F11 535d Touring - the new family do-it-all
Discussion
With the return of the Kodiaq looming it was time to consider what it was replaced with. The Kodiaq has been a brilliant car, totally exceeded expectations and if the price to buy was reasonable we'd have probably done so, absolutely no issues or faults with it, no squeaks, no rattles and averaged 35mpg over its time with us despite most being short, local trips.
OH really wanted to keep the high driving position but the need to carry mountain bikes on a regular basis, no towbar for a rear carrier and the high roof always made it a struggle with the Kodiaq, so the usual arguments for estate over SUV were presented (look better, perform better, handle better, just as spacious, better economy) and managed to win her round.
Last 3 cars have been PCH but the maths simply did not work this time round so decision made to reduce outgoings and buy used. Mercedes E Class dismissed as being too clinical and "old man" (OHs words), XF Sportbrake are thin on the ground in S engine spec but on the list to look out for, Audi A6 dismissed as neither of us like them and of course the 5 Series had to be on the list as a great all rounder and the option to go for a 535d was appealing.
As being in no rush decided to just look around and see what was available, mileage and age not as important as condition and history, spec also not that important as all the cars on the list were well equipped as standard anyway.
Looked at a lovely but pricey E61 535d but have plumped for an F11 535d Touring. local to us, fresh MOT, tyres all round and service, full history, not a huge amount of equipment over standard (Pro nav, xenons, adaptive light function and high beam assist) but that just means there's less to fix
Seller was a great person to deal with, it was priced very well and throwing in roof bars, load liner, winter rubber mats and other bits and pieces.
Collection day Thursday and must admit to looking forward to it - even if it is the OHs car.
Few initial bits identified that will be done, one wheel needs a refurb, may get all 4 done, plastic trim on drivers door around window switches is a bit scabby, new carpet mats (something I always do) and a rear bumper protector (paint is perfect there but always scratch prone when loading / unloading mountain bikes
OH really wanted to keep the high driving position but the need to carry mountain bikes on a regular basis, no towbar for a rear carrier and the high roof always made it a struggle with the Kodiaq, so the usual arguments for estate over SUV were presented (look better, perform better, handle better, just as spacious, better economy) and managed to win her round.
Last 3 cars have been PCH but the maths simply did not work this time round so decision made to reduce outgoings and buy used. Mercedes E Class dismissed as being too clinical and "old man" (OHs words), XF Sportbrake are thin on the ground in S engine spec but on the list to look out for, Audi A6 dismissed as neither of us like them and of course the 5 Series had to be on the list as a great all rounder and the option to go for a 535d was appealing.
As being in no rush decided to just look around and see what was available, mileage and age not as important as condition and history, spec also not that important as all the cars on the list were well equipped as standard anyway.
Looked at a lovely but pricey E61 535d but have plumped for an F11 535d Touring. local to us, fresh MOT, tyres all round and service, full history, not a huge amount of equipment over standard (Pro nav, xenons, adaptive light function and high beam assist) but that just means there's less to fix
Seller was a great person to deal with, it was priced very well and throwing in roof bars, load liner, winter rubber mats and other bits and pieces.
Collection day Thursday and must admit to looking forward to it - even if it is the OHs car.
Few initial bits identified that will be done, one wheel needs a refurb, may get all 4 done, plastic trim on drivers door around window switches is a bit scabby, new carpet mats (something I always do) and a rear bumper protector (paint is perfect there but always scratch prone when loading / unloading mountain bikes
Edited by Andy665 on Tuesday 12th October 14:01
Edited by Andy665 on Tuesday 12th October 15:05
I owned a F11 530D M Sport for about a year, very well specced car, did loads of travelling in it, went up to Scotland effortlessly from Wiltshire, one big issue I found was how uncomfortable the m sport seats were, mine were fully electric heated/memory and no matter what I did or Mrs Alfa neither of us could get fully comfortable.
I managed to find a pair of comfort seats and had them retro fitted and coded in and they made the world of difference.
I managed to find a pair of comfort seats and had them retro fitted and coded in and they made the world of difference.
