[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by DrSumit

However, what I don't get is, why do most experts on the forum consider the 530d (almost unanimously!) better than the smaller sibling? I believe there MUST be something you have felt in the 530d, that is not just about the segment or space on offer...

As a background, I looking for a self-driven German that will plaster a smile on my (or my dad's) face, will run ~6000km p.a. (mostly city), shall be kept for 5y and has to be maintained at authorized stations, since I don't know/ believe FNGs in Kolkata. A covered parking space is no issue. To add to the confusion, I am also considering the C300d!


Please suggest.

Several reasons for the praise the 530D has received:
- the 30d engine - the smaller 3, 30i variants all get 2L, 4cyl engines compared to the 3L, 6cylinder on the 530D. Performance is superlative in part thanks to the torque which is missing on the 30i variants including 330i.
- the F10 had a much better balanced ride & handling package than the F30 which was too floaty at higher speeds - so much so that it could rival some Hyundais.
- The 3 and competitors are quite tight and low, so for family trips the 5 series worked perfectly balancing size and fun.
- in the case of the E90 320D & E60 525/530D: both were very desirable options with enthusiasts, with the 5 being the more practical choice compared to the sportier and smaller 320D.

That being said, in the new market, the G20 has apparently come a long way. For pure city driving, the G20 330i will be more nimble and fun; but on an open highway nothing will come close to the 530D (key word is open).

The C is a good option - i love the smaller turning radius, fluid steering, etc.
But I still find BMWs to be that much better built in terms of niggles and rattles.

[Tanveer_2558]

Voted : YES !

All the positives and negatives are probably already said,

My 2 cents :

If there is anyone visiting this thread it must be because of the power output of the 530d, Or else the humble 520d does the commuter work very well.

Go for a stage 2 tune + Downpipe + Transmission tune on a 530d, Only then you'll realise how much potential the engine and gearbox actually has and once you have done this, You can't pen down the feeling you have to experience it, People saying f10 went softer after E60, YES! But nothing a B6 can't fix, Try upgrading from this car and be ready to shell out lot of money and lose out on 2 or more of practicality this car offers, Atleast!

A Sub 5 second to 100 kph, 4 door sedan with a large boot and which runs on normal diesel

[Vikram Arya]

A caveat first; the heading said F10 and is not specific to the gasoline or diesel variants, so I have penned down my thoughts on the N55 6 pot gas motor.

Being a proud owner of 2016 535i, I have voted yes and having completed one year of ownership back in June I would say it was very satisfying purchase. Though most of the pros and cons have already been discussed, I will provide my perspective for whatever it is worth for the N55 gasoline motor variant.

For the period preceding the purchase of the car I was actively considering a MB E-550 that came with an 8-cylinder motor with 49,000 kms. on the clock at the same price but decided against it after driving it. Though the car was in pristine condition it handled like a boat which is not a bad thing but that’s not what I was looking for.

I purchased the car when it had 27,000 kms. on the odometer and now it is at 30,500 so 3,500 kms. driven in a year. The car was parked from November to May as we have a severe winter & it is my weekend car anyways besides I don’t want to expose the car to the salt and grit additionally the 19/20 inch winter tires/wheels are frightfully expensive.

I’m impressed with the car and I will say that I would buy it again without hesitation; some of the primary reasons being:

1. It is a timeless design. It is a car that you will just go into the garage to look at it at night. I have done it many time & every-time I look at it, it brings a smile to my face.

2. The N55 motor. This 6-pot mill was voted one of the ten best engines in the world back in 2012. It is rev happy motor that spins effortlessly to 7,000 rpm. This is a super reliable motor; some owners have done close to 280,000 kms without major issues.

3. Though the car weigh almost 2 tons; when you step on it in sports plus mode, it just takes off. I have clocked 5.9 seconds to 100kmph from standstill.

4. Though one would feel that with such portly dimensions it will be somewhat cumbersome to handle but it is not a slouch while going around corners; I have taken a couple of circular exit ramp to an intercity highway at 100 kmph and the car did not flinch; part of the reason though is its 20-inch ultra-high-performance summer tires

5. Gas mileage; on my 1,100 km trip from Vancouver it almost gave me an incredible 13.1 kmpl on 91 octane gas; a constant speed of 110 kmph was maintained for 95% of the trip

6. 16 speaker Harmon Kardon audio set up is really good

7. Fabulous sports seats; one of the best I have ever sat in & I completed 1,100 km trip in 12 hours flat and did not feel tired at all.

