[bravo6]

Originally Posted by llamainblue

Yup, only 1 dealer in India

Yeah their air shipping is fast! Got mine in <24 hours!

Originally Posted by GTO

Among the many hidden menus is one that shows you the onboard voltmeter (thanks to Androdev for pointing this out). 12.65v = 100% and 11.89v = 0%, thus my battery has worn out about 50%. Once it drops below 12v, start looking for a new battery:

Unless I'm missing something,

• The voltage reading gives you the State of Charge, just like your phone displays it as a percentage.
• Voltage reading alone can't determine battery health, so being at 50% SoC doesn't mean battery health is 50% i.e it is half worn out. You can recharge it back to 100%
• I think your car has a deep cycle AGM battery (hence the higher cost), which can be discharged to 50% SoC without reducing health significantly, unlike regular car batteries.
• The first sign of an ageing battery is longer crank times. Until that happens, I wouldn't worry about replacing the battery. A CCA measurement with a battery tester is a good approximation of battery health

And yeah, automatic wipers are an under-appreciated feature. First time I drove another car without this feature, I was confused why my vision was deteriorating in the light drizzle!

[Soul Calibur]

Originally Posted by llamainblue

Thank you! We should catch up and discuss all things 530d, where you maintain your car, etc.

And for everyone who's DM'ed me, I am a newbie so I am unable to respond. If you'd like to get in touch, please do include your contact details!

Hey congrats on your new ride!

What are the odds! Even I just purchased a 530d UP registration looks exactly like your car and I'm from Bangalore.

I could really use some info about transferring to KA registration. I just joined Teambhp recently.

Let's catch up and discuss? You can contact me on 98868 72162 through watsapp

[llamainblue]

Originally Posted by Soul Calibur

Hey congrats on your new ride!

What are the odds! Even I just purchased a 530d UP registration looks exactly like your car and I'm from Bangalore.

I could really use some info about transferring to KA registration. I just joined Teambhp recently.

Let's catch up and discuss? You can contact me on 98868 72162 through watsapp

Thank you, and congrats to you too! I have a feeling I've gone through the listing of your car, and it was too expensive since it was being sold in Bangalore itself (if it is the same one).

I'm not going to get the KA number right away, since it will be a good 3-5L, and I'll have a window of 6 months to get it done once I get the NOC from the Lucknow RTO. Right now, I haven't even received the new RC card, and NOC will come a couple of weeks post that only. So I guess I'll initiate the number change process sometime next year.

[llamainblue]

Overdue update - My car is finally back from Carmed, and almost everything is sorted for now. Also added a few pics here since I was able to get some nice shots this weekend.

The ride has become extremely quiet because of the new tyres, and new rear brake pads and rotors which were scuffing and making noise before the change. I need to run the new rotors for ~150 km before I can hard brake, so no speed tests before that to check how the new tyres perform.

Got new engine and transmission mounts which Kalyan from Carmed recommended to reduce vibrations.

Got some new parts like the wiper cowl cover which had worn out, new roof lining, new boot shockers, new headlight wash nozzles (from A-Z parts), and some internal switches like the mode and steering speed limiter/cruise control which had worn so got them replaced.

Also got the Viofo 3 channel A229 plus dashcam fixed.

I also added some dog seat covers since the rear seat is almost exclusively for my pupper.

I am still waiting for one switch and a fog lamp to be delivered, which should be a 20-minute job to replace.

Has anyone got their dashcam fixed with a hardware kit to sense any impact when parked? If so, do you know if it catches anyone touching/scratching the car as well, or only accident impact? I'm facing some miscreants who have scratched the car already and I'm at my wits' end with this vandalism.

Lastly, I got some interior leather upholstery done by this studio in Bagalur called Refurb Studio. From my experience, I would highly recommend avoiding this place if you can. Not only did the owner not tell me that they will mess up the stitching when doing their work, and getting the stitching fixed is not part of the job. When I asked about it later, he first said that is not part of their job, then changed his tone to say that is how the car was delivered to him, then changed the tone again to say that he couldn't do a proper job because I pushed him to deliver the car back quickly. Even after all this, I paid him before taking my car, and all I asked for was a bill. He sent me a bill with my name not mentioned correctly, and refuses to correct it because I told him I would leave a bad review. Without a bill, I can't file this expense, and so I have had to file a consumer forum complaint to get the correct bill for the money I've paid (~12k). Even if I ignore the shoddy job, this pathetic customer service doesn't deserve any business. Happy to share pics of the job he's done if anyone wants to see them.

