[Akki_5]

Awesome review GTO and Sahil!
Would love to do a car test with you guys sometime. The white chrono rings look much better than yellow, IMO.

Originally Posted by Ash_vtec

Slightly elder generation/bent of mind wont be floored by the extra gizmos which they will not use as they merely stretch out in the back seat and waft along ( E CLASS BUYERS) while on the other hand, the younger market/more tech savvy/ steve jobs worshipping mac book toting kind will definitely prefer the more futuristic 5.

Steve Jobs worshipping, MacBook toting! LOL! Nice one there.

[SirAlec]

Thats one helluva review. Thanks for sharing.

Do you guys remember its review on some channels by a TV guy who pretends to be a petrol head.

Here is what he did, he sat at the back and points everything, legroom etc is fine. But what the hell is this bulge, BMW should work on it so that three people can sit at back.

Hellllooo knock knock !! thats the transmission tunnel and three people in an executive saloon.

what a shame. BMW giving their cars for review to people who don't know sh** about cars.

[inder_s1]

GTO,

Awesome review.

As stated earlier by most of you, the designs of BMW had suddenly gone crazy.

I remember falling in love with E36 design 10 years back. Since I couldn't get the same model, I got a scale down model of the 850i (Maroon Color) and told my parents - One day I will own a BMW.

3 years later I got my hands on E36 which was in a pathetic condition and took 2 years to restore it to it's original self by spending 2L.

I wanna own a 5 - series someday . After you review, it becomes more tempting. BMW is surely and Purely a Driver's Car.

[GTO]

Appreciate the 5 star rating

Originally Posted by nirmaljusdoit

What does the diamond shaped button on the remote do ?

Switches the headlamps on.

Does the information about the car sync wirelessly & get stored in the flash memory of the remote ?

What information? Vehicular data is stored onto the iDrive system.

Btw the lack of a spare doesn't bother me very much. Have learnt to live with it after having put together a basic repair kit for our 320D consisting of a portable compressor & tools like a spanner/jack/tubeless repair kit etc. No worries & no stress for outstation trips !

Thing is, I'd switch to tubeless type Michelins within the first 20 kms of ownership. What does one do if they end up with a major puncture in the middle of nowhere? Sahil got himself a space saver. Even though its only a 145 mm width, will still do the job. The E60 had space for a spare that's sorely missing in the F10.

Originally Posted by _raVan_

Also, isnt the HUD on the windscreen standard in the 5 series? I didnt see it being referred.

Could be on the CBU 535i. The 525d doesn't have Heads up display.

Originally Posted by khoj

What intrigues me is that in one of the snaps by GTO the RPM needle is hovering just below 1 while the display reads 'no engine start'. The ED guage is also not showing here. What gives?

The engine was indeed running. I placed the key far away from that car just to capture the warning sign!

Do you know how much the service packages will cost?

IIRC, they were in the mid-2s for 5 year coverage.

2-3 year old 7 Series, or a new 5 series? Say this is 2 years in the future and we are looking at the current 7 series (not the bangled one), and this 5 series, for a 7 year buy.

You know how I love the new 7. For personal use, I'd pick the 5 (t-i-g-h-t around corners). For your Dad, the 7 is best.

Originally Posted by lancer80

Found something awkward so thought I should point out. What is wrong with the back side of the divers seat?

I was just waiting for someone to point that out! BMW guy who delivered the car said that the last test driver wasn't...ummm...appreciative of a new machine. There's people who thoroughly abuse test cars. Not Team-BHP. As petrolheads, we respect machines. Our test cars are given back in the exact same condition that we receive them in.

Originally Posted by Anand123

Now, which car would you suggest for someone who's considering either the E250 cdi or 525d if the car would be both self & chauffeur driven (50:50)?

