Time for a change ... 520d 535d

[paulmoonraker]

Hi, been a while since I posted...

Thinking of getting 5 series estate to replace my C63. Main duties will be motorway hacks (twice a week), and a bit of running around, dog things and camping breaks.

What’s the real world MPG with these, and how do the smaller 520d’s go? I’m not expecting it to be a rocket, but I want to make reasonable progress. Also, in particular, what’s the real world MPG with the 535?

Thanks 😊

[Knoxville2410]

Hi,

I can't comment on the 5 series but would love to hear your thoughts on the C63? I'm looking to potentially get a 2012-2014 model with the NA V8.

Which is it you have?

Thanks.

[BFleming]

paulmoonraker said:

Hi, been a while since I posted...

Thinking of getting 5 series estate to replace my C63. Main duties will be motorway hacks (twice a week), and a bit of running around, dog things and camping breaks.

What’s the real world MPG with these, and how do the smaller 520d’s go? I’m not expecting it to be a rocket, but I want to make reasonable progress. Also, in particular, what’s the real world MPG with the 535?

Thanks ??

Budget, year, annual mileage, desire for creature comforts etc. I'd suggest the 530d as the more-attainable compromise than a 535d. Coming from a C63 a 520d won't feel right. Fantastic cars at what they do (wait for timing chain doom & gloom comments to follow), but the 530d is a good aspiration. I have a F11 525d (2.0 twin turbo 2013 example) that has just ticked past 145k miles without drama, as most do. You hear about the ones that don't though.

[paulmoonraker]

Knoxville2410 said:

Hi,

I can't comment on the 5 series but would love to hear your thoughts on the C63? I'm looking to potentially get a 2012-2014 model with the NA V8.

Which is it you have?

Thanks.

I have one of the last 2014 cars. It’s brutally quick, and I have had the exhaust done, so it’s ridiculously loud. However, do not underestimate the ability of this car to drink petrol. On a motorway run it will do 30mpg if your a saint, but round town it’s comical. For a few weeks I just used to run to the gym, so it’s wasn’t getting properly warm, and I was getting about 90 miles to a tank.

If you need better MPG get the e92 M3. I’ve had two of them and they are much cheaper to run.

[paulmoonraker]

BFleming said:

Budget, year, annual mileage, desire for creature comforts etc. I'd suggest the 530d as the more-attainable compromise than a 535d. Coming from a C63 a 520d won't feel right. Fantastic cars at what they do (wait for timing chain doom & gloom comments to follow), but the 530d is a good aspiration. I have a F11 525d (2.0 twin turbo 2013 example) that has just ticked past 145k miles without drama, as most do. You hear about the ones that don't though.

Budget 16K, annual mileage would be 15K a year, lots of toys, in terms of year, just as new as I can get for the money without getting a car with massive miles (I will keep this for a long time).

[BFleming]

paulmoonraker said:

BFleming said:

Budget, year, annual mileage, desire for creature comforts etc. I'd suggest the 530d as the more-attainable compromise than a 535d. Coming from a C63 a 520d won't feel right. Fantastic cars at what they do (wait for timing chain doom & gloom comments to follow), but the 530d is a good aspiration. I have a F11 525d (2.0 twin turbo 2013 example) that has just ticked past 145k miles without drama, as most do. You hear about the ones that don't though.

Budget 16K, annual mileage would be 15K a year, lots of toys, in terms of year, just as new as I can get for the money without getting a car with massive miles (I will keep this for a long time).

In that case, I think you've hit the unsweet spot - £16k buys a lot of F10/F11, but not a lot of G30/G31 (but more than none, all will have miles galore). If you're going F10/F11, I'd suggest Auto, M Sport, Comfort Seats, some sort of enhanced sound over the basic system, electric tailgate and electronic damping. Anything else is up to you. I have base sound, but the panoramic roof/adaptive damping/electric bootlid in my F11.

[smashy]

re 2ltr v 3 ltr diesel I find the mpg on my F330d is better than the 120d ED I had On motorway runs 70mph is 1500rpm F30 30d as opposed to 2000rpm in 120d which may be the reason

[W12GT]

My wife’s daily is a current 520d Touring. It really is dull - to the point I feel like I could fall asleep within minutes of getting behind the wheel! I don’t understate the good reviews they get. Negatives are :- If you have one less than 3years old you are looking at £480 car tax - which for a care that is super efficient is just ridiculous, it is slow, steering is numb, it isn’t that spacious for such a big car - I’m 6’1” and I’m never comfortable in the passenger seat when my kids are in the back (both are under 8) but there just isn’t enough leg room. Positives being it has lots of options, the boot is huge, it is also very economical to run - we’ve had nearly 60mpg on a long steady run.

Currently looking to change - have been considering a Velar or RRS but the reliability issues have put us off (don’t really want to be sitting in a recovery trick these days!).

Not sure what we will replace it with now that is as reliable and practical but more interesting!

[GCM]

I had a 2015 530d for just under a year, avg 33mpg over the best part of 20k miles. Mixture of 15 mile rush hour commute and ~300 mile motorway trips at the weekend.

Couldn’t really fault it, apart from the ability of the idrive to connect to Spotify consistently!

Edited by GCM on Saturday 31st October 00:18

[CarPrintGuy]

I've just switched from an E55 W211 to a remapped 530d E60 2004 and it doesn't feel lacking.

The torque is quite hilarious in fact.

E55 would do 22 mpg on a motorway run, 530d 38 mpg.

[QuartzDad]

paulmoonraker said:

Budget 16K, annual mileage would be 15K a year, lots of toys, in terms of year, just as new as I can get for the money without getting a car with massive miles (I will keep this for a long time).

