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Old 29th June 2020, 09:53   #1216
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Re: BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

Quote:
Originally Posted by ashishkashyap View Post
Yesterday I discovered that the Air Con is not cooling.
Can think of two points:

1. Drive it some more first. These cars have highly intelligent electronics control and can switch off the non-essential services when the battery level is really low. Drive it for 20 - 30 km and then update.

2. Rats could have chewed up some wire / air-con pipe.

Last edited by GTO : 29th June 2020 at 09:54.
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Old 9th July 2020, 21:27   #1217
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Re: BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

Hi sorry to hijack your thread GTO but thought the best BMW answers would be available here only.

So I took delivery of my 530d last week and took it today for the first time on the highway for a 300 km round-trip (factory visit after 4 months) and on the way back the carplay started misbehaving and dropping the connection to the phone and subsequently 2 small horns started beeping almost every 2-3 mins while driving.

No error messages or any faults noted but later I realized that each time the 2 horns go off the door lock relocks itself.

Any insight on what could be going on??
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Old 12th July 2020, 14:07   #1218
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BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast-0.jpg

As explained in the rejuvenation thread, it is super important to keep "spicing" up your 5+ year old car to reignite excitement & interest. She is completing 7 years soon and I thought of pampering her with a few enhancements. Can confidentially say that my 530d today is overall superior to when I had picked it up.

All-black dual slat grille. Makes the 5 look sportier & more aggressive:
BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast-1.jpg

Compare this mean look to the all-chrome grille that she originally came with! Today, there is almost zero chrome on the car, save for a few small highlights. BMW's shadowline treatment had anyway removed a lot of the chrome that you see on F10 520ds / pre-facelift 530ds:
BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast-2.jpg

Glossy black border with matt black innards. Extremely classy. Idea credit goes to the Rapid TSI which I tested recently:
BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast-3.jpg

Had always heard of engine remaps, but never a gearbox remap! Well, I got one this time as Akshay1234 strongly recommended the xHP gearbox flash. The ZF 8-speed was already an A+ transmission, so the improvements are incremental, but it has definitely make the gearbox snappier in pedal-to-the-metal mode. Also allows more aggressive downshifts now. I love how it's retained the characteristics of the original gearbox, just making it a little slicker & a little faster. I also love how the currently engaged ratio shows in D mode (us petrolheads pay attention to these things):
BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast-4.jpg

Finally got rid of the runflats! I appreciate the additional safety they offer, however there are too many compromises (price, availability, wearing out too early, firmer ride...). Oh my God, these regular tubeless tyres have transformed the ride comfort! The F10 offered a luxurious ride compared to the E60, yet these tyres have taken it up by 20%. Superior ride quality + grip levels . The runflats started slipping & sliding by 15,000 - 17,000 km (I just gave mine up at merely 20,000 km). Am told these will go 5,000 km longer:
BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast-5.jpg

Literally had no brand or model choice (in regular tubeless) due to the 275 mm rears. Akshay1234 & Vid6639 both recommended sticking to the staggered setup, due to the massive 650 Nm torque going to the rear. This rare size is making me try brands that I have never before used - Continental with the runflats, and now Dunlop on the tubeless (I'm more of a Michelin or Yokohama guy). If you go by international reviews, they're definitely no Michelin Pilot Sports and have a rating of between "above average" to "just about good". That said, they are stickier than the Continental Runflats I've used for so long. I absolutely cannot wait for my first highway drive with the beast. Biggest difference is that she's now able to put the 310 BHP & 650 Nm down to the tarmac properly. Before, with those wornout runflats, she used to slide a lot which was fun initially, but it then got irritating. Every time you floor the pedal, you are greeted with the rear sliding out??!! End of the day, a driver wants GRIP:
BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast-6.jpg

Next update is a black roof. However, because of the body's carbon-black colour, a regular person won't even notice it! Only a diehard enthusiast / BHPian / Vid6639-type will point it out:
BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast-7.jpg

