[F10N47]

I’ve had my 5 Series almost two weeks now and covered almost 1,000 miles so I thought it was time for a review.

The car is a 520d M Sport auto in Alpine White with Oyster/Black Dakota interior and 19” wheels, plus some other options. In my opinion, the Oyster/Black interior and the optional FineLine Anthracite wood are more inviting than the standard black seats with silver trim. I was hesitant to specify this combination of exterior/interior colours as I’d never actually seen them together in the flesh; but I don’t regret my choice. The light interior and the white paintwork produce a light, airy ambience. Getting into the car always feels like a special occasion so, even though the seats may prove harder to keep clean, I consider it worth the additional effort. The ambient light option was a good investment, too. At night the red glow on the door cards looks incredible.

Mechanically, the most impressive thing to date is the overall refinement and lack of noise in the cabin. There are no rattles or creaks other than an occasional one from the rear shelf/air vent. I understand this is a known issue so I’ll get round to curing it if it persists. At the moment it only seems to happen after the car’s been parked in the sun and I subsequently encounter a largish bump which acts on one side of the car only, i.e., potholes on the nearside side. The slight twisting of the chassis seems to be causing the air vent to move against the metal deck or the rear window glass. Aside from that, the engine and tyres are extremely quiet and the loudest sound to be heard at 70mph is wind noise around the door mirrors. Even this isn’t especially bad but, because the rest of the interior is so quiet, it seems worse than it really is. I owned a 2009 Honda Accord (Acura TSX) before this and there’s just no comparison between the two cars with regards to refinement and cabin noise.

I was initially concerned that the M Sport suspension and the optional 19” wheel package may be too firm as I’d read so many adverse reports. I needn’t have worried as the ride is far from uncomfortable, even over broken surfaces. When it encounters larger potholes they can certainly be felt but, as there are no cabin creaks or rattles, and as the stiffer suspension quickly recovers from the deflection, the composure of the ride and the general air of refinement is hardly ever compromised. I’d urge anyone considering an F10 to totally ignore what’s written by various motoring journalists and try the M Sport suspension and 19” wheels for themselves. I drove an SE on staggered 18s before ordering my car and the suspension was far too floaty for my tastes. It felt as though the softer damping was unable to control the additional mass of the 18” wheels. I didn’t specify VDC at the time of ordering as I thought I would never be satisfied with the softer setting, even though it did seem to take the edge off transverse ridges. But, with hindsight, I now have doubts about not going for VDC as driving on the roads around my home near Stansted Airport is very similar to driving across newly ploughed fields and the softer damper setting would likely have made my local journeys slightly more comfortable. However, this is just speculation and isn’t a fault, or even a criticism, of the M Sport suspension. It says more about the government’s wholesale neglect of the roads near my home than it does BMW’s engineering prowess. As for runflat tyres, I’d also urge any potential buyers to actually try them before deciding. I have Michelin Primacy HP RFTs on my car and they are very quiet. I can’t comment on their handling in the wet at this time but, in the dry at least, they are very impressive. There is no evidence of tramlining or any other wayward traits and I will certainly replace them like-for-like when the time comes. Interestingly, when I collected the car the pressures were set to 34psi F/36psi R. The ride was a little jarring and there was a tendency to pull to the left but, after resetting pressures to 31psi F/ 32.5psi R, the ride was considerably smoother and the pulling to the left has completely disappeared. It’s obvious that maintaining correct tyre pressures is crucial so I’d recommend anyone to buy an accurate tyre pressure gauge and check the pressures on a weekly basis. This will also help prevent the tendency to wear the outer edges of the tyres first.

