640d Gran Coupe
Discussion
Guyr said:
RUSSELLM said:
To do 1000 miles on a 70 litre tank, I make that over 65mpg.
Is that really possible over a full tank in one of these ?
No not a chance in hell. I've done long journeys on cruise at 70mph or lower due to traffic and the best I've ever averaged on a long run is just around 50mpg and that was when I was actually trying to get best mpg for fun as a way to pass the time on the 30th time doing the same 120mile all motorway run...............Is that really possible over a full tank in one of these ?
Normal max tank range on a 640d is 550-650 miles.
Best I've had was a shade under 750.
I think they’re great; good looking, nice place to site and more than quick enough.
I very nearly bought one because they’re such good value used but they a big old beast and too big for my needs. Had a still been doing loads of mileage visiting sites etc I’d have put up with the size because they’d be a great place to cover distance.
The one I was looking at sounds very similar to Lee’s; blue with the ivory leather.
I very nearly bought one because they’re such good value used but they a big old beast and too big for my needs. Had a still been doing loads of mileage visiting sites etc I’d have put up with the size because they’d be a great place to cover distance.
The one I was looking at sounds very similar to Lee’s; blue with the ivory leather.
Had my 640d coupe (not GC) for about a year now, Melbourne red, standard interior but do have HUD and soft close doors. Car felt massive at first especially coming from a z4 coupe! But I got used to it pretty quickly, although still sometimes parking does show its size.
I've managed 800 miles once, full eco pro mode, using coast alot and taking it really steady (50mph average zones really help) but it's not sustainable for normal use, 600-650 is perfectly doable though.
I bought mine from an independent but it still has a few years of BMW servicing. I also chickened out and pay £70 a month for the full comp BMW warranty including recovery, arguably a waste of money as nothing has gone wrong but peace of mind I guess.
Mines on 20" wheels, got rid of the run flats quickly and it's generally good but I think I'd prefer the 19s really. I did get a worry with insurance quotes at first which were all above £1k but luckily my existing provider only wanted £660, needless to say I've stuck with them as comparison sites all suggest alot more!
My problem is that now I live in SW London it's parked up for weeks at a time losing money and costing money. Might consider changing it to something petrol next year if COVID19 hasn't crashed the value too much.
I've managed 800 miles once, full eco pro mode, using coast alot and taking it really steady (50mph average zones really help) but it's not sustainable for normal use, 600-650 is perfectly doable though.
I bought mine from an independent but it still has a few years of BMW servicing. I also chickened out and pay £70 a month for the full comp BMW warranty including recovery, arguably a waste of money as nothing has gone wrong but peace of mind I guess.
Mines on 20" wheels, got rid of the run flats quickly and it's generally good but I think I'd prefer the 19s really. I did get a worry with insurance quotes at first which were all above £1k but luckily my existing provider only wanted £660, needless to say I've stuck with them as comparison sites all suggest alot more!
My problem is that now I live in SW London it's parked up for weeks at a time losing money and costing money. Might consider changing it to something petrol next year if COVID19 hasn't crashed the value too much.
Do it!!
I replaced my E61 535d with a 2015 carbon black 640d GC in November. Depending on the light it looks navy blue or black. I’m the second owner and it had done about 46k when I got it, on about 50k now. I paid just under £18k from a private seller.
Mine has the digital dash, surround view, adaptive drive, comfort seats with exclusive leather, extended leather package, adaptive lights, speed limit display.
I’ve changed the run flats to normal and it rides a lot better now.
It’s an absolutely phenomenal car, easily the best car I’ve owned!
Digital dash is a nice touch, changes colours depended on whether your in sport, eco or comfort of comfort +.
Most of these tend to come with a pretty good spec as standard, if you can get a 2014 onwards then I think they should all have the digital dash, newer steering wheel, updated led headlights.
The surround view is great, as it also has 2 cameras in the front corners and a camera in each side view mirror as well as the standard reversing camera.
I had mine serviced in December from BMW as it’s got the extended warranty, most like to get the rest of the services done from my local Bmw specialist.
I replaced my E61 535d with a 2015 carbon black 640d GC in November. Depending on the light it looks navy blue or black. I’m the second owner and it had done about 46k when I got it, on about 50k now. I paid just under £18k from a private seller.