Closer look. I had lots of dents on the roof from falling coconuts, so its taken care of those:
BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast-8.jpg

Faults since the last garage visit = Zero. Loving the overall experience. I usually change cars at the 9 - 10 year mark; this one might just stay longer. Trivia = the front tyres of both these cars are the same width & the max engine torque difference is <20% (650 vs 770 Nm):
BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast-9.jpg

Last edited by GTO : 13th July 2020 at 11:41.
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Old 12th July 2020, 14:34   #1219
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BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

Nice updates GTO. Thanks to Akshay I got the blacked out grill and gearbox update quite some time ago on my imperial blue GT. Incidentally my colleague just picked up a brand new imperial blue 530d and he did the blacked out grills straight out the door from the dealer itself.

Next in line is the remap Akshay has been suggesting but i will do that post my warranty lapsing end of this year.

Last edited by Axe77 : 12th July 2020 at 14:36.
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Old 12th July 2020, 14:42   #1220
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Re: BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

I am really tempted to buy a used 530d after selling my Infiniti Q50 diesel to buy a Lexus RX350 V6 and the reliability even in Indian conditions is giving me some confidence. My Lexus is honey dew smooth and ultra reliable in a typical Lexus fashion but I miss the stability and chuckability and sheer driving pleasure of a rear drive sedan. I must resist especially during these uncertain times.
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Old 12th July 2020, 19:35   #1221
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Re: BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

GTO, don't you think retrofitting the facelift F10 headlamps would add to the appeal of the car? I have a facelift F10 (although a 520d), I simply l-o-v-e the LED headlamps. I think they'll set you back by around 50-60 grand. Attaching a photo from Tanveer's thread. On a side note, I've clocked roughly the same distance as your ride.
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BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast-img_2839.jpg  

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Old 13th July 2020, 12:23   #1222
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Re: BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

Quote:
Originally Posted by Axe77 View Post
Next in line is the remap Akshay has been suggesting but i will do that post my warranty lapsing end of this year.
Yeah, totally agreed. No remaps during the warranty period.

Quote:
Originally Posted by extreme_torque View Post
I must resist especially during these uncertain times.
True. Best to postpone all large purchases in these trying times.

Quote:
Originally Posted by advaydh View Post
GTO, don't you think retrofitting the facelift F10 headlamps would add to the appeal of the car?
I actually prefer the "classic angel eyes" circular look .
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Old 13th July 2020, 18:05   #1223
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Re: BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

Quote:
Originally Posted by ashishkashyap View Post
I have an F10(July 2014). Thanks to COVID lockdown my vehicle was parked for a while. I did start it every now and then. Yesterday I discovered that the Air Con is not cooling. Sent the car to the workshop. They said that the A/C gas needed to be recharged. At the same time the workshop folks said that that there may be a leak which they need to examine. Anyone else experience issues with the A/C of the 530D?
Assuming that it's OK to butt into GTO's thread especially since it's to help address the query at hand for the benifit of all others who read it too, I'd like to answer that.

OK, so the above problem is not specific to just the F10 or any other Beemer for that matter. In fact, if you ask around, almost 90%of cars subjected to the Covid scenario has or will have the same issue whenever they start the car after a couple of months. The following suggestion is made assuming that your Ac was working perfectly the last time you parked your car and you had not done any gas related repairs for more than 2 months before parking it.

What happens is that when the Ac system is left to sit for very long periods of time, at one or more points in the numerous joints in the refrigerant gas plumbing, the o-rings or oil-seal or gaskets at some point will dilate just that miniscule little bit at some juncture because its not getting bathed in oil like in regular system running scenario and will ever so slowly let the gas pass out over time. This depletes the gas charge and your Ac doesn't start up the next time you try it or even if it starts, the gas left over is not enough to give you cooling. That's about what it is 99% of the time and can happen to some vehicle models if they're stagnant even for above a month and a half or so.

