F10 520d M Sport Auto - Magnificent, what a bloody car!

[AMDB9]

I needed something to ferry me across 100 miles of motorway a day. My daily driver up until now was my Aston Martin DB9 (used to do 10 miles a day) and using that on my new found run would have meant selling my house by the end of this year

So I was in the market for a new Diesel. I'm not new to diesels and have had a fair few including my current family bus the X5 40d M Sport (7 seater) and previously owned an E60 535d and 530d M Sport but those 5 series although were amazing cars I struggled to get more than 32-35mpg from them with my driving style.

I narrowed my search down to the new 1 series (118d M Sport) and the new 3 series (318d/310d M Sport) and test drove both - lovely cars no doubt. But then when looking hard on the AUC sites I started to notice that I could pick up a 520d M Sport for not so much more money so narrowed my search down to these and started looking for the highest spec I could find within my budget.

I didn't bother with looking at the bigger engined versions as I just wanted something that was comfortable and gave me the most miles for my full tank and having had the 30d and 35d I new they were probably not the right choice.

Anyways, around a month back I picked up an AUC pre LCI 2013 520d M Sport in Alpine White. The car has a massive spec including Pro Nav, Xenons etc etc and I am so damn impressed with this machine that I thought I'd share it with you.

It's in no way sluggish, 0-60 is just under 8 seconds but I swear to god it feels much quicker, much much quicker! Must be something to do with the torque and twin turbos! The 2.0d Twin Turbo engine is more than sufficient especially in sport mode. If I drive using cruise control at steady speeds I can easily achieve 60mg. On a quick motorway run (75-85ish) all the way I can achieve 47-50mpg and around town stuck in traffic it still returns 41mpg! This is phenomenal for such a car. No matter how hard I drive it - I can keep it in sports mode and overtake at ease and it still does not drop below 45mpg between fill ups. The most I have got out of my £82 full tank so far is 710 miles but the norm is around 600-625 miles out of a whole tank.

My car has a 5 year service pack on it but even looking at the condition based servicing schedule on the idrive it seems these cars don't need much maintenance when compared to Merc and Audis that need annual servicing. The BMW's just asks for what it needs when it needs it!

Super impressed, and glad I made the decision to buy this one. Compared to my E60 30d and 35d this car is miles better as a whole package.

This thread will probably end up with 25d and 30d owners saying I should have got one of them or driven one of them first but I bought what I needed to buy for what I needed it for - the DB9 awaits me at home if I feel a need for insane speed

[AMDB9]

Nopes my F10 20d has a twin turbo engine and even says twin turbo on the plastic engine cover

[AMDB9]

fk knows what it is (single or twin) but the last time I looked under the bonnet it said twin turbo or something. Anyways whatever it is it's brilliant

Just what an executive cruiser should be....

[AMDB9]

NPI said:

Apart from the turbo issue, it might have been remapped too.

I know they're pretty good cars but I've never read quite such a gushing report, even from other drives who use them mainly on the motorway.

Are you doing the MPG brim to brim or relying on the trip reading?

Certainly not remapped as I managed to find the previous owner on LinkedIn...strangely we work in the same industry! Id asked him that in addition to a few other things I had on my mind :-)

[AMDB9]

[quote=matsoc]I am very happy owner of a F11 (estate) 525d but the review seems a bit too enthusiast for me too. The 8 speed auto in every mode, eco pro, comfort, sport and sport+ is just brilliant but the 5series is an heavy car, the performance is effortles but never so brisk. [/quote

Honestly my experience and not paid for by BMW lol is your F11 your only car? Remember my comments are also in comparison to my X5 and DB9 and the 20d is no way sluggish...

[AMDB9]

My journey home today (a bit shorter than usual though)

[AMDB9]

wax lyrical said:

Should have gone to specsavers Im impressed with the overall package of the car not just the performance

[AMDB9]

E65Ross said:

Don't get me wrong, they're good cars but, imo, an executive cruiser should have an engine that's very smooth and refined. And that 20d engine isn't that.

