[#enzowho]

So, It;s been almost four months and 2.7k Kms on the car certain issues started popping up.

1.Breaks feel very spongy that it doesn't inspire confidence in bumper to bumper traffic
2.Slight Knocking when climbing uphill/slope at 2-5 kms speed from the left side.
3.Mintue vibrations over the entire interior which is more pronounced in the back seats.

Issues 2&3 have cropped up since friday.

Took it to the bangalore dealer two weeks back for the brake issue, the SA took it on the highway to speeds and hard braked only to tell me that it's common and never to revert back.
Hence, Made a few calls to the Showroom and CRM and the Tech Heads at the Local ASS,finally spoke to the right people and they promised to look up on the issue this Saturday.
Overall, the car is amazing but these small issues and non responsive treatment from the ASS seems to leave a bitter experience.
Hoping to get it resolved and have a better overall experience with the dealer.
Navnit has an amazing Sales team but their Service Centre is a hit or miss, mostly a miss according to various people who happen to own a BMW.

Anyone have experienced the same issues?

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Shera

I have just purchased the 520i

Congratulations! Got good discounts, I hope?

You recommend 6yrs BSI

If your running is high, get the BMW Service Inclusive Plus (services, repairs, wear and tear items...everything included). On the other hand, if your running is on the lower side, just get the extended warranty for 6 years (BMW Repair Inclusive). This extended warranty is a MUST.

leave this as stock for a bit and then think of changing it

I prefer to do the mods slowly & steadily.

Originally Posted by #enzowho

Breaks feel very spongy that it doesn't inspire confidence in bumper to bumper traffic

Have them checked again. No such issue on my car.

Mintue vibrations over the entire interior which is more pronounced in the back seats.

None on my car yet, although I won't be surprised if they crop up. Tell the service center to fix them. From my review:

Originally Posted by GTO

An irritating factor = All the F10s I've driven with 50,000+ kms on the odometer had some creaks, squeaks & rattles. While they weren't excessive, car guys like us will surely notice them. Google up F10 rattles / creaks and you'll see innumerable owners whining. In comparison, my C220 had absolutely no rattles or creaks at 100,000 kms!

[ashishkashyap]

Congrats to all those who acquired the BMW 530d M-Sport. I got one year and a half ago. Amazing machine. I have clocked 17000 Kms. While i will post my detailed reviews on the vehicle shortly, I wanted to get a view on the tyres.

At 17000Kms, tyres have almost worn off. They came fitted with :
Continental Sport Contact 3e (Run Flats)
245/45 R18 : Front
275/40 R18 : Rear

Various threads suggest moving to normal tubeless tyres. If that is the case, what should be the alternate to the above mentioned configuration? Any views on the same will be helpful.

[kedarwalke]

Originally Posted by ashishkashyap

Congrats to all those who acquired the BMW 530d M-Sport. I got one year and a half ago. Amazing machine. I have clocked 17000 Kms. While i will post my detailed reviews on the vehicle shortly, I wanted to get a view on the tyres.

At 17000Kms, tyres have almost worn off. They came fitted with :
Continental Sport Contact 3e (Run Flats)
245/45 R18 : Front
275/40 R18 : Rear

Various threads suggest moving to normal tubeless tyres. If that is the case, what should be the alternate to the above mentioned configuration? Any views on the same will be helpful.

I am in similar dilemma.
I have got a quote for Run flats of Rs 1.10Lacs for the above staggered setup with wheel alignment,labour etc. from Navneet Mumbai.
I want a more softer and comfortable ride,hence I want to switch to tubeless,what are the options?Should I go for a square setup or stick to the original staggered setup?

[GTO]

Originally Posted by ashishkashyap

Various threads suggest moving to normal tubeless tyres. If that is the case, what should be the alternate to the above mentioned configuration? Any views on the same will be helpful.

Originally Posted by kedarwalke

I am in similar dilemma.
I have got a quote for Run flats of Rs 1.10Lacs for the above staggered setup with wheel alignment,labour etc. from Navneet Mumbai.

