G31 5 Series Estate - pre purchase
Discussion
Have just sold my Velar and looking to get an estate. Narrowed it down to the 5 series, A6 Avant and Skoda Superb. The latter gets rave reviews but seems far too close in price to the BMW/Audi to twist my arm. I've had the Avant before, absolutely loved it. I've had a 5 series saloon before and also loved the drive.
It was a close call, they both have great tech, comfort, looks etc etc but what has swung it for me is the universal review that the 5 series estate is actually a fun drive.
I always do a lot of research into the optional extras but it really feels the 520d comes with everything you need as standard. Still toying with the 530d for a bit more acceleration but ultimately it seems I don't need to look for specific extras. Is that a fair statement or have you got something (or have regrets) about an optional extra?
Will go for M sport (largely because 90% in second hand market are in that spec) and looking at a 2020 model to get the facelift.
Lastly, would any owners be so kind to get their tape measure out and measure the maximum load length from back of boot to the centre console? I'm mid renovations and still needing to use the vehicle for the odd bit of timber/copper pipe etc etc. Online dimensions don't seem to provide that info.
It was a close call, they both have great tech, comfort, looks etc etc but what has swung it for me is the universal review that the 5 series estate is actually a fun drive.
I always do a lot of research into the optional extras but it really feels the 520d comes with everything you need as standard. Still toying with the 530d for a bit more acceleration but ultimately it seems I don't need to look for specific extras. Is that a fair statement or have you got something (or have regrets) about an optional extra?
Will go for M sport (largely because 90% in second hand market are in that spec) and looking at a 2020 model to get the facelift.
Lastly, would any owners be so kind to get their tape measure out and measure the maximum load length from back of boot to the centre console? I'm mid renovations and still needing to use the vehicle for the odd bit of timber/copper pipe etc etc. Online dimensions don't seem to provide that info.
We are on the second 530d estate. We had the prefacelift model with rear wheel drive and swapped for the new facelift model with AWD…. Similar spec, wheels, etc.
The new model (AWD) is noticeably less comfortable, worst turning circle and overall worse car than the pre facelift. We are not getting another one.
Engine is great though and gearbox good too. Again the first car felt better and more responsive than an the current one.
Our conclusion is that the X-drive really spoiled the car. I wouldn’t spec it but when we ordered the new one RWD only was not available on the 530d. Worse economy and comfort. Don’t understand the need for it really. On that premise you might find the 520d RWD a much more comfortable car.
The new model (AWD) is noticeably less comfortable, worst turning circle and overall worse car than the pre facelift. We are not getting another one.
Engine is great though and gearbox good too. Again the first car felt better and more responsive than an the current one.
Our conclusion is that the X-drive really spoiled the car. I wouldn’t spec it but when we ordered the new one RWD only was not available on the 530d. Worse economy and comfort. Don’t understand the need for it really. On that premise you might find the 520d RWD a much more comfortable car.
Glad you said that as funnily enough that was the only feature I was tempted by (as live in rural Yorkshire) but made the decision I didn't want to pick a car for the 3 days a year or snows 😂 wouldn't have occurred to me it could negatively impact the experience so that's very good to know thanks
I have had in the past an E61 530d Sport Touring then, I had an F11 535d M sport touring which was amazing, then went to a G01 X3 M40i again amazing but felt slightly less special than the 5 series and now I am in a G31 530e M sport xDrive touring and again loving it.
The xDrive is great to me, still fun to drive but with the added traction. You never know it was there until you need it. I am not a massive fan of the 4 pot engine and really miss the 6. But have my months mileage is on electric so running costs are a fraction of what they were. Had to grow up at some point!!!!
The xDrive is great to me, still fun to drive but with the added traction. You never know it was there until you need it. I am not a massive fan of the 4 pot engine and really miss the 6. But have my months mileage is on electric so running costs are a fraction of what they were. Had to grow up at some point!!!!
I'm just coming out of a G31 520d Touring.
On the topic of extras:
Display key. Mine doesn't have it. Everyone who I know who does have one says it was a novelty that soon wore off, especially when you have to keep charging it, so they just reverted to the regular key
HUD: Nice to have, not essential
Comfort access: Very handy. Sometimes tempremental when it's cold and/or the car is dirty
Pano roof: Nice to have, let's more light in. I've never had reliability issues with it.