Mine has the digital dash, surround view, adaptive drive, comfort seats with exclusive leather, extended leather package, adaptive lights, speed limit display.
I’ve changed the run flats to normal and it rides a lot better now.
It’s an absolutely phenomenal car, easily the best car I’ve owned!
Digital dash is a nice touch, changes colours depended on whether your in sport, eco or comfort of comfort +.
Most of these tend to come with a pretty good spec as standard, if you can get a 2014 onwards then I think they should all have the digital dash, newer steering wheel, updated led headlights.
The surround view is great, as it also has 2 cameras in the front corners and a camera in each side view mirror as well as the standard reversing camera.
I had mine serviced in December from BMW as it’s got the extended warranty, most like to get the rest of the services done from my local Bmw specialist.
Nice car!
I am pretty sold now!
I have put a reserve fee on a carbon black, ivory interior and it has VDC, surround view, m sport+ etc
The only things I wish it had were upgraded leather (although the dakota feels ok to me!), maybe the comfort seats, but I seem to read differing opinions. The sport seats felt fine when I sat in them.
I wish I could find one with B&O sound system and carbon fibre interior trim, but I don't think that exists!
Will see what happens when lockdown eases but very much looking forward to getting a test drive!
I am pretty sold now!
I have put a reserve fee on a carbon black, ivory interior and it has VDC, surround view, m sport+ etc
The only things I wish it had were upgraded leather (although the dakota feels ok to me!), maybe the comfort seats, but I seem to read differing opinions. The sport seats felt fine when I sat in them.
I wish I could find one with B&O sound system and carbon fibre interior trim, but I don't think that exists!
Will see what happens when lockdown eases but very much looking forward to getting a test drive!
Number 1 ignore list price most people got 20% off list.
Number 2 check the N57 engine it still has the same issues as other versions and being the twin turbo some main bearings have failed. Also check the timing chains as the N57 can have the same issue as the infamous N47, but by the time the 6 was put it was pretty sorted.
Change the oil every 7 - 10k to make it last I.e. an interim service
Dont forget to make sure the egr cooler is done.
Number 3 wheels as said above can have issues vibrations, also check the inner tyre wear (the geo will naturally be set right but wears the inner side more go generate more grip in cornering)
Number 4 mine since pretty new has never fully opened boot wise all the way
Number 5 early cars suffered with rattling seats
Number 6 yellow grommet and check the bonnet drains
Number 7 sunroof outer seals can split
Number 8 steering wheel and idrive theft more so for the later m sport wheel
Number 9 surround view cameras can fail due to the cable getting corrosion
Number 10 boot drip trays regularly fail
Number 11 pre lci led headlights can have module failures meaning a new headlight
Number 2 check the N57 engine it still has the same issues as other versions and being the twin turbo some main bearings have failed. Also check the timing chains as the N57 can have the same issue as the infamous N47, but by the time the 6 was put it was pretty sorted.
Change the oil every 7 - 10k to make it last I.e. an interim service
Dont forget to make sure the egr cooler is done.
Number 3 wheels as said above can have issues vibrations, also check the inner tyre wear (the geo will naturally be set right but wears the inner side more go generate more grip in cornering)
Number 4 mine since pretty new has never fully opened boot wise all the way
Number 5 early cars suffered with rattling seats
Number 6 yellow grommet and check the bonnet drains
Number 7 sunroof outer seals can split
Number 8 steering wheel and idrive theft more so for the later m sport wheel
Number 9 surround view cameras can fail due to the cable getting corrosion
Number 10 boot drip trays regularly fail
Number 11 pre lci led headlights can have module failures meaning a new headlight
Ninja59 said:
Number 1 ignore list price most people got 20% off list.
Number 2 check the N57 engine it still has the same issues as other versions and being the twin turbo some main bearings have failed. Also check the timing chains as the N57 can have the same issue as the infamous N47, but by the time the 6 was put it was pretty sorted.
Change the oil every 7 - 10k to make it last I.e. an interim service
Dont forget to make sure the egr cooler is done.
