BMW 5-Series Touring (2010 - 2017) 530d SE (Business Media) 5d Step Auto (2010/60) Owner Review
Want to know everything there is to know about this car?
-
Summary
What does this car say about you?
Hopefully nothing.
What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?
Very comfortable, pleasant, excessively large.
Would you buy this car again and why?
Probably not. My motoring needs have changed and, living in central London I use the car usually only once a week. It's fantastic for long journeys but these are very rare, so a much smaller car would more than meet my current needs.
What are you likely to buy next?
Logic dictates something like a Honda Jazz. I may yet be tempted to get another Porsche!
-
Buying experience
Type of dealer you bought from?
Franchised
Did you buy this car new?
No
What price did you pay?
£38,000
When did you buy the car?
July 2011
Did you get a good deal and why?
Yes. The car was a BMW fleet car which had only 1,500 miles recorded. It was a special launch vehicle which came loaded with many factory fitted options and the price offered was extremely good. This, plus I was offered a good trade in price for my existing car secured the deal.
Is there any special reason why you bought this car?
What was the dealer like?
Excellent, once I managed to get past the new car sales 'welcoming' team!
-
Driving it
What's it like to drive?
The combination of high torque output and 8 speed auto make it a sublime motorway cruiser, especially with the dynamic suspension settings. Extremely quiet and comfortable with the sports seats/ lumbar adjustment. Weak points relate to the isolation from feedback especially the steering which is bereft of feel - no doubt a consequence of moving away from a hydraulic system.
What's it like to park?
The car is a bit of a barge however, the cameras all round and self parking mode make it very easy to park. The main problem is the physical length of the car - often uncomfortably long for shopping centre parking bays and almost always longer than the spaces available for on street parking.
-
Living with it
Have you had any problems with the car?
The only problem I have read in the press others have suffered - the BMW decals on the front cills of the car have fallen off in part. I have experienced recently the transmission tunnel getting hot on one journey, next to the navigation/ computer system controller. This has only happened once.
What's most practical about your car?
The ability to put two bikes in the back with great ease.
Favourite gadget, option or accessory?
Reversing camera/ parking aids are fantastic particularly for such a large vehicle. Dynamic suspension settings are also surprisingly helpful, converting the ultimate driving machine into the ultimate sofa for long motorway journeys!
