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08-05-2011, 08:35 AM | #89 |
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Fully support comments by 'car fan'. I would have at least 50 people comment on how the car looks and, at least to date, not one of those comments has been negative.
The most common comment? "Wow, what is that" In fact apart from one or two journos, almost all the negativity has been in this forum lamenting the lack of a 5 Touring, which shows they have missed the point of where the GT fits in the market Interestingly, I spent time on the track last weekend in the A7 (courtesy of Audi) and while that is a nice car and to the uninformed would seem comparable to the GT, these are in fact quite different cars - and I will take my GT any day
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08-23-2011, 08:02 PM | #90 | |
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I should also add that I am referring to overall purchase satisfaction with the model - all BMW's have their nuances that can prove to be annoying at times....The GT is no different in this regard
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08-31-2011, 09:22 AM | #92 |
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Two days to go!
Hi all - two more days to go before I take delivery of my new 530d GT. These last few days are going so slowly, can't concentrate on work and everytime I get chance I'm online looking at pictures, videos, reviews, and forums about the GT - hence coming across this select group.
Tinged with a little sadness too as I'll be saying goodbye to the E61 525d M Sport Touring, which I have loved owning and driving for the last three years and 80k miles, but...onwards and upwards. One question I do have for all you experts - when I get in the new car for the first time on Friday, what should I look out for or be prepared for, what's going to be the biggest difference compared to driving my old E61, and are there any silly mistakes I should avoid. For example - when I first had the 525 Touring delivered, it was my first BMW (I was coming out of an Audi A4 Quattro and VWs before that). Without looking through the handbook, I started her up and went to select reverse (manual box), but couldn't get the gear lever into R in the top left corner - there was no collar to lift, I tried pushing down first and then left, and of course I was treating it gingerly, I didn't want to be heavy handed and break it! Eventually I had to get the handbook out of the glove box, to read that when pushing the lever across to the left from neutral, "a slight resistance has to be overcome", i.e. I just had to push a bit harder. Wouldn't have been so bad if I didn't have 3 work colleagues in the car with me for the first drive! Boy did they have a laugh - I've never lived it down since. So any pearls of wisdom? |
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08-31-2011, 11:13 AM | #93 |
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kn1:
A few things have changed since your last BMW... iDrive is completely different, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. It took me a while to figure out how to play an entire album from my iPod, rather than just one song on repeat (you'll figure it out too... kinda hard to explain in writing). Turning the car off is also a little different... on your previous generation car you could press and hold the start button to shut the car off entirely, but now you have to press once to turn off the engine, and second time (with your foot OFF the brake) to turn off the electronics. Otherwise the radio stays on and your battery drains. (Locking the car after you leave also turns off the electronics). It's annoying, and a topic of much discussion on the various forums, but eventually you do get used to it. Getting out of the car is also a two-step process... pull the door lever once to unlock, a second time to open the door... though maybe this is only for the rear doors? I'm used to it now so I don't notice anymore. Also, since you mentioned the gear shift, be aware that you have to keep your foot on the brake to start the car and to shift out of park. And you have to press the side button on the gearshift to switch into reverse, I believe, but I don't think you need your foot on the brake for that. The parking brake is kind of unconventional, but basically you lift the lever to set it and push it down to release... here again, foot on the brake when you do so. You might consider downloading the manual and reading through it while you wait... I learned a lot doing so. |
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08-31-2011, 04:06 PM | #95 |
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You only need to pull the handle twice if the door is locked. The electronics will shut themselves off, but it takes awhile. The wheelbase is longer than your old car so be careful about clipping curbs! The runflat tires don't like that! I wish they offered the diesel here in the USA, but they don't. I picked up a 535i x-drive in Munich this spring. It gets better economy than the spec sheet on much of my driving, but nowhere near what a diesel would.
There are lots of things that can be customized via the I-drive system, so if you don't like the way it works, you may be able to change it. Things I'd not thought about, like adjusting the relative heating of the seat verses the back cushion, whether one flick of the turn lever gives you an automatic 3-flashes or only while you hold it. Whether the car locks automatically at speed, whether it unlocks only the driver's door or all doors on the first click, etc. So, depending on what options you have, you may have lots of things to tweak to your preferences. The computers that run the thing are quite flexible. The numbered switches one would normally consider radio station buttons can be programmed to do many other things, like tell the nav to route you home, if you save that function there. Or, bring up a specific menu. One thing I'm still on the edge about, the TPMS readout does not display the actual pressure, only a color code as to good, marginal, bad. I understand that th epressure goes up when the tires get hotter, and the comptuer does too, but I'd still rather see the actual value rather than the color code. And, to tell it what 'green' is, you have to first set the tire pressures, then tell it to reset. It will then tell you if the pressure changes from that value initialized during reset. Anyway, enjoy. It's a nice vehicle. |
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09-01-2011, 01:33 AM | #96 |
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Thanks for all your advice jadnashuanh, much appreciated.
