535D Sport opinions please

[PWE]

Going to start doing a few extra miles a year now so have made the decision to sell my much loved and dream car the M3 CSL :-(
Anyway looking at the posibilty of replacing it with a 535d sport, so wondered if there is anything i should look for and if anyone here can tell me average mpg figures, tank size in litres wear, stories of ownership etc ???
Many thanks
Paul

[Welshbeef]

PWE said:

Going to start doing a few extra miles a year now so have made the decision to sell my much loved and dream car the M3 CSL :-(
Anyway looking at the posibilty of replacing it with a 535d sport, so wondered if there is anything i should look for and if anyone here can tell me average mpg figures, tank size in litres wear, stories of ownership etc ???
Many thanks
Paul

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/pricesandspecifications_technical_specs/0,,1156_2053__bs-NQ%3D%3D%40bb-TEk%3D%40bm-WjVTOQ%3D%3D%40sit-bmwuk,00.html

Tank capacity is 70ltrs
BMW quoted figs
Urban = 31.4mpg giving a range of 482
Combined = 42.2 giving a range of 647
Extra Urban = 52.3mpg giving a range of 802

You have to spec Pro Nav, and the upgrade now has an 80Gb HD which stores a Global GPS maps... also you can rip MP3's onto it through a memory stick ipod or when you play a cd in the player it saves it all.

Leather too has to be a must have on this spec car.

Sports automatic transmition to give you flappy paddels - if you want it as its only £100

Head up display is excellent aparently - a true safety function speed & rev counted shown on your windscreen

Xenons must have really

Blue tooth


I'd also pop for one of the maintence service packages. Makes a lot of sense/cost effective.

I envy you going for such a car - a truely great family car, I cannot see how youd really need any more power for the public highway plus the economy to go with it.

[Aeroresh]

No real problems with mine over the last 2 years and 40k miles.

A couple of i-drive issues and had a new sunroof and windscreen under warranty to sort out some unwanted wind noise but nothing mechanical at all......and its still on its original set of brake pads and discs!

Average over the period has been 31mpg and 50mph (mainly single carriageway A-roads!) which gives you an indication of this cars real strengths....covering big distances with minimal fuss, big speeds and half decent economy.

Best real life day to day car you can buy IMO but you must get it DMS'd to release its true pontential....Get one!

Having said that Im about to let mine go for an M6 or similar which will depreciate like a stone, and cost a fortune to run....in fact the opposite of the 535d. Why? I hear you ask....because if the truth be known I find the 535d too sterile and uninvolving to drive. Its just too easy to tickle the throttle and tear past all but the quickest of motors in refined silence. I need something that needs stirring along and rewarding when pushed, not unlike your CSL I guess.

All just my opinion of course.

[PWE]

Thanks for the info guys, i'm after something that can do as you say, cover ground quick in comfort and not worry about how many miles go on the clock. I'm certainly going to miss the noise of the CSL :-(
I realise it isn't going to be as involving to drive, but it wont be too daunting for the wife to use when i move into something else end of next year.
I'm hoping to get something fairly well specced for around the 25k mark ????

[squeezebm]

£25K Shouldn't be a problem mate,and fantastic cars ENJOY (obviously not as much as your CSL,but different needs and all that!! )

[gizlaroc]

Just to note, if you are spending £25k then you will be looking at pre LCI cars, so expect between 24-28mpg normally and 32mpg if you drive like a granny at 70mph and not ever hitting traffic or roundabouts.

LCI 535d will see a 20% increase in those figures easily.


Also don't do it, you will regret selling the CSL I promise you!

[Aeroresh]

gizlaroc said:

Just to note, if you are spending £25k then you will be looking at pre LCI cars, so expect between 24-28mpg normally and 32mpg if you drive like a granny at 70mph and not ever hitting traffic or roundabouts.

Crikey, I drive mine "enthousiastically" for the most part and get 31! Like I said previously, at an average speed over 40k miles of 50mph (shown by the trip computer)predominantly on A roads, and thats taking into account getting stuck behind platoons of dawdling traffic.....briefly! My normal free flow cruising speed on the m/way and duals is noramlly around the 3 fig. mark on the leptonage scale.

Keep it out of towns for 85% of the time though which may be the key.

[pgilc1]

gizlaroc said:

Just to note, if you are spending £25k then you will be looking at pre LCI cars, so expect between 24-28mpg normally and 32mpg if you drive like a granny at 70mph and not ever hitting traffic or roundabouts.

LCI 535d will see a 20% increase in those figures easily.


Also don't do it, you will regret selling the CSL I promise you!

For the purposes of pricing - I just recently bought an 05 535d M Sport with 39K on it from a main dealers with a full years BMW warranty for £23K. They then got me a set of the 19 inch 172's with brand new conti's on them for £1000. Its silver grey with leather, Media pack and bluetooth

Its averaging around 32-33mpg and yes i take it very easy.