I got my tyres replaced. As much as I prefer tubeless tyres over runflats, I had to choose the latter. Reasons:

- Tubeless tyres aren't available for the 530d. No one in India has them. From one dealer, I found tubeless for the front tyres (245 mm), but not the rear (275 mm). Ordering from tirerack.com was a painful option. For one, the cost of Michelins (about $1000) + shipping to India (about $675) made it ridiculous, especially when you add local custom duties (about 40k) and Octroi. Then, refer to this excellent post and witness the associated headaches of importing. My last concern was, if & when there would be some sort of issue with the tyre (say, manufacturing defect), who would handle it? Certainly not tirerack thousands of miles away.

- My experience with the Continentals has been positive. The grip levels are awesome, ride quality is comfortable and most importantly, my tyres didn't develop a bulge or any sort of damage in 25,000 km. This was an important point considering the tyre size & the fact that I head out on the highway often. Tyre guru Nikhilb2008 also told me that runflats - with their firmer sidewalls - will be less prone to damage than low-profile tubeless rubber.

Yes, the ride with tubeless tyres would be even better and their life would be a little longer. The only area I'm unhappy with the Continentals is their quick wear rate (completely gone in 25,000 km).

- Shockingly, the tyres were cheaper at BMW authorised workshops than outside! Whatever tyres that were available outside were priced a grand higher, were of 2015 build and didn't have warranty. I got 2016 build tyres from Infinity, officially imported by BMW.

It was a no-brainer purchase.

[ashishkashyap]

Originally Posted by GTO

I got my tyres replaced. As much as I prefer tubeless tyres over runflats, I had to choose the latter. Reasons:
===========
It was a no-brainer purchase.

The front ones are available in tubeless from continental and Michelin. Issue is with the rear ones. Is 275/40 R18 configuration critical for the handling of the car?

[GTO]

Originally Posted by ashishkashyap

The front ones are available in tubeless from continental and Michelin. Issue is with the rear ones. Is 275/40 R18 configuration critical for the handling of the car?

Definitely not critical, no. The 520d Luxury Line comes with 245/45 R18 all-around (including the rear). That said:

- Your car has more torque than a Ferrari 458 . Even with the fat 275s, I can make the rear slide out if I floor the accelerator or around corners.

- The staggered setup looks sweet.

- It may or may not affect your warranty. With such pricey spares & repairs, I wouldn't take chances, especially when it's a downsize we're talking about.

An additional point for those looking at tyres - Infinity did give me a choice of brands (IIRC, Bridgestone). Since my Continentals ran fine on bad roads, I stuck with these.

[ashishkashyap]

Originally Posted by GTO

Definitely not critical, no. The 520d Luxury Line comes with 245/45 R18 all-around (including the rear). That said:
======
An additional point for those looking at tyres - Infinity did give me a choice of brands (IIRC, Bridgestone). Since my Continentals ran fine on bad roads, I stuck with these.

Thanks a million! Makes sense. If i do not find the tubeless ones with the same configuration, then i will go ahead with the RFT's from the company dealer. Will keep you posted on how the hunt progresses.

[GTO]

Long weekend = Road-trip . Just returned from a 600 km drive. Long tank range means I didn't have to fill up at all; no worries about adulterated highway / small town fuel.

Drove like a dream and the grip from these new tyres is enjoyable.





Had this track all to ourselves . We played out the remaining 2 races of the F1 championship here:

[Axe77]

Lovely. Where is this place? Tell us more about the route and the destination please.

We've also taken the GT out over to Goa. My first REALLY long drive in the GT (and in life actually - never driven to Goa before). Handled like a dream.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Lovely. Where is this place? Tell us more about the route and the destination please.

The gokarting? It's a place called Zonkers, just ahead of Sula (Nasik).

We've also taken the GT out over to Goa. My first REALLY long drive in the GT (and in life actually - never driven to Goa before).

Goa, what a drive...what a destination. Can't wait to take the 530d there. She's been out on 15+ highway runs already, but all within Maharashtra. Hopefully, Goa happens soon. Have done the road many times in my C220.

