BMW and M Power Owners

It you end up with a 528i are you sure you then won't have thoughts of I should have gone for the 535i ? I think you should just hold out for the right 535i or even order a new one.

I have realised myself that I can't find the right F11 second hand and the only way I am going to be 100% happy is to order a new one in the exact spec I want as I know if I get one without the options and engine I want this will annoy me every time I get in it.
 
[QUOTE='[TW]Fox;27544993]
Perhaps it would be easier if I wasn’t so fussy and wanted something that dealers have loads of :p[/QUOTE]

I think you should forget stupid rattley diesels, forget characterless 4cylinder turbos, forget paying £25000 for something you obviously aren't getting on with (I think I predicted this ;) ) and just buy what everyone knows you'd truly love and get an immaculate E39 M5 for half the price ish.

Here's one I made earlier. ;)

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/bmw/m5/bmw-e39-m5/3115693

Seriously though, have you considered doing this?
 
xs2man said:
I know what you mean Fox about some of the straight sixes not feeling as potent as the 530d. I feel exactly the same in my 330i (albeit that is an e46 so not in the same power range as the newer x30i engine), but with the shove of the turbo kicking in and the extra fuel economy from the dirty lump, I just can't help but feel it's really not worth it.

So much so, I'm seriously considering chopping in the 330i for another V8 Range Rover (P38). At least then I'll see something for my extra fuel costs (my 530d is obviously bigger, more comfortable, faster, nicer and more economical than the 330i, so what is the advantage in having it? Other than a little bit of noise).

I have said it before, and I agree with myself more and more, I simply don't see the need for the x30i engine nowadays. It's simply not for me. I generally do get V8's though.
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I really dont understand your garage :p

1) Why have a 330i and a 530d? They are (as you point out) the same thing. They are just separated by many years of advancements. The "need" for the 330i engine is only when you dont also have a much newer but ultimately similarly purposed car.

2) Why buy a P38 these days? L322's start at £5-6k now for early ones, and i'd certainly trust even a very early L322 over even a last off the line P38 :eek:
 
Gaygle said:
I think you should forget stupid rattley diesels, forget characterless 4cylinder turbos, forget paying £25000 for something you obviously aren't getting on with (I think I predicted this ;) ) and just buy what everyone knows you'd truly love and get an immaculate E39 M5 for half the price ish.

Here's one I made earlier. ;)

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/bmw/m5/bmw-e39-m5/3115693

Seriously though, have you considered doing this?
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This.

Stop pussying around in your "oh the time has come and gone for any M5," I must now settle for a diesel as that is all there is.

Be a man and get an M5.
 
I'm half thinking about ditching the FN2 for another e46 330 in the summer - touring this time though and potentially an auto.

Can't quite make my mind up and it would depend on what was available for a few grand and also what I could get back on the Honda.

Not particularly desperate to change but I don't really have lots of love for the FN2 (I do like it, just don't really care about it), it's nearly been a year therefore I'm now totally bored, I have no desire to spend any money really and the e46's aren't going to lose any more quickly plus have a far less annoying ride. Could even look for an e36 for pennies and spend the rest of my life fixing rust.

On the other hand I have no need nor desire to do things to the Honda every month as it doesn't and probably won't ever break. The e46 probably will and an e36 absolutely will!
 
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What's the benefit of going for a BMW AUC over an independent seller?

The reason I ask is because this 535i has been on sale for 4months:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201408156624816/

The specs look good. Pricing wise, it was £24k in September and quickly fell to 21k and then down to 20k at the end of November. I imagine it can be had for even less given no one seems interested in it. But then it raises the question of whether it's not selling because it's not a good example or no one wants a petrol.
 
Helios1234 said:
What's the benefit of going for a BMW AUC over an independent seller?
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A real honest warranty from a reputable seller is the main difference, that and the car will have been properly inspected before sale. You know they're not going to try to wriggle out of any warranty work.

There are good independent traders, and bad ones. My personal feeling is that most fall below the good level. The "warranties" half of them provide aren't worth the paper they're written on, and often you'd be better off buying a good example privately for a little less money.
 
Dangerous Dave said:
I just did a quick search a 2013 528i with sports auto is available only 20 miles from me ! I am slightly intrigued now what it is like so will arrange a test drive.