Number 3 wheels as said above can have issues vibrations, also check the inner tyre wear (the geo will naturally be set right but wears the inner side more go generate more grip in cornering)
Number 4 mine since pretty new has never fully opened boot wise all the way
Number 5 early cars suffered with rattling seats
Number 6 yellow grommet and check the bonnet drains
Number 7 sunroof outer seals can split
Number 8 steering wheel and idrive theft more so for the later m sport wheel
Number 9 surround view cameras can fail due to the cable getting corrosion
Number 10 boot drip trays regularly fail
Number 11 pre lci led headlights can have module failures meaning a new headlight
All very good advice.Number 2 check the N57 engine it still has the same issues as other versions and being the twin turbo some main bearings have failed. Also check the timing chains as the N57 can have the same issue as the infamous N47, but by the time the 6 was put it was pretty sorted.
Change the oil every 7 - 10k to make it last I.e. an interim service
Dont forget to make sure the egr cooler is done.
Number 3 wheels as said above can have issues vibrations, also check the inner tyre wear (the geo will naturally be set right but wears the inner side more go generate more grip in cornering)
Number 4 mine since pretty new has never fully opened boot wise all the way
Number 5 early cars suffered with rattling seats
Number 6 yellow grommet and check the bonnet drains
Number 7 sunroof outer seals can split
Number 8 steering wheel and idrive theft more so for the later m sport wheel
Number 9 surround view cameras can fail due to the cable getting corrosion
Number 10 boot drip trays regularly fail
Number 11 pre lci led headlights can have module failures meaning a new headlight
For the points I have highlighted:
The main bearings seem to affect cars even with low mileage in some cases. Any hint of oil consumption should be very carefully monitored as you'd expect, and don't think 'I'll get that checked at some point' because a catastrophic failure can and will happen. BMW haven't officially put their hands up to anything that I'm aware of, but have replaced engines for some under goodwill gestures.
Oil changes - I do the same interval on mine. Long intervals possibly linked to the bearing failures? Who knows.
Correct spec Longlife C3 can be cheap if you buy significant quantities so I have a 200l barrel in my garage and decant it when I take the car to my indy.
EGR cooler was a recall, so it'll either be done already or can be checked and booked in with BMW to be rectified. Some have still had issues after the recall due to shoddy work though. Not all cars required the recall but I can't remember if this is VIN/age specific or what it is.
Geometry can help a lot with uneven tyre wear. I had the rear camber set as straight as possible while still barely within tolerance and tyre life has improved massively (rears wear pretty even). Have I compromised the handling? Yes, almost certainly, but mine is a mile muncher and I have no intention of throwing it around bends or roundabouts. It has also improved straight line traction which these struggle with due to open diff and lots of torque. It does feel a little more 'floaty' now though, I must admit.
The boot lid not opening sounds like a petty point to raise, but my god does it get annoying! Mine will open on a warm sunny day, but cold mornings or rain and it barely moves. Some clever chap has managed to retrofit automatic opening/closing from an F11 which would be a dream for people like me who open the boot after almost every journey. Sod the work and expense though.
Thank you all for the replies!
I have gone ahead and bought one!, can't quite believe it....Maybe stupid to do considering the current times we live in, but you only live once.
On that same theme I was set on an 18 plate black with ivory interior, but stumbled across a "Limited Edition" 640d gran coupe, I think they released a few hundred of them in 2017. It's sonic blue with the latest alloys, carbon mirrors, sun protect glass. Interior has merino leather, comfort seats with individual blue accents etc/VDC/HK/Sun roof etc etc
A bit more expensive than the black one, but managed to get the dealer to move on price to point i was comfortable with it and said go for it. The spec was too nice and unusual to pass on!
As I say, very much feeling you only live once, hoping to keep this car for many years now so can't wait to take delivery of it next week!
Thank you again for all the input, fingers crossed it drives as well as I hope haha
I have gone ahead and bought one!, can't quite believe it....Maybe stupid to do considering the current times we live in, but you only live once.
