# Couple of things about the 530d



## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Some good and bad things with the BMW over this break.

We drove from Wycombe to Northumberland for Christmas and then from there to Devon for New Year.

I was surprised that, on the run up North (with roof box attached) I managed an MPG of 'almost' 33. A nice surprise - but helped enormously by copious use of the cruise control stalk.

Pretty much everything was fine while up North - with the exception that the key has stopped synching with the ignition again and we couldn't get it re-synched without both keys.

On our drive down to Devon, however, we encountered a couple of things which were annoying more than problematic.

it was very windy for the drive, which immediatly saw the fuel economy drop to around 23.5mpg. Which is a fair old difference. The other thing was that after making a stop for our little girl to have a wee, the 'puncture' warning came on. Drove at 50mph to the next services to check the tyre pressures, only to find that their air hose wasn't working.

Luckily, the Sat Nav carries the locations of the BMW dealers and we were just four miles from BMW Chelmsford. Pulled in there and they'd sorted us out within 45 minutes (most of that wait was purely down to the fact that the tyre guy was attending to another car).

As it turns out, it's something which is quite common to these cars in that a long journey heats the tyres up and the pressure increases, then when you stop and they cool down and the pressure decreases, it can confuse the system and make it think it has a puncture when it doesn't. They were very quick to check them all and reassure us that everything was OK.

I have to make comment that while neither my wife or I were particular 'fans' of BMW in the past we both said that Audi would now have to do smething special to convince us back to the marque given the excellent service we've always received whenever going into a BMW dealership and the piss poor service we normally recieved from Audi. Their loss and our gain I guess.

Finally, those of you that know the link road from Barnstaple to the M5 will appreciate that for the most part, it's hard to overtake there unless you're doing so up one of the hills with the dual lanes. I was a little disappointed on the way down that I couldn't pass a 525d, but then he really was going for it (chasing an Alfa GTV) and while there was only him in the car (and I'm guessing an empty boot), there was my wife, my daughter and myself in our car, plus all the clothing for a two-week break, plus all the many, many Christmas present that we were karting to and fro. So while I was gaining on him on one of the hills, it was painfully slow progress. Then my daughter needed a wee and we had to turn off. 

However, coming back yesterday with the car absolutely loaded up, we still left a MKV Golf GTi for dust. And believe me he was trying to keep up.

Admittedly I was flooring it up the hills and with foot to the floor, he just kept getting smaller and smaller in my rear view mirror. He tried a few risky overtaking moves on the single carraigeway sections in an attempt to keep up, but I think in the end he gave up. Probably surprised him - and in some ways I almost wish that the car wasn't debadged - so that he could see he'd been passed with alarming ease by a diesel...

Yet again, I can't fail to be impressed by this car.

*Looking rather worse for wear after 1,000 miles over Christmas*


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## Wondermikie (Apr 14, 2006)

Nice write up. Bit thirsty though, eh?


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Well, that's the only thing that I don't like about it. But then it's a big engine and an auto. Given the performance and the size of the car, I still think it's actually pretty good.


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## p1tse (Sep 20, 2004)

nice write up

bro in law has a 330cd which is nice.

there's a 5 series saloon in the car park now, and looks good.

a possible future car (i can see, if and when i need more space, along with a4 avant, s4, a6's etc. depending on budget etc.)

i remember you were looking at audi (i think), which one was it and why the change to the 5 series?


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

We were going to go for an A6 Avant.

Having weighed up the pros and cons we decided that it had to be a diesel and that it would have to be a 3.0 V6.

Unfortunately, the A6 worked out more expensive and while we probably could have stretched for the right one, it would mean that our second car would then suffer as we wouldn't have as much for that.

As it is, we'll probably still have to find more money when our A4 eventually goes as we're going to have to drop the price again due to no interest.

Anyway, to make a long story short, we settled on the BMW and I now think we definitely made the right choice. There's probably a bit of 'beautiful in the eyes of a parent' syndrom, but I now view the 5 as better looking than the A6.


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## jbell (May 15, 2006)

Kell said:


> Well, that's the only thing that I don't like about it. But then it's a big engine and an auto. Given the performance and the size of the car, I still think it's actually pretty good.


The Loft Extension will not help the MPG


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

jbell said:


> Kell said:
> 
> 
> > Well, that's the only thing that I don't like about it. But then it's a big engine and an auto. Given the performance and the size of the car, I still think it's actually pretty good.
> ...


Hence why I was surprised at getting 33mpg on the cruise up to Newcastle. Still, if it's the only thing to complain about, it's not so bad. We now get around 29mpg on average use, so while it's not brilliant, it's not much worse than our 2.5 litre A4 and the car is 10 times better.


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## Hilly10 (Feb 4, 2004)

Bloody hell Kell you went a bit out of the way Northumberland to Devon via Chelmsford Essex no wonder you used so much diesel :roll:


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## The Silver Surfer (May 14, 2002)

Glad you're happy with the car.

Let me get this right, Kell. It was just you, the wife and the young one in a fairly large estate car, and you still needed a roofbox!!!??? You either have a VERY large family, or you didn't do a particularly great job packing the car? LOL


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## BAMTT (Feb 22, 2004)

jbell said:


> Kell said:
> 
> 
> > Well, that's the only thing that I don't like about it. But then it's a big engine and an auto. Given the performance and the size of the car, I still think it's actually pretty good.
> ...