8. Impressive build quality (par for the course for Teutonic sports luxury sedans)

9. Exhaustive list of modifications that are possible to improve the power of the engine depending upon your inclination/willingness to tinker with the engine (I plan to keep the car stock; 320 horses are more than enough for me)


Some of the things that could have been better:

1. The car could shed a couple hundred kilos; at 4,200 lbs. it is heavy.

2. Heat soak; N55 motor runs quite hot and this will in the long run deteriorate plastic parts such as charge pipe routing the air from intercooler to the intake. One way to fix it is by installing an aftermarket intercooler

3. Storage space/s around the cabin; does not even come with a sunglass holder which is what I miss the most though in all fairness there is big compartment on the left side of the driver below the headlight switch (On the right side in the Indian variant) that I use to keep my sunglasses

4. Rear cramped seating; seats are super comfortable though (it personally does not affect me as I drive alone 99% of the time)

5. A bit stiff ride quality (this has more to do with rubber band thin 275/30R20 RFTs; I’m sure it will improve tremendously once I switch to regular tires)

Prices have come down over last 24 months and a low mileage post LCI car could make a very compelling case in case you have access to a garage and the roads in and around the city/town that you live in are in reasonable condition. Access to a good BMW shop (not the dealer) in your city will be a plus.

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by DrSumit

Experts and users - this is a conundrum I am currently facing and so reach out to you for advice. I am considering the 330i (new) versus the 530d (new or sparingly used). Simply reading about these cars on the forum seems to point towards the 330i as a better choice. However, what I don't get is, why do most experts on the forum consider the 530d (almost unanimously!) better than the smaller sibling? I believe there MUST be something you have felt in the 530d, that is not just about the segment or space on offer...

As a background, I looking for a self-driven German that will plaster a smile on my (or my dad's) face, will run ~6000km p.a. (mostly city), shall be kept for 5y and has to be maintained at authorized stations, since I don't know/ believe FNGs in Kolkata. A covered parking space is no issue. To add to the confusion, I am also considering the C300d!

Caveat: This is a heart-over-head query, and does not consider the new-vs-used depreciation angle.

Please suggest.

I would side with the voices claiming the 530d is better than the 330i for a multitude of reasons

• Displacement is displacement. BMW is known for their creamy smooth inline 6s, and the 530d is a perfect exponent of that
• It's not just frugal when you want to tootle around town, but monstrous when unleashed on the highway
• It's as perfect a balance of sporty and sensible as you're going to get this side of 1cr, IMO
• The 3 is the heart and soul of BMW, but the 5 is where its true luxury quotient starts shining through

For your needs though, just 6000 KMS a year, the petrol makes a lot more sense. Definitely go for the 330i, you won't regret doing so for a second.

[jayanttalwar]

Originally Posted by DrSumit

Experts and users - this is a conundrum I am currently facing and so reach out to you for advice. I am considering the 330i (new) versus the 530d (new or sparingly used). Simply reading about these cars on the forum seems to point towards the 330i as a better choice. However, what I don't get is, why do most experts on the forum consider the 530d (almost unanimously!) better than the smaller sibling? I believe there MUST be something you have felt in the 530d, that is not just about the segment or space on offer...



Please suggest.

I feel you should drive both and decide,the 330i with the smaller footprint might be better if you do not plan to spend anytime in the backseat or have a family with tall/big people.

[cityvic]

Originally Posted by DrSumit

As a background, I looking for a self-driven German that will plaster a smile on my (or my dad's) face, will run ~6000km p.a. (mostly city), shall be kept for 5y and has to be maintained at authorized stations, since I don't know/ believe FNGs in Kolkata. A covered parking space is no issue. To add to the confusion, I am also considering the C300d!

Since you are considering a new C300, 330i as well, I assume your budget is around 40-50 lakhs?

Also you will not find a single G30 530d on sale in Calcutta currently. You will find a few barely run 520d's that are a year old and on sale, but again the 2.0L diesel just does not make the cut for the wow factor. F10 530d's there are several on sale but they sell around 15-30 lakhs depending on the year, condition. However with a budget of 40-50L, you have got much better cars than a F10 that you can buy.

Since you said, the car will be self driven mostly and back seat is not really a priority. Close your eyes and go in for a new 330i M Sport or a new C300d AMG. Both cars are available new at a very sweet deal from the dealers in the city. They will be new, hassle free, latest products, loaded with tech and the Benz/BMW after sales service in Kolkata is pretty good too.

Personally if I were you, I would pick the 330i M over the C300d, mainly because the C W205 is about to get discontinued very soon to be replaced by the C Class W206 whereas the 3 Series G20 is an absolutely fresh product in the market. But you will also get the C300d slightly cheaper than the 330i M too due to higher discounts on that.

