[TW]Fox said:
I don't think this is reasonably priced. You're paying £768 every 2 years if its £32 a month on a car that needs servicing every 2 years. That seems very expensive?

I've never been able to make the pay monthly plan work for me, the only service pack I've ever found good was the one you can buy before the first service. That was good value.
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Got some info on that Fox, thanks..
 
MrRockliffe said:
Went to see a manual M2 LCI today.


I’ll keep it brief:


I definitely need to be in a manual again
N55 is such a delicious engine, even if it isn’t a proper M engine
Great chassis
Rubbish damping - feels like my old E88 in that it crashes over bumps and you get this awful hollow thud sound
Porsche feels in a different league as a package
M2 has better steering, loads up more nicely
So. Many. Rattles. Car felt like it was going to fall apart
Don’t think I want a coupe. I’d miss a convertible for the extra experience.



Don’t think it’s worth taking 8k out of the Porsche for the M2. It feels about 15k cheaper. Better value cars IMO exist.
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I think of it like a mini muscle car that actually handles well. If I didn't need the back seats for the kids I would've gone for an Elise or a Boxster, but the 4-pot in the new Porsches is a shame.
Honestly, the off-throttle burble and pops in the exhaust make up for it. Honestly, who cares if it's not a "proper" M engine when it sounds and goes as well as it does?
 
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mjt said:
I think of it like a mini muscle car that actually handles well. If I didn't need the back seats for the kids I would've gone for an Elise or a Boxster, but the 4-pot in the new Porsches is a shame.
Honestly, the off-throttle burble and pops in the exhaust make up for it. Honestly, who cares if it's not a "proper" M engine when it sounds and goes as well as it does?
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The car I’ll probably end up in is a 718 Boxster with a 4 cylinder engine.


It isn’t as nice as the 6 cylinder but the rest of the car is a huge refinement over the 981 that it makes for a better overall package.



Just don’t think I can go back from the sophisticated drive of a Porsche. Really made the M2 feel like a Ford in comparison :(
 
Found the numbers for the service plan.


1106 for the next 2 services inc brake fluid if I paid at the time (assuming no increase in costs by the time I came to pay)


I am paying £935 over 30 instalments for the same thing, so it saves me £200 ish minimum


Plus free washes while it’s in for any work, free washer fluid refill, seasonal health checks


Hence, don’t see why you wouldn’t go for it.
 
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How is it £1106 for your next two services on a 320d? That's more than the next 2 services on my M340i which is surely more expensive to service.

The £935 is the same price as I was quoted.

Plus free washes while it’s in for any work, free washer fluid refill, seasonal health checks
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These surely have no value - you get a free wash with every visit anyway? I specifically ask them not to wash it :D
 
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MrRockliffe said:
Went to see a manual M2 LCI today.


I’ll keep it brief:


I definitely need to be in a manual again
N55 is such a delicious engine, even if it isn’t a proper M engine
Great chassis
Rubbish damping - feels like my old E88 in that it crashes over bumps and you get this awful hollow thud sound
Porsche feels in a different league as a package
M2 has better steering, loads up more nicely
So. Many. Rattles. Car felt like it was going to fall apart
Don’t think I want a coupe. I’d miss a convertible for the extra experience.



Don’t think it’s worth taking 8k out of the Porsche for the M2. It feels about 15k cheaper. Better value cars IMO exist.
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The M2 has better steering? I would have thought the Porsche would have better steering 'feel'? Is it a case of electric v hydraulic?
 
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