On that same theme I was set on an 18 plate black with ivory interior, but stumbled across a "Limited Edition" 640d gran coupe, I think they released a few hundred of them in 2017. It's sonic blue with the latest alloys, carbon mirrors, sun protect glass. Interior has merino leather, comfort seats with individual blue accents etc/VDC/HK/Sun roof etc etc
A bit more expensive than the black one, but managed to get the dealer to move on price to point i was comfortable with it and said go for it. The spec was too nice and unusual to pass on!
As I say, very much feeling you only live once, hoping to keep this car for many years now so can't wait to take delivery of it next week!
Thank you again for all the input, fingers crossed it drives as well as I hope haha
Nice purchase. I'm looking at these as a possible replacement for a company car later in the year. Was yours advertised at c£32k? There was a nice one at a Dealer I looked at which sounds very similar. The Sonic Blue is a great colour. Really suits the car and makes it look more modern.
Enjoy it and let us know how you get on. Oh yes, and pics!
Enjoy it and let us know how you get on. Oh yes, and pics!
Maxus said:
Nice purchase. I'm looking at these as a possible replacement for a company car later in the year. Was yours advertised at c£32k? There was a nice one at a Dealer I looked at which sounds very similar. The Sonic Blue is a great colour. Really suits the car and makes it look more modern.
Enjoy it and let us know how you get on. Oh yes, and pics!
That's probably the one yeah! I have always loved the sonic blue before I even really started researching the cars. I figure it will be easier to keep looking clean vs black too, probably show up swirls etc less.Enjoy it and let us know how you get on. Oh yes, and pics!
Will definitely get some pics up when it arrives, very excited!
Blu3R said:
All very good advice.
For the points I have highlighted:
The main bearings seem to affect cars even with low mileage in some cases. Any hint of oil consumption should be very carefully monitored as you'd expect, and don't think 'I'll get that checked at some point' because a catastrophic failure can and will happen. BMW haven't officially put their hands up to anything that I'm aware of, but have replaced engines for some under goodwill gestures.
Oil changes - I do the same interval on mine. Long intervals possibly linked to the bearing failures? Who knows.
Correct spec Longlife C3 can be cheap if you buy significant quantities so I have a 200l barrel in my garage and decant it when I take the car to my indy.
EGR cooler was a recall, so it'll either be done already or can be checked and booked in with BMW to be rectified. Some have still had issues after the recall due to shoddy work though. Not all cars required the recall but I can't remember if this is VIN/age specific or what it is.
Geometry can help a lot with uneven tyre wear. I had the rear camber set as straight as possible while still barely within tolerance and tyre life has improved massively (rears wear pretty even). Have I compromised the handling? Yes, almost certainly, but mine is a mile muncher and I have no intention of throwing it around bends or roundabouts. It has also improved straight line traction which these struggle with due to open diff and lots of torque. It does feel a little more 'floaty' now though, I must admit.
The boot lid not opening sounds like a petty point to raise, but my god does it get annoying! Mine will open on a warm sunny day, but cold mornings or rain and it barely moves. Some clever chap has managed to retrofit automatic opening/closing from an F11 which would be a dream for people like me who open the boot after almost every journey. Sod the work and expense though.
Yep seen 2 main bearing failures around 30 to 40k, I still think oil changes being so infrequent is the real downfall of it all. For the points I have highlighted:
The main bearings seem to affect cars even with low mileage in some cases. Any hint of oil consumption should be very carefully monitored as you'd expect, and don't think 'I'll get that checked at some point' because a catastrophic failure can and will happen. BMW haven't officially put their hands up to anything that I'm aware of, but have replaced engines for some under goodwill gestures.
Oil changes - I do the same interval on mine. Long intervals possibly linked to the bearing failures? Who knows.
Correct spec Longlife C3 can be cheap if you buy significant quantities so I have a 200l barrel in my garage and decant it when I take the car to my indy.
EGR cooler was a recall, so it'll either be done already or can be checked and booked in with BMW to be rectified. Some have still had issues after the recall due to shoddy work though. Not all cars required the recall but I can't remember if this is VIN/age specific or what it is.
Geometry can help a lot with uneven tyre wear. I had the rear camber set as straight as possible while still barely within tolerance and tyre life has improved massively (rears wear pretty even). Have I compromised the handling? Yes, almost certainly, but mine is a mile muncher and I have no intention of throwing it around bends or roundabouts. It has also improved straight line traction which these struggle with due to open diff and lots of torque. It does feel a little more 'floaty' now though, I must admit.
