BMW and M Power Owners

robfosters · 3 Mar 2016 at 21:49

Thanks. Looks damn nice does the M Sport.

SS-89 · 4 Mar 2016 at 12:16

Just ordered a set of Vorsteiner wheels...

. Anyway in terms of tyres what is the consensus on the new Continental SportContact 6's? I currently have 5p's but using this as an opportunity to switch to Michelin Super Sports when I noticed the 6's are now available. Can't find any detailed reviews.

DRZ · 4 Mar 2016 at 13:18

SS-89 said:
Just ordered a set of Vorsteiner wheels.... Anyway in terms of tyres what is the consensus on the new Continental SportContact 6's? I currently have 5p's but using this as an opportunity to switch to Michelin Super Sports when I noticed the 6's are now available. Can't find any detailed reviews.

I wouldn't mind getting to the bottom of this too. MPSS is supposed to be quite noisy and not the absolute best in the wet - I'd be interested to read about how the 6s compare in those areas as outright dry performance isn't my absolute priority...

SS-89 · 4 Mar 2016 at 13:35

DRZ said:
I wouldn't mind getting to the bottom of this too. MPSS is supposed to be quite noisy and not the absolute best in the wet - I'd be interested to read about how the 6s compare in those areas as outright dry performance isn't my absolute priority...

I might just take a punt on them, the 5p's are great in the wet and the 6's are supposed to be as good if not better whilst being much better in the dry which sounds like it could be overall a better all rounder than MPSS.

mrk · 4 Mar 2016 at 13:50

I'm going to get new tyres soon too and the CSC6 or F1AS3/AS2 are the ones I will go for. I genuinely don't think the PSS offers an additional £150 worth of performance on the road over the AS2, and the AS3 are better than the AS2.

Personally I don't find the PSS noisy though. About the same as the AS2, though the PSS are much wider than the AS2 I had on the old car so naturally will transfer more noise.

If AS3 are available in my size when I need tyres, I'll just get them. Currently no AS3 in my size :/

soundb0y · 4 Mar 2016 at 17:44

What are peoples thoughts on mixing as2's with as3's? I replaced my rears with as2's about 700 miles ago and after a puncture thinking its probably time to do the fronts too. Do they have the same tread pattern or will it create problems like other mismatched tyres?

SS-89 · 4 Mar 2016 at 17:46

If they are different tread patterns I wouldn't mix personally.

Vita · 4 Mar 2016 at 22:22

Quick question - anyone who's owned a 330i e46 auto. What kind of MPG where you getting on a motorway run? I'm on 31mpg from my drive to Manchester and back yesterday, stuck at 70, is this normal? For some reason I keep thinking it's on the low side?

ADT · 5 Mar 2016 at 02:19

Vita said:
Quick question - anyone who's owned a 330i e46 auto. What kind of MPG where you getting on a motorway run? I'm on 31mpg from my drive to Manchester and back yesterday, stuck at 70, is this normal? For some reason I keep thinking it's on the low side?

I got 30 the other day from west London to Luton on the m1. Cruise set at 70(*)

Scania · 5 Mar 2016 at 02:20

Vita said:
Quick question - anyone who's owned a 330i e46 auto. What kind of MPG where you getting on a motorway run? I'm on 31mpg from my drive to Manchester and back yesterday, stuck at 70, is this normal? For some reason I keep thinking it's on the low side?

On a clear - emphasis on clear! - run from Stoke to Taunton in my 530I auto I can get mid 30's if I stick to 70 rigidly, it's soon down to 30 if you let the speed creep up mind you.....

xs2man · 5 Mar 2016 at 07:41

Vita said:
Quick question - anyone who's owned a 330i e46 auto. What kind of MPG where you getting on a motorway run? I'm on 31mpg from my drive to Manchester and back yesterday, stuck at 70, is this normal? For some reason I keep thinking it's on the low side?

That's gotta be in the region. I got 33 I think from Scunthorpe to Dundee in my manual when I had it, and I imagine that the auto would be worse than that. I was sat closer to 80 though, but shouldn't make that much difference.

Remember it's a 3 litre six cylinder. Fuel economy is going to be pants.

danza · 5 Mar 2016 at 08:04

I get 28-29 on my 10 mile A road + 10 B road commute. My 330i is a manual though.

I think 31 is pretty reasonable tbh.

Jez · 5 Mar 2016 at 08:14

Vita said:
Quick question - anyone who's owned a 330i e46 auto. What kind of MPG where you getting on a motorway run? I'm on 31mpg from my drive to Manchester and back yesterday, stuck at 70, is this normal? For some reason I keep thinking it's on the low side?

The hearing is pants (short) on these so that sounds broadly correct. I've had a few of these cars now and I actually always found the automatics slightly better on long runs, with the TC locked out, they are longer boxes so I put it down to that...

lee1101 · 5 Mar 2016 at 10:19

Over 13,000 miles I averaged 27mpg (330ci auto). My commute is 90% motorway with a bit of traffic at either end. The M20 is very hilly though which kills the mpg.

Stormster · 5 Mar 2016 at 10:26

Scozzer said:
If Sandbach isn't too far, try Hind Heath BMW specialists. I've used them a few times on non urgent stuff and they were great. Very thorough and knew there stuff too. This was a few years ago but sure they've not changed hands or anything since then.

I used PJ's once too and won't go back. You pay a lot for nothing special, there prices were way too close to knights to make it not worth it.

Thanks for the Hind Heath recommendation, booked in for next Sat for a full top to bottom inspection and report/advise on any works needed.

[TW]Fox · 5 Mar 2016 at 11:15

xs2man said:
That's gotta be in the region. I got 33 I think from Scunthorpe to Dundee in my manual when I had it, and I imagine that the auto would be worse than that. I was sat closer to 80 though, but shouldn't make that much difference.

Remember it's a 3 litre six cylinder. Fuel economy is going to be pants.

Actually the fuel economy isn't pants at all, for what it is (A now 15 year old 6 cylinder 3 litre petrol engine) it is remarkably frugal. I regularly used to average between 35 and 40mpg on longer trips and my lifetime average in the 530i - over very much the same sort of driving as my 530d - was just 9mpg overall less than my current generation 530d...

sigma · 5 Mar 2016 at 17:09

Hmm, I'm sniffing around the idea of an E63 again - it seems to be a lot of car for ~£10k!

A test drive is in order.

xs2man · 5 Mar 2016 at 17:09

Sure, for what it is it isn't hugely terrible. That doesn't make it good though.

[TW]Fox · 5 Mar 2016 at 17:11

xs2man said:
Sure, for what it is it isn't hugely terrible. That doesn't make it good though.

It actually does.

It's called 'context'.

Frankly I think it speaks volumes that despite 10 years of progress and a switch to the devils fuel my 530d is only 9mpg better..

xs2man · 5 Mar 2016 at 17:23

[TW]Fox;29249508 said:
It actually does.

It's called 'context'.

Frankly I think it speaks volumes that despite 10 years of progress and a switch to the devils fuel my 530d is only 9mpg better..

Yes, in the context of a 15 year old, 6 cylinder, it's about right. The 2.8 / 2.8 VW VR6 engine was about as economical on a run too. So it's only about the same as similar examples.

That STILL doesn't actually make it good when compared to other vehicles on the road.

The F10 is also heavier than the E39 though. That's like carrying 2 fat guys like me around everywhere.

530i E39 - Curb Weight (MT) : 1540kg
530d F10 - Curb weight 1720 kg