I specified the 8 speed sport gearbox with paddle shifts. This performs faultlessly and, in Comfort mode at least, changes are very smooth and, for the most part, unnoticeable. However, there is a tendency for the gearbox to allow the engine speed to drop to just over 1,000rpm in the middle gears and it demonstrates a reluctance to change down when trying to accelerate, despite the engine almost begging for a gear change. This is easily overcome by dropping a gear using the down paddle and then, once the engine speed is at a sensible level, the gearbox happily resumes its automatic function. Eco mode is a real pain as the gearbox refuses to down-change unless it’s absolutely necessary and, even then, it does its best to avoid doing so! This refusal is accompanied by a reduction in performance from the climate system and it struggles to maintain a cool temperature in the cabin. Whilst Eco mode may add 2-3mpg to the economy, it just doesn’t seem worth the sacrifice unless travelling extensively on motorways where gear changes are few and far between. Sport and Sport+ modes, on the other hand, cause the gearbox to change down at the merest sniff of the throttle. I guess that will add to the fun when the engine’s been run-in but, for now, it seems just a little too keen to keep the revs up. I’m old school in as much as I believe a car should be driven sedately, although not necessarily slowly, for the first couple of thousand miles so it will be a while before I can explore its full potential. The engine itself is a revelation after the all-aluminium affair in the Accord (TSX). That rattled like a 20 year old taxi and, despite being extremely smooth and tractable, it always sounded cheap. This BMW diesel is quiet, powerful, and warms up quickly. I’ve kept a record of fuel/mileage to date and my calculation corresponds almost exactly to the car’s computer: 49.8mpg. That’s over a varied cross-section of roads and journeys. I anticipate that improving as the engine loosens up. I understand the steering is weighted differently according to the selected mode but I haven’t noticed any difference at this time. Maybe as I begin to explore the handling more it will show itself.

I can’t understand the need for a parking brake AND the auto-hold function. Auto-hold ensures the car never rolls when coming to a halt and releases itself as soon as the accelerator is pressed. So why bother with manual control? The only time I can envisage using it is when parking as the throttle requires a shove before disengaging the brake and, if the car is close to an obstruction at the front or rear, it may be beneficial to make use of the automatic’s ‘creepage’. My start-up ritual consists of pressing the start button, pressing the auto-hold button, and deactivating the stop-start system. The stop-start system is especially irritating at junctions and busy roundabouts when instant response is required. It would be useful if my start-up procedure could be programmed into the iDrive or the stop-start function could be permanently deselected.

Having now had time to look all around the car and wash it a few times, the build quality looks to be extremely impressive. The paint finish is light years ahead of Honda’s and, in my opinion, the general solid/heavy feeling of everything you touch places the 5 Series ahead of the Audi and Mercedes offerings. I like the way things just work without any fuss; mostly the controls are intuitive and easily mastered within a few hours. However, there have been some glitches. The indicators, for instance, took some adjusting to as the stalk doesn’t have a positive ‘click’ like other cars I’ve owned and, having never owned an automatic before, the starting and stopping procedures are new to me. Parking is a relatively painless affair but not as easy as the Accord. I specified a reversing camera which is worth every penny as the rear of the car is quite hard to judge when parking against fences, posts, etc. Combined with all-round sensors and the nearside curb-view mirror, parallel parking isn’t proving as bad as I thought it may be. There’s no hiding the sheer bulk of the 5 Series but these aids all help to make it manageable. One point which I’ve never seen mentioned anywhere is that the curb-view mirror doesn’t actually show the wheel/tyre so it isn’t too much help when parking against curbs. This is because the side of the body bulges out and the mirrors are unable to see the tyre sidewall past the bulge.

Two weeks in to BMW ownership and to say I’m impressed with this car is an understatement. I’d buy another one without hesitation but next time I’d struggle to find the additional funds needed for the 530d. And I’d probably specify the ceramic control option. I didn’t realise how good that option looked until I saw a 520 in the dealer’s showroom after my car was already locked for production. I’d definitely buy again from Specialist Cars in Stevenage, who put together a really good deal and made the entire process relatively painless.

[remmib]

Great review, and interesting to read since I also got a 520d m-sport just over two weeks ago.

[cchrono]

Nice review. I love the auto hold though, I use it all the time gives my leg a rest when I'm at a red light makes my ride that much more comfortable.

[slownfast]

1000 miles in 2 weeks? is that normal or do i just drive my car not really often?