The boot lid not opening sounds like a petty point to raise, but my god does it get annoying! Mine will open on a warm sunny day, but cold mornings or rain and it barely moves. Some clever chap has managed to retrofit automatic opening/closing from an F11 which would be a dream for people like me who open the boot after almost every journey. Sod the work and expense though.
Oil is cheap, engines are not! That being said nut jobs N57 ex police failed recently at 170 ish k. But to me at least it looks like the main bearing seal failed more than the bearings due to the extreme loss of oil.
In relation to the geo I have had mine both ways but living where I do with lots of nice sweeping roads even if they can be busy means I stick with the slightly higher wear rates. I equally never got on with the floaty , almost on ice feeling the car had when it was set less aggressively.
Had a bit of a delay in getting the car delivered due to some unforeseen circumstances, but it arrived on Friday and I'm loving it so far!
Haven't had a chance to go a proper drive yet, weather has been awful too, including near monsoon rain when it actually arrived, but so far so good! Only issue I can see is some lacquer damage of some sort on one of the wing mirrors but will pick up with the dealer on that.
Still trying to get used to everything, but so far so good. Definitely has a lot of poke! Quite effortless how it picks up and goes. The noise it makes even if faked with the active sound inside cabin is brilliant. Weather terrible as I say so struggles to get torque down sometimes. 35mpg from the couple of drives I have managed over weekend not great but not ideal types of journeys for it.
It definitely feels heavier than the e class. I think official specs are 100kg heavier, bigger wheels etc will add to that too I'd imagine.
On the subject of wheels, again I'm having to remind myself that the merc is setup for comfort and has 17's with massive tyre sidewalls, so very comfy. Given this is on 20's and has runflats it's not a very fair comparison.
Will take some time to get seating position etc perfect but the comfort seats are great so far, only concern is maybe the seat base isn't as thickly padded as I would have imagined.
VDC - Haven't been able to properly notice a difference yet! Need more time driving.
Harmon Karon / Idrive etc all amazing
Sunroof, nice to have! Never had one before, not sure if novelty will wear off but looking forward to it not chucking down with rain.
Interior is awesome, love it.
It just looks mega, can't stop looking at it, definitely a look back at it when you park car for me.
Thank you again for all the advice!
Haven't had a chance to go a proper drive yet, weather has been awful too, including near monsoon rain when it actually arrived, but so far so good! Only issue I can see is some lacquer damage of some sort on one of the wing mirrors but will pick up with the dealer on that.
Still trying to get used to everything, but so far so good. Definitely has a lot of poke! Quite effortless how it picks up and goes. The noise it makes even if faked with the active sound inside cabin is brilliant. Weather terrible as I say so struggles to get torque down sometimes. 35mpg from the couple of drives I have managed over weekend not great but not ideal types of journeys for it.
It definitely feels heavier than the e class. I think official specs are 100kg heavier, bigger wheels etc will add to that too I'd imagine.
On the subject of wheels, again I'm having to remind myself that the merc is setup for comfort and has 17's with massive tyre sidewalls, so very comfy. Given this is on 20's and has runflats it's not a very fair comparison.
Will take some time to get seating position etc perfect but the comfort seats are great so far, only concern is maybe the seat base isn't as thickly padded as I would have imagined.
VDC - Haven't been able to properly notice a difference yet! Need more time driving.
Harmon Karon / Idrive etc all amazing
Sunroof, nice to have! Never had one before, not sure if novelty will wear off but looking forward to it not chucking down with rain.
Interior is awesome, love it.
It just looks mega, can't stop looking at it, definitely a look back at it when you park car for me.
Thank you again for all the advice!
Hello, I’m about to purchase a used 640d M-Sport gran coupe. Spec is M-Sport plus pack, soft close doors, comfort access.
Full main dealer history. 16 plate. Anything in particular to be wary of? Mileage on 42k. Picking it up end of the week . Haven’t transferred any money over.. yet.. so any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated. My biggest fear are the 20 inch rims...
