E60 530d - Good in frost/snow?

[Bada Bing!]

Since I'm now sitting on 10 points I think it's time I stepped away from the bright red sports car for a while. I'm thinking of getting something nice and comfy, reliable, with an auto box to spare my poor clutch knee, and a windscreen that I don't have to de-ice on the inside every morning.

I fancy the 530d and think the Sport looks a bit prettier than the standard model, but wanted to know what the car's like at de-icing in the mornings and how it behaves in the snow.

Also how is the car to run in terms of costs? Would it be any more expensive to run than the Elise I'm driving every day at the moment?

Anyone got any opinions or experience?

[richterswil]

Can't say I have ever noticed my E60 being either good or bad in terms of de-icing - on that basis I'd assume it's pretty average in the time it takes to warm up - of course a diesel will take a bit longer than a petrol generally to warm up. That said the heater is excellent once it is up to temperature.

Mine is on summer tyres and it is 100 per cent, totally and utterly useless in the snow (as is our E90).

If that really is important to you and you want an E60 get some winter tyres and a manual box - my summers and auto aren't up to much!!

Running costs are just what you would expect. 19" tyres are expensive though.

[Red&WhiteMonkey]

It’s a good modern car, you’ll have no problems de-icing, etc. Obviously the use of winter tyres will make a difference but it won’t change the fact that it’s a relatively heavy car with rear wheel drive and a heavy diesel engine in the front.

There have been dozens of threads on here about driving in snow, many of which discuss BMW’s. The general consensus seems to be that the various electronic driving aids hinder more than help in snow and automatics are quite often confused unless they’re properly used. However, I honestly wouldn’t be too concerned about all this, most of this discussion is knee jerk reaction to recent events. How often do we really get that amount of snow?

[Bada Bing!]

Snow isn't so much of an issue but in Scotland it's more common than you'd think (it's snowing now actually!). Frost is though as for maybe a couple of months of the year I will have to get the luke warm water on the windscreen to de-ice it.

I think I've just had roadsters so long that I've forgotten how well sealed a decent saloon is from the elements.

[GreatGranny]

Dare I say this on a BMW forum, but have you thought about a Quattro, A6 maybe?

Nota s good a drivers carthan the 5 series but very capable when it gets a little tricky.

[msh]

GreatGranny said:

Dare I say this on a BMW forum, but have you thought about a Quattro, A6 maybe?

Nota s good a drivers carthan the 5 series but very capable when it gets a little tricky.

Thats why i bought an A4 quattro. Great in the snow but boring the other 99% of the time.

IMO stick with the BMW.

[530dTPhil]

I am on my second 530dT Sport. The first was an E39 manual and I never really saw much snow in the five and a half years that I had it. I have had an E61 Sport auto on RFT for two and a half years, covering 90,000 miles in that time.
I was not looking forward to driving the car in the snow but had absolutely no problems. Everyone on here was saying rear wheel drive, RFTs, auto, sports suspension, leave it in the garage.
Careful use of the throttle, pulling away in manual second gear and being sensible worked for me. Not the best car for those conditions but had the choice of two front wheel drive small hatchbacks and preferred the BMW.
I think that the big problem this year has been drivers with no experience of driving in anything worse than rain.

[RRS_Staffs]

You can have the one abandoned outside my house if you like !
I live on a fairly modest 5% gradient and its always littered with rear wheel drivers when it snows

My old E46 was utterly bks in the snow too

By all means buy the E60 but as has been described budget for decent winter tyres if you really must use it despite the weather

Oh and if youre on 10 points are you totally sure you need a relaxed, powerful, torquey car that flatters to deceive exactly how fast you are going?

Just a thought

Edited by RRS_Staffs on Wednesday 3rd February 21:09

[richterswil]

530dTPhil said:

I am on my second 530dT Sport. The first was an E39 manual and I never really saw much snow in the five and a half years that I had it. I have had an E61 Sport auto on RFT for two and a half years, covering 90,000 miles in that time.
I was not looking forward to driving the car in the snow but had absolutely no problems. Everyone on here was saying rear wheel drive, RFTs, auto, sports suspension, leave it in the garage.
Careful use of the throttle, pulling away in manual second gear and being sensible worked for me. Not the best car for those conditions but had the choice of two front wheel drive small hatchbacks and preferred the BMW.
I think that the big problem this year has been drivers with no experience of driving in anything worse than rain.

