F10 BMW 535D

Soldato
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After falling in love with the M4 I decided to be sensible & look around at a few other vehicles before placing an order. My local BMW garage had a beautiful 2014 F10 M5 in stock so I headed over to test drive the car. What a vehicle, it's just epic in every single way. The power delivery is absoloutly brutal & in fact it's quite terrifying how quick you can reach devastating speeds. I got out of the car realising two things:

1) The M5 is too much for me. I'm not saying it's not a great car, but my ability as a driver is no where near the levels it would take to enjoy the car as it's supposed to be enjoyed. 99% of the time I would have to drive this car normally, with the 1% spent driving it as a 'full fat' M5.

2) The F10 5 Series is a huge step up in quality from the current 3 & 4 series. It's a beautifully put together piece of equipment.

After much deliberation, test driving and a few weeks of research I've decided to put an order in for a 535D. Different to the M5 in every way but still a great car & it will do everything I will ever need it to do - it just won't burble, pop and make me mess myself like the M5 would have done... but I'm fine with that.

I've had real trouble narrowing down the specification on the car, mainly the exterior colour and the interior leather/trim colours. Options wise I think I'm happy with it but I want some opinions and experiences with anything I've listed if possible? What are the 'must haves' that I'm missing?

So here goes:

F10 BMW 535D M Sport

- Exterior: Sophisto Grey Xirallic (I love Carbon Black BUT my current car is black & it's just impossible to keep clean. Alpine White can look great but I'm not sure I want a white car?)
- Interior: Mocha Nappa Leather with Dark Ash trim (The Ivory Nappa is beautiful but with children it doesn't make sense)

Options:

- M Sport Plus Package (19" Double Spoke Wheels, Harmon Kardon Stereo, M rear spoiler, Sun protection glass)
- Sports Auto
- Professional Nav
- HUD
- VDC
- Climate Comfort windscreen
- Comfort access
- Ext. Mirrors folding/auto-dimming
- Comfort Seats (Inc. Lumbar, electric adjustment etc)
- Seat Heating - Front
- Seat Ventilation - Front
- Oscilliating Seat Base
- Four Zone Climate Control
- Ceramic finish for controls
- Adaptive headlights with High-beam assist
- Reverse Camera

I think that's everything! So what are the opinions? The Mocha Nappa leather really is lovely, but I'm going by the samples in the garage - I've not seen it in real life. I am considering the full mult-function display too but other than that I'm not sure what else I'd need?

I'd love some pics of anyones F10's with different combinations!

Thanks all,

Adam
 
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Soldato
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Multi Function Display (I heard it may now be standard though)?
Sports Auto
Surround view

That's pretty much all I'd add to your spec. Otherwise it looks great.

And go for the M-Performance front grill. I now have it on mine, and it looks so much better.

Pics

Comfort

Sport

Eco Pro








Mine is also Sophisto, and my favourite colour by far...

I went for black leather as I have 2 very young children in the back of mine all the time, so wanted something simple, and easily cleaned.
 
Man of Honour
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Don't bother with four zone air con. Also make sure you spec Sports Auto Transmission. Maybe pick surround view instead of four zone.

I had a Sophisto loan car yesterday, nice colour but already showing swirls with only 4k miles on it.

I played it safe with space grey.
 
Soldato
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Sorry guys, I should have said - it's the sports auto transmission.

Do you have any pics of the space grey? What are the issues with the 4 zone?

Multi-function display looks great!
 
Soldato
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Are you buying this or leasing it? If buying look at what BMW have on the used market you would be saving between 10-17k if you buy one thats only 7-12 months old. My E61 I saved £14k of list and it was 8 months old with 2230 miles on it and I saved about 17k of my F11 although that had 7k miles on it at 7 months old.
 
Soldato
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Problem with that is that you will find it difficult to get your preferred spec on the second hand market. And depending on how you finance it, higher APR's often make it more expensive for a nearly new car.

I got around 20% off list on my 530d, brand new, factory order (so about £10k off), so for me it wasn't worth being the second owner, higher interest rate, and having some miles on the car, and less manufacturer warranty all for the sake of a few K (which the higher APR all but wipes out).

Of course, if you're a cash buyer, then none of that matters.
 

mjt

mjt

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Can you get those auto-blinds in the rear on the F10? Get those.
Also get adaptive cruise.
 
Soldato
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Problem with that is that you will find it difficult to get your preferred spec on the second hand market. And depending on how you finance it, higher APR's often make it more expensive for a nearly new car.

I got around 20% off list on my 530d, brand new, factory order (so about £10k off), so for me it wasn't worth being the second owner, higher interest rate, and having some miles on the car, and less manufacturer warranty all for the sake of a few K (which the higher APR all but wipes out).

