F10 BMW 5 Series - Driven

mjt · 17 Apr 2010 at 20:47

You can edit the settings.. :confused:

[TW]Fox · 17 Apr 2010 at 20:52

Felix Da Housecat said:
Going by the sentence before it would appear not.

But hey if that's what you mean

What are you trying to prove?

I'll make it nice and simple for you. By default, changing between Sport and Normal changes BOTH the suspension AND the gearbox setting. You can, however, edit the options so that you can chose what switching between modes does. You can make it only affect the chassis, only affect the gearbox, or leave it so that it affects both.

I said, quite clearly, that my personal opinion is that the best setting for me would be to have Sport/Normal mode only change chassis settings.

jamoor · 17 Apr 2010 at 21:59

I sat in one the other day, tbh cars are becoming more and more complex. Did anyone notice the doors seem ridiculously light?

Personally I don't think much of it looks or just sitting in it, ought to get round to driving one.

Fett · 17 Apr 2010 at 22:10

Because I drive a diesel (and an E90 330d previously), it's probably a safe assumption I like them. I don't, not really, but I do love a really *good* diesel in the right role and car. I've been vocal in defending the 4.2 TDi because I believe unless you have driven one you don't realise just how good a diesel can be, it feels a couple of generations ahead of the BMW, unfair comparison or not. So even though there is no room for another oil burner in my life, I'm really tempted to waste a few hours with one of these. I've seen two on the road, handsome in silver, one I saw reversing was lit up like a Christmas tree at the back.

It's nice to hear that when a diesel engine is applied, developed and refined properly and mated to a buttery smooth box, it's not the compromise it's always made out to be.

[TW]Fox;16382185 said:
Fire it up. Inside the car, almost inaudiable. For the first time in any diesel car (Go away VAG fanboys, your cars do it as well) there was ZERO diesel shake at idle. Absolutely none. The last late model diesel I drove was a 320d Automatic and that did the annoying shake at the traffic lights and filled the cabin with the gloriously crap sound of dagdagdag - this didn't. At last!

...

First up, the A38 - the closest thing we have to a Motorway down in farmer country - and a nice long uphill sliproad with which to test the performance. Foot down and... wow. Seriously. It actually sounds good. This is the most cliched saying in the world, and its usually a load of rubbish (Yes, I *can* tell your 320d is a diesel, and your Golf) but... you could fool people into thinking it wasn't a diesel. It sounded like a muted 6 cylinder petrol engine when accelerating hard. Brilliant. I could almost live with that. Performance is predictably brisk - this really is one of the, if not the, worlds best diesel powerplants. The 8 speed gearbox changes absolutely seemlessly, no harsh changes, just silky and smooth. The 3.0d and the 8 speed box seem perfectly suited to each other.

Without taking anything away from BMW (and bearing in mind the price/class difference), hand-on-heart, no diesel noise inside and certainly no diesel shake on the Audi.

And the second paragraph is pretty much how I feel about the Audi diesel engine. Actually, bar the "8 speed", it's exactly what I think of it. So it can be done, has been done and maybe a few people reading the F10 review will think twice before just consigning the diesel option to the bin.

Anyway, cheers for the review, nicely done.

mjt · 17 Apr 2010 at 22:15

Fett, have you considered the new 7?

The_Abyss · 17 Apr 2010 at 23:27

PeterNem said:
I think I must be one of the few people who quite liked the more bold look of the E60. I really like the LCI e60 in M-Sport guise, and find the F10 looks a bit too bland... hoping M-sport tat improves it a bit!

Exactly. The current BMW range looks like it is at risk of becoming the same faceless Audi range.

I dislike the look of latest 5 series. The bonnet looks too long to me, and it the exterior looks like it should be the outgoing model, not the one it is replacing. Really good interior though, and it does feel like real quality.

Housey · 18 Apr 2010 at 10:57

I actually don't think the diesel needs 8 speeds, 6 or 7 is more than enough for something that has lots of torque.

Darkman · 18 Apr 2010 at 15:51

The_Abyss said:
Exactly. The current BMW range looks like it is at risk of becoming the same faceless Audi range.

I dislike the look of latest 5 series. The bonnet looks too long to me, and it the exterior looks like it should be the outgoing model, not the one it is replacing. Really good interior though, and it does feel like real quality.

I guess it will grow on us. I'd be surprised if anyone doesn't prefer the new 7 over its ugly predecessor but the new 3 definitely needed the Sport spec before it worked for me. At a distance it is hard to tell them apart nowadays I'd agree.

Interesting that the interior of the F10 and the latest generation iDrive seems to meet with near universal approval though.

P

robbiemc · 19 Apr 2010 at 10:53

[TW]Fox;16382876 said:
It had a proper scale showing you the oil level rather than simply saying ok.

This isn't a new feature. My E91 (07) has this feature, but it can be pretty incosistent with its readings, which is a pain quite frankly.