[MercedesGirl]

Originally Posted by GTO

The gokarting? It's a place called Zonkers, just ahead of Sula (Nasik).

GTO,

That Go-Kart place is so tempting, May I ask how are the roads to Nasik / Sula? Would love to plan a trip sometime, and is fuel an issue should there be a need to refill?

Lovely thread this is, and I still am of an Opinion if someone needs a 5, or a perfect package of daily driving this is the car to own. It even makes more sense now that the car is offered with almost every feature as standard in India.

Lovely thread and Loving each and every bit of this forum, it takes a lot to start something but to keep it at the quality You, your moderators and the people here have kept this forum at is something I rarely see even on global forums.

God Bless,

[GTO]

Originally Posted by MercedesGirl

That Go-Kart place is so tempting, May I ask how are the roads to Nasik / Sula? Would love to plan a trip sometime, and is fuel an issue should there be a need to refill?

The highway while going was good. However, the side used when coming back had a few rough patches. The 1-way ghat up to Igatpuri and down is legendary! It even has run-off areas in case you overcook a corner .

The road to Sula is okay, no major deal breakers. It's broken afterward to this go-karting place, but since the distance is only a km or two, it's not much of a bother.

We have a place in Deolali which we visit every 2 months or so. If you head out to Nasik, be sure to drive to Bhandardara dam. Lovely road. You could really stretch the legs of your 7-Series on the backroad from Deolali to Bhandardara:


There's also places for white water rafting & gliding (link).

is fuel an issue should there be a need to refill?

Start with a full tank. If you need to fill up here, choose a company-owned, company-operated pump and verify its quality with some local folk.

Lovely thread and Loving each and every bit of this forum, it takes a lot to start something but to keep it at the quality You, your moderators and the people here have kept this forum at is something I rarely see even on global forums.

Thanks!

[Hashed]

Originally Posted by GTO

I got my tyres replaced. As much as I prefer tubeless tyres over runflats, I had to choose the latter.

Hi GTO,

Am an avid follower of this forum - I know much has already been discussed about RFTs versus tubeless. While the benefits of tubeless are obvious (ride quality), I've stuck to RFTs on my BMWs for the safety they provide and the few experiences I've had on highways, where the RFTs provided me a safe drive until I found a mechanic to repair/ change to the space saver.

But I recently TDed a 3GT and was blown away by the comfort and ride quality on our poor roads (Bombay) - felt as smooth as an air suspension. Can you provide some feedback on the 530d's ride quality, specially when compared to the 3GT? I've driven a 520d but never a 530d, and wanted a comparison on the real world ride quality on our poor roads before narrowing down on an option (new 3GT versus used 530d). The heart goes with 530d but the mind goes with 3GT due to the practicality it provides - this is going to be a family car with the occasional 5 adults on long drives (see my short pros and cons compare below). Although I know I'm comparing different motors, somehow as an overall package I feel this is a good comparison.

530d
Pros:
- 3I6, yet diesel practically and range
Cons:
- lack of rear legroom and sitting 3 abreast is an issue
- lesser GC

3GT
Pros:
- rear legroom and 3 abreast is more comfortable, massive and useful boot even with a space saver
- butter smooth ride quality
Cons:
- 2 liter 4 pot
- lacks high end grunt

Anyone else who can help compare, please share your views. Thanks!

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Hashed

Anyone else who can help compare, please share your views.

You can simplify it by asking yourself the following question - Is driving pleasure more important to me than backseat comfort? If so, it's the 530d. If not, go for the 3GT.

Of course, it's all relative. The 530d still has a backseat that is wonderfully contoured & offers A+ support (front seat will need to be moved forward though). And, the 3GT might not be as fast as a 530d, but it's still quick enough (though incomparable to a 530d).

Personally, I tend to go with the heart in such situations. For those 'occasional' times that you absolutely must carry 5 adults, am sure there are other cars in the house (I have a very spacious Sunny).

If backseat comfort & practicality are more important to you than driving pleasure, do check out the new Skoda Superb & Ford Endeavour. I'd pick them over the 3GT. More space, more practical, still premium.