What options will i need on a 2nd hand 2017 5 Series G30 540i

ginjaninja · 23 Jan 2020 at 15:56

...and is there more than one option that would provide the function.
..and are any of them subscription based that id have to pay for annually.

(i dont find the literature very clear on whats provided as standard and the specifications of each option)
(will probably buy one with H/K sound)

thank you for your help.

Functionality i am looking for
MP3 Music Playback and Search with album art display from USB Drive...1TB USB possible?
same as above but with FLAC support (less of a faff reencoding to mp3)
(I dont think i will be uploading content to internal storage as it wont be big enough)

Boot which opens from remote (dont need powered close), is that standard?

Sat Nav which supports post code as destination (current bmw only supports road names and its a faff)

Traffic Jams overlay on sat nav

Ability to connect a bluetooth mobile phone for telephony and contact searching/calling

thanks

[TW]Fox · 23 Jan 2020 at 16:05

All of that is standard but you'll need to pay a subscription for the full traffic overlay.

ginjaninja · 23 Jan 2020 at 17:26

Thanks, Full traffic overlay? i am thinking might be better to go for carplay with an old iphone to get google maps. I dont think anything gets close to google maps for traffic.
Does anyone know how to ensure the permanent subscription to carplay is enabled on 2nd hand, i understand BMW now provide this as standard (on new)...would a main dealer be authorised to just ensure it is switched on.
or is permanent car play an option to buy on 2nd hand?

[TW]Fox · 23 Jan 2020 at 17:55

Yea, full overlays. I find it very good.

[TW]Fox · 23 Jan 2020 at 21:56

arfoll said:
Don't really need much more if you have pro nav imho.

As standard they come with the basic LED headlights with halogen indicators, so ICON LED is nice to have.

mikeyw85 · 24 Jan 2020 at 00:05

I don't usualy rant on about diesels, but is there any reason you want the petrol? The diesel is supposed to be a good engine that's all.

mikeyw85 · 24 Jan 2020 at 06:23

arfoll said:
But the b58 is much nicer.

I remember reading an Evo magazine review and they actually preferred the 530d to the 540i, citing the engine as the reason. I was a bit taken aback by this at first, thought I was reading whatcar not evo. But, I can understand it.

[TW]Fox · 24 Jan 2020 at 08:07

I have driven both extensively (I took a 540i around Europe over Christmas). Both are incredible engines. The 530d is the most refined diesel I've ever driven, it's quiet smooth and incredibly fuel efficient as well as swift. The 540i is very fast, sounds good and has great round town refinement but was very thirsty.

You can't go wrong with either, except for the stupid standard fit xDrive on the 540.

[TW]Fox · 24 Jan 2020 at 08:16

arfoll said:
I have the basic led ones and I really don't mind

The trouble is they look crap. It's so annoying that BMW do this.

mikeyw85 · 24 Jan 2020 at 08:33

[TW]Fox said:
I have driven both extensively (I took a 540i around Europe over Christmas). Both are incredible engines. The 530d is the most refined diesel I've ever driven, it's quiet smooth and incredibly fuel efficient as well as swift. The 540i is very fast, sounds good and has great round town refinement but was very thirsty.

You can't go wrong with either, except for the stupid standard fit xDrive on the 540.

I owed an M140i for two years and would have ordinarily definitely gone for a 540i myself, had I not read the review in Evo. Certainly worth a drive of both to decide. I’d also be tempted by SE spec too. I thought the B58 sounded a bit crap, even with aftermarket exhausts. It’s an absolute wave of torque though. Effortlessly fast, seems reliable and can make big power.

Brok · 24 Jan 2020 at 08:33

They have done it on the new 3 series as well, you only get the Icon look headlights with the £1500 visibility pack which includes laser lights. Meanwhile nearly every other recent model has the Icon design with adaptive LEDs at a significantly lower price. I couldn't bring myself to spend £1500 on slightly better looking headlights and HBA, I would get little use out of the laser lights due to the roads I frequent but it is incredibly annoying!

ginjaninja · 24 Jan 2020 at 10:34

arfoll said:
1tb HDD will work as long as power draw is low-ish. Traffic overlay is available but yes you might need to pay, I have it but my 540i is only a year old and still in the 2 or 3? connected drive subscription. Carplay imho sucks never looked into costs etc as I have an android phone.

Personally I would want the comfort seats. Don't really need much more if you have pro nav imho.

I will be using a usb thumb drive not an HDD so power draw should be similar to smaller usbs
I would like comfort seats but all 2nd hands seems to have the m sport option which i thinks makes them come with tighter seats?
Am not keen about having to pay a subscription for traffic overlay especially when its so laggy compared to google maps (too laggy imo - am comparing to the current free service in my old 530d ).. i wonder what options gives enhanced traffic and what that actually means..
An old iphone showing google maps traffic for free sounds attractive.

mikeyw85 said:
I don't usualy rant on about diesels, but is there any reason you want the petrol? The diesel is supposed to be a good engine that's all.

[TW]Fox said:
You can't go wrong with either, except for the stupid standard fit xDrive on the 540.

I have a heavy right foot and thought that xdrive and petrol might be more surefooted/nippier in more weather conditions in overtaking conditions 20-50mph. but i am in too minds. I dont do a massive mileage so mpg is less of a concern.

mikeyw85 · 24 Jan 2020 at 17:46

arfoll said:
Try both, some people love the xdrive you can floor it anytime you want feeling. I'm not a 30d fan, I feel that its for people who couldn't find 6cyl petrols at an ok price or people that care about mpgz.

30d would certainly be cheaper. Probably more choice of car. MPG possibly 80% better. Feels about as quick and even sounds better according to some.

[TW]Fox · 24 Jan 2020 at 17:56

My last rental car was a 540i with most options inc comfort seats. Didn't find them a massive improvement over the sport seats if I am honest.

ginjaninja · 6 Feb 2020 at 19:13

Thanks again for comments and advice. Tested a USB 2.0 stick with 2GB of flacs/mp3s,, was very impressed that it played high bit depth flacs and also was happy with both folder.jpg and embedded id3 images to show album art. I have purchased a 1TB Stick to put the entire collection on. I would be extremely impressed if it could read the metadata fast enough over 1TB of data to display in a timely fashion unless it cleverly cached the metadata somehow. I wonder whether the interface is 2.0 or 3.0+

The music interface with the album art was excellent.

The m sport seats had adjustable sides, so werent too bad on their wideest setting.

H/K sound was significantly better , much more legroom in power/volume with bettter quality...so easy decision.

Real Time Traffic overlay a la google maps - was also told this was an annual subscription, so going to test car play from apple phone to see what thats like. Sooner BMW integrate with Android the better IMO. The cost is not justifyable against whats free on a mobile phone.
Just waiting for a 540i to come in so can compare to 530d..

[TW]Fox · 6 Feb 2020 at 19:19

Rtti is free for 3 years then 40 quid a year.

ginjaninja · 6 Feb 2020 at 19:32

[TW]Fox said:
Rtti is free for 3 years then 40 quid a year.

on reflection £40 a year, given the mobile data consumption is included, is perhaps not too bad for a fully integrated solution.

On a separate note, are there ever any concerns in the 2nd hand market registering the VIN on my own connected drive account? do i need to ensure the previous owner has relinquished?