Would suggest you connect with the following with my reference. They shall help you out for your requirements and also give your the best deal.

C300d - Anup Singh +91 9674014545 (Benchmark Interkrafts Mercedes)
330i - Subhro Pratim Choudhury +91 9674735503 (OSL Prestige BMW)

Looking to hear back on what you finally chose.

Best Regards
Rohin Raj Sureka

[kamilharis]

Voted YES!

I am a big Merc guy but 520/530d is the beemer which is so hard for me to resist.

Full marks to BMW for it's classy timeless design and excellent Engine + ZF combo.

[Altocumulus]

Voted YES, however I won't buy one, not that I can't afford a pre-worshipped example.

I stay in Delhi and Diesels will have 10 year life span. Buying a used one within 10-15 L and I will hardly be able to use it for a year or two max. Petrols a few years more and then have to be sold at a huge loss or scrapped.

[DrSumit]

Originally Posted by cityvic

However with a budget of 40-50L, you have got much better cars than a F10 that you can buy.

Both cars are available new at a very sweet deal from the dealers in the city.

Would suggest you connect with the following with my reference.

Thank you Rohin for the exhaustive reply albeit with a precise direction! This definitely refines my perspective - so it's squarely a new 330i/ 300d now.

Although the 300d is older, and personally I would likely pick a 330i, I guess my father steers more towards the 3 pointed star (isn't that the exact difference in character that these automotive giants have built over time?!). So now I will leave it to our gut feel over multiple drives.

Many thanks for the dealer connect. I hope to update you all on our choice soon...

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Several reasons for the praise the 530D has received:

For pure city driving, the G20 330i will be more nimble and fun; but on an open highway nothing will come close to the 530D (key word is open).

The C is a good option - i love the smaller turning radius, fluid steering, etc.
But I still find BMWs to be that much better built in terms of niggles and rattles.

Thank you Lamborghini for the explanation. Considering 2 factors, I guess the 530D wouldn't be my choice right now:
- Kolkata: As other experts pointed out, there's a dearth of options for the G30 530Ds. I'd probably be better off looking at a 330i. Since I don't spend much time on highways, I suppose stretching/ waiting wouldn't make sense either.
- Space: Our cars are driven alone or as a duo 90% of the times. Till our limbs work, my father and I will never ever employ a chauffeur. Therefore the LAST thing I look for is back seat comfort.

You do leave your comment with a disturbing touch on "niggles & rattles" - is it true that Mercs end up with them? I don't see why I should pay 50L for such quality. My Fiat Linea from yesteryears didn't have a single rattle through 4 yrs of ownership!!

[vredesbyrd]

Just out of curiousity, they must be having some BS4 F30 330i's and G30 530d's leftover stock. Where did it go? I can't shake the idea of getting a BMW for chump change amount

[vyasachetan]

Hi Guys,

Wanted to understand in the Lifecycle of the F10 530d. My friend was considering buying a 2014 model, however it is not in the Msport trim. My understanding is that:

2010-2012 - Ground clearance of 141mm and was not sold in the Msport trim.

2013-2017 - Ground clearance of 157mm and was sold only in the Msport trim.

By the way on road price of the new 530d is 84L on road Bangalore.

Look forward to some clarification here.

Thanks

[GTO]

Originally Posted by vyasachetan

My friend was considering buying a 2014 model, however it is not in the Msport trim.

Any 2014 530d has to be an M-Sport. It was made mandatory with the 530d somewhere in early 2013. Another update came in October 2013 (report link) which got the updated headlamps, rims, steering, better sound system and some more. The 2014 530d your friend is checking out should be looking like the presser in this thread (unless your friend is checking out a non-530d).

As if to confuse further, BMW had later launched a 520d M-Sport too.

2010-2012 - Ground clearance of 141mm and was not sold in the Msport trim.

2013-2017 - Ground clearance of 157mm and was sold only in the Msport trim.

158 mm.

[vyasachetan]

Thanks for the clarification GTO, my friend confirmed that it is a 525d, Read the review of the 525 on Team-BHP and found out that 2014 is a 2Ltr version, hence dropped it.

[Saksham]

Hey guys
What shall be right price for 2015 520d Prestige with 49k done. The car is well maintained with very clean interiors and I would love to know what shall be the best price to crack the deal. The car is being sold directly by the owner and not any dealer

Thankyouu

[Sandeep500]

Originally Posted by Saksham

Hey guys
What shall be right price for 2015 520d Prestige with 49k done. The car is well maintained with very clean interiors and I would love to know what shall be the best price to crack the deal. The car is being sold directly by the owner and not any dealer

Thankyouu

It should be between 22 to 24 approx. depending upon the condition of car and its color .