# Upsizing the TT because baby.... 530d info?



## Roller83 (Dec 18, 2010)

Hey everyone...

After nearly two years of enjoyable problem free ownership I think I'm regrettably going to have to sell my TT and get a bigger, 4 door car as my better half is now 17 weeks pregnant

I've been doing some looking into BMW 530D and was wondering if anyone on here has ever owned one and can offer a little info on them.

I'm really interested in e60 530d m tec. I'd really like the Sat Nav and possibly DVD but not sure if I'll find one for my budget of approx 7-8k

Is there any advice on what to look for in these or any extras I should make sure I try and get?

Any information would b great.

Gonna miss my TT

Thanks in advance guys n girls


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## kazinak (Mar 23, 2010)

tt are big enough for the kid , so you better find other excuse :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## jays_225 (Nov 4, 2009)

kazinak said:


> tt are big enough for the kid , so you better find other excuse :lol: :lol: :lol:


+1


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## Tritium (Apr 25, 2011)

Yep as Kaz says. I managed to cram my wife into the TT rear seat. So your going to have to be more creative matee!


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## SalsredTT (Jan 8, 2011)

+1

I managed to hoist my darling grandchild around everywherere in the TT for yearsl

He is now in a booster seat and thinks he's driving it most of the time ......................|!!!!!!!

No way would I have lost the TT for Matty and I love him totally and absollutly - but I managed to fit the TT in around that!!

His mommy has to squeeze in on the back seat - hey sod her - she is an adult!! My darlink is safe, my second darlink is fine (the Titty car) and she is stuck in the back - like I care (hand face fingers ................)


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## Roller83 (Dec 18, 2010)

Hahahahahaha...

Seriously tho do u not find it very awkward and annoying getting them in and out tho?


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

I went through the exact same dilemma.

The choice for us was between an A6 3.0TDi or a 530d/535d. and in the end we went for the Beemer because they were about 2k cheaper as the A6 was ever so slightly newer.
*
Positives.*
One of the best diesel engines on the market relatively fuel efficient for its size - stick to the speed limit and you'll see 40mpg on a long run. Ours gets used mostly for ferrying me back and forwards to the station now unfortunately and the average has dropped to about 25mpg. [smiley=bigcry.gif]

It's a better drive than the equivalent A6 and is definitely big enough for a baby and all associated gubbins. Not sure how others have managed with baby plus TT as the rear facing seats don't fit in the back, and you're not supposed to put them in the front.

We kept our TT for a year and a half after my daughter was born, but in that time, I rode my pushbike twice as far. :roll:

We kept it because I loved it, but even once she was in a forward-facing seat we couldnt make it work and I applaud those that can. My wife isn't that tall but she didn't enjoy being crammed in the back and there wasn't really enough room to put the seat behind either of us.
*
Negatives*

My experience with my 530d is well documented on here, but I think I've had a 'Friday' car as I've had more problems than most.

The list of common problems with them is this.

Swirl flaps - essentially little valves that every now and again snap off, get sucked into the engine and completely wreck it. This needs an entire rebuild. There are a couple of ways to fix this. Either DIY removal or via blanking plates professionally fitted. This is a job that I need to do with some urgency.

Panoramic Sunroofs - the drain holes on these block up and they leak. This wouldn't be so bad if the water didn't then pool where all the electirics are in the rear of the car.

The tourings suffer from compressor failure on the self-levelling rear suspension - mine has failed twice. This is normally caused by the pipe from the compressor (which is unprotected) splitting where it bends. Though mine was caused by a faulty connection. BMW's recommended fix for this? Replace the entire wiring loom at a cost of £3,500. THe independent's fix? SOlder on a new connector at a cost of £300. Oh, plus a new compressor (twice) at £700. All this can be avoided by fitting an uprated piece of piping for around £20. Which I found out too late.

The tourings also suffer from the rear wiring loom failing. The wires go through the hinges for the tailgate and these snap. BMW want about £1,200 to fix this - even though it's a design flaw.

The little shark fin on the roof can let in water and this causes a lot of the electrics to fail - mine had this and needed a whole new software update (luckily it was still under warranty then).

Mine has also had cracked alloys from a pothole, three blowouts, new screens front and rear, more parking knocks than with any other car I've owned and within the last couple of weeks the battery gave up the ghost and died - leaving us stranded.

All in all I can only say from my own personal experience that they're great cars when they work. Big, comfortable cruisers that are genuinely fun to drive when you want to press on, but mine has been a total let down in terms of ownership experience. If we could afford to switch it out, we would.

My wife completely blames me as she wanted the A6 all along. :roll:


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## Roller83 (Dec 18, 2010)

Kell... Cheers mate...

Ever thought of renaming yourself 'Lucky'? Haha

Yea I was looking at a4 and a6 and 5 series. And with the Audi you don't get nowhere near as much for ya money as you do with the BMW... Hence why I tend to think ill b going along that route.

