[GTO]

Check out this thread (Completely fed up of damaging my 18" rims | Bought an extra full set of wheels) for full details on my saga with the R18 wheel size.

[GTO]

Everything has opened up in Bombay (socially), restaurants are now on till late, my kid brother is getting married in mid-December and there are no new car launches this time of the year (so no press cars at my place).

As a result, the 530d's running has significantly increased.

She moves like a dream .

Got her detailed by the very talented team @ Glosswerkz that's run by Joe & Blackwasp, who was part of my full-time team and remains a great friend.









While at it, got the family limo and offroader also detailed:

[lamborghini]

Your garage is looking sweet!

I've used Glosswerkz in the past on the F30 and a couple others, and absolutely love their work!
Their attention to detail is immaculate : from masking the car properly, to bringing additional lighting to make sure the car looks better than new when completed!

Here's the F30 328i after they worked their magic on it last:

[lemedico]

Gleaming well detailed cars! However I am curious to know why you're not on HSRP's for the 5er and the 4x4?

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by lemedico

Gleaming well detailed cars! However I am curious to know why you're not on HSRP's for the 5er and the 4x4?

The DC Design font as they were popularly known in Mumbai back in the day has many fans still for its clean, simple, minimalistic design.
I believe the HSRP are mandatory for newer cars but not for existing vehicles in MH.

[GTO]

My kid brother's wedding ceremonies & celebrations underway, and the 5 served as a loyal steed. Cousins found it hard to believe that she is now 8.xx years old. Check out pictures of the Jeep & Superb as well.

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by GTO

My kid brother's wedding ceremonies & celebrations underway, and the 5 served as a loyal steed. Cousins found it hard to believe that she is now 8.xx years old.

Many congratulations to your brother

I see the 530d has left untouched by decorations while the superb and jeep have got their floral decors.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Many congratulations to your brother

Thanks bro!

I see the 530d has left untouched by decorations while the superb and jeep have got their floral decors.

Great observation. After my bro made a last minute decision (Skoda Superb : Official Review) to ride in the Superb instead of the Bimmer, we thought we'll leave the BMW at home. But then, at such a big function, better to have one extra car than one less, so she rode along.

[BeMyWings]

Congratulations to the entire family!

The way you have maintained and run your car is top notch. I've always enjoyed reading your experiences and learnt from your wisdom of your ownership experience. Thank you very much for sharing it with us.

[humbleroadster]

Originally Posted by GTO

Damn, this is what the next-gen 5 Series looks like. I hate BMW's new design direction, especially how the headlamps meet the grille./

I absolutely agree with this. The smaller grille looked defined on the older versions. Since it is an inherent design, I could safely blame it on the chrome bit making it much worse (my own perception)!

Here’s mine with the chrome and de-chromed on the F25 :

[GTO]

Androdev commented on his S-Class thread about how tough these cars are built, and I completely agree. Sure, you got to drive them carefully and spare parts are expensive, but they aren't fragile machines. On the contrary, I see so many parts & areas that are over-engineered. On Sunday night, the car ahead of me dislodged a medium-sized stone and sent it my way. Had no choice but to drive over it (my front right wheel). Nothing happened to the car. Checked it thoroughly and all seems okay. I have also had my fair share of big potholes & bumps at speed (inevitable on Indian highways), and the car has emerged unscathed (except for bent 18" rims).

Another point = I don't know whether it's my driving style or the 650 Nm torque or the Pirellis, but at 10000 km, the rear tyres have already lost a noticeable amount of grip (like 30'ish %). The car's butt now slides around too easily. It actually caught me out the other day = was in the rightmost lane and gunned it in 2nd gear. Slid a bit too close to the divider for my comfort. Going to be watchful.

Already spent 1.70 lakhs on 2 tyre sets in 48,000 km. The Pirellis cost about 70k in the market and last 20,000 km tops. Just pointing it out so others buying these kind of cars are well aware of the costs. If you drive 1500 - 2000 / km a month, you're looking at a full tyre set every single year.