First post & new member so be gentle please! 😉
Full main dealer history. 16 plate. Anything in particular to be wary of? Mileage on 42k. Picking it up end of the week . Haven’t transferred any money over.. yet.. so any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated. My biggest fear are the 20 inch rims...
First post & new member so be gentle please! 😉
Wish I had some useful insights! haha but still too early
I think the guys gave some really good advice in the posts previously about things to watch out for ^^
It feels like a heavy car from my initial impressions, so just be ready for that. Even compared to the e-class this is replacing, it feels heavy. The Merc has very light steering, very easy to drive etc, this definitely feels more sporty. As I mentioned the 20's + run flats aren't a great combo in the UK, but so far I can't complain.
Maybe watch out for wheel rattle/vibration at motorway speeds, I'm not sure if I actually have that, or if the roads I have been on are a bit wonky. Was it all versions of the 20's that suffer this?
Apart from that it doesn't sound like there are a great deal of common/exceptional faults with the 640d
I think the guys gave some really good advice in the posts previously about things to watch out for ^^
It feels like a heavy car from my initial impressions, so just be ready for that. Even compared to the e-class this is replacing, it feels heavy. The Merc has very light steering, very easy to drive etc, this definitely feels more sporty. As I mentioned the 20's + run flats aren't a great combo in the UK, but so far I can't complain.
Maybe watch out for wheel rattle/vibration at motorway speeds, I'm not sure if I actually have that, or if the roads I have been on are a bit wonky. Was it all versions of the 20's that suffer this?
Apart from that it doesn't sound like there are a great deal of common/exceptional faults with the 640d
Ive had mine since Jan (2016 640d GC Frozen White); in relation to the wheels and ride i have so far, replaced those god awful RF and put PS4S' one mine (best upgrade so far), put 15mm spacers on, dropped it a touch on eibachs and finally had a proper 4 wheel geometry set up done and the ride and drive is vastly improved and thats on 20" alloys.
Id also advise you get bimmercode or carly to check everything over and make some minor tweaks to the other features on the car (Rolls Royce boot up screen, change some of the settings for the cameras and HUD and even more useful is to turn off the auto stop start....forever!)
Due to covid ive not really done many miles since getting it but i have no complaints so far and it always warrants a look back when parked up, so itll be staying a while
Id also advise you get bimmercode or carly to check everything over and make some minor tweaks to the other features on the car (Rolls Royce boot up screen, change some of the settings for the cameras and HUD and even more useful is to turn off the auto stop start....forever!)
Due to covid ive not really done many miles since getting it but i have no complaints so far and it always warrants a look back when parked up, so itll be staying a while
Great cars, I ran a 640d coupe for 12 months and did 25k miles with ease and 38mpg, all of the usual points have already been mentioned.
They are a fantastic value all round good quality car. I only sold mine as I stopped doing bigger miles. 2012 with fsh, warranty egr done, sold for £10k. They are great used buys and I’d have another for sure.
Replaced with a 2002 E39 530i sport...feels even better to drive!
They are a fantastic value all round good quality car. I only sold mine as I stopped doing bigger miles. 2012 with fsh, warranty egr done, sold for £10k. They are great used buys and I’d have another for sure.
Replaced with a 2002 E39 530i sport...feels even better to drive!
Chris0288 said:
Had a bit of a delay in getting the car delivered due to some unforeseen circumstances, but it arrived on Friday and I'm loving it so far!
Haven't had a chance to go a proper drive yet, weather has been awful too, including near monsoon rain when it actually arrived, but so far so good! Only issue I can see is some lacquer damage of some sort on one of the wing mirrors but will pick up with the dealer on that.
Still trying to get used to everything, but so far so good. Definitely has a lot of poke! Quite effortless how it picks up and goes. The noise it makes even if faked with the active sound inside cabin is brilliant. Weather terrible as I say so struggles to get torque down sometimes. 35mpg from the couple of drives I have managed over weekend not great but not ideal types of journeys for it.
It definitely feels heavier than the e class. I think official specs are 100kg heavier, bigger wheels etc will add to that too I'd imagine.