Both the cars are superb luxo-barges, but the E's 4 cylinder doesn't come close to the 5's inline 6 refinement. My personal recommendation would be the 5. Yet, as I posted on the first page, its not as simple as it was before (BMW = Driving, Merc = Back seat). Decisions will now be made on brand / looks / dealer preferences. Its all down to how Merc & BMW market their cars now.

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

Saw one approaching me the other day and almost thought it was a 3 series. Goes without saying, rated 5 stars!

Can't blame you. The side profile does borrow heavily from the 3. Look at the pictures again...you'll see some E39 magic too.

Originally Posted by Ash_vtec

Basically you cannot go wrong in this segment with whichever model you choose as they tied neck & neck for the key reason they are bought.... LUXO BARGES

Miss the simpler times

Love to drive: BMW

Love to be driven: Mercedes

I gotta hand it to you. Brilliant post!

[Gurpartap Singh]

Originally Posted by Ash_vtec

The E now drives better but is still no E60, looks worse than its predecessor but built way better, has comparatively less kit, but strangely when considered alone, lacks nothing that you cannot live without, is more more spacious & comfortable, period.

The 5 now rides better but its still no merc, lost its tankish charm, looks more charming and less dramatic than its predecessor, has the bells & whistles, hasn't changed much at the rear seat.

Basically you cannot go wrong in this segment with whichever model you choose as they tied neck & neck for the key reason they are bought.... LUXO BARGES

The line that divides them is the age group buying them. Slightly elder generation/bent of mind wont be floored by the extra gizmos which they will not use as they merely stretch out in the back seat and waft along ( E CLASS BUYERS) while on the other hand, the younger market/more tech savvy/ steve jobs worshipping mac book toting kind will definitely prefer the more futuristic 5.


Miss the simpler times

Love to drive: BMW

Love to be driven: Mercedes

Haha. Don't think so. BMW does a bit too much for taste of apples. This time especially with the looks (in that case, it's for grannies?) Don't go vis a vis to technology in BMW to tech in Apple. The E class' beautiful too. And the looks do get you excited in a moment. Though definitely BMW would have the edge for the "technology".

I got to examine a black E250 CDI today. It really was beautiful except for it's wheels. Waiting for my chance to see the new F10 now. Still wish the headlamps looked like those from E60...

[Mpower]

Great review guys.

As a long time BMW owner the F10 has really gotten me all excited. Being a big fan of the elegant lines of the E39, I was a little disappointed with the E60 which was a little flashy in the back and akward up front. The F10 is a superb blend of elegance, natural good looks and mild agression.

Driving wise I have TDd a E60 545i w/ sport pkg and loved its rawness and racecar like steering response. What I am hearing from you guys is that its been toned down a little bit while improving the ride quality. What helps this is that the F10 adopts a double wishbone style front suspension geometry which is a big change from the McPherson strut that they stuck with for several decades.

Looks like BMW has finally addressed the big complaints like
brittle ride quality
heavy steering at parking speeds
Interior not able to match rich feel of Audi and too similar to each other

I just wish they had'nt messed with the their traditional strong point which is the superbly weighed steering. I feel VW's EHPS would have been a good solution for them. EHPS retains the hydraulic steering rack but instead of a power sapping belt-driven pump it uses an electric motor diven system.

Interioir with its subtle chrome treatments handly beats the E-class which I found a little too plasticky. Pricing wise offering a six instead of the 4 in the E250d seals the deal for me. Fix the steering and this is one car I dont mind breaking the bank for.

Originally Posted by Sahil

Power/Engine
- I had big expectations on the power delivery improvement. Not that it was lacking in my E60 525d. Although it has 50 more NM of torque, it felt likeit had 50 less!

Interesting. Is this the effect of VGT?

Originally Posted by GTO

Can’t run away from the stiff sidewalls of the runflat tyres. The E-Class is definitely more pampering on such road patches. Yet, the 5 is close and no one will be complaining like they were in the E60. Reality is, the 5 series now rides like a 40 – 50 lakh rupee luxury sedan ought to superior BMW to live with. The 5 now appeals to a broader segment of the market.

