For 15 years I always had a single car - mostly M cars since they are jack of all trades - 4 doors, sporty, manual, 3 to 5 HPDE per year, and good resale. After LOVING the E46, E90, E60/63 NA M cars, I tried an F80 M3 and M2. Sold them both after a few months, never warmed up to the new M car philosophy of overpowered turbo cars with numb steering that sound like a farting lawnmower. Although they do look fantastic. Tried a 991.1 GTS and C4s, but for $100k I kinda expected more. Decided to get an R8, bingo. But now I needed 2 cars.
Picked up a 14 320i w 20k miles on it for DD. What a pile of garbage. I always read about the "dead spots" on the F30 steering but never understood what it meant. After driving the car it feels like all 4 tires are flat while turning on the highway. LOL. I remember a test drive on a 12 335 and the steering was so over boosted. OMG. What a failed generation of 3 series. I even sold my F80 M3 after 6 months. Ok, enough bashing.
So 2 cars works great. Sports car all shiny in the garage for when I'm in the mood to turn heads or wake the dead with the V8 race exhaust wailing at 8200 RPM. But needed a better DD. I do drive on the hwy for work so needed something practical and comfy. Decided on a 535i as the V8 sucks gas and the 4 is wimpy. Had to have M Sport, comfort seats, LCI, black/black. and prem pack.
Picked up a 16 535i M sport / lux seat pack / HK / prem / HUD / comfort seats / and a few other options. 32k miles CPO through Dec 20 for $29k. Not a killer deal but a good deal, and the car is in decent shape overall.
Random impressions
1. Look. The F10 is a bit dated but timeless. Handsome looking car, the M Sport w 19's has a good look to it.
2. Seats. Glad I stuck it out for the comf seats and M Sport pack. The seats are very comfy, however lacking in lateral support. You sit "on" them, you have to work hard to sit "in" them.
3. 704 suspension. I read over and over non 704, etc. Its a fantastic suspension on the 16. Suspension travel is shorter than my mag ride R8. Feels very buttoned down. Never harsh. But firm. Sweet spot for this size and class of car.
4. Trans. Love BMW trans sport settings. Always seems to shift at the right time. I drive in sport 100% of the time, with the shifter in sport mode. BMW always does a nice job matching the trans and motor for sporty daily driving.
5. Rattles. BMW quality has really fallen with the F30 and F10. I've had over 12 bmw, and none of my old cars had 1 single squeak or rattle. I hope BMW steps up their game. Things live shifting in my seat you hear noises, going over bumps there's weird vibration noises. Geez.
6. No longer solid built. see #5. The interior build quality feels very old, squishy, and just not solid. My 18 Q7 is a vault. So was my wife's MB ML350. Even my Caddy rentals are more solid built. I havent driven the new 5 yet, but BMW really needs to step up their game.
7. Sport sedan? Not really. The car is so dang big. This isnt a car that you take out looking for twisty roads, I imaging its scared to death
it belongs on the highway, and driving from Starbucks to Nordstrom.
8. BMW DNA? Just hints of it here and there. If my E46 330i manual was a 50/50 jack and coke. This car is 10% jack and 90% coke. You can taste it but its very diluted. I wouldnt compare it to any M cars. Then its 0% jack lol.
9. Vent seat. they do nothing. had them in my E60 M6. Dont bother going out of your way to get them.
10... HUD. must have, wish every car had it.
11. Run flats. (puke in mouth). Cant wait to get rid of them.
12. Interior design. Nothing fancy but will age well. Better than the E60's that I had.
Anyways. I always like reading others opinion. Thought to share mine.
Overall the car is doing what its supposed to do - drive around daily in comfort with a tiny bit of the old BMW DNA