I have a 2016 F10 535d, has averaged 38mpg over the last 15,000 miles, 50/50 local journeys and long motorway runs.

[anonymous-user]

My F10 520d is due to go back very soon. It was one of the last of the line cars, so I got an exceptional deal on a high spec. car.

I've been in a colleague's G30 520d - it's just a newer version of the same thing from what I can see.

Quiet, refined, very high quality materials and fit / finish, will return mid to high 50s MPG on long motorway runs, mid 40s across a tank of mixed use.

It's no rocket, but 0-60 is something like 8 seconds and the 8 speed ZF auto keeps it on the boil.

BIK and emissions mean I'm not replacing it with a G30, sadly.

[paulmoonraker]

QuartzDad said:

I have a 2016 F10 535d, has averaged 38mpg over the last 15,000 miles, 50/50 local journeys and long motorway runs.

That’s not too bad in fairness 🤔

[paulmoonraker]

W12GT said:

My wife’s daily is a current 520d Touring. It really is dull - to the point I feel like I could fall asleep within minutes of getting behind the wheel! I don’t understate the good reviews they get. Negatives are :- If you have one less than 3years old you are looking at £480 car tax - which for a care that is super efficient is just ridiculous, it is slow, steering is numb, it isn’t that spacious for such a big car - I’m 6’1” and I’m never comfortable in the passenger seat when my kids are in the back (both are under 8) but there just isn’t enough leg room. Positives being it has lots of options, the boot is huge, it is also very economical to run - we’ve had nearly 60mpg on a long steady run.

Currently looking to change - have been considering a Velar or RRS but the reliability issues have put us off (don’t really want to be sitting in a recovery trick these days!).

Not sure what we will replace it with now that is as reliable and practical but more interesting!

Why on Earth is the road tax that high. That’s what I pay for my C63

[Pica-Pica]

paulmoonraker said:

W12GT said:

My wife’s daily is a current 520d Touring. It really is dull - to the point I feel like I could fall asleep within minutes of getting behind the wheel! I don’t understate the good reviews they get. Negatives are :- If you have one less than 3years old you are looking at £480 car tax - which for a care that is super efficient is just ridiculous, it is slow, steering is numb, it isn’t that spacious for such a big car - I’m 6’1” and I’m never comfortable in the passenger seat when my kids are in the back (both are under 8) but there just isn’t enough leg room. Positives being it has lots of options, the boot is huge, it is also very economical to run - we’ve had nearly 60mpg on a long steady run.

Currently looking to change - have been considering a Velar or RRS but the reliability issues have put us off (don’t really want to be sitting in a recovery trick these days!).

Not sure what we will replace it with now that is as reliable and practical but more interesting!

Why on Earth is the road tax that high. That’s what I pay for my C63

The ‘Luxury’ additional VED of £310 for 5 years, once over £40k list.

[Huskyman]

I’ve had a 2014 535d F11 for the last 3 years and it’s been ace. I used to see around 39mpg on the old Goodyear run flats it came on and saw a drop to 33-35mpg on grippier Goodyear F1’s. this car is sensitive to tyres for both handling and mpg. I’ve had no dramas with mine, only hiccup was a failed pedestrian protection system latch on the front bonnet.
Mine has the Harmon Kardon hifi, folding mirrors and the usual toys, I sought out one without a pan roof after some of the horror stories. I would recommend one in a heart beat.
I test drove a 520d first and it was a snooze fest as others have said.
I change my oil every 9k miles and got the transmission fluid done at 80k km as advised by ZF. Sealed for life is a load of twaddle.
Privately you can pick one up for around £15k with a bit of leg work.

[luigisayshello]

Forget the 20d from the go. 30d or 35d, as others said, harman, electronic suspension (active I think it was called) and one that I didn't saw mentioned, get one with full leather, 5 series without look so much cheaper than they really are (quality wise). Seat warmers and massage were always quite used.

Would quite literally live well without most of all the other options.f11 X drive 530d or 535d with Active suspension, full leather, Harman Kardon, heated seats and non run flats, is quite possibly the answer to any family car needs.

[Deano_BMW]

as others have said, the 520 is great at being a comfortable, relaxed, economical cruiser-but exciting it isn't and i don't think they are really all that much more economical that the I6 offerings (my 535d, albeit a F10 was hardly any less economical than my brothers F30 320d when doing the same journeys, I'm talking 5mpg on the same distance, trip speeds etc.Granted around town it it was significantly worse though lol) I fear you may get very bored with it quickly.

[malks222]

i’m 6wks into having a 2014 (f11) 520d and as others have said- great big waft around family wagon, just not very exciting.

size- it’s pretty damn big!! now if you want/ need a big spacious family car, it seems to tick the boxes. but it certainly fills normal size parking bays! boot and interior space seem great so far

economy- paired with the 8speed zf auto, it is amazing at cruising away the miles with good fuel economy. only had 1 decent run (back from manchester picking it up) and it was giving 45-50mpg on the onboard computer.

things to look out for-
air suspension. the rear has airbag/ air springs and these are a kind of weak spot. they are cheap to replace (£50-100 gets 2 airbags- 1-2hrs to fit, you don’t need the expensive branded ones- ebay cheap ones as good) but treat this as something that ‘is’ going to happen at some point and it’s not a shock.
sat nav screen- i’d try and get the ‘pro nav’ it just looks so much better, why bmw put the small screen in cars when the space was blatantly designed for the big screen i’ll never know.

overall- I love the car. Bit of a change coming from a golf gti, but it is now my do everything family car. not a bad steer, but hardly going to set the world alight with its performance, but to be expected.

[anonymous-user]

One thing to be aware of is that, although the F10 is a huge car - the rear leg room is dreadful.