I will b wanting the Saloon instead if the touring as I don't think I need that big a boot space.

From what I hear the 3litre Diesel is the engine to have and
Considering my TT is only seeing around 28mpg it can't get much expensive to run.

Ive heard alot about those swirl pot things which is a CRAZY fault to have, you'd think there would b a recall on this surely?

Have you priced up getting the swirl pots blanked and/or looked into how hard a DIY job it would be?

If I get one I'd really love a black m tec auto with spider alloys sat Nav and DVD but the DVD I suppose would b more of a novelty than a neccassary thing.

Is it a firm ride? In comparison to the TT for example which I find a very hard ride even Pre lowering


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Having the saloon will certainly remove two of the biggest problems then as they don't have the tailgate or the self-levelling suspension.

WRT to the swirl flaps, there seems to be three main options.

There's a DIY guide that removes them and fills in the holes with screws - costing little more than about 3 hours of your time.

http://forums.5series.net/topic/70452-r ... ntry787542

You can also buy milled aluminium blanking plates for about £40 and fit them yourself.

Or the company that makes the blanking plates will supply and fit them for about £180.

http://www.pmwltd.co.uk/?page_id=155

As for the ride, it's down to personal choice, but one thing you can certainly do to make it softer is get rid of the run flat tyres. When I took ours off and put winter wheels and (non-RF) tyres on, the difference was staggering.

Ours has got the DVD Sat Nav Professional - don't get the business one - and it's OK. But it's a bit slow to react when you turn. I do find it very useful though and there are no wires trailing about either.

It also has the TV function - but the reception has never been great, and now the analogue signal is being phased out, I doubt it will work at all in a few months. There's probably a digital conversion avaible, but I've never seen the point of it anyway, so I'm not sure if I'd bother.


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## actionman37 (May 13, 2012)

we've also got a little 1 on the way so i'm also looking to get something a bit more family friendly in the next few months. I'd thought about a 530d but my Mrs will be driving it more than me & tbh they're a bit on the big side for her. Wouldn't take long before every corner had some kind of scuff on it! :? :lol:

The only experience i have with 530d is driving a couple that i've worked on. So as it stands i'll probably go for a 330d. Although if work keeps up like it has been over the last 6 months & i can hold on a bit longer to save a bit more I may try stretch to a 335d. My mate bought a 58 plate last year. In standard form they're pretty good & he's recently just had his remapped to about 340bhp! He says he'll never have another petrol car again! which i'm not surprised at after going out in it


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## Roller83 (Dec 18, 2010)

Cheers for the info geez...

Can u have the DVD playing while driving?

Glad the swirl pot things ain't too big a issue to sort... Before they get sucked into ya engine that is!!! Haha

Im kinda fussy with model I want as I want m tec in a dark blue, black or grey, with the interior with the aluminium strip. No wood for me.

I'm not in a rush but defo will keep me eyes peeled for one of these


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## Roller83 (Dec 18, 2010)

actionman37 said:


> we've also got a little 1 on the way so i'm also looking to get something a bit more family friendly in the next few months. I'd thought about a 530d but my Mrs will be driving it more than me & tbh they're a bit on the big side for her. Wouldn't take long before every corner had some kind of scuff on it! :? :lol:
> 
> The only experience i have with 530d is driving a couple that i've worked on. So as it stands i'll probably go for a 330d. Although if work keeps up like it has been over the last 6 months & i can hold on a bit longer to save a bit more I may try stretch to a 335d. My mate bought a 58 plate last year. In standard form they're pretty good & he's recently just had his remapped to about 340bhp! He says he'll never have another petrol car again! which i'm not surprised at after going out in it


Yea I think I heard the big boy diesel 5 series runs the most psi boost of any production car available and is rapid

I imagine they 535d is quick anyways. Let alone remapped!!!

Torque must b thru the roof


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Mine doesn't have a DVD player, the satnav is is DVD based. I'm not sure I've seen one that actually has a player as standard.


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

Kell said:


> Mine doesn't have a DVD player, the satnav is is DVD based. I'm not sure I've seen one that actually has a player as standard.


None of them can play DVDs as standard. The DVD reader is only for the satnav and doesn't support video.

There are aftermarket modules you can buy that sit on the LVDS cable between the headunit and the screen, and you can feed video into these.


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## a13xbb (Jan 27, 2007)

Bumping a old thread anyone in the know......

What are the must have extras on the 5 series? going to start looking at them!

cheers Alex


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## missile (Jul 18, 2011)

You could probably get a good price ................... for the baby. :roll:


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

a13xbb said:


> Bumping a old thread anyone in the know......
> 
> What are the must have extras on the 5 series? going to start looking at them!
> 
> cheers Alex


I think MSport is a must. The cars look so much better with the kit and seem to hold their value better.

Proper satnav (professional rather than business).

And a proper engine, 530/535 d.


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