Of course, if you're a cash buyer, then none of that matters.

This is why I'm buying new too. There so little difference in it because of the unique spec I want followed by the extremely high interest rates on used.
 
Soldato
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Can you get those auto-blinds in the rear on the F10? Get those.
Also get adaptive cruise.

You can get the blinds - are they good?

As for Adaptive, it's something I'd like but not worth it for the money they're asking.
 

mjt

mjt

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You can get the blinds - are they good?

As for Adaptive, it's something I'd like but not worth it for the money they're asking.
My dad has them in his GT, they work well. Can imagine its nice if you've got kids. I don't like the gangster tints.
I'd leave the 4-zone climate as well. Heated rears are cheap enough as well aren't they?

Never tried adaptive cruise but have always bought it'd be bloody useful.
I'd take it over the massaging and ventilated seats personally, but as you're spending quite a lot, what's another few hundred? :p
Leave the comfort seats though- worth every penny.
 
Soldato
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The vented and massage seats are something I'm considering getting rid off - does anyone have experience with them?
 
Man of Honour
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Sorry guys, I should have said - it's the sports auto transmission.

Do you have any pics of the space grey? What are the issues with the 4 zone?

Multi-function display looks great!

No issues with it, its just not worth the money IMHO, it's not as if it isnt comfortable in the back without it. I doubt you'd ever get much credible use out of it and I can think of better places on the options list to put the money.

Unless you get the LED headlights btw be aware you won't get LED front indicators, don't know if that bothers you or not. It's the sort of trivial thing that would irriate me :p

Make sure you get a decent deal on a new one. I know what you mean about the spec used, it took me months and months to find a spec I was happy with on a used one.

Also what sort of mileage do you do? If it's not that big I'd really suggest you consider a 535i over a 535d. IMHO its a better car for the sort of reasons you can't tell from paper specifications. It's smoother and more refined.
 
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NVP

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Nice choice, good spec. I have been informed Adaptive Drive is worth it, apparently irons out the issues bimmers have had for the past two generations.

This is the spec I sent to BMW to find for me

F11 550i / 535d Touring M-Sport.

Compulsory options:

8 speed Sport automatic transmission
Adaptive Drive
Navigation system-BMW Professional Multimedia
Loudspeaker system – either upgraded loudspeaker or preferably the harman/kardonsurround sound
Panoramic glass sunroof
TV function
Active Cruise Control
Comfort Access


I also had a list of "would be nice to have" options:

Reversing Assist camera
Soft-close doors
Air conditioning, automatic with four-zone control
Adaptive Headlights
Night Vision with dynamic light spot
Rear seat entertainment - BMW Professional
Extended luggage features
Instrument panel, leather
Seat heating, rear
Steering wheel heating
Park Assist
 

mjt

mjt

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The vented and massage seats are something I'm considering getting rid off - does anyone have experience with them?

Surely vented is worthwhile for when it's hot?
No experience with the massage but have used vented seats. Nice when the car is boiling hot after standing in the sun but unless you live in the desert I can't really see the point.

I've used it in winter whilst having the seat heating on full for fun but I honestly wouldn't bother.
How much is it anyway?

Rear Entertainment could be worthwhile for the kids but then you're creeping up to silly money for a 5 series.
 
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Man of Honour
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F11 550i / 535d Touring M-Sport.

Obviously petrol is something you'd be happy with so why is the 535i not on your list?

Compulsory options:

8 speed Sport automatic transmission
Adaptive Drive
Navigation system-BMW Professional Multimedia
Loudspeaker system – either upgraded loudspeaker or preferably the harman/kardonsurround sound
Panoramic glass sunroof
TV function
Active Cruise Control
Comfort Access

You are going to be waiting a very long time I'm afraid - some of these options are exceptionally rare so to get them together in the right spec car is asking far too much.

Once you spend some time watching the market you begin to realise just how few cars there are with specifications like that. I saw just ONE car with Adaptive Drive fitted in my entire search and that was looking at SE spec launch cars on which Adaptive Drive was a popular launch spec option.

TV function is another one, selected by almost nobody because it's largely worthless - you are never going to watch TV when driving your car. It's a 'look at my TV mates!!!!' option and nothing more, mine has a DVD player and I have never and will never use it.
 
Man of Honour
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Rear Entertainment could be worthwhile for the kids but then you're creeping up to silly money for a 5 series.

I think you need to REALLY like your kids to splash out on heated seats, rear aircon AND rear entertainment for them, personally I'd give them both an ipad and be done with it :D
 
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