[MMY]

I have an option to change from my nicely specced 530d to a similar 640d GC (it has M Sport Plus pack, adaptive LEDs, comfort seats, full Nappa leather etc)... I'd be interested to hear the pros and cons. The 6 is a year older (2014) with 30k miles on the clock. Always fancied the looks of the six GC but haven't driven one yet...over to you guys (and ladies if any reading!) for your opinions...

[Johnny Grabble]

Suspension is rock hard on 20" s compared to your 530d, so have a good drive first, make sure you can live with it. Otherwise it's a lovely car, the 40d engine, transmission and final drive are the same as the 535d. As you sit lower the longer front can be difficult to judge compared to the 5 series.

[DougMcL]

Older and more miles? Despite the pretty looks of the 6er GC, I wouldn't do it tbh. The 5er is a great car. I traded my very pretty 4GC for my 5 just for the sake of refinement!

[MMY]

DougMcL - I got rid of my 330D to get into a 5 for the same reason - the 3 is just so basic and unrefined compared to the 5. I'm thinking the 6 would be a real vanity purchase - its rarer and looks great, but I'm not sure its worth the premium it commands over the 5, especially when you look at the A7 or CLS pricing.

[martin mustang]

Same here, I am considering a move to grand 6 from my 5, you moving from a 530 to same engine so no big gains on that side for you, but the looks and interior is worth considering providing you getting a good deal of course as the new one is just around the corner and the 6 tend to devalue faster and worse in comparison to the 5.
On my side I am moving from a 520d, so more gains on the straight 6 side, but not sure a risk worth taking when the new 5 is due around the corner, plus the 6 also.

The 2014 6 is the one before the face lift, I like the headlights gap for the indicator, they screwed this part with the facelift.

[martin mustang]

I find my 520d with the performance pack far more entertaining than an A7 Quattro 3 ltr I tested, the problem with the A7 is the lack of feel, the power is there, and all fine but the delivery is soul less, and steering too is completely disconnected, the one I test was for weekend out here in Galway.

Originally Posted by MMY

DougMcL - I got rid of my 330D to get into a 5 for the same reason - the 3 is just so basic and unrefined compared to the 5. I'm thinking the 6 would be a real vanity purchase - its rarer and looks great, but I'm not sure its worth the premium it commands over the 5, especially when you look at the A7 or CLS pricing.

[The Beast]

I had a 640d M Sport Coupe for three months when my X5 was written off, the car is lovely and that 40d is an upgrade on the 30d you have now. It's seriously quick, when I eventually purchased my 530d (with performance pack) it felt slow coming out of the 640d. The coupe was ridiculously impractical though, I considered a 640d GC but couldn't justify the extra cost at the time as I had just left my office based profession and set up my own business...

If the car is clean and the price to change is right for you then why not, I'd go for it if you fancy one. I love my F10 and it is 95% of the car the 6 Series is, however that extra 5% is kind of sexy and way more exclusive!

[BMWLad]

Being slightly biased the 640gc is a great car. Actually it's pretty practical to. Split folding rear seats are standard, pro nav standard. m sport gives you a much nicer interior with the leather wrapped dash board. Nappa leather is definitely the way to go as it gives you the comfort seats which are great.

If your looking second hand then it's easy to find a gran coupe with hi spec, and a lowly spec'd gran coupe still has more standard kit than a 5'er with some spec I found. Which made the searching easier (if your lazy like me).

[shiner]

I looked into this when I sold my 530D. It was a decision between 640D GC and 535D Touring.
I went for the 535D! 640D appears great but some things put me off in order of priority
1. Depreciation much higher - may not be an issue to you if company car
2. Practicality in terms of load - may not be an issue if you dont need to carry much around
3. Even at 6'2", difficult to see the front of the car - may be an individual thing.

Either car is great!

[Johnny Grabble]

Originally Posted by shiner

I looked into this when I sold my 530D. It was a decision between 640D GC and 535D Touring.
I went for the 535D! 640D appears great but some things put me off in order of priority
1. Depreciation much higher - may not be an issue to you if company car
2. Practicality in terms of load - may not be an issue if you dont need to carry much around
3. Even at 6'2", difficult to see the front of the car - may be an individual thing.

Either car is great!

Interesting...I chose an F10 535d over a 640d GC for much the same reasons (and the ride less harsh in the F10)

[Piers]

I thought I liked the 6GC, however the more I see of them, the more I am not so sure...they are too big, not as good looking as the 5, don't seem to offer anything extra as a package, only downsides.

Add in depreciation, and the funny front headlights, and it is 5 all day for me.

[MMY]

Folks, thanks for all your replies...in a moment of sanity I figured that changing my one year old five would result in a financial hit, even though I got it with 4000 miles at a substantial discount to list. If I sit out the depreciation curve for at least another year then the depreciation will decelerate...which of course brings the new G30 Five onto the radar!! So now I think my wife needs a new car, that less expensive project will give me something to occupy myself with for a while....!!