Thats your opinion buddy and you are certainly entitled to it but in my opinion it's not bad at all I can't hear the diesel inside when the music is on and its smooth enough for me...

[AMDB9]

HoHoHo said:

cerb4.5lee said:

roofer said:

slippery said:

All these four pot diesels do make the 5, 6, 8, 10 and 12 cylinder petrols all the more special though. Hearing one is turning into a rare treat.

Amen.

Yep

My F10 is as good as the 520d but with a 4.4 V8 TT

Now that's MUCH better

Yes it is but my 6.0 Litre V12 Aston Martin DB9 can kick your V8 in to orbit....but that was not the point I was making. BMW hve built a very good package in the 20d and that was what this thread was about

[AMDB9]

Don't need an M5 when I have a 520d

[AMDB9]

Yep the 3 series is a pretty lovely looking motor ;-)

[AMDB9]

Another spectacular run today in mixed traffic

[AMDB9]

I spent around 15 miles on the M25 rest were A and B roads....

Need to go test drive an M5 and see what all the fuss is about

[AMDB9]

Aha good to see a thread I created being resurrected

Well I have sold the 520d M Sport that I started this thread about and replaced it with a Mercedes C220 AMG Sport Saloon....I may get some stick for saying this here but the Mercedes is a way better car! The standard equipment on my AMG Line merc includes - Sat Nav, DAB Radio, Heated Seats, Fake Leather which looks bloody nice with white stitching, LED headlights!!!, Speed Limit Alerts, Parking sensors and a reverse parking camera with side view and to top it off it also self parks itself when it finds a suitable space! It also has sleepy alert which will make noises when you are falling asleep at the wheels and has automatic braking if you are about to slam in to the car infront - the technology is just years ahead of the BMWs.

The C class even though AMG spec rides very smooth on run flat tyres and has sport, sport plus, comfort and economy modes.

Overall a class smaller than the 5 series but I think the C is certainly a better car than the current shape 5 series in all departments. I have a C220 and I have not driven a C250 which I am guessing will be faster and even smoother than mine.

If in the market for one of these I would advise to take a test drive and compare the new C class to the current 5 series and you will be surprised

[AMDB9]

Wills2 said:

C = 3 series not 5, there is nothing on that spec list that you can't have on a 5 or 3 series, most of it has been available for years.

Enjoy your car, but you can keep the fake leather.

Absolutely correct, these items are available on the BMWs but for £££s as optional extras where as on a £32k brand new C Class they are all standard items!! If leather bugs you that much it's another £800 on top and you can have that too

And ofcourse I know C = 3 series but IMHO the 3 series is not a patch on this new C class.

[AMDB9]

cerb4.5lee said:

I would of thought if the 520d really was that magnificent you might have kept it a little longer! for me any car with a 4 pot diesel in it will never be that magnificent but as a cost effective motor to do loads of miles in they do hit the spot very well indeed.

These Diesel saloons (530d, 535d, 520d's) are always my run around cars (4th cars) and I replace them every 6-12 months - the 520d was magnificent but I prefer the new C Class now

[AMDB9]

cerb4.5lee said:

Looking at your garage you have owned some stunning cars past and present!

Thank you - wish my wife was as appreciative as you are

[AMDB9]

knitware said:

AMDB9 said:

And ofcourse I know C = 3 series but IMHO the 3 series is not a patch on this new C class.

I think the 3 series is more than a patch on the C Class, there isnt a single publication anywhere in the world that says a C Class is 'better'.

Absolutely true sir - but the majority of time I base my buying upon my own test drive experience rather than those of publications and IMHO the C class is better than the 3 series for my requirements....I must add here that i have a new Jaguar XE on order and may well think that's better than both the C Class and BMW

[AMDB9]

Haha - now I personally quite like that - pretty cool feature - ask my kids

Whats there not to like -

Edited by AMDB9 on Monday 10th November 20:49