Living in Switzerland for several years a while ago means I became pretty adept driving in the snow (albeit with winter tyres).

I can assure you that all the throttle control in the world wouldn't have got my E60 off our drive never mind up the road no matter what you did with the traction control, manual gearbox mode etc a few weeks ago.

[M-J-B]

I have been shocked at just how bad my 535D is in anything more than 2mm of light snow.

In early January and bearing in mind I live in West Sussex, my car didn't move for just over two weeks.

Useless, absolutely bloody useless.

That said, it defrosts with the best and the heated seats are great

[scz4]

richterswil said:

Living in Switzerland for several years a while ago means I became pretty adept driving in the snow (albeit with winter tyres).

I can assure you that all the throttle control in the world wouldn't have got my E60 off our drive never mind up the road no matter what you did with the traction control, manual gearbox mode etc a few weeks ago.

You still had these problems on winter tyres?

[xxplod]

Our Roads Policing cars are 530d s. All grounded in the snow - utterly useless. As were the 320d area cars. As said, big heavy car + RWD = crap in snow. Yes, winter tyres make a huge difference but in reality who in the UK has them. You'd struggle to even buy them to fit.

[A - W]

Autosocks for the snow. Job done.

[Gramrugby]

Every BMW is worse than useless in the snow. That includes all the current X series. Four wheels spin instead of two. The only four wheel drive BMW that had an effective drive system was the IX version of the five series availabe in the early to mid seventies.

[Ranger 6]

Gramrugby said:

Every BMW is worse than useless in the snow. That includes all the current X series.....

Utter bks - mine went anywhere I wanted to at any time. A good set of winter tyres and the chains didn't have to come out of the boot this year - that includes the Alps as well as deepest Berkshire

Gramrugby said:

....Four wheels spin instead of two....

If there's no traction this will be the same affect on any 4x4, not just BMWs. I've only ever had to use chains on sheet ice.

[richterswil]

scz4 said:

richterswil said:

Living in Switzerland for several years a while ago means I became pretty adept driving in the snow (albeit with winter tyres).

I can assure you that all the throttle control in the world wouldn't have got my E60 off our drive never mind up the road no matter what you did with the traction control, manual gearbox mode etc a few weeks ago.

You still had these problems on winter tyres?

Winter tyres make a huge difference - no doubt about it but with the amount of snow you can get in Switzerland you do have to learn how to drive as best you can in the snow. Even winter tyres have their limits - never had to go beyond winter tyres thankfully.

[M-J-B]

Gramrugby said:

Every BMW is worse than useless in the snow. That includes all the current X series. Four wheels spin instead of two. The only four wheel drive BMW that had an effective drive system was the IX version of the five series availabe in the early to mid seventies.

As has been said, the X series are fine in snow.

My wife's X3 went everywhere without any problems in 8"+ of fresh and iced up snow.

[Gramrugby]

I've had eleven Range Rovers in over thirty five years which have been used for serious off road travel in the Highlands of Scotland. Shooting, Deerstalking and Mountain Rescue. For the last three months I've had an X5 as a replacement awaiting a new Range Rover after a a write off. Completely and utterly useless.
A 4x4 should be driveable out of the box. I don't expect to have to spend more money on tyres, chains etc. They are a "toy" 4x4. Official dealers up here agree.
If you need to do a job, buy the right tools.

[xxplod]

I would imagine the most off roading 99% of X5/X3s in the UK have done is parking in a field or driving up a farm track.

[Ranger 6]

Gramrugby said:

I've had eleven Range Rovers in over thirty five years which have been used for serious off road travel in the Highlands of Scotland. Shooting, Deerstalking and Mountain Rescue. For the last three months I've had an X5 as a replacement awaiting a new Range Rover after a a write off. Completely and utterly useless.
A 4x4 should be driveable out of the box. I don't expect to have to spend more money on tyres, chains etc. They are a "toy" 4x4. Official dealers up here agree.
If you need to do a job, buy the right tools.

Sorry, I'm confused here - you knowingly buy a car with road tyres and then blame the car for it's inability to compete with a car equipped with M+S tyres - why didn't you just get another RR?
Pot, kettle & black spring to mind here - Who hasn't bought the right tool for the job?