I have driven a F10/11 520D/530D/535D and a GT 535i so I should be able to make a fair comparison.

http://usedcars.menziesbmw.co.uk/sh...80317-604187862-3497081.aspx?srcmdc=se_ce_re_
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I would be very interested in your findings – particularly what the midrange acceleration is like and whether the 4 cylinder engine detracts from the experience at all.

Some interesting figures I pulled out from the DVLA data which shows quite what a challenge it is to find a petrol M Sport F10..

New Registrations 2010-2014:

520d M Sport Manual: 3282
520d M Sport Auto: 23286
530d M Sport Manual: 66
530d M Sport Auto: 4219

528i 3.0 M Sport Manual: 9
528i 3.0 M Sport Auto: 60
528i Turbo M Sport Manual: 12
528i Turbo M Sport Auto: 162

530i M Sport Manual: 11
530i M Sport Auto: Zero. That’s right – none. Nobody bought a single 272bhp 530i F10 in M Sport config with an auto gearbox during it’s production run.

535i M Sport Manual: 11
535i M Sport Auto: 225

I think this highlights the sheer challenge involved in not buying a diesel 5 Series. The numbers are incredible, for every 528i 2.0 M Sport there are 144 520d 2.0 M Sport’s.

The fact that the slowest, noisest, least refined and least sporting engine available is 144 times more popular in the ‘M Sport’ trim level than the not exactly gas guzzling 2 litre petrol turbo really is quite a sad tale. The worst thing about this is that it is almost entirely a product of the European countries obsession with CO2 outputs – they built a tax regime that all but forced most people into little diesel engined cars. And now we find everyone saying ‘Oh perhaps that was a dumb idea and perhaps diesel is bad after all’. Great, nice work guys – lets create a used car market where everything is diesel, then move to penalise people who buy them.
 
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Gaygle said:
Seriously though, have you considered doing this?
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Yes, and I don't want one. Seriously - I do not want an E39 M5. I'd have one in my dream money no object garage but I have no interest in running one as my day to day car. I do not need or want the performance it offers, it's benefits are therefore lost on me. It would bring back all of the disadvantages of the 530i - ie wondering whats going to go wrong next, what that weird noise is, why that XYZ is broken again, oh is that another coolant leak? blah blah blah. I do not have a 'V8 itch' or a 'craving for an M car'.

I genuinely like the F10 5 Series. Everything about the F10 feels right to me, I like the way it drives, I love the tech it offers, I like the way it looks, I really like the interior and I really like the ownership experience of not having to spend the afternoon working out whats broken on the engine today and who I'll get to fix it.
 
[TW]Fox;27551466 said:
Yes, and I don't want one. Seriously - I do not want an E39 M5. I'd have one in my dream money no object garage but I have no interest in running one as my day to day car. I do not need or want the performance it offers, it's benefits are therefore lost on me. It would bring back all of the disadvantages of the 530i - ie wondering whats going to go wrong next, what that weird noise is, why that XYZ is broken again, oh is that another coolant leak? blah blah blah. I do not have a 'V8 itch' or a 'craving for an M car'.

I genuinely like the F10 5 Series. Everything about the F10 feels right to me, I like the way it drives, I love the tech it offers, I like the way it looks, I really like the interior and I really like the ownership experience of not having to spend the afternoon working out whats broken on the engine today and who I'll get to fix it.
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Fair enough :)

Also, don't forget that you've bought two cars since your E39, both of which are vastly more modern, look great, have had great engines, nice interiors, cost 10x the value... and both of which you haven't got on with.

I honestly don't think a 528i would do it for you - only the 535i would hit the spot. The 528i/328i strike me as wonderful cars (much like the x30d's) but they have no passion or excitement in them whatsoever. Now, I know that no engine in a 5 Series is going to make it exciting like a Ferrari, but the new range of BMW engines (6 cylinder petrols excluded) are, for me, technically brilliant, but also completely boring. Maybe this is something you want, maybe not?

The 6 cylinder petrols have so much character and history to them and they are obviously synonymous to the BMW name.