On the subject of wheels, again I'm having to remind myself that the merc is setup for comfort and has 17's with massive tyre sidewalls, so very comfy. Given this is on 20's and has runflats it's not a very fair comparison.
Will take some time to get seating position etc perfect but the comfort seats are great so far, only concern is maybe the seat base isn't as thickly padded as I would have imagined.
VDC - Haven't been able to properly notice a difference yet! Need more time driving.
Harmon Karon / Idrive etc all amazing
Sunroof, nice to have! Never had one before, not sure if novelty will wear off but looking forward to it not chucking down with rain.
Interior is awesome, love it.
It just looks mega, can't stop looking at it, definitely a look back at it when you park car for me.
Thank you again for all the advice!
Looks fantastic. I’m facing the exact same question and have the exact same shortlist as you had. I’m now down to S4 or 640dGC so would love to know how you are getting on with it. Mine would be the family car and with a 14 year old and a 7 year old I’m hoping there’s enough room for us all. How is the ride on the 20s? Haven't had a chance to go a proper drive yet, weather has been awful too, including near monsoon rain when it actually arrived, but so far so good! Only issue I can see is some lacquer damage of some sort on one of the wing mirrors but will pick up with the dealer on that.
Still trying to get used to everything, but so far so good. Definitely has a lot of poke! Quite effortless how it picks up and goes. The noise it makes even if faked with the active sound inside cabin is brilliant. Weather terrible as I say so struggles to get torque down sometimes. 35mpg from the couple of drives I have managed over weekend not great but not ideal types of journeys for it.
It definitely feels heavier than the e class. I think official specs are 100kg heavier, bigger wheels etc will add to that too I'd imagine.
On the subject of wheels, again I'm having to remind myself that the merc is setup for comfort and has 17's with massive tyre sidewalls, so very comfy. Given this is on 20's and has runflats it's not a very fair comparison.
Will take some time to get seating position etc perfect but the comfort seats are great so far, only concern is maybe the seat base isn't as thickly padded as I would have imagined.
VDC - Haven't been able to properly notice a difference yet! Need more time driving.
Harmon Karon / Idrive etc all amazing
Sunroof, nice to have! Never had one before, not sure if novelty will wear off but looking forward to it not chucking down with rain.
Interior is awesome, love it.
It just looks mega, can't stop looking at it, definitely a look back at it when you park car for me.
Thank you again for all the advice!
frazzle76 said:
Looks fantastic. I’m facing the exact same question and have the exact same shortlist as you had. I’m now down to S4 or 640dGC so would love to know how you are getting on with it. Mine would be the family car and with a 14 year old and a 7 year old I’m hoping there’s enough room for us all. How is the ride on the 20s?
Sure no worriesMy shortlist ended up being S4 Avant or 640d GC so very similar
I haven't had a chance to do a massive number of miles with it due to lockdown etc, but have been out a couple of runs.
My initial reactions are: (apologies for waffling in advance)
Ride - not as "comfy" as I would have hoped, but that's comparing to a Merc E220d SE, which has non sport suspension, 17's with big tyre sidewalls etc. In reality, considering it's running the msport suspension and 20's with RFTs it's actually good. As others have noted I can imagine putting other tyres on would be an improvement.
The VDC dampers I am starting to be able to tell the difference, nice to have. It can crash a bit over more "sharp" holes if that's the right way to describe it.
The dealer have somehow managed to send me the car with a buckled front left wheel, which my local dealer picked up on a standard health check. Not very happy about that, so I am currently chasing the selling dealer to get this fixed. I imagine this will actually resolve some of the vibration I can feel driving the car and maybe make it even comfier.
Handling: It's obviously very stable on motorway, masks how fast you are going. Feels like a big heavy car, certainly bigger and heavier than the Merc. Likely again due to bigger wheels etc I think it's about 80kg heavier. Cornering is good, steering feels good but again the RFTs will not be helping here. Just don't expect a sports car and apart from that it feels great to drive.
Power: Yeah it's a bit of a beast! 1800kg or something but it certainly doesn't have a problem hurtling itself down a road. I can't ascertain any real lag, and it loves to rev for a diesel. The fake piped in noise in the cabin is brilliant actually, that plus the torque makes the car feel like a v8 or something. It's a very fast car, the size/weight/quietness in the cabin again mask how fast you are going. It definitely makes me chuckle flooring it and just feeling the shove into the seat.
