Does 5GT need Variable Damper Control? Yes, I like the 5GT.

Del Lardo · 30 Jan 2016 at 10:48

If a passing mod can update the title to "Shock horror, I like the BMW 5GT" to reflect Post 7 that would be appreciated.

Off to look at a BMW 5GT tomorrow that like most of them isn't fitted with VDC. Most reviews say you should go for one with VDC but as they're never spending their own money I take that with a large pinch of salt. Pretty much all of my journeys are on well surfaced Motorway and A roads so I am wondering if anyone with experience can comment on whether a can expect to need back surgery after the test drive or whether it will probably be just fine?

[TW]Fox · 30 Jan 2016 at 11:05

Every 5 Series review ever written, be it for the Saloon or the GT, goes on about VDC and Adaptive Drive as if they are so essential you simply cannot be without it. This is unhelpful as 99% cars, as you are finding, do not have either of these options fitted in the UK. Frankly in this country its hard enough to find any sort of 5 Series that isn't a 520d M Sport with Business Navigation, massive rimz and privacy glass, let alone exotic options like Adaptive Drive. Our car culture is style first, substance last and this is reflected by the choice on the used market.

I've never driven a 5GT but I have driven numerous F10 and F11's and have sampled Adaptive Drive, passive M Sport suspension and passive SE suspension.

What I've found is that Adaptive Drive is, indeed, excellent. But it's excellent in a way far and above what you'd want or even expect from a car of this type and the conventional suspension is absolutely fine, even more so once you rid the car of the horrible runflats.

Frankly most of the benefit I derived from Adaptive Drive was not so much the VDC but the anti-roll features which of course isn't available on a car with just VDC anyway.

The ride quality in my F10 530d SE with 19 inch wheels is exactly what you'd want and expect from a 5 Series. It isn't an S Class, but neither is it an S-Line Audi. If anything it's a bit soft rather than too harsh. It will be better in a GT as like for like the wheel sizes on the GT have higher profile tyres than the Saloon.

Del Lardo · 30 Jan 2016 at 13:01

So I need to find a car with the even harder to find Adaptive Drive instead of VDC

mjt · 30 Jan 2016 at 14:00

Yes, but you won't be bake to find one, so no

If you get a GT with 20" rims you might need back surgery, but it's not as bad as an S-line Audi. As Fox said, you'll never find one so I wouldn't hold out for it.
If you find one, go for it, but good luck

Which model are you looking at?

Dr House · 30 Jan 2016 at 14:46

I found it to be fine with 20" wheels on a SE car.

I think the M-Sport I had years ago was on 19" but it was also fine.

Del Lardo · 30 Jan 2016 at 19:04

Thanks all. It's an M-Sport with 20" wheels and runflats. I'll make sure to keep my mouth tightly closed so my teeth don't rattle out.

Del Lardo · 31 Jan 2016 at 21:48

So I went to see this car today.

Ride on 20" wheels without VDC on the rubbish roads around central Birmingham was absolutely fine and I must say that whilst it's still not a beautiful car the facelift (LCI?) has made it a very striking car and surrounded by 5-series saloon and touring cars made them all look a bit humdrum. Given my car history maybe I shouldn't be surprised but I really rather like it, feels very well built, comfortable and very nice to drive for a 2 ton barge.

Don't think I'll be buying this one as the dealer is totally unwilling to do a deal (seriously do all Main Dealer Sales people get trained at the same place?) and it's missing a £325 option of parking camera which they want £1800 to retrofit (8 hours of labour and £900 parts). Blows my mind that people will spring for £1500 on 20" wheels but not £325 on a reversing camera :confused:

Confirmed what I already knew, must be the 535d but does leave me in the tricky position of wanting to buy a car that's actually my 2nd choice. I would prefer a Jag XJ but will be getting whatever car I buy on PCP as I have much more important things to spend my capital on at the moment and loans are cheap (been offered 3.2% APR, obviously not by a main dealer). Problem for the Jag is residual value over 3 years is £6-7k lower than the BMW which can add 60%(ish, I can't be bothered to do exact maths at the moment) to my monthly payments and a Jag isn't worth that much more over what I found to be a surprisingly accomplished car for my needs.

I may need to wait a few months until I can find a car with the spec I want to depreciate a bit more in to my price range but will be keeping a close eye on BMW AUC site!

[TW]Fox · 31 Jan 2016 at 22:00

Del Lardo said:
Don't think I'll be buying this one as the dealer is totally unwilling to do a deal (seriously do all Main Dealer Sales people get trained at the same place?)

What happened with this then - no movement at all? Bizarre. Most dealers seem happy to do a deal (And indeed appear to price cars in such a way that many of them make no sense unless a deal can be had).

and it's missing a £325 option of parking camera which they want £1800 to retrofit (8 hours of labour and £900 parts). Blows my mind that people will spring for £1500 on 20" wheels but not £325 on a reversing camera

It's a YF reg car so it's probably an ex BMW UK vehicle rather than one anyone has actually specified for themselves.

Confirmed what I already knew, must be the 535d but does leave me in the tricky position of wanting to buy a car that's actually my 2nd choice. I would prefer a Jag XJ but will be getting whatever car I buy on PCP as I have much more important things to spend my capital on at the moment and loans are cheap (been offered 3.2% APR, obviously not by a main dealer).