[F10N47]

Originally Posted by EdwardK

1000 miles in 2 weeks? is that normal or do i just drive my car not really often?

It's not my normal mileage ... I usually average around 12k pa but I just can't stop driving this one!

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by F10N47

I’ve had my 5 Series almost two weeks now and covered almost 1,000 miles so I thought it was time for a review.


I was initially concerned that the M Sport suspension and the optional 19” wheel package may be too firm as I’d read so many adverse reports. I needn’t have worried as the ride is far from uncomfortable, even over broken surfaces. When it encounters larger potholes they can certainly be felt but, as there are no cabin creaks or rattles, and as the stiffer suspension quickly recovers from the deflection, the composure of the ride and the general air of refinement is hardly ever compromised. I’d urge anyone considering an F10 to totally ignore what’s written by various motoring journalists and try the M Sport suspension and 19” wheels for themselves. I drove an SE on staggered 18s before ordering my car and the suspension was far too floaty for my tastes. It felt as though the softer damping was unable to control the additional mass of the 18” wheels. I didn’t specify VDC at the time of ordering as I thought I would never be satisfied with the softer setting, even though it did seem to take the edge off transverse ridges. But, with hindsight, I now have doubts about not going for VDC as driving on the roads around my home near Stansted Airport is very similar to driving across newly ploughed fields and the softer damper setting would likely have made my local journeys slightly more comfortable. However, this is just speculation and isn’t a fault, or even a criticism, of the M Sport suspension.

.... Interestingly, when I collected the car the pressures were set to 34psi F/36psi R. The ride was a little jarring and there was a tendency to pull to the left but, after resetting pressures to 31psi F/ 32.5psi R, the ride was considerably smoother and the pulling to the left has completely disappeared. It’s obvious that maintaining correct tyre pressures is crucial so I’d recommend anyone to buy an accurate tyre pressure gauge and check the pressures on a weekly basis. This will also help prevent the tendency to wear the outer edges of the tyres first.

Two weeks in to BMW ownership and to say I’m impressed with this car is an understatement. I’d buy another one without hesitation but next time I’d struggle to find the additional funds needed for the 530d.....

Good to read the review, I take it you like the car.

You can imagine how I'm enjoying my F11 535i M-sport wagon with all the bells and whistles, SAT, Adaptive Drive, HUD, Surround Cameras, Comfort Access, Pano' roof, etc.

Engine and Adaptive Drive set my car apart from the average F10/11 in the UK, as both are rare.

I do agree with the reviews on suspension options, I'd not be in a late model BMW without Adaptive Drive or VDC. The sort of roads I drive, the standard offerings are just not refined enough for the 5-series. OK, but not befitting the quality of a BMW I'm used to, having had an E39 540i wagon which rode sublime, even on M-tech suspension. The adaptive systems give a much wider working envelope and choice of ride/handling balance for a given piece of road. I suppose it is where your benchmark is, for many long term BMW users/drivers the expectations are high and only met with suspension options.

Just be cautious of the tyre wear rates, running such low pressures. Unless you drive long trips where the tyres warm properly, and get to full working pressure, you'll find on short trips pressures remain low and you are likely to knock the edges off quite quickly. Keep a close eye on the wear patterns. Many users have been here before, including my own experience with RFTs.

Definitely save for the 530d, in a different league than the 520d.

Most of all, enjoy the car you have, the 520d is a very sensible choice for cost controlled motoring in this sector.

HighlandPete

[F10N47]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Good to read the review, I take it you like the car.

I suppose it is where your benchmark is, for many long term BMW users/drivers the expectations are high and only met with suspension options.

Just be cautious of the tyre wear rates, running such low pressures. Unless you drive long trips where the tyres warm properly, and get to full working pressure, you'll find on short trips pressures remain low and you are likely to knock the edges off quite quickly. Keep a close eye on the wear patterns. Many users have been here before, including my own experience with RFTs.