We have had ours for 3yrs and 53k miles (from 29-81k).
Supremely comfy on the MWay. Ride a little crashy, even on non-runflats.
Look out for rear air suspension. I've replaced both pump and air springs.
Had an MOT fail on one of the front arms, so replaced them all and added Bilstien B4 dampers. Improved the ride/handling.
Did a gearbox oil change myself, the oil is pricey. Aske the dealer to flash the latest I-level, software for all modules. Shift quality was improved.
Had the EGR recall...twice.
Does 40mpg +- overall. On a steady MWay run 75-80mph, does about 44mpg.
Overall, it's been a good wagon.
Supremely comfy on the MWay. Ride a little crashy, even on non-runflats.
Look out for rear air suspension. I've replaced both pump and air springs.
Had an MOT fail on one of the front arms, so replaced them all and added Bilstien B4 dampers. Improved the ride/handling.
Did a gearbox oil change myself, the oil is pricey. Aske the dealer to flash the latest I-level, software for all modules. Shift quality was improved.
Had the EGR recall...twice.
Does 40mpg +- overall. On a steady MWay run 75-80mph, does about 44mpg.
Overall, it's been a good wagon.
I've had a virtually identical car for the last 4 years. Great for family duties, quick when needed, comfy and loads of space.
On a decent run I can easily get 50mpg without particularly trying.
Mines on 88k miles now, I got it with 49k miles. I'm my ownership it's had a couple of air compressors, two air springs, a coolant pipe split and have had the egg valve and cooler replaced a few times.
Watch the inside of the rear tyres too, just had mine replaced, still had 3mm tread and looked fine until you got right under the car where you could see the tyres had split. According to the tyre man it's a common occurance on bmws.
On a decent run I can easily get 50mpg without particularly trying.
Mines on 88k miles now, I got it with 49k miles. I'm my ownership it's had a couple of air compressors, two air springs, a coolant pipe split and have had the egg valve and cooler replaced a few times.
Watch the inside of the rear tyres too, just had mine replaced, still had 3mm tread and looked fine until you got right under the car where you could see the tyres had split. According to the tyre man it's a common occurance on bmws.
Has anyone had to replace the rear outer clusters on their F11? I’ve had to do both of mine. It I is a lowly 520d SE and the front passenger seat is so uncomfortable as the base is too flat and there is no tilt adjustment on it. Both front seats have a weird combination of electric/manual adjustment which I don’t get. I can get 58 MPG out of it on the 23 mile commute to work though, which is amazing for such a big car with an auto gearbox.
I’ve had my LCI F11 535d for four years and I’ve driven 66k miles in it. I change the oil and filter every 9-10k miles and the engine is sweet. Watch out when the car drops down on its rear bump stops as this is a red flag the air springs are gone. It will fry the compressor if you don’t get the air springs checked and replaced if they’re Donald ducked. I did mine at 81k and fitted Arnott units.
Watch for blocked drains in the scuttle panel and the infamous yellow grommet on the passenger side bulkhead.
Also make sure the EGR cooler and the condenser recalls have been done.
Watch for blocked drains in the scuttle panel and the infamous yellow grommet on the passenger side bulkhead.
Also make sure the EGR cooler and the condenser recalls have been done.
Collected this evening and a whole 20 miles in I'm impressed.
Few stonechips to be filled in which is not a problem, invoice from Dick Lovett in Bristol for a full replacement inlet manifold just over 4 years ago too which is a plus
Stupidly did not check the tyres when I viewed the car and discovered when I got home its been put on Accelera PH1, only done 50 miles but they are being ditched, four Goodyear Eagle Asymetric 5 being put on early next week - seller obviously wanted to be advertise as having four new tyres but why fit crap ones, no way am I allowing my wife and son in a car with second rate tyres on it
Only issue found is the load cover lifts up when tailgate lifts but won't drop down again, will dismantle and have a nosey at the weekend
Few stonechips to be filled in which is not a problem, invoice from Dick Lovett in Bristol for a full replacement inlet manifold just over 4 years ago too which is a plus
Stupidly did not check the tyres when I viewed the car and discovered when I got home its been put on Accelera PH1, only done 50 miles but they are being ditched, four Goodyear Eagle Asymetric 5 being put on early next week - seller obviously wanted to be advertise as having four new tyres but why fit crap ones, no way am I allowing my wife and son in a car with second rate tyres on it
Only issue found is the load cover lifts up when tailgate lifts but won't drop down again, will dismantle and have a nosey at the weekend
whytheory said:
Does look like decent spec with the xenons and pro nav, I guess the sport auto is standard on the 535d?