I doubt you will get 3.2% APR on a PCP at a main dealer on a used car so I'd counter that if you are relying on a dealer PCP then finance really isn't *that* cheap at the moment. BMW's base rate atm appears to be 10.9% APR! :eek:

Del Lardo · 31 Jan 2016 at 22:12

[TW]Fox;29121367 said:
What happened with this then - no movement at all? Bizarre. Most dealers seem happy to do a deal (And indeed appear to price cars in such a way that many of them make no sense unless a deal can be had).

I doubt you will get 3.2% APR on a PCP at a main dealer on a used car so I'd counter that if you are relying on a dealer PCP then finance really isn't *that* cheap at the moment. BMW's base rate atm appears to be 10.9% APR!

(been offered 3.2% APR, obviously not by a main dealer).

I'll admit that I went in with a lowball offer £25000 + my Lexus (book part ex of £4750). They were only willing to go to £4000 for my Lexus and didn't even seem very interested in doing anything with the £750 dealer deposit contribution that had expired as I wouldn't collect the car until February. Apparently Synter and Stratone (SP) now advertise their cars for what they expect to sell them for. In all fairness I don't doubt they can sell the car for more than I am willing to pay but lack of enthusiasm from the commercial manager to do anything other than try and talk monthly figures and tell me (for the 4th time between them) that parking sensors are all you need made me lose interest.

Dis86 · 31 Jan 2016 at 22:17

I've had a very similar chat from stratstone recently. Unless you want to take finance with them they're just not interested and even then trying to strike any deal is nigh on impossible.

[TW]Fox · 31 Jan 2016 at 22:36

I've heard that Stratstone do that - and the prices they advertise for are bizarrely specific too but you can negotiate with Sytner if they think there is a deal there. I suspect going in at 25k did you no favours but why not - maybe you'll get a call later..

Dis86 · 31 Jan 2016 at 22:42

What about checking out Lloyds? See what they have.

Del Lardo · 31 Jan 2016 at 22:47

[TW]Fox;29121520 said:
I've heard that Stratstone do that - and the prices they advertise for are bizarrely specific too but you can negotiate with Sytner if they think there is a deal there. I suspect going in at 25k did you no favours but why not - maybe you'll get a call later..

I even stuck my hand out and said Come on, let's have a deal! What more am I supposed to do?

Dis86 said:
What about checking out Lloyds? See what they have.

Lloyds bank? Sorry I am not understanding.

Dis86 · 31 Jan 2016 at 22:49

Lloyds bmw...

[TW]Fox · 31 Jan 2016 at 22:58

What is the value in randomly checking a specific dealer Dis86? Just use the AUC site which shows all cars in the country?

Dis86 · 31 Jan 2016 at 23:06

[TW]Fox;29121598 said:
What is the value in randomly checking a specific dealer Dis86? Just use the AUC site which shows all cars in the country?

Because the focus so far has been around stratstone and syntner. Lloyds are another large franchise who may behave somewhat differently. I know a lot of my colleagues prefer them over stratstone.

[TW]Fox · 31 Jan 2016 at 23:16

With the possible exception of Stratstone I think how each individual branch conducts itself is largely down to the sales manager. I've had significant discounts from Sytner yet I've also been told 'no' to even so much as a 50 quid discount on a car they had 6 identical examples of, all of which were overpriced and I was prepared to pay for sight unseen...

Richie · 1 Feb 2016 at 07:03

Del Lardo said:
I'll admit that I went in with a lowball offer £25000 + my Lexus (book part ex of £4750). They were only willing to go to £4000 for my Lexus and didn't even seem very interested in doing anything with the £750 dealer deposit contribution that had expired as I wouldn't collect the car until February.

What book did you get the price from on your Lexus?

Dealer deposit contribution is normally a manufacturer/finance company incentive so its not coming directly from the dealer's pockets. If the person paying this £750 (manufacturer/finance company) removes this at the end of January, why would you expect it to still be available in Feb from the dealer? :confused:

Please bear in mind that, although you may buy it in Jan, the car trades works in monthly figures and so picking it up in Feb counts as a Feb deal therefore any Jan incentive may not be available.

Apparently Synter and Stratone (SP) now advertise their cars for what they expect to sell them for.

Surely this makes it easier? :confused:

Del Lardo · 1 Feb 2016 at 09:30

Richie said:
What book did you get the price from on your Lexus?

A sensible combination of Autotrader, Autotrader Trader sales prices (with a sizeable chunk taken off), other recent part-ex values I've been offered and webuyanycar.

Richie said:
Dealer deposit contribution is normally a manufacturer/finance company incentive so its not coming directly from the dealer's pockets. If the person paying this £750 (manufacturer/finance company) removes this at the end of January, why would you expect it to still be available in Feb from the dealer? Please bear in mind that, although you may buy it in Jan, the car trades works in monthly figures and so picking it up in Feb counts as a Feb deal therefore any Jan incentive may not be available.

If an advert says £750 dealer deposit contribution then frankly I don't care where they money comes from unless it states somewhere that I must take finance to get it, I just factor it into the price I am willing to pay for the car. If it's no longer available then take it out of the advert.

Richie said:
Surely this makes it easier?

Where's the fun in that? :confused:

Del Lardo · 1 Feb 2016 at 10:12

An actual car question......

I understand BMW now offers remote internet based car services including some kind remote or timed heat system? Anyone here know how it works, does it use an auxiliary heater or start the engine and if it's auxiliary is it a standard fit on UK models?