HighlandPete

Thanks for the advice regarding tyres. I very rarely undertake journeys of less than around 25 miles so the tyres should always reach optimum temperature. However, I will carefully monitor them for any signs of abnormal wear. I hardly ever carry people in the rear or transport any significant weight in the boot so I’m hoping BMW’s lowest recommended pressures won’t cause any problems.

I take your point regarding baseline performance. I arrived at BMW from a background of more performance orientated vehicles (Toyota MR2s, Golf GTis, etc) so the M Sport suspension is really quite soft compared to those cars. I bought the Accord because the local road surfaces, traffic conditions, and prolifiration of anti-speeding measures meant it was becoming increasingly harder to fully appreciate a sporting chassis; so I thought I’d try a mid-large size saloon. The Accord failed to deliver on many levels, not least because the spring/damper rates were badly matched and the car was neither an interesting drive nor refined enough to be acceptable as comfortable transport. When the time came to find a replacement I wanted another Japanese car due to the 100% reliability record from all of my Toyotas (and the Honda), and appalling reliability and build quality from all four Volkswagens. Whilst I was reluctant to buy another German car, the Japanese brands have nothing of interest to offer nowadays so I short listed an Audi (A5), a Mercedes (E Class coupe), and a BMW 3 Series Coupe as they all looked to offer comfort as well as some degree of driver involvement. The Mercedes just didn’t feel right and the Audi A5 demonstrator suffered badly from tramlining on its wide tyres, so I visited my local BMW dealer to try a 330d Coupe. I never even got to drive one as I fell I love with a white 535d which was sitting in the showroom awaiting collection. As soon as I drove the dealer's 520d M sport demonstrator I knew I’d found what I’d been looking for. It was the big, comfortable car I’d expected the Accord to be but with a responsive chassis like the MR2s/Golf GTis and the degree of refinement I wanted. I suppose if I was trading a Lexus or something similar for an F10 then I may be more scathing of the ride comfort; as you said, it depends upon your point of reference. But I’d still recommend anyone who has never driven a BMW before to disregard the road tests and just try the M Sport suspension for themselves!

Your car sounds pretty good, by the way

[nirvana19]

Originally Posted by EdwardK

1000 miles in 2 weeks? is that normal or do i just drive my car not really often?

I've had my car for 5 months and I've just crossed 2,000 miles - granted I have a lease and have been saving up for some very long trips I'll be doing over the summer!

[slownfast]

Originally Posted by nirvana19

I've had my car for 5 months and I've just crossed 2,000 miles - granted I have a lease and have been saving up for some very long trips I'll be doing over the summer!

I have had my car for almost 8 months now and it is still 2800 . Yesterday i just drove my car 150 miles and i was so sleepy.

[MMVI]

Had mine for 19m and very pleased with it. I think the ride is superb and love the auto but only use the hold in traffic. Interestingly now at 32k miles the engine has recently taken on a new smoothness which is even better.

[OzDriver]

Try using the Auto-Hold with the Stop/Start off, it's a great feature unless you are trying to creep slowly towards something. Apart from giving your foot a rest when you are stopped for a while, it's good for quick get-aways because you can have your foot resting on the accelerator pedal and the brake releases as soon as you accelerate . For those of us who brake and accelerate with the same foot (current or former drivers of a car with a manual tx), it saves the time normally taken to release the brake and move your foot to the accelerator .

[remmib]

Originally Posted by OzDriver

Try using the Auto-Hold with the Stop/Start off, it's a great feature unless you are trying to creep slowly towards something. Apart from giving your foot a rest when you are stopped for a while, it's good for quick get-aways because you can have your foot resting on the accelerator pedal and the brake releases as soon as you accelerate . For those of us who brake and accelerate with the same foot (current or former drivers of a car with a manual tx), it saves the time normally taken to release the brake and move your foot to the accelerator .

Indeed, coming from a 6MT e90, the auto-hold is a great feature in start-stop going traffic.

[AP]

Stop and go cruise control is also good in traffic, if you want , you can get the car to do all of the driving. Only thing you have to do is press the RES button if the car stays still fro more than 3 seconds. Other than that , just steer!
Ultimate Lazy Machine perhaps?