This scenario will not happen to newer cars within 2-3 years old because all the rubbers are new. It's not what you would call a problem and generally recharging the refrigerant gas will definately solve the problem. So that's what I would suggest.
I suggest you see a trusted FNG who does proper quality work and uses a proper Recovery machine to diagnose, leak test and recharge you Ac system for best results because these German machines give proper performance only when they have a proper job done as you all may know. The exact amount of good quality refrigerant is important. If you go to Authorised Service, many a time they just throw in some extra costs when there is nothing else to show like faulty Compressor etc. That also depends on your rappo with them or the general chararacter of the Service center.

Lastly, a good way to avoid this situation is to start up your car every 10-15 days and run the engine with the Ac on for at least 10 minutes with the windows down if possible, in manual mode at 18deg temp setting. Most people do the starting up bit, but give the Ac a miss.

Just my two cents. Hope this helps.

Cheers and Drive safe!
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Old 13th July 2020, 19:44   #1224
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pixantz View Post
OK, so the above problem is not specific to just the F10 or any other Beemer for that matter. In fact, if you ask around, almost 90%of cars subjected to the Covid scenario has or will have the same issue whenever they start the car after a couple of months. The following suggestion is made assuming that your Ac was working perfectly the last time you parked your car and you had not done any gas related repairs for more than 2 months before parking it.
Thank you for this excellently articulated point. I did send my vehicle to the service centre. They put the gas and tested the car for leaks. They did not find any. Returned the vehicle with A/C gas re-charged. Now it is working beautifully. Agree : Will run the vehicle with A/C more regularly. Thank you again for the suggestions.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Faults since the last garage visit = Zero. Loving the overall experience. I usually change cars at the 9 - 10 year mark; this one might just stay longer. Trivia = the front tyres of both these cars are the same width & the max engine torque difference is <20% (650 vs 770 Nm):
Attachment 2029456
Great review! My F10 is now 6 years old too. Will shortly post pics. One question on switching to tubeless tyres : Was Dunlop the only choice?

Last edited by Aditya : 13th July 2020 at 22:56. Reason: Merging back to back posts. please use edit option when replying. Quoted text trimmed.
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Old 13th July 2020, 22:56   #1225
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Re: BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

A quick review of my BMW 530 D M-Sport (F10).
Exactly 6 years old. (or new)
Has clocked 35648 Kms

Have changed tyres once. Exactly the same configuration (Run flat). After running 15k they are not functioning well in terms of grip and tyre sound.

Key issues :
Tyre sound. I read from reviews here that the ride quality significantly improves when we move to tubeless. I will be doing so shortly.
Alloys were slightly bent. I got them repaired and it worked well. I had go to some remote part of DeAlso got the rear alignment sorted.
Recent air conditioning issue (because of lockdown). Got sorted after gas charging. Community on Team-BHP have been very helpful with de-bugging this issue.
Engine mounting : I have had to get the same replaced once.

Have not yet experienced rear seat driving. Now that the car is 6+ yrs, planning to give it to my driver.

I now have a new set of wheels. C43 AMG Coupe. ( i wrote about it last year). Despite this I really love this vehicle and i am not giving it up and going to continue to own it for few more years.
Attached Thumbnails
BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast-img_1470.jpg  

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

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Old 14th July 2020, 12:59   #1226
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Re: BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

Quote:
Originally Posted by ashishkashyap View Post
One question on switching to tubeless tyres : Was Dunlop the only choice?
In the staggered setup size, yep, Dunlop was the only choice in Mumbai.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ashishkashyap View Post
After running 15k they are not functioning well in terms of grip and tyre sound.
Even I noticed that the runflat's grip levels fall off a cliff after 15,000 km.

Quote:
Alloys were slightly bent. I got them repaired and it worked well
Due to my regular highway running, even my car always has a bent alloy or two at every service visit.