Intelligent headlights: I live in the sticks so these are handy. I've found that they are tempremental when the car is really dirty - messes up the sensors
Harmon Kardon: I don't particularly rate it. If a car you want has it, great but don't feel you're missing out if it doesn't.
Memory seats: I really wanted these as I got fed up finding my seat position every time my wife drove it or it went to a dealer. In reality, in my circumstances, this isn't all that often so it's a nice to have rather than an essential.
I think that's about everything.
On the topic of extras:
Display key. Mine doesn't have it. Everyone who I know who does have one says it was a novelty that soon wore off, especially when you have to keep charging it, so they just reverted to the regular key
HUD: Nice to have, not essential
Comfort access: Very handy. Sometimes tempremental when it's cold and/or the car is dirty
Pano roof: Nice to have, let's more light in. I've never had reliability issues with it.
Intelligent headlights: I live in the sticks so these are handy. I've found that they are tempremental when the car is really dirty - messes up the sensors
Harmon Kardon: I don't particularly rate it. If a car you want has it, great but don't feel you're missing out if it doesn't.
Memory seats: I really wanted these as I got fed up finding my seat position every time my wife drove it or it went to a dealer. In reality, in my circumstances, this isn't all that often so it's a nice to have rather than an essential.
I think that's about everything.
Thank you. I think you're spot on with your description of the extras from what I've read, most fall in the nice to have Vs need to have and to be fair that's credit to BMW for such a great spec on the standard model.
I like the idea of the HUD but imagine the benefit is not huge over the directions in the digital dash anyway. However since I mostly use Google maps, they don't feed those systems (although do on some brand new BMW models)
I would have liked the comfort pack with the seats and heated steering wheel but not many second hand models seem to have it and certainly seem to come at a premium over the more common option of the M styling pack.
In the Velar I paid up for the premium sound system and soon learnt either my ears weren't good enough or I don't play music loud enough to hear the difference but either way was money down the drain
I like the idea of the HUD but imagine the benefit is not huge over the directions in the digital dash anyway. However since I mostly use Google maps, they don't feed those systems (although do on some brand new BMW models)
I would have liked the comfort pack with the seats and heated steering wheel but not many second hand models seem to have it and certainly seem to come at a premium over the more common option of the M styling pack.
In the Velar I paid up for the premium sound system and soon learnt either my ears weren't good enough or I don't play music loud enough to hear the difference but either way was money down the drain
CrgT16 said:
We are on the second 530d estate. We had the prefacelift model with rear wheel drive and swapped for the new facelift model with AWD…. Similar spec, wheels, etc.
The new model (AWD) is noticeably less comfortable, worst turning circle and overall worse car than the pre facelift. We are not getting another one.
Engine is great though and gearbox good too. Again the first car felt better and more responsive than an the current one.
Our conclusion is that the X-drive really spoiled the car. I wouldn’t spec it but when we ordered the new one RWD only was not available on the 530d. Worse economy and comfort. Don’t understand the need for it really. On that premise you might find the 520d RWD a much more comfortable car.
No experience of the 5-series but I do tend to agree with your comments on X-drive. Couldn't get my car (G21 M340i) with anything else but personally I'd would't have opted for X-drive if the RWD version had been available in the UK; yes 4WD offers traction advantages in some situations but you exchange that for things like more weight, inferior fuel consumption, an inferior turning circle, etc, 100% of the time. The new model (AWD) is noticeably less comfortable, worst turning circle and overall worse car than the pre facelift. We are not getting another one.
Engine is great though and gearbox good too. Again the first car felt better and more responsive than an the current one.
Our conclusion is that the X-drive really spoiled the car. I wouldn’t spec it but when we ordered the new one RWD only was not available on the 530d. Worse economy and comfort. Don’t understand the need for it really. On that premise you might find the 520d RWD a much more comfortable car.
Can't say I ever found traction a major problem in any of the RWD BMW's I've owned (which include an E46 M3 and an E92 335i) so for me I wouldn't have X-drive given the choice....
martyj27 said:
Don't suppose anyone knows the distance from the back of the boot to the centre console area (i.e. the maximum load length)?