Would be well chuffed to get 40-45mpg from a big quick car like this.
No, Sport auto was optional upgrade to the std autoWould be well chuffed to get 40-45mpg from a big quick car like this.
Edited by Andy665 on Thursday 14th October 22:58
Edited by Andy665 on Thursday 14th October 23:14
Andy665 said:
Collected this evening and a whole 20 miles in I'm impressed.
Few stonechips to be filled in which is not a problem, invoice from Dick Lovett in Bristol for a full replacement inlet manifold just over 4 years ago too which is a plus
Stupidly did not check the tyres when I viewed the car and discovered when I got home its been put on Accelera PH1, only done 50 miles but they are being ditched, four Goodyear Eagle Asymetric 5 being put on early next week - seller obviously wanted to be advertise as having four new tyres but why fit crap ones, no way am I allowing my wife and son in a car with second rate tyres on it
Only issue found is the load cover lifts up when tailgate lifts but won't drop down again, will dismantle and have a nosey at the weekend
Good to hear it sounds an over all decent car, but in agreement. Why fit such sFew stonechips to be filled in which is not a problem, invoice from Dick Lovett in Bristol for a full replacement inlet manifold just over 4 years ago too which is a plus
Stupidly did not check the tyres when I viewed the car and discovered when I got home its been put on Accelera PH1, only done 50 miles but they are being ditched, four Goodyear Eagle Asymetric 5 being put on early next week - seller obviously wanted to be advertise as having four new tyres but why fit crap ones, no way am I allowing my wife and son in a car with second rate tyres on it
Only issue found is the load cover lifts up when tailgate lifts but won't drop down again, will dismantle and have a nosey at the weekend
whytheory said:
Does look like decent spec with the xenons and pro nav, I guess the sport auto is standard on the 535d?
Would be well chuffed to get 40-45mpg from a big quick car like this.
No, Sport auto was optional upgrade to the std autoWould be well chuffed to get 40-45mpg from a big quick car like this.
Edited by Andy665 on Thursday 14th October 22:58
Edited by Andy665 on Thursday 14th October 23:14
tty tyres? Can't stand folk that do this full stop!d_a_n1979 said:
Good to hear it sounds an over all decent car, but in agreement. Why fit such stty tyres? Can't stand folk that do this full stop!
I was going to see how the tyres went but reading the reviews on their wet weather performance made me shudder, found a good deal on the Goodyears which eased the pain but you can't put a price on safety for your loved onestty tyres? Can't stand folk that do this full stop!First issue fixed.
The automatic load cover was lifting up when rear glass / tailgate was opened but was not going back down.
Looking at it closely it looked as if the plastic clip that holds the rod in place in the guide channel on the nearside was broken, stripped it down and rather than having to buy the whole guide channel you can just buy the clip, £18 delivered for a 2 inch square lump of plastic is steep but could have been a lot worse
The automatic load cover was lifting up when rear glass / tailgate was opened but was not going back down.
Looking at it closely it looked as if the plastic clip that holds the rod in place in the guide channel on the nearside was broken, stripped it down and rather than having to buy the whole guide channel you can just buy the clip, £18 delivered for a 2 inch square lump of plastic is steep but could have been a lot worse
Andy665 said:
d_a_n1979 said:
Good to hear it sounds an over all decent car, but in agreement. Why fit such stty tyres? Can't stand folk that do this full stop!