Quote:
i am not giving it up and going to continue to own it for few more years.
She is definitely a keeper!
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Old 14th July 2020, 20:54   #1227
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Re: BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

The keyfob of my BMW F10 (2012 520d) is not working properly.I don't have a spare key also and I'm using the manual key now which is very frustrating. The problem is once u change the battery of the keyfob it gets drained in 2 weeks.Tried changing it a couple of times but with the same result.

The service center people are telling that I have to replace the keyfob and the new keyfob (set of 2) will be programmed and delivered from Germany.What I wanted to know is that if the keyfob is repairable (Might be some board short circuit) The new keyfob price was quoted around Rs 35,000 but then because of this pandemic even if I go for the new keyfob it will take time to deliver as it comes directly from Germany. The whole security system will be reseted it seems. Any advice will be appreciated.

Last edited by Gannu_1 : 14th July 2020 at 21:43. Reason: Corrected amount.
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Old 14th July 2020, 21:20   #1228
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Re: BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Due to my regular highway running, even my car always has a bent alloy or two at every service visit.
What do you do with the bent alloys? Does the service centre mend it or do you end up replacing them? Anything specific to keep in mind?

I have 2 alloy wheels in my ride which are bent. Not planning to replace them in the current scenario. I got them road force balanced and it seems to be fine. But if it's safe to fix the bends, I'll definetly do it.

Last edited by Turbohead : 14th July 2020 at 21:22.
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Old 15th July 2020, 11:17   #1229
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Re: BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

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Originally Posted by lancer_maniac View Post
What I wanted to know is that if the keyfob is repairable (Might be some board short circuit)
1. Try & find the duplicate key .

2. Read this thread on smartkey battery drain.

3. Get some contacts on smartkey repair. If there are places where ECUs can be easily repaired, smartkeys should be too.

4. Keep changing the battery every 2 weeks till you find someone to repair.

5. Find a competent luxury car garage that can help you out for cheaper.

Your post offers a glimpse of the big bills we should expect when parts fail in such expensive cars.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Turbohead View Post
What do you do with the bent alloys? Does the service centre mend it or do you end up replacing them?
I repair them. My independent got it done from a wheel & tyre shop.

Last edited by GTO : 15th July 2020 at 11:18.
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Old 15th July 2020, 12:23   #1230
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Re: BMW 530d M-Sport (F10) : My pre-worshipped beast

Quote:
Originally Posted by lancer_maniac View Post
The keyfob of my BMW F10 (2012 520d) is not working properly.I don't have a spare key also and I'm using the manual key now which is very frustrating. The problem is once u change the battery of the keyfob it gets drained in 2 weeks.Tried changing it a couple of times but with the same result.

The service center people are telling that I have to replace the keyfob and the new keyfob (set of 2) will be programmed and delivered from Germany.What I wanted to know is that if the keyfob is repairable (Might be some board short circuit) The new keyfob price was quoted around Rs 35,000 but then because of this pandemic even if I go for the new keyfob it will take time to deliver as it comes directly from Germany. The whole security system will be reseted it seems. Any advice will be appreciated.
Is the keyfob able unlock/ lock the door and start the car normally when you replace the battery? You say you are using the manual key, which I assume is what you get when you pull out the metal knife like key from the fob. Once you get inside, are you able to start the car normally or do you have to hold the key fob up to the steering column to start the car?

The reason I am asking you these questions is that I am facing similar problems on my 2014 X3. Lucky you, only the keyfob battery is draining out. In my case the remote key system drained out the car battery to zero charge . Apparently the remote key + immobilizer system has gone bust and the car keeps searching for the key even when it is locked and parked, thereby draining the battery. Cost of this whole set is about Rs. 80k, is what I am told.

My car is under warranty, so they have ordered the whole set which has to come programmed from Germany. They have given me an ETA of 45 days . The car is back with me now and I can lock and unlock manually but the start up has become extremely erratic now. Sometimes it starts with one key, sometimes it refuses and starts only with the other key. There is also a good chance of battery draining out once again, so they have told me start the car for 20 mins every alt day to avoid drain. This is if I want to avoid flatbedding the car for when the part arrives!
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