Picking up the new car tomorrow and hoping to go to the timber yard on the way back
Got a F11, but basically the same dimensions. Can get 3x 2.4M sleepers in. Picking up the new car tomorrow and hoping to go to the timber yard on the way back
Grrrrr well that was a waste of a 6hr round trip!
Got to dealership, car looked lovely, test drive went well, as I went to park it after test drive I noticed the reversing camera didn't pop up... I ask the sales person about it and got "oh this doesn't have the camera"... To which I respond "but on your website you've literally listed that as one of the highlight options it has with it" and got "oh yeah we get that a lot, our listed options aren't 100% accurate"
I mean FFS or what. I'm then point to very small print "some options may vary and the listed options are pulled from a national database and not checked against the exact vehicle" and was basically told I'm a moron because if I didn't see a photo of the camera in the listing I should have thought it had one just because they said it did!
Got to dealership, car looked lovely, test drive went well, as I went to park it after test drive I noticed the reversing camera didn't pop up... I ask the sales person about it and got "oh this doesn't have the camera"... To which I respond "but on your website you've literally listed that as one of the highlight options it has with it" and got "oh yeah we get that a lot, our listed options aren't 100% accurate"
I mean FFS or what. I'm then point to very small print "some options may vary and the listed options are pulled from a national database and not checked against the exact vehicle" and was basically told I'm a moron because if I didn't see a photo of the camera in the listing I should have thought it had one just because they said it did!
martyj27 said:
Grrrrr well that was a waste of a 6hr round trip!
Got to dealership, car looked lovely, test drive went well, as I went to park it after test drive I noticed the reversing camera didn't pop up... I ask the sales person about it and got "oh this doesn't have the camera"... To which I respond "but on your website you've literally listed that as one of the highlight options it has with it" and got "oh yeah we get that a lot, our listed options aren't 100% accurate"
I mean FFS or what. I'm then point to very small print "some options may vary and the listed options are pulled from a national database and not checked against the exact vehicle" and was basically told I'm a moron because if I didn't see a photo of the camera in the listing I should have thought it had one just because they said it did!
Lesson learnt there - I try and use the pictures to identify any kit. You can see the camera above the rear plate if it has it., the switch for the folding mirrors inside etc etcGot to dealership, car looked lovely, test drive went well, as I went to park it after test drive I noticed the reversing camera didn't pop up... I ask the sales person about it and got "oh this doesn't have the camera"... To which I respond "but on your website you've literally listed that as one of the highlight options it has with it" and got "oh yeah we get that a lot, our listed options aren't 100% accurate"
I mean FFS or what. I'm then point to very small print "some options may vary and the listed options are pulled from a national database and not checked against the exact vehicle" and was basically told I'm a moron because if I didn't see a photo of the camera in the listing I should have thought it had one just because they said it did!
Tbh a reverse camera is a straightforward retrofit by a bmw retrofit specialist so might be worth considering
Yup definite lesson learnt. I change cars every 2 years and never had this before but I've obviously got lucky and will just have to double check everything dealers say it includes is actually included.
Have found a few other options on autotrader I will explore but if they don't tick the boxes I think you've got a good idea there with just retrofitting the camera
Have found a few other options on autotrader I will explore but if they don't tick the boxes I think you've got a good idea there with just retrofitting the camera
Sold it for a few reasons, but mainly because it was a 67 plate and I normally like to buy a car 3yrs old and sell at the 5 point as for me that's been a sweet spot between skipping the rapid depreciation and not hitting the major service costs. From an ownership perspective it was absolutely fine, nice car, lovely interior etc but...was like driving a tank even with the high bhp model I had.
On the 5 series, I've noticed for the same model eg 520d and year (2020), that the steering wheel buttons are different on the left hand side. Some have 3 buttons (RES/CANCEL, LIM, odometer symbol) whereas others have 5 buttons (RESUME, CANCEL, SET, odometer symbol, LIM). Anyone know what optional extras this reflects or was there a mid year design change etc?
On the 5 series, I've noticed for the same model eg 520d and year (2020), that the steering wheel buttons are different on the left hand side. Some have 3 buttons (RES/CANCEL, LIM, odometer symbol) whereas others have 5 buttons (RESUME, CANCEL, SET, odometer symbol, LIM). Anyone know what optional extras this reflects or was there a mid year design change etc?
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