Django x2 · 19 Apr 2010 at 11:36

Good read. I find it interesting to note a few things however. The M57 in my E60 (235bhp) has no idle shake, and also sounds damn nice in the car. Open the windows however, and unless its fully warmed up, its not nice. Warmed up, its actually an addictive noise especially when the turbo is spooling up.

Your cruise control notes, that's the same as the E60 to, +1 or +5mph increments, Or, if you proper push it away and hold (or pull towards and hold) it's scarely rapid acceleration / deceleration.

Looking forward to my test drive soon to really compare it over living with the E60.

I also find it interesting to note that most reviews I've read state the interior of the F10 "enhances the already great interior of the E60" I think is how what car said it. Basically, picking up where the E60 left off. I have no problem with rotary nobs over digital. Digital displays found in the E46 and E39 were almost 80's by comparison to how they looked today. In fairness, it is digital to most of the extent in that as soon as you turn the dial or press the button, iDrive steps in for the settings you want. If you like mainstream, then the E60 was never for you.

But then, I am just wacky....

[TW]Fox · 19 Apr 2010 at 12:21

Lucero said:
Good read. I find it interesting to note a few things however. The M57 in my E60 (235bhp) has no idle shake, and also sounds damn nice in the car. Open the windows however, and unless its fully warmed up, its not nice. Warmed up, its actually an addictive noise especially when the turbo is spooling up.

We must agree to disagree then although having said that the E60 530d I drove was a pre LCI.

I also find it interesting to note that most reviews I've read state the interior of the F10 "enhances the already great interior of the E60" I think is how what car said it. Basically, picking up where the E60 left off.

Can't really say I've seen that anywhere, really. The interior really is quite different, which is why its winning over people who were not keen on the E60.

I have no problem with rotary nobs over digital. Digital displays found in the E46 and E39 were almost 80's by comparison to how they looked today.

Well no, digital displays are not 80's at all - which is why they are found in the E90/91/92, the F01, the F10, the new X5 - basically the E60 (And 6 Series) was a blip in this respect and its now business as usual again. Plastic rotary knobs are for Fords.

The climate system in the E39/E46 needed a fresher font to make it more modern, not replacing with a gash plasticy rotary thing. Happily common sense has prevailed for the F10

iDrive steps in for the settings you want.

I thought iDrive just controlled aux vent and the centre vent temp setting?

Ricochet J · 19 Apr 2010 at 12:25

Have they improved the cup holders?

Django x2 · 19 Apr 2010 at 12:37

[TW]Fox;16391329 said:
Well no, digital displays are not 80's at all - which is why they are found in the E90/91/92, the F01, the F10, the new X5 - basically the E60 (And 6 Series) was a blip in this respect and its now business as usual again. Plastic rotary knobs are for Fords.

The climate system in the E39/E46 needed a fresher font to make it more modern, not replacing with a gash plasticy rotary thing. Happily common sense has prevailed for the F10

Actually, I agree if I really think about it. The nobs, although they don't feel cheap (they did in pre LCI) are poor. The silver paint on mine has started to wear off. Not what you want to see on an 18month old car with 36k on the clock. However, it's not got any worse, it's a tiny scratch on both. I fancy I was overzealous with the hoover one day. Bar that, I think the plastics feel are similar. I will be in a much better position to comment when I get the drive in May as I will have it for the day too so that should be nice.

The later 530d engine is very smooth and has changed marginally for the F10 application. I didn't like the pre LCI M57 at all.

OllyM · 19 Apr 2010 at 12:39

I'm reserving judgement on the F10 until the M Sport version appears.

DannyDan · 19 Apr 2010 at 12:41

[TW]Fox;16391329 said:
We must agree to disagree then although having said that the E60 530d I drove was a pre LCI.

My Pre-LCI 525d definitely has some idle shake. It doesn't bother me immensely but it's definitely there.

[TW]Fox · 19 Apr 2010 at 12:42

Ricochet J said:
Have they improved the cup holders?

Yes they are much better but the climate issue from the E39 is back. The temp sensor for cabin temp is right behind the cupholder. Put a cold drink in and it will presumably (it does with the E39) sample the cold air and superheat the cabin thinking its cold. Put a hot drink there and... well, you'll need a woolly hat..

OllyM · 19 Apr 2010 at 12:47

Perhaps it has a cupholder occupancy sensor to adjust the system when it detects the cupholders are in use?

Skidder · 19 Apr 2010 at 12:47

Great review. With 2 dogs and soon to be 2 kids I will need to decide if the touring version will be the upgrade for my e61 in a couple of years. Personally i love the looks of the E61 (for an estate) and think it is a better looking car than the E60. The F10 looks good but I was happy to see the e60get a bit edgier looking than the previous gen. Was looking at the GT at the dealership the other day and can't decide whether i like it or not.