However, everything I've seen of the x28i is that it is quick enough, smooth, sounds ok and economical. It is a logical choice. I don't know why some people are saying it's slow. Even the 140bhp 116i (turbo) 1 Series I had felt vastly quicker than the power suggests, it was also very smooth and very good indeed as an all rounder. I'm almost certain this is going to be mirrored with the x28i.
 
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Dangerous Dave said:
It you end up with a 528i are you sure you then won't have thoughts of I should have gone for the 535i ? I think you should just hold out for the right 535i or even order a new one.

I have realised myself that I can't find the right F11 second hand and the only way I am going to be 100% happy is to order a new one in the exact spec I want as I know if I get one without the options and engine I want this will annoy me every time I get in it.
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What is the spec of the F11 you want? I'm thinking of chopping mine in soon, so I would imagine BMW in Dundee will have a reasonable spec 530d F11 M-Sport in.

Jez said:
I really dont understand your garage :p

1) Why have a 330i and a 530d? They are (as you point out) the same thing. They are just separated by many years of advancements. The "need" for the 330i engine is only when you dont also have a much newer but ultimately similarly purposed car.

2) Why buy a P38 these days? L322's start at £5-6k now for early ones, and i'd certainly trust even a very early L322 over even a last off the line P38 :eek:
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1) Because I need a second car, and figured I didn't need it to be a diesel. My mate was selling his e46 330i Touring for cheap, so I bought it, and gave my Passat TDI to my mum. I wouldn't have purposefully went looking for a 330i as I don't really get them, as I have said many times before.

2) Fair point, but I don't want to have £5-6k of car sitting idle most of the year. I only do around 5k or so in the second car, so I'd rather it was substantially cheaper. I should be able to swap my 330i for a decent (V8) P38 though.
 
I'm more of a car enthusiast than a driving enthusiast if that makes sense. For me the car as an entire package is more important than specific standout areas. If I had to pick something enjoyable to do in a car it'd be take it on a 1000+ mile journey to interesting places not book a track-day.

And the F10 was particularly good at my recent trip to Germany :D

As a result the package offered by a 528i is appealing - but I'll need to drive one before progressing the idea any further.

In an ideal world obviously I'd have a 535i but the market for them is just bizarre. Annoyingly one main dealer has a 535i that is very similar to my 530d - same colour, same list of options, same age, same everything. Sadly though the mileage is too high for sensible warranty and it looks fairly tatty, which is odd.
 
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I'm probably almost similar in that respect Fox. I am FAR more interested in a nice long drive to interesting places than a thrash around a track.

That's not to say I don't like the occasional thrash, but I agree with what you are saying.

The main difference being that I prefer to do that drive in a more economical, and generally just as quick, diesel.
 
xs2man said:
What is the spec of the F11 you want? I'm thinking of chopping mine in soon, so I would imagine BMW in Dundee will have a reasonable spec 530d F11 M-Sport in.
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Ideal spec/wish list for second hand

535i M Sport (530D/535D second hand, maybe 528i)
Sports Auto
Pro Nav
HUD
Multi Function Display
Surround View
Advanced Bluetooth
Folding Mirrors
19" Alloys
LED Headlights (adaptive Xenons if second hand)
Leather Dashboard (not a chance of this second hand)
M Sport suspension delete, maybe variable damper control (adaptive suspension second hand/could put up with M Sport suspension if the right spec came up)
Heated Steering Wheel (nice to have second hand)
Electric Front Seats (nice to have second hand)
Comfort Access (nice to have second hand)
Tow bar (nice to have second hand)
 
Yeah, that is a nice spec indeed. Pretty hard to find second hand I would imagine. Some of those I wish I had gone for like the surround view instead of reverse camera, and adaptive lights as I assumed they were the same as my e91 (stupidly). Electric seats would have also been nice, but not sure I'd want to spend a grand on them, and comfort access is debateable.

Advanced BT can be coded in, so long as you don't care about the cradle.
 
Guys, I sold my Z4 and told the guy it had good tyres (I thought it did) but the next day I the guy emails me (he is a nice guy) to say it needs 2 new tyres.

I am thinking of offering him a little cash towards new tyres, I know a car is sold as seen but I did say the tyres are fine.

How much should I offer? Was thinking £150 as you can get a pair for £300
 
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