Blimey how much kit were you carrying


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

The Silver Surfer said:


> Glad you're happy with the car.
> 
> Let me get this right, Kell. It was just you, the wife and the young one in a fairly large estate car, and you still needed a roofbox!!!??? You either have a VERY large family, or you didn't do a particularly great job packing the car? LOL


It's a source of much amusement to the rest of the family.

I get away with one bag, the missus requires one for her, plus another for the shoes. Add Poppy's bag, another bag full of presents, a pram, a bag of Toys and a Dora the Explorer Vanity unit that my missus insisted on buying despite my insistence that we should only buy small presents as we'd be travelling everywhere.

*Small present:* :roll:










It would have all gone in the car, but not while being covered by the load space cover. And I don't like to leave stuff on display when we stop for lunch.

Maybe next year:


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Hilly10 said:


> Bloody hell Kell you went a bit out of the way Northumberland to Devon via Chelmsford Essex no wonder you used so much diesel :roll:


Must have been Cheltenham. Can't remember off hand. It was definitely a C word - as was the one uttered when the car told us we had a puncture.


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## Wolfsburger (Oct 21, 2002)

Kell said:


> It was definitely a C word - as was the one uttered when the car told us we had a puncture.


LOL!


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## p1tse (Sep 20, 2004)

any plans for a remap?


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

p1tse said:


> any plans for a remap?


It's low down on the list of priorities at the mo.

I reckon it would make the car an absolute flying machine though.


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## Carlos (May 6, 2002)

Hi Kell, I can't see windy conditions causing MPG to vary by that much, sounds like your computer is dodgy. We had our own big trip up to NW Scotland that I need to write-up (560 miles each way broken up by one fuel stop at the half way point each journey). I think I got about 33 mpg as well.

It took 8 hours going and 7.5 coming back, both driven at night with the kids asleep. The 535d is the perfect companion for this type of trip and I am delighted with it, can't think of a car I'd rather own for family duties.


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## jonno (May 7, 2002)

How much of the boot space was taken up by your trainers? 

Actually, when I replied on e60.net, I'd not considered the roofbox, so all things considered, that's not a bad mpg.
There are few cars I'd rather do a big mileage in with a load of kit and the family.

/ot
Not sure how old your satnav dvd is, or if you've got a roadpilot/snooper etc, but via e60.net I got hold of a 2008-1 nav dvd with UK & Euro fixed and mobile locations added for Â£30ish.
Obviously it's not exactly "oem", but certainly useful. It doesn't give the audio warning of cameras, but has the icons. 
/ot


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Sounds reasonable consumption. A top box and full load gave us 37mpg in a V50 2.0d last summer on family trip to Scotland. Car normally returns 45-50mpg, so top box obviously adds loads of drag -you really can feel it at 80-85mph compared to not having box on.

I reckon your consumption wouold have been some 20% better without roof box and in a manual car. Manual not an option, but a family of three and their chattels should fit into a 5 touring OK.

Still not bad though for a large family wagon loaded to the rafters.

Glad it's proving to be fit for purpose. :wink:


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

PS:

from 2002:



Kell said:


> The other day I was cruising along as usual coming onto one of my motorways, which was very busy with inferior cars.
> 
> First off, I couldn't believe that the volume of traffic DIDN'T slow down for me AT ALL as I came off the slip road! I had to squeeze into a barely big enough gap between two cars in order to get onto my motorway! (The driver of the car behind me did realise his mistake though and honked an apology to me with a long blast of his horn.)
> 
> ...


Welcome to the club.

:wink:


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

garyc said:


> PS:
> 
> from 2002:
> 
> ...


All true and absolutely correct.

Busy day at work then? Or do you keep all my posts on file somewhere?


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Kell said:


> garyc said:
> 
> 
> > PS:
> ...


Not at work. In bed recovering from a pneumothorax. 

Forum does have a Search function.

I just happen to have a very good memory - although I couldn't find your post I was initially looking for, that contained some of your sarcy comments following my mentioning of the x30d's ability to motor up sliproads and hills out-punching similarly, or in some cases. higher-powered cars.

But then BMW drivers never make U turns


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Well if you remember some of my posts, you'll know that for ages I've been talking about a 330d - it just took a whole to convince the wife.

It's good though it's an automatic so my left leg gets a rest and it's BMW so my indicating finger gets a rest too.


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

Do they still sell a 530d and a 535d together?

Did they ever go for a 4 litre diesel or was this a Merc that is not sold in the UK?

Did the 4.2 d engine from the A8 made it to the A6 range?

(too lazy to search online so you guys may have the answers) :wink:


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Yes.

Don't know.

Yes.


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

I drove the A8 when it had the 4 litre diesel and it was amazing drive. An A6 with the 4.2d engine will fly.


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## W7 PMC (May 6, 2002)

Kell said:


> Yes.
> 
> Don't know.
> 
> Yes.


You sure on the 3rd?? Thought the 3.0d was the largest for the A6. The 4.2d is only available in the A8 & Q7 i thought??


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

W7 PMC said:


> Kell said:
> 
> 
> > Yes.
> ...


I had a look. You are right Paul.


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## clived (May 6, 2002)

vlastan said:


> W7 PMC said:
> 
> 
> > Kell said:
> ...


I don't need to look, Kell and Vlastan are both wrong . The 4.2 with 350bhp is a petrol, not diesel, so no, the 4.2Tdi never made it to the A6.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Well I'm convinced I saw one the other day with a 4.2 TDi badge on it.

Must have been an A8. Damn corporate grilles et al. Can't tell the bloody things apart.


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