Dingdongler

Yes 4 doors unfortunately.

The only other down side of the Panamera is that it doesn't have that proper family car boot ie like a M5, E63, RS6 etc as far as I can tell.

drb5

iTrader: (4)

Lol it sounds like you should stick with what you've got.

You could give the M5 to me and i'll find the problem?

sti-04!!

Deep, has the flywheel been checked on the M5 ? Is it a dual mass one ? Speaking to a friend earlier about it as he's had a couple of M5's & not had that problem with any of them but did say his E39 suffered from a vibration from the flywheel. Nightmare to diagnose, surely our local BMW tech "rookymatt" could advise ?

Devildog

Deep,

You've admitted that this is a stop gap car, so all the issues about feeling short changed in the 535d over the 550i are irrelevant. As a stop gap car it is by its very nature a compromise.

What you need to think about is what will you be happy with as a compromise until you buy the new M5.

In reality, for those three occasions a year when the 550 will be ultimately a little bit quicker than the 535d (or the guy in the other car), will you feel worse that you're in the "slower" car, or will you feel better due to the fact that the nominal extention to your ***** will probably have cost you £20k, when you factor in increase in purchase price, tax, fuel and depreciation.

For 99% of your motoring, the diesel will probably be quicker anyway.

Here's the crux of this. You've gone to great lengths to assert that this is not about dick swinging, and yet it appears that the main reason for anyone chosing a 550 over a 535d (in the uk at least) is simply to have the "ultimate" which is not always the best. If that isn't dick swinging then I'm not sure what is.

In that sense, you've answered your own question. Get the 535d in the knowledge that the upside 99% of the time far outways the 1% downside, in the knwoledge that you have the best diesel engine currently on sale today, in the knowledge that when you come to trade it in the main dealer will welcome you with a smile and a deal to be done on a new M5, and in the knowledge that you will have saved a fortune over the guy in the 550.

Devildog

^^^ becasue I don't believe for one minute you'll hang on to your M5

Dingdongler

One of the BMW techs I spoke to who had a quick look over the car for free (after an independent couldn't find the fault) mentioned possible flywheel problem. But then he said that should probably cause increased vibration as you go up the rev range which I don't have. Mine doesn't get any worse over about 2krpm.

I am going to send Rookymatt a pm and see if he might meet up with me for 'drink' and have a look at the car.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

I mentioned that earlier in the thread - stunning to look at and stunning to listen to. Really stunning!

Matteeboy

When a car has a recurring/hard to sort issue, you want to get shot of it - well I do anyway.

drb5

iTrader: (4)

Sorry i never realised, but i agree totally.

First time a Maserati has made me drool!

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Just in total agreement

Dingdongler

That's scary, you seem to know me too well

Your comments re 535d vs 550 are of course right. When I posed the question I thought I might keep the car for longer ie 2-3 years. I thought perhaps I had finally shaken my foolish addiction to certain kinds of cars and wasting money. I thought I was finally going to be grown up and sensible.

When I had a longer think about it I realised I was only fooling myself. When that M5 is unveiled in 2011 I'm going to want one, and I will justify the ridiculous cost and depreciation by saying 'life is short/you're a long time dead' type statements.

That's when the new purchase turned into a stop gap car. For that you are 100% correct, the 535d MS is the right choice compared to a 550i.

The best solution is though to try and hang onto the current M5. There is a little issue here as well though and I'd appreciate yours (and others opinions)

Lets say I keep the M5 for 12-18 months. The current px price is £18k, so in 18 months time it will be ? £12k?
Lets say it also costs me a few thousand to have it fixed, lets say £3k.
In those 18 months it will also need some new tyres, and minor service so say another £1000.
There are also the big fuel bills of the M5, in a year I can get through £3k of fuel at an average 13mpg (SUL). The 535d ms will give at least 20mpg of cheaper diesel so I will have spent an extra £1.5k on fuel.

So, to keep the M5 it will cost me

£6k +£3k+£1.5k+£1k = £11.5k

(I've not included insurance etc as that will be the same)

So if I bought the 535d MS would I lose much more than that over 18 months if I then sold as a private sale? In that 18 months the car will only have about 10k miles on it.

Would I not be able to sell an 18 month old fully specced low mileage 535d with a rrp of £55k (I'm paying £50k) for £35k? In which case I will have only spent £5k more than the M5 would have cost but will have had the pleasure of a brand new car. Also no chance of a major bill.

Thanks to all for taking the time to read.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

My advice - **** or get off the pot

Trout

iTrader: (1)

BTW Your logic is impeccable AND I think you can make more than £35k selling your stop gap.

Dingdongler

You wouldn't think I'm paid to make on the spot life or death decisions would you?

Dingdongler

Are you being serious Trouty or sarcastic?

alanbell

iTrader: (6)

err no

Trout

iTrader: (1)

For a change I am being serious

sti-04!!

The M5 will be worth closer to 14k I reckon but the flip side is that dealers will be paying 33 to 36k for the 35d ms. All IMHO though. Your logic above is spot on.
I'd plump for the 35d, the M5 could develop another fault with even more repair costs. I can't fault BMW when it comes to vehicles 'within' there warranty period. Outwith this they scare the sh!te out of me.

Matteeboy

Might not help but so far the 35d unit has proved to be almost totally bulletproof.
Mine is out of warranty - I'm not at all worried.

alanbell

iTrader: (6)

I know most of you slag Audi,s of but
my Audi S6 is out of waranty, next Feb should I get a private one ??????
it has a very full main dealer history , its done 38k miles.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

My 530d has done over 90k miles.

Faults are wide and varied...


...errrr, there are no faults


New front discs twice, washer bottle motor went a couple of times. Rear wash wipe hinge corroded and was replaced. That's about it in 90k miles.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Yeah - Alan - an oil change at a dealer is as good as an oil change anywhere.

Private warranty will need plenty of research to ensure you are covered. If my engine failed most of them would barely cover the diagnosis of failure (even if there was a rod out the block!!!)

Dingdongler

Ok, sorry to drag this out, I can tell you guys are getting a bit bored by all of this, however the discussion has been very useful for me so thank you.

Now, any ideas what colour I should order?




Seriously though, what do you think? I usually go for black, but the only black available in this car is the carbon black which has a slight blue tinge to it. Alpine white I think only looks good for proper sports models (ie M3, future M5), dark blue is boring and metallic sophisto grey can look a bit nondescript in dull lighting. That only leaves titanium silver.

Titanium silver

http://f10.5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=456034

Carbon black (pics don't show the blue tinge)

http://f10.5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=451540



Carbon Black

zip106

Ours is carbon black.

Looks stunning when clean and it's sunny

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/h...P3280032-1.jpg



(sorry about the shameless pic... and you can't really see the blue tinge, either )

Dingdongler

Thanks Zippy.

Final question guys.

The dealer offered to waive the 2.5% VAT rise if I take delivery of the car before March. I would probably get the car just before then ie end of Jan, middle of Feb. The saving equates to £1100. Is the saving worth having the 'older' plate?

Thanks

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Do people car about plates anymore?

BTW Titanium is one of the longest running production car colours and has been on BMWs list over 35 years. It is a mainstay colour and you will never have a problem shifting a Titanium car.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

What's that big purple thing on your drive

zip106

My ****.

MMT WRX

Touche, fukc em zip , its a great colour.

My neices boyfriend has a 535d in Black and that has a blue tinge to it in certain light, I imagine that must be carbon black then. It does look nice. You don't fancy gayher purple then Ding?

Trout

iTrader: (1)

I knew this was just a blatant ***** extension thread