I would say though, that a remapped 535d (its on my to do list) will be a lot of FUN, though maybe not quite in the league of the M3.

Decent spec'd LCI models seem to be around £34K+ the last time i looked.

[PWE]

LCI models ??? excuse my ignorance :-)
What year are LCI models?

[pgilc1]

PWE said:

LCI models ??? excuse my ignorance :-)
What year are LCI models?

Cars built late march 07 onward Life Cycle Impulse (facelift version). You can tell them easiest by the 'joystick' gearstick, and LED rear lights. Probably 15% better economy, better suspension, slightly more powerful and lighter engine from the 335d, some trim changes.

Currently around £35K+ from a main dealer - worth seeking out if thats your budget, but not worth worrying about if your budget is £25K.

I had one of the first into northern ireland last year. Ran it for six months, then bought a new e70 x5 3.0d, now have an 05 535d M Sport.

[Welshbeef]

Just looked at the official BMW MPG's of the pre face lift vs 08 plate... and the difference is significant. The older 535d has a combined of 35mpg the latest has a combined of 42.2 thats an increase of 20%!!!

Still clearly the price difference would never allow for the fuel efficiency differece

[pgilc1]

Welshbeef said:

Just looked at the official BMW MPG's of the pre face lift vs 08 plate... and the difference is significant. The older 535d has a combined of 35mpg the latest has a combined of 42.2 thats an increase of 20%!!!

Still clearly the price difference would never allow for the fuel efficiency differece

Real world, i think its closer to 5mpg difference, moreso than 7 - certainly thats what i've been finding.

As the o/p's budget is £25K its not relevant though - unless he wants to wait a couple of years. ;-)

[PWE]

Alot of the cars in my price range seem to be out of warranty, should i let this put me off??

[pgilc1]

PWE said:

Alot of the cars in my price range seem to be out of warranty, should i let this put me off??

There are quite a few on the bmw approved used site below £25K, they will automatically come with a 1 year BMW AUC warranty. To put it in perspective, i was gutted to miss an 05 535d from a trader dealing on a site beside a scrapyard a few miles from me - seemed to have been a good enough car and not far away pricewise at £24995 - but with a vague 3 month warranty.

Ended up, with a bit of dealer watching using www.bmw.co.uk, getting one from a main dealer for £23K, with the proper BMW warranty, and only 20 miles down the road.

Edited by pgilc1 on Monday 14th July 19:15

[phelix]

PWE said:

Alot of the cars in my price range seem to be out of warranty, should i let this put me off??

I bought mine from the main dealer and am glad I did. Under the AUC warranty they've reprogrammed the SW to cure a recurring nav system crash, replaced the upper steering column and then the upper and lower steering columns, replaced the water to oil heat exchanger and replaced the DVD drive. The self leveling rear suspension has a fault as well which they'll fix. Seems well worth the small price premium. They're a complex car - as much as I hate extended warranties and touch them with the proverbial bargepole I'm seriously considering the BMW warranty extension when the time comes.

[CAR7]

Is thread still active? the dates seem a little weird, perhaps it's been a while since I've posted on this board.

Anyhow, just put a deposit on a Carbon Black 2005 535d 22,00 miles, full spec xeonos, Sat Nav, 19" M Sport etc for £22k
Couple of questions for the BM gurus; Ok, the warranty runs out at the end of next month - I take it I can re-new this annually for X amount?
The Sat Nav - It states as 'Sat Nav', would this be the smart Nav version?

Thank you

Edited by CAR7 on Monday 14th July 23:02

[pgilc1]

Not sure about the warranty and renewing it - check with your local stealer - the Nav will be either Pro Nav or Business Nav. Pro Nav has a 7 inch screen, and 3d display.

[PWE]

I believe if you enquire before it expires you can buy an extended warranty, although i'm not sure of costs?
That sounds like a good price, where did you buy it from? dealer/private etc?

[CAR7]

PWE said:

I believe if you enquire before it expires you can buy an extended warranty, although i'm not sure of costs?
That sounds like a good price, where did you buy it from? dealer/private etc?

Prestige Car dealer. Similar cars going for 5k more at my local BMW dealer.

Warranty explained here http://www.bmw-warranty.co.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

[pgilc1]

CAR7 said:

PWE said:

I believe if you enquire before it expires you can buy an extended warranty, although i'm not sure of costs?
That sounds like a good price, where did you buy it from? dealer/private etc?

Prestige Car dealer. Similar cars going for 5k more at my local BMW dealer.

Warranty explained here http://www.bmw-warranty.co.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

As you found that car locally, i'd say you got a great deal.

To the o/p - Always worth checking nationally for the best bmw dealer prices for a particular model via bmw's website. There is a huge variance - some dealers are asking as much as £28K for an 05 car, others less than £23K - which would include the years BMW AUC which could be worth anything up to £1000.

Edited by pgilc1 on Tuesday 15th July 12:30