Recent pictures from a drive-in movie @ Jio. Was a terrific experience

[novice]

Dear FMs,

I am thinking of picking up an F10 530d. I was keen on G30 model but getting a good one at right price in Bangalore seems impossible. Getting one from out of state will work out too expensive as I need to factor in additional 10+ lakhs on road tax. I see that there are plenty of F10s available at good prices. But does it make sense to buy an F10 now as most are 6+ years old. Or should I wait for another year or so for more G30s to become available.

Few F10s caught my attention,
https://www.olx.in/item/bmw-5-series...iid-1668053845 - 2nd Owner, 1st Owner is Sachin Tendulkar. MH Registered

https://www.olx.in/en-in/item/bmw-5-...iid-1671471983 - 1st Owner, KA Registered

https://www.olx.in/en-in/item/bmw-5-...iid-1669728912 - 1st Owner, UP Registered

The first one looks great but I am concerned that it has been on sale from late Oct/early Nov. I think the second one makes more sense as I don't have to deal with road tax as it is a Bangalore registered car.

I would like to know FMs opinion on these cars and the right price. And also on the larger question of "Does buying F10 makes sense anymore?".

Thanks in advance.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by novice

Dear FMs,

I am thinking of picking up an F10 530d. I was keen on G30 model but getting a good one at right price in Bangalore seems impossible. Getting one from out of state will work out too expensive as I need to factor in additional 10+ lakhs on road tax. I see that there are plenty of F10s available at good prices. But does it make sense to buy an F10 now as most are 6+ years old. Or should I wait for another year or so for more G30s to become available.

Few F10s caught my attention,
https://www.olx.in/item/bmw-5-series...iid-1668053845 - 2nd Owner, 1st Owner is Sachin Tendulkar. MH Registered

https://www.olx.in/en-in/item/bmw-5-...iid-1671471983 - 1st Owner, KA Registered

https://www.olx.in/en-in/item/bmw-5-...iid-1669728912 - 1st Owner, UP Registered

The first one looks great but I am concerned that it has been on sale from late Oct/early Nov. I think the second one makes more sense as I don't have to deal with road tax as it is a Bangalore registered car.

I would like to know FMs opinion on these cars and the right price. And also on the larger question of "Does buying F10 makes sense anymore?".

Thanks in advance.

That KA car looks good - those brown+black interiors and that steering wheel are probably the best stuff BMW India has offered. Blue/Black exterior would have been nice but it's better to have nice interiors compared to exterior colour. It's worth checking for those interiors alone IMO.

Limit your search to cars that you can check thoroughly ( A S.S paper work and in person test drive etc). 530D with close to 40K km mileage, 55L for G30 and 30L F10 would be a decent price in South India incl BLR. Be flexible with price if a car is super clean in all respects - they are hard to come by. You can always adjust a couple of lakhs in personal finances. We quickly forget the price we paid and the deal we got, but we touch and feel the car everyday.

Yes F10 certainly makes sense unless you are conscious about wanting to be seen in the latest model. For the price of that fat elephant with three rows you are considering, you can afford a new engine and gearbox replacement on F10 if it comes to that ;-) Doing hard braking, sharp lane change and rapid take off in one quick smooth sequence and yet look like a gentleman driver to my wife/dad in passenger seat - that's the stuff i am talking about.

80L for new 5 series is painful to swallow but 30-60 for used F10/G30 is a solid choice. Really nice thing about BMW is that their design is very evolutionary and you can still enjoy F10 without lusting for a G30 especially if you pick nice interiors like the above. Not much difference in the drivetrain. Of course, your bragging rights will be proportional to the money you spend and not to the value you get.

Warm up to BMW you have time till March to cancel your Kodiaq. Actually why buy a car with three rows if you don't need them? Kodiaq is a rich man's Innova, not at all a sensible choice unless one needs 3 rows. And anyone needing 3 rows can be boring at best, from an automotive point of view. Lost cause.

[novice]

Thanks androdev. I did ask myself the same questions but couldn't come up with any convincing answers to justify getting a Kodiaq. But having said that, I can't see any viable alternative unless I find a preowned 530d/530i. A G30 530d would still be my top choice if I can find a good one.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by novice

Dear FMs

What is FM ?

The Bangalore car looks good. That's the one I'd check out. Has full service history at Navnit as well. The G30 is an incremental upgrade over the F10, so I wouldn't fuss over the older vs newer generation.