BMW F10/11 N53
Discussion
Hi,
Just wondering what people’s opinions are on the F10/11 N53 seen in the 523i/528i/530i? What’s average mpg and how reliable is the N53 (and the F10/11 in general? Are their any common problems?
How does the N53 compare to drive/running costs and mpg to the N57 seen in the earlier 525d and 530d?
Also why are they so rare - especially as an F11 530i M Sport Auto Touring?
Just wondering what people’s opinions are on the F10/11 N53 seen in the 523i/528i/530i? What’s average mpg and how reliable is the N53 (and the F10/11 in general? Are their any common problems?
How does the N53 compare to drive/running costs and mpg to the N57 seen in the earlier 525d and 530d?
Also why are they so rare - especially as an F11 530i M Sport Auto Touring?
Levi1501 said:
Hi,
Just wondering what people’s opinions are on the F10/11 N53 seen in the 523i/528i/530i? What’s average mpg and how reliable is the N53 (and the F10/11 in general? Are their any common problems?
How does the N53 compare to drive/running costs and mpg to the N57 seen in the earlier 525d and 530d?
Also why are they so rare - especially as an F11 530i M Sport Auto Touring?
The N53 is rare in the touring (2nd hand anyway) I have it in an E61 and I haven't seen any others for sale since I bought mine earlier this year. So far it's been OK, but they are not without problems. The general feeling is that if you have a newish one, you will likely have the decent injectors in it so it should be fine. As for MPG, I see high teens to early 20's in London and early to mid 30's on a run. The MPG is decent given the size and weight of the car.Just wondering what people’s opinions are on the F10/11 N53 seen in the 523i/528i/530i? What’s average mpg and how reliable is the N53 (and the F10/11 in general? Are their any common problems?
How does the N53 compare to drive/running costs and mpg to the N57 seen in the earlier 525d and 530d?
Also why are they so rare - especially as an F11 530i M Sport Auto Touring?
I've got a f10 530i and apart from a set of injectors it's been fine. I think I may need a nox sensor coming up too. Also brakes all round (66k). The mpg can be high 30's and usually for a sub 5 mile return trip I get 23mpg (recently dropped to 18mpg for same route hence I think nox has got the pox). It's fairly quick, sounds nice, and is naturally aspirated. I keep thinking I'll change but can't honestly think what to change to. Wbac tells me is worth 10k.
I've seen the odd 528i n53 pop up but don't think I've noticed a f11 530i.
Edit to add zf8 and n53 is a very nice combo.
I've seen the odd 528i n53 pop up but don't think I've noticed a f11 530i.
Edit to add zf8 and n53 is a very nice combo.
Edited by bmwmike on Thursday 10th October 23:18
The pre-facelift model history in summary:
2010 (launch): 523i, 528i (both 3.0 N53), 535i and 550i.
2011 - as above
2012 model year: 520i (2.0 4cyl) introduced, killing the 523i in the process. The 528i also became a 2.0 4cyl with 245bhp, and the 530i was introduced to the UK (having already been available on the continent) with a 3.0 6cyl with 272bhp. The 535i & 550i continued as were.
2013 530i withdrawn from the UK. Active Hybrid introduced, 535i & 550i as were.
So the 530i in the UK was a very short lived late 2011/early 2012 model. During the first few years of the F10/F11 sales in the UK, diesels accounted for approx. 95% of sales - so petrols truly are rare, with the 530i being the unicorn of the bunch.
2010 (launch): 523i, 528i (both 3.0 N53), 535i and 550i.
2011 - as above
2012 model year: 520i (2.0 4cyl) introduced, killing the 523i in the process. The 528i also became a 2.0 4cyl with 245bhp, and the 530i was introduced to the UK (having already been available on the continent) with a 3.0 6cyl with 272bhp. The 535i & 550i continued as were.
2013 530i withdrawn from the UK. Active Hybrid introduced, 535i & 550i as were.
So the 530i in the UK was a very short lived late 2011/early 2012 model. During the first few years of the F10/F11 sales in the UK, diesels accounted for approx. 95% of sales - so petrols truly are rare, with the 530i being the unicorn of the bunch.
RobM77 said:
You're in good company, and may have competition trying to find one! I listened to a podcast interview with Tiff Needell yesterday, where he revealed that he hasn't bought a car for years, he's always just been given them. Now that it's come the time he is after a 530i touring 
Wonder if he meant the new 5 touring though? That's a four pot turbo. Sigh.Edited by bmwmike on Friday 11th October 12:52
bmwmike said:
RobM77 said:
You're in good company, and may have competition trying to find one! I listened to a podcast interview with Tiff Needell yesterday, where he revealed that he hasn't bought a car for years, he's always just been given them. Now that it's come the time he is after a 530i touring
Wonder if he meant the new 5 touring though? That's a four pot turbo. Sigh.Edited by bmwmike on Friday 11th October 12:52
BFleming said:
The pre-facelift model history in summary:
2010 (launch): 523i, 528i (both 3.0 N53), 535i and 550i.
2011 - as above
2012 model year: 520i (2.0 4cyl) introduced, killing the 523i in the process. The 528i also became a 2.0 4cyl with 245bhp, and the 530i was introduced to the UK (having already been available on the continent) with a 3.0 6cyl with 272bhp. The 535i & 550i continued as were.
2013 530i withdrawn from the UK. Active Hybrid introduced, 535i & 550i as were.
So the 530i in the UK was a very short lived late 2011/early 2012 model. During the first few years of the F10/F11 sales in the UK, diesels accounted for approx. 95% of sales - so petrols truly are rare, with the 530i being the unicorn of the bunch.
That explains why I never see them for sale then. 2010 (launch): 523i, 528i (both 3.0 N53), 535i and 550i.