So far best I have had out of it mpg wise is 41mpg on a 80 mile round trip mostly motorway, so need to figure out how to improve that.
Other things:
Comfort seats, I'm not 100% settled with yet. The level of adjustment possible is great but obviously then means I feel I haven't quite got them where I need them. My worry is around the seat base it doesn't feel as padded as you would think a "comfort" seat would be. But again, haven't done massive miles yet, will keep testing this. They are comfortable don't get me wrong, and I don't doubt I'll get my seating position spot on I just need to drive the car more.
HK sound system - not blown away with this yet, again I need to tweak it for my ears. I actually thought the sub under driver seat maybe wasn't working as I can't "feel" the kick in certain songs. There's a lot of bass but not a punch in certain songs. Again, just need to tweak settings. It has plenty of power as a system and sounds good, I just want a bit more kick.
Sunroof, definitely nice to have, just need it to stop raining! No creaks etc experienced and as it just tilts open you can have it open on motorway etc and not really suffer.
Back seats - I'm 6'3 and I can sit behind the driver seat in my driving position, plenty of legroom, just slightly not enough headroom if I sit upright. So unless your' kids are very tall it should be fine for the family. Boot is big, standard folding seats, ski hatch etc. It's very comfy in back actually, I just need to slouch slightly.
Definitely need the rear camera for reversing/parking. 360 camera would give peace of mind actually maneuvering in tight car parks etc. I haven't ventured to a multi story yet..that should be interesting.
It's the same width as the merc, but 10cm longer. The difference is just being lower visibility isn't as good, so needs getting used to.
Will update if I think of anything else, or any specific Q's you have let me know.
So far I am very happy with it, I just want to drive it and I think that's half the battle. I love the merc but I don't "want" to just randomly go a drive. It's definitely a look back when you park it car, I think it looks stunning and there aren't many of them about.
I don't doubt the S4 Avant would have been the better all rounder as it's an estate, but this feels special and has real presence. Coupe looks but genuine practicality and feels a bit muscle car. I have a couple of trips up to Inverness, through Glencoe etc planned next month so looking forward to that! Will be a good test of the car transporting stuff and driving on proper roads.
I would get a test drive if you can, I ended up buying without one! But I don't regret it. Just go into it knowing it's a heavier car than the S4 and not expecting absolute agility etc and I think you will be impressed. The ride as noted isn't limo like, but considering it's the 20's and RFT's it's not bad at all. As soon as I need new tyres I'll be swapping out for P4S I think.
Good points above re coding options ^ will need to check those out. I was very impressed I randomly stuck a usb stick in which has movies on it expecting it to need to be coded to do anything but no it just started playing automatically.
I'm sure you'll get a seating position that works. I bought a press car back in late 2002 which came fully loaded (but in SE trim) and it took a while to get the seats comfy but I did. 80k miles in just over 3 years and it was faultless apart from a comfort access handle gave up.
The stereo I thought was very good once you tweak it, but then I listen to 5 live most of the time and thats music free.
You can code out the stop start if you have that - I find it got annoying most of the time although I recall the m sports remembered the last setting, the SE turned it back on every time.
By way of a comparison, after the 6GC I had a Tesla in 2016 which lasted a year, I then had a S4 AVANT (63 plate) and while there were things that I liked, it felt nowhere near as special as the 6 series and it didn't last long. I've been forunate to have had some nice cars over the years but I'd still put my 6GC as probably the best car, its certainly the one I've done the most miles in.
The stereo I thought was very good once you tweak it, but then I listen to 5 live most of the time and thats music free.
You can code out the stop start if you have that - I find it got annoying most of the time although I recall the m sports remembered the last setting, the SE turned it back on every time.
By way of a comparison, after the 6GC I had a Tesla in 2016 which lasted a year, I then had a S4 AVANT (63 plate) and while there were things that I liked, it felt nowhere near as special as the 6 series and it didn't last long. I've been forunate to have had some nice cars over the years but I'd still put my 6GC as probably the best car, its certainly the one I've done the most miles in.
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