Quite an achievement with low profile 18" run flats. I think the 520d with even smaller wheels with take ride quality to another level.

[arjunrudra]

Excellent review GTO,
Love the way you covered every bit of the car.
Now cant wait for your 530d review.
Are there any other options on the alloys too ?
Not sure about this one.

[Asifgrkhan]

Originally Posted by sidindica

I actually like this interior combination.

Attachment 359269

And I am a big fan of its looks.Can't wait for this though.

Sid,

I thought that the F10 M5 was to debut at Paris later this year.
Where did you get these pictures from?

[sidindica]

Originally Posted by Asifgrkhan

Sid,

I thought that the F10 M5 was to debut at Paris later this year.
Where did you get these pictures from?

Looks realistic, isnt it? Its an amazing PS job done by a member of a international forum called 5post.

[Sheel]

Standing Ovation for the TD Report GTO,

High time the 530D came in the garage so that we can have a long-term report and know some hidden details

not interested in a high-revving petrol? i thought it just might be the i which shall come to the garage instead of d

^This review was straight from the heart and i hope you guys had truck-loads of fun in the twisties

^^how easy/hard is it to slide?

[McLaren Rulez]

Wonderful review. Captured all the important bits of info. If you walk away from the car, the engine keeps running. So does that mean that someone can get in and drive away if you forget to press engine stop?

[Sahil]

@GTO- Neat work on inscribing the www. team-bhp .com on my plates ! We should have taken one pic of the rear side-by-side too. The clear LED turn signals would outshine the F10

I forgot to mention one thing that really pissed me off about the F10 most is the absence of a spare wheel well. This is outright BULLYING by BMW. If you don't have space for a spare then obviously you will hesistate to shift to tubeless. Which means every-time you need a tyre change due to wear&tear or tyre damage(which is very common on run flats) you have to contact only your BMW dealer and let them pocket a hefty profit for the company as Run flats are not commonly available outside.

If BMW can adapt to markets like China by offering a long wheel base version of the 5er, then why can't they just let the customer choose if he wants run flats or not !?

[Rahulkool]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

Wonderful review. Captured all the important bits of info. If you walk away from the car, the engine keeps running. So does that mean that someone can get in and drive away if you forget to press engine stop?

I guess even if you keep the engine running, you will lock it from the remote. If you forgot that too i guess the thief deserves the car

Originally Posted by Sahil

@GTO- Neat work on inscribing the www. team-bhp .com on my plates ! We should have taken one pic of the rear side-by-side too. The clear LED turn signals would outshine the F10

I forgot to mention one thing that really pissed me off about the F10 most is the absence of a spare wheel well. This is outright BULLYING by BMW. If you don't have space for a spare then obviously you will hesistate to shift to tubeless. Which means every-time you need a tyre change due to wear&tear or tyre damage(which is very common on run flats) you have to contact only your BMW dealer and let them pocket a hefty profit for the company as Run flats are not commonly available outside.

If BMW can adapt to markets like China by offering a long wheel base version of the 5er, then why can't they just let the customer choose if he wants run flats or not !?

I too think its a big mistake on BMW part, many people want to shift to normal tubeless tyres from runflats. Its a big money making scheme from BMW. Are runflats available tyre shops ? or you have to go to BMW only ?

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by Rahulkool

I too think its a big mistake on BMW part, many people want to shift to normal tubeless tyres from runflats. Its a big money making scheme from BMW. Are runflats available tyre shops ? or you have to go to BMW only ?

Tyre shops rarely stock them, unless special order. So it's you BMW dealer that you gotta contact.

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by Ash_vtec

Miss the simpler times

Love to drive: BMW
Love to be driven: Mercedes

The June edition Autocar India has summed it well in their comparison test of the 525d V E250 CDI.

To quote them, "Who would have thought that the best Mercedes for decades would be beaten by a BMW that doesn't even drive like one?"