530 Sport (2001/2002) model

[jj.]

Guys any help appreciated, I’ve been looking at a new car for a couple of months now, and have narrowed it down to 2, of which a 530 Sport (petrol) is one of them. I’ve been trying to find through my searching of google, a list of standard equipment on this car when new. I’m going to view 2 this weekend, and would like to be a bit more knowledgeable when viewing. I’m looking at 2001/2002 models.

Did they come with electric/memory seats? Do they have tiptronic controls on the steering wheel, if it’s got the M sport wheel? Is the park distance control just on the rear?

Are there any options your car has got that you really couldn’t do without or should have got. I understand that the general feeling of these cars on the whole is pretty bullet proof and an excellent drive..?
jj

[craigw]

I bought one for my father in law, electric seats an option, park sensors front and rear as I recall, steptronic was on the geargate only not the steering wheel. Bloody great car.

[rico]

My bro's got one. He posts under Laingy so should be on at some point in the next few days and will post his views.

My views on the car are it handles very very well for its size. The 3.0litre engine is definitely nippy enough and my bro does enjoy driving it more than he expected.

His has got the sport suspension and this firms things up a lot.. on standard suspension it may be a wooly.

[rico]

Oh, but my bro's got a late model a 2003/04 model... last run before the new shape came out...

[Laingy]

Yep, electric seats are a costly extra, mine has pdc front and rear and the steptronic is not on the steering wheel, just the gear box. A great car though, recommend it lots.

I do miss heated and electric seats from my 330, also saqt nav is great, traffic master a waste of time. Sports suspension good, wheel size your own taste, but the lower the profile the harsher the ride.

[jj.]

I assume you get used to the wipers going the wrong way (i.e sweeping right to left) - it felt really strange on the one I drove at the weekend...

Do you get the same fuel economy from the 530 as you did in the 330. I had a 330 for a while and used to see about 24 mpg (according to the computer) from a mixture of driving.

Out of interest what tyre sizes should they run F/R if on the standard 17s, I can then spot is someone has tried playing with them, also are they as crucial to tyre choice as the 330 seems to be.
jj

[Laingy]

I dont notice the wipers anymore, but was a bit wierd at first, mpg is pretty similar to the 330, i get about 22 overall but do a lot of city driving and short journeys, goes up to about 29-30 on longer motorway journeys.

The tyres are 235/35, 255/40 and mine are the 17", I think they dont look as good as the larger rims, but apparently the ride is much better with more rubber (or so the garage said).

But it is a great car, much better than I expected and it seems so solid (especially after my 330 conv which was starting to creak), nothing has gone wrong with it (although Ive only had it 6 months) and can recommend it highly - it is surprisingly nippy about town and great on motorways.

[Laingy]

I dont notice the wipers anymore, but was a bit wierd at first, mpg is pretty similar to the 330, i get about 22 overall but do a lot of city driving and short journeys, goes up to about 29-30 on longer motorway journeys.

The tyres are 235/35, 255/40 and mine are the 17", I think they dont look as good as the larger rims, but apparently the ride is much better with more rubber (or so the garage said).

But it is a great car, much better than I expected and it seems so solid (especially after my 330 conv which was starting to creak), nothing has gone wrong with it (although Ive only had it 6 months) and can recommend it highly - it is surprisingly nippy about town and great on motorways.

[jj.]

I’m testing one in about an hours time, and should ‘the price is right’ a deal should be done. I’ve never brought main dealer BMW before, is there anything you can ‘push’ them for in the price of the car. 2 years worth of servicing? extending the warranty?, anything which can be retro fitted to the car to seal the deal for me…?
jj

[rico]

If you don't ask you don't get is a good motto for BMW dealers.

If you play golf, ask about golf days.
Ask for a cd changer if it hasn't got one.
Ask about free servicing.
These don't cost them a huge amount, but cost you quite a lot if you pay out of your own wallet.
Good luck and happy haggling

[jj.]

Yep must admit, a very very nice car. Auto box worked well, wouldn’t have minded the suspension it be just a tad stiffer, but I suppose you have to have a trade off between comfort and sport-i-ness. Engine had just about enough power, coupled with the auto box to make it interesting, don’t think I could have anything less though.

Amazes me, even though it had front parking sensors, it still had a scrape on the front corner of the bumper.
jj

[Laingy]

Glad you liked it, I didnt get much out of my purchase apart from a good price, but never been any good at haggling.

[jj.]

Cheers for your advice and knowledge chaps, as a deal was done over the weekend for a Silver 2002, 530 Sport, black leather – 1 owner, 23k on the clock. After 13 years of driving, this will be my first Auto car I’ve owned. Just hope the novelty of an auto doesn’t wear off…!
jj

[jj.]

Had the 530 for a few hundred miles now, a truly fantastic car.. Auto box is superb, makes me wonder why I bothered with gears in the first place…! The car on the whole is sooo quiet and refined.

Someone was asking a while back regarding fuel consumption. I’m not sure how accurate the on-board computer is, but flying round MK (lots of stop/start at roundabouts, 0-70 then back to 0 again) I’m currently seeing about 21mpg. A mixture of driving, bit of MK and some A-roads on my 20 mile commute to work I see about 26mpg. But the real killer was last night, I did a 50 mile trip M1/M25. Reset the computer when I got on the m-way, and checked it again when I left it, over 45 miles on m-way I saw average speed 60.3mph with 40.1 mpg….!!!!! Admittedly this was using the cruise control when appropriate, but keeping up quite happily with traffic flow - fantastic.
jj