Have downloaded a manual but the only one I could find is the North American one for the 550i, I'm sure most of the information applies to a European 530d so I'm looking through it now. It's Thursday morning here now so only one day to go now. |
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09-02-2011, 08:05 AM | #97 |
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My new toy arrived at 10:45 this morning - yey!
530 d, Neptune Blue, Black Leather, Visibility Pack (Active Headlights, Xenon, Auto full/dipped beam), Pro Sat Nav, and 19" Star Spoke Wheels. Couldn't afford any more options on the company budget but this should do. I absolutely love the colour - had only seen it in the brochure & in online pics before I ordered but wanted something a bit different so took a gamble and now am glad I did. Not yet driven it - can't wait to finish work as soon as possible so I can drive home, keep having to have a look out the office window! Last edited by kn1; 09-02-2011 at 09:05 AM.. |
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09-03-2011, 06:50 PM | #98 | |
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09-04-2011, 02:08 AM | #99 |
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Thanks car_fan, drove home Friday night from work (about an hour) but didn't want the journey to end. The auto box is sublime and the engine is great (although trying to resist the urge to put my foot all the way to the floor yet), you wouldn't know it was a 2 tonne car, and still playing with all the toys and settings.
Yesterday did another 80 miles or so with the family on board (child booster seat and baby seat/base went in with loads of room to spare, and the wife, who's only 5'2" was lost with in all the space and leg room). Absolutely love the car so far - including the looks as people who know cars glance and then have to take a second look, either because they don't know what it is, or they do know but have never seen one in the flesh, especially other BMW drivers. The colour is great too as it's subtle but fairly unique. Will be trying to find excuses to drive somewhere again today! Sorry to gush so much but after reading so much negativity towards the GT on forums like this (except this area obviously) I'm so pleased that I like it as much as I'd hoped to.
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09-08-2011, 10:54 PM | #100 |
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Making a switch
Ok Everyone, I have worked at a BMW dealership for 6 years, I have had a few different cars over my time here, most recently I traded in my 2008 M3 Sedan in March for a 2009 335i Conv (white/red) but Im not loving the Vert.
I have been digging the GT's since they came out but very recently I have been contemplating leasing a 2011 550i GT D.Graphite/Black; but a great deal has presented itself to me this week....a 2011 Black Sapphire over Black 535xi GT - Convenience pkg, Driver Assistance pkg, Cold Weather pkg, Sport Pkg, Navigation, Sat Radio, Ipod and Rear Camera with 6K miles on it. It was a BMW Reps Car. I drove it home tonight to see if I like it....Fun, super roomy, got 26 mpg city on the way home...My wife and parents like it. Getting Black would allow me to decorate this as I did my M3 - 30% tint, Black Grills (if available), and debating on 22 inch wheels...I need to see pictures of GT's with 22's on them. (I have 20's on my 335i Conv) Cant help it, I always liked big wheels. What should I do? Suggestions please.
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09-09-2011, 11:58 AM | #101 |
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The GT is a heavy car...factory stock wheels are 18". Going to 22" cuts the sidewalls down by 2" to almost literally nothing. The slightest bump will likely damage the tire and or wheel. I think it is quite ill-advised to go to a 22" wheel.
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09-09-2011, 07:08 PM | #102 | |
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Try the attached link and specify 20's for an example: http://www.breyton.com/global/wheels/vehicle.php That being said, as long as you're a member of the GT family "All is Good."
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09-09-2011, 10:38 PM | #103 |
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So the 535xi GT that I took home is not going to happen -- leaning on a 24 month lease on a 550i GT - not many 2011's left out there to choose -- leaning on Dark Graphite with Black with Sport, Convenience, Premium Sound, Back up Cam and heated seats. (Having had 3 M3's in the past, I think the 550i is better for me)
There are other options I would want including HUD....But as I said not many 2011's left out there. My work commute is 40 miles roundtrip, so it will be a fun 40 miles. Does anyone make black kidney grills for the GT yet? I checked the dealer today and they said not yet. DJ
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09-09-2011, 11:14 PM | #104 |
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While deciding, can you guys tell me what is real world mpg for 550i GT and 550xi GT?
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09-12-2011, 12:34 PM | #105 |
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Need some assistance, torn between Black Sapphire and Dark Graphite? Cant decide.
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09-12-2011, 04:24 PM | #106 |
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I never like a dark painted car or interior when living in the hotter, sunnier locales....even where I live, I prefer a light colored car - my GT is Alpine White.
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09-13-2011, 04:22 PM | #107 |
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My current 335i Vert is White, but on bigger cars I like to go darker. Leaning towards graphite.
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09-13-2011, 11:59 PM | #109 |
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Congratulations Any pics?
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09-14-2011, 10:47 AM | #110 | |
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No seriously you really need to look at certain colors in person. My first GT was Alpine White it was a show stopper because back in Dec 09 the GT's weren't really out. Fast forward to the present my Dark Graphite GT shows very well in in sunlight the metallic is brilliant, at night the car appears to be black in some instances gray in others.
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