2011 - as above
2012 model year: 520i (2.0 4cyl) introduced, killing the 523i in the process. The 528i also became a 2.0 4cyl with 245bhp, and the 530i was introduced to the UK (having already been available on the continent) with a 3.0 6cyl with 272bhp. The 535i & 550i continued as were.
2013 530i withdrawn from the UK. Active Hybrid introduced, 535i & 550i as were.
So the 530i in the UK was a very short lived late 2011/early 2012 model. During the first few years of the F10/F11 sales in the UK, diesels accounted for approx. 95% of sales - so petrols truly are rare, with the 530i being the unicorn of the bunch.
So out there somewhere are very few F11 530i’s? Wonder how much they’re worth?
What sort of MPG do you normally see from the N53 powered F11 versus MPG from an N57 F11?
Would the fact petrol is cheaper than diesel and that the N53 is far less complex than the N57 (both in repairs and service) mean that over say 10 years it’d be cheaper to run a 530i than a 530d if you do about 10,000 miles a year?
What sort of MPG do you normally see from the N53 powered F11 versus MPG from an N57 F11?
Would the fact petrol is cheaper than diesel and that the N53 is far less complex than the N57 (both in repairs and service) mean that over say 10 years it’d be cheaper to run a 530i than a 530d if you do about 10,000 miles a year?
Levi1501 said:
So out there somewhere are very few F11 530i’s? Wonder how much they’re worth?
What sort of MPG do you normally see from the N53 powered F11 versus MPG from an N57 F11?
Would the fact petrol is cheaper than diesel and that the N53 is far less complex than the N57 (both in repairs and service) mean that over say 10 years it’d be cheaper to run a 530i than a 530d if you do about 10,000 miles a year?
My 2014 F10 530d averages 45mpg on my commute, which is 37 miles of approximately 15 miles dual carriageway, 5 miles C roads and 17 miles of winding hilly A roads. On a recent family holiday to Devon it averaged 53mpg with about two hours of motorway and an hour of A road with the car fully loaded. With my driving style I do tend to use full power when I can and enjoy my driving, although I don't tend to use the brakes very much, preferring to back off earlier instead, so I'm probably slightly on the more economical end of the spectrum.What sort of MPG do you normally see from the N53 powered F11 versus MPG from an N57 F11?
Would the fact petrol is cheaper than diesel and that the N53 is far less complex than the N57 (both in repairs and service) mean that over say 10 years it’d be cheaper to run a 530i than a 530d if you do about 10,000 miles a year?
Most 330is are approx. 10mpg lower than that, so mid 30s average and creeping into the low 40s on long runs. 530i I should imagine would be a bit lower again.
Levi1501 said:
So out there somewhere are very few F11 530i’s? Wonder how much they’re worth?
What sort of MPG do you normally see from the N53 powered F11 versus MPG from an N57 F11?
Would the fact petrol is cheaper than diesel and that the N53 is far less complex than the N57 (both in repairs and service) mean that over say 10 years it’d be cheaper to run a 530i than a 530d if you do about 10,000 miles a year?
The n53 is not less complex than the n57 oil banger, far from it. N53 can throw some eye watering bills too.What sort of MPG do you normally see from the N53 powered F11 versus MPG from an N57 F11?
Would the fact petrol is cheaper than diesel and that the N53 is far less complex than the N57 (both in repairs and service) mean that over say 10 years it’d be cheaper to run a 530i than a 530d if you do about 10,000 miles a year?
I have seen 39mpg from my f10 530i 272ps. Round town usually 23mpg. Two vastly different types of engines though imo.
bmwmike said:
Two vastly different types of engines though imo.
I've owned 4 BMWs with petrol straight sixes and this is my first diesel six. They are just entirely different engines for different types of driving.On a separate note, I do wonder sometimes if my 530d's gearbox is tuned for a petrol or a diesel; it seems to love revs in any mode other than 'eco pro'. Squeeze the throttle at 1700rpm and it shuffles down a few gears until it's doing 3000rpm+!!
RobM77 said:
I've owned 4 BMWs with petrol straight sixes and this is my first diesel six. They are just entirely different engines for different types of driving.On a separate note, I do wonder sometimes if my 530d's gearbox is tuned for a petrol or a diesel; it seems to love revs in any mode other than 'eco pro'. Squeeze the throttle at 1700rpm and it shuffles down a few gears until it's doing 3000rpm+!!
bmwmike said:
The n53 is not less complex than the n57 oil banger, far from it. N53 can throw some eye watering bills too.
I have seen 39mpg from my f10 530i 272ps. Round town usually 23mpg. Two vastly different types of engines though imo.
N57 is surely more complex as it has a turbocharger, intercooler, DPF etc whereas the N53 is an NA straight 6. I have seen 39mpg from my f10 530i 272ps. Round town usually 23mpg. Two vastly different types of engines though imo.
Levi1501 said:
N57 is surely more complex as it has a turbocharger, intercooler, DPF etc whereas the N53 is an NA straight 6.
Fewer components in n53 but it's stratified injection is very complex. Guess it depends how we measure complexity ultimately. Neither engine is simple of old. gizlaroc said:
I have been looking for an F11 530i for nearly 5 years, the 5 that have popped up have either been wrong colour, condition or crap spec.
I was looking for a while for my 530d. The F10 is a plentiful car in diesel form, but once you start ticking options boxes on searches things get very different. I'm guessing a lot people buying them realised they could forget about a few options and move from a 3 to a 5. I wanted M Sport suspension, split fold rear seats and ideally the HK upgraded hi-fi. The number of cars with just those first two options was tiny in comparison to the total cars on sale. I eventually found a car with all three close to home at a BMW dealer I know already, and with a colour and interior trim that I liked, but I got very lucky!Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff