BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

[GTO]

Originally Posted by lancer_maniac

The tyre shop mechanic has rectified the bend on the alloy as of now and told me to be careful of the potholes as its a low profile tyre and there is every chance of the alloy bending again if Im not careful.

This is why I hate all these fancy tyre sizes. They simply aren't practical for India. What we need is high profile tyres with smaller wheels. Equally, I might add, as long as you take the necessary precautions, you should be okay. I've had loads of highway trips on my car and not once ended up with a bent rim / damaged tyre. Just be alert for potholes.

Thinking of changing the tyres to at-least a 50 profile one

You can't. The car will 100% scrape the innards. If at all you want to swap, move to the 17" size seen on some 520ds.

I haven't touched the manual of my car till date as I find this thread to be more informative that the official manual itself

Thanks .

And do give us some updates about your Beemer which I reckon might have gone through some new mods as its been some time since you gave us an update of your Beast.

No updates on an ownership thread usually means "all is well". The car is rocking .

[PrasannaDhana]

GTO, I found this meme on facebook. Apparently someone used your pic for the meme.

The write up translates as:

"One day the boss came to office in a spanking new BMW, the employee told him that the car looked awesome. The boss replied 'Keep doing what you have been doing, put in your 200% and meet all the targets. That way, I will buy another BMW next year"

[mijnoirhammer67]

Hey everyone,
this lil query i got is for GTO and other gurus out here. I’m looking to change the Continental Contisports tyres we get stock on our car (530d) to something else.

Naturally I was inclined going for the Michelin pilot sports 4, but they don’t have 275/40 in their Indian line up. It’s a shame really as they are literally one of the best performance tyres out there. So I was asking if y'all got any advice on what I should change this to? The car demands a 245/40 and 275/40 setup i guess.

Also, I've faced some issues with the BMW M sport alloys that come on the M-sport model. Ive spoken to other owners and they too have expressed their discontent over the alloy durability. My car personally is never driven through rough roads and potholes. This car has barely seen a highway run and always taken over meticulously by me.

At the moment, all 4 alloys are bent. And they do cost a lot to think of replacing on an annual basis. So was hoping for some advice from the people out here.

Change of tyres from the current ones, this is a late 2015 model with complete stock configuration (atleast the tyres and alloys are ), and new and different alloys. Im not too fussy about sticking to the 18 incher's and would swap to a 17' inch too if i can the tyre for the same.

Thanks guys

[GTO]

Originally Posted by mijnoirhammer67

Naturally I was inclined going for the Michelin pilot sports 4, but they don’t have 275/40 in their Indian line up.

The front's 245s are easy to source in tubeless, but the rear 275s aren't available. That's one of the reasons I stuck with the Continental Runflats at the time of replacement.

If you really want them, import it from tirerack - related thread.

Alternatively, you could go with 245s all around (as the lesser 5-Series are).

At the moment, all 4 alloys are bent

BMW dealers are used to fixing them as all their cars with big rims get bent. Just keep straightening .

Im not too fussy about sticking to the 18 incher's and would swap to a 17' inch too if i can the tyre for the same.

Moving down to 17s would actually be a sensible option if you're up to it. Ride quality will noticeably improve too.

[Tanveer_2558]

Originally Posted by mijnoirhammer67

Naturally I was inclined going for the Michelin pilot sports 4, but they don’t have 275/40 in their Indian line up. It’s a shame really as they are literally one of the best performance tyres out there. So I was asking if y'all got any advice on what I should change this to? The car demands a 245/40 and 275/40 setup i guess.

Like i told ya man, 530d needs to have a staggered setup! 275 sections at the rear is a must.

Also, I've faced some issues with the BMW M sport alloys that come on the M-sport model. Ive spoken to other owners and they too have expressed their discontent over the alloy durability. My car personally is never driven through rough roads and potholes. This car has barely seen a highway run and always taken over meticulously by me.

Seriously man! BMW should come up with a solution for this, Least like a insurance thing that they would cover the bent repair or replace by paying a small fee yearly, maybe!

At the moment, all 4 alloys are bent. And they do cost a lot to think of replacing on an annual basis. So was hoping for some advice from the people out here.

About 60k for each alloy from a BMW service centre i suppose, Keep me in the loop about your insurance claim.

Originally Posted by GTO

If you really want them, import it from tirerack - related thread.

Me & mijnoirhammer67 are seriously considering to get PS4 imported,

Alternatively, you could go with 245s all around (as the lesser 5-Series are).

I strongly believe having a 275 PS4 at the rear will really make the car grip well.

BMW dealers are used to fixing them as all their cars with big rims get bent. Just keep straightening

Do you mean to say BMW dealers actually straighten out the bent rims? Or did i misunderstand here.

Moving down to 17s would actually be a sensible option if you're up to it. Ride quality will noticeably improve too.

Makes sense in a way, But love the looks of the 18 on the car.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

About 60k for each alloy from a BMW service centre i suppose, Keep me in the loop about your insurance claim.

If damaged, they are 100% covered by insurance. I'd gotten a 16" rim of my C220 replaced under insurance after it got damaged on the way back from Goa.

Me & mijnoirhammer67 are seriously considering to get PS4 imported,

Please do share the import experience, and however smooth or not it was.

I strongly believe having a 275 PS4 at the rear will really make the car grip well.

No doubt. Even with 275s, she was sliding her rear end around last night (roads were wet), thanks to that torque. But I've driven many 6-cylinder 525ds with 245s and those are certainly 'adequate' too.

Do you mean to say BMW dealers actually straighten out the bent rims?

Yep, they take care of minor bends.

[varunanb]

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

Me & mijnoirhammer67 are seriously considering to get PS4 imported,

I need a set of two 245/50 R18 RFT. After just going thru the post and their website, the prices are impresive. Got a swift response from their representative with a quote. Had the rear tires replaced locally 3 months back and the price difference is huge, almost a difference of 40% excluding duties.

kindly do share and keep us updated about ur experience with tirerack. would love to go ahead with them.

[Tanveer_2558]

Originally Posted by varunanb

I need a set of two 245/50 R18 RFT. After just going thru the post and their website, the prices are impresive. Got a swift response from their representative with a quote. Had the rear tires replaced locally 3 months back and the price difference is huge, almost a difference of 40% excluding duties.

kindly do share and keep us updated about ur experience with tirerack. would love to go ahead with them.

Unfortunately the first email did not get us much details, We have shot another one to see what price are they offering with Fed ex or similar shipping method, Will keep you guys in the loop.

[GTO]

Wondering if an argument can be made that bigger engines last longer. Reason = under the same driving condition, they see lesser stress.

Last night, my brother drove home and I was on the back seat. Was keeping an eye on the rev counter and he was only between 1,000 - 1,500 rpm. Mind you, it was at midnight, so we were moving at a fair pace (not bumper-to-bumper traffic).

On the highway, the gearing helps. I can cruise on the expressway at 100 / 120 kmph at 1,200 - 1,500 rpm! Unless you are in 'race' mode, the engine doesn't need to work hard at all.

[im_srini]

Originally Posted by GTO

Wondering if an argument can be made that bigger engines last longer.

Such an argument was indeed made ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKIryzmF-VM

[GTO]

Originally Posted by im_srini

Such an argument was indeed made

Good one! Thanks for sharing. Although, I have a counter argument now = Big engine in the hands of an enthusiast means frequent redlining, thus negating any such advantage as mentioned in my previous post .

Today, I happened to pass by the place where I'd picked my car up. Sure brought back memories. This car has provided the most pleasurable 2.5 years of ownership:

[netchef]

Someone had posted that he had changed the colour of the back lighting on the 530D dashboard. Will this work on my 2012 525D that currently has a red-orange glow across all instruments and the AC controls etc.?

If it's feasible, could someone give me step-by-step instructions?

[varunanb]

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

Unfortunately the first email did not get us much details, We have shot another one to see what price are they offering with Fed ex or similar shipping method, Will keep you guys in the loop.

Any updates on importing the tyres? Are they confirming the batch code before purchase?

[abhiram7912]

Originally Posted by netchef

Someone had posted that he had changed the colour of the back lighting on the 530D dashboard. Will this work on my 2012 525D that currently has a red-orange glow across all instruments and the AC controls etc.?

If it's feasible, could someone give me step-by-step instructions?

You cant change the background colour for the instrument cluster or the central console buttons. Did you mean the ambient lighting? I think it has to be coded in for that option.

[GTO]

No news on Team-BHP ownership threads usually means good news. 530d is working beautifully. It has the ability to turn every drive into a special occasion. Am also surprised that the original battery has lasted 4 years (and counting), despite the heavy electrical demand on it.

Mechanical faults = zero. Electrical faults = zero. Main issue = water leakage (twice).

On Saturday night, I spotted a pristine E60 530d which looked like it just rolled out of the showroom. At the minimum, this example is 7 years old, if not more:


That's how I want my car to age. Ignore the malfunctioning light though


As if to contrast that, I met this poorly maintained 530d last night. Bruised all over. Owner hasn't even shut the sunroof properly which shows his lack of care for the car:


Meanwhile, the car cover & bi-annual detailing help to keep my beast looking like new (shot last night):




A look at the new EcoSport's key. Obvious where Ford designers took their inspiration, no?


Now, why am I bringing in the EcoSport on a 5-Series thread? To drive home an important point.

It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow

Over the weekend, I took the EcoSport all around town. Up & down the Western Express highway, for an airport run, around BKC etc. On Saturday night, it was a whole lot of fun to revv that 1.5L engine around Mumbai. Lots & lots of opportunity to redline. In comparison, I would say that the 530d is simply too fast for cities - a 'pedal to the metal' session cannot last more than a couple of seconds as you immediately run out of road! Am wondering what people do with 500 BHP cars in cities. The only place you can really have fun with them is on the highway. I'm willing to bet a 100 bucks with anyone that a Mini Cooper S will be more fun to drive in India than a Ferrari.

You can't even imagine the time Moderator Suhaas & I had with this car on a wet highway (related thread). Cornering that go-kart on a soaked Igatpuri ghat was automotive nirvana