I was going to see how the tyres went but reading the reviews on their wet weather performance made me shudder, found a good deal on the Goodyears which eased the pain but you can't put a price on safety for your loved onestty tyres? Can't stand folk that do this full stop!The car was an MG ZT 190; an 'over winter car' & they were only a few weeks old. Damp'ish country roads and the car drove like crap. Binned them as soon as I could when I'd got some other alloys to fit winter Avon tyres to and sold them (always someone to buy another mans rubbish)
Managed to grab a few hours on the car on Sunday.
Deep clean of the interior, to be honest it was not too bad but good to get in to all the nooks and crannies and get all switchgear feeling clean. Steering wheel after a proper clean feels smooth and not sticky, Gliptone refurb kit ordered to get it back to looking fresh again
Interior shows virtually no wear at all, leather is unmarked, the fan speed control on drivers side is worn so a complete set of climate control system covers ordered - it will then be virtually as new
Discovered it has a detachable Westfalia towbar fitted (after finding the hitch in a bag in one of the side compartments), single pin electrics so will enable me to purchase a hitch mounted bike carrier - so much more convenient than roof mounts.
Noticed when driving a slight whiff of oil in the interior, absolutely zero smell outside - tool out the cabin filters and were in obvious need of replacement, new ones fitted yesterday and the smell has disappeared completely.
One of the rear wheels has a little corrosion, another has light kerbing so booked in to get all 4 refurbed in late November - earliest the local place I use could fit me in but worth waiting as they do a great job - will probably go either Ferric Grey or a shade darker than the standard grey - not sure yet
Also managed to get the car clayed, not got a sound base to work from, zero dents or scratches, just the usual smattering of stonechips but nothing that cannot be sorted
Deep clean of the interior, to be honest it was not too bad but good to get in to all the nooks and crannies and get all switchgear feeling clean. Steering wheel after a proper clean feels smooth and not sticky, Gliptone refurb kit ordered to get it back to looking fresh again
Interior shows virtually no wear at all, leather is unmarked, the fan speed control on drivers side is worn so a complete set of climate control system covers ordered - it will then be virtually as new
Discovered it has a detachable Westfalia towbar fitted (after finding the hitch in a bag in one of the side compartments), single pin electrics so will enable me to purchase a hitch mounted bike carrier - so much more convenient than roof mounts.
Noticed when driving a slight whiff of oil in the interior, absolutely zero smell outside - tool out the cabin filters and were in obvious need of replacement, new ones fitted yesterday and the smell has disappeared completely.
One of the rear wheels has a little corrosion, another has light kerbing so booked in to get all 4 refurbed in late November - earliest the local place I use could fit me in but worth waiting as they do a great job - will probably go either Ferric Grey or a shade darker than the standard grey - not sure yet
Also managed to get the car clayed, not got a sound base to work from, zero dents or scratches, just the usual smattering of stonechips but nothing that cannot be sorted
Looks very smart - do you mind saying how much you paid for it?
Towbar mounted bike carriers are so much better than having them on the roof - we've got an Atera one that tilts away from the car so you can still get in the boot and it's been a revelation. Especially after the wife managed to drive our month-old Golf GTD under a height restrictor and leave lovely gouges in the roof...
Towbar mounted bike carriers are so much better than having them on the roof - we've got an Atera one that tilts away from the car so you can still get in the boot and it's been a revelation. Especially after the wife managed to drive our month-old Golf GTD under a height restrictor and leave lovely gouges in the roof...
dirtbiker said:
Looks very smart - do you mind saying how much you paid for it?
Towbar mounted bike carriers are so much better than having them on the roof - we've got an Atera one that tilts away from the car so you can still get in the boot and it's been a revelation. Especially after the wife managed to drive our month-old Golf GTD under a height restrictor and leave lovely gouges in the roof...
Just over £10k, admittedly its done 125k miles but you would struggle to tell it has and thats only 12.5k miles a year so not really excessive Towbar mounted bike carriers are so much better than having them on the roof - we've got an Atera one that tilts away from the car so you can still get in the boot and it's been a revelation. Especially after the wife managed to drive our month-old Golf GTD under a height restrictor and leave lovely gouges in the roof...
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