[Dexteryout]

i have been playing with doing the exact same thing, however my 530d has so many extras, I am finding it hard to see what i could live without, personally i find the 6GC far more sexier, but id be paying a higher price for a less spec'd car, so i'm sitting it out for a while longer, but keeping my eyes open at the same time

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by DougMcL

Older and more miles? Despite the pretty looks of the 6er GC, I wouldn't do it tbh. The 5er is a great car. I traded my very pretty 4GC for my 5 just for the sake of refinement!

I am doing the same, PXing the 435D M Sport Gran Coup for a 535dM Sport Fully loaded. Much more comfort.
I had the M6 G C CP, monster car but huge and parking was a problem in many places.

[shiner]

I found it difficult to beat the 5 series - it's the total all round package of great car and total cost of ownership is acceptable. Depreciation of the 6'GC is such that it is not an affordable proposition for a private buyer. I did my numbers on this before I got my 535D because I really do like the 6GC 640D and ammortised this over 3 years of ownership and a reasonably specced (though lower speeced that my 535D) 6'er GC would have cost me at least 300 quid a month more than the 535D because of the extra depreciation of the 6. That, my friends, is why you don't see many of them, ether privately or in fleet hands.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by shiner

I found it difficult to beat the 5 series - it's the total all round package of great car and total cost of ownership is acceptable. Depreciation of the 6'GC is such that it is not an affordable proposition for a private buyer. I did my numbers on this before I got my 535D because I really do like the 6GC 640D and ammortised this over 3 years of ownership and a reasonably specced (though lower speeced that my 535D) 6'er GC would have cost me at least 300 quid a month more than the 535D because of the extra depreciation of the 6. That, my friends, is why you don't see many of them, ether privately or in fleet hands.

One other thing, after having the LCI M5 and M6 and LCI M3 and now the 435D M Sport gran, I don't /can't drive any faster than i do now.

[MMY]

As the author of the original post allow me to throw a curved ball into the discussion...! I am seriously considering a new Volvo S90! Had a very quick spin in a D4, (equivalent to a 520d) a few weeks ago at a pre launch invite. Am due an extended drive in a D5 ( although only 4 cylinders, power comes between 525 and 530 diesels, and has AWD as standard).

My initial impressions? Interior is hugely impressive, even the base engine with only a few miles on the clock felt very eager. The amount of driver assistance technology as standard is very attractive (I calculated it was over €4500 as an option on the new seven series, which is not even as advanced in terms of functionality). And, it's quite a looker to boot, although the rear might divide opinion, the estate version certainly smart. The handling seemed reasonable but the R Design version, their M Sport equivalent, should tighten it up, and the body kit is quite mean looking.

First car to tempt me out of a BMW in nearly twenty years....

[njc]

Originally Posted by MMY

As the author of the original post allow me to throw a curved ball into the discussion...! I am seriously considering a new Volvo S90! Had a very quick spin in a D4, (equivalent to a 520d) a few weeks ago at a pre launch invite. Am due an extended drive in a D5 ( although only 4 cylinders, power comes between 525 and 530 diesels, and has AWD as standard).

My initial impressions? Interior is hugely impressive, even the base engine with only a few miles on the clock felt very eager. The amount of driver assistance technology as standard is very attractive (I calculated it was over €4500 as an option on the new seven series, which is not even as advanced in terms of functionality). And, it's quite a looker to boot, although the rear might divide opinion, the estate version certainly smart. The handling seemed reasonable but the R Design version, their M Sport equivalent, should tighten it up, and the body kit is quite mean looking.

First car to tempt me out of a BMW in nearly twenty years....

I got laughed at on here when I mentioned Volvos new cars as a serious contender to the German marquees.

[kinhwear]

The badge has a huge impact on performance and handling!!

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by MMY

As the author of the original post allow me to throw a curved ball into the discussion...! I am seriously considering a new Volvo S90! Had a very quick spin in a D4, (equivalent to a 520d) a few weeks ago at a pre launch invite. Am due an extended drive in a D5 ( although only 4 cylinders, power comes between 525 and 530 diesels, and has AWD as standard).

My initial impressions? Interior is hugely impressive, even the base engine with only a few miles on the clock felt very eager. The amount of driver assistance technology as standard is very attractive (I calculated it was over €4500 as an option on the new seven series, which is not even as advanced in terms of functionality). And, it's quite a looker to boot, although the rear might divide opinion, the estate version certainly smart. The handling seemed reasonable but the R Design version, their M Sport equivalent, should tighten it up, and the body kit is quite mean looking.

First car to tempt me out of a BMW in nearly twenty years....

Must be a "Special then" as the ones i have tested are crap compared to BMW Diesels.

[MMY]

Had my run in the higher powered diesel. Definitely only a four cylinder, certainly didn't seem to have claimed power and there was an agonising turbo lag despite their so called Powerpulse technology to overcome it. The AWD system is very FWD biased so not comparable in any way to the BMW RWD set up. In short, no comparison with BMW in terms of handling and power. But in fairness they don't pretend otherwise. Beats the Germans in interior and driver assistance technology hands down though. I'm sure it would be very attractive to average 520d driver.