Some pics of the car -

[SGK]

Hi All,

After going through this thread for the last few months (honestly, years), I am also planning to proceed with a pre-loved 530d and found a 2015 second-owner car that has done 1.17L kms, KA-regd. I know this is very high mileage, but I have done a basic check and am planning to take it to BMW for thorough verification since it is available within my budget (< 25L). Kindly note I am buying this car only to satisfy my urge for German cars, and for regular use, I have my trusted 2.8Z Crysta and Celerio as my beater. I have the following questions and would like esteemed members' views:

1. My kid kind of wants a Benz and is wondering why I should not start looking for a similar vintage E-class. Does Benz have such high maintenance that I should be wary? (I am planning for a 1L maintenance budget per year for any car).


2. My driving would be less than 5K kms per year in this car, and I am looking for a car for driving pleasure. Do you suggest some other cars? In fact, my family is suggesting I sell my Crysta and buy something better (probably new or a car with fewer kms). But I am very wary of spending money on German cars, knowing they will depreciate faster, and I also don't want to end up with an unreliable car or a maintenance monster. So, I am thinking of getting one at a cheap price, and even if some issues arise, I will sell it off and not incur much loss.


3. What things should I keep in mind if I go ahead with this car (after a satisfactory report from BMW)?

[llamainblue]

Originally Posted by SGK

Hi All,

1. My kid kind of wants a Benz and is wondering why I should not start looking for a similar vintage E-class. Does Benz have such high maintenance that I should be wary? (I am planning for a 1L maintenance budget per year for any car).

You say you are looking for a driver's car, and between the three Germans, BMW offers the best driver experience. Now since we all mostly drive much less powerful cars, any of the Merc, Audi, or BMW will be a significant jump, but you can clearly feel the difference between the three (in the same segment of course). For your budget, you can very easily get a fairly good condition run 530d.

2. My driving would be less than 5K kms per year in this car, and I am looking for a car for driving pleasure. Do you suggest some other cars? In fact, my family is suggesting I sell my Crysta and buy something better (probably new or a car with fewer kms). But I am very wary of spending money on German cars, knowing they will depreciate faster, and I also don't want to end up with an unreliable car or a maintenance monster. So, I am thinking of getting one at a cheap price, and even if some issues arise, I will sell it off and not incur much loss.

If you have the garage space, a 530d is a great option. I was initially looking at a Volvo (started with a V40, then moved to S60, before dismissing them for a 530d), but they didn't give me that oomph which I got with my current choice. If you are still looking at exchanging your Innova, why don't you look at the Camry? It has great tech, gives decent mileage due to its hybrid engine, and you will probably get a good exchange bonus too. I recently saw the Ionic, and if EVs are your thing, that seems like a good choice too with all the fancy features, but fairly expensive.

3. What things should I keep in mind if I go ahead with this car (after a satisfactory report from BMW)?

If you choose the 530d, start with driving a few of them so you understand how they feel, and you'll also understand how they are maintained (rattles, suspension, power delivery, etc.). If you're satisfied with your test drive, then have them checked at BMW (costs 10,000 + 18% GST). They will also add a few things to the list just based on mileage, which you can choose to ignore. If their check doesn't throw any major issues with the engine, transmission, and electronics, I think you should be good to purchase.

I looked at quite a few options online before I went and saw them in person. Unfortunately, most of the ads are from dealers, and no matter how good they sound on the phone or in person, they are all cut from the same cloth when it comes to deals and paperwork. In my case, I bought my car from Shirdi Motors in Delhi, and I would not recommend them at all. Not only did they hide some work needed on the car (like the sunroof lining had to be changed, and they glued it so it wouldn't be visible till after I started using it), they still have not got the transfer of the car ownership done, and are dragging it.

For your budget of 25L, you will easily get a post 2017-18 model with 50,000 or less run. Anything apart from this, you're being conned. And if you have some patience, I would highly recommend getting a car from Delhi/NCR and then getting the number changed to KA. This will alone save you 5L or so. The cars in NCR depreciate way more heavily due to their 10-year rule for diesel engines, and so you can easily get a 2017 model, ~50/60k run, without any major issues for less than 18-20L. You can spend the remaining of your budget to get the RTO transfer done (~3-4L). In my case, I got a 60k run 2015 model for around the same budget. I spent some 2L on new tyres and other things (check my previous post for updates). Cars prices in Bangalore are heavily inflated (even Mumbai was much less).

Lastly, please don't get any German car with 1L on the odometer. They all go heavy maintenance around 1L km, and high chance anyone selling a car with that mileage has not got that done, and/or has cheaped out on servicing.

[ssjr0498]

Congratulations on the beast and welcome to TBHP!

Some will say that you paid a lot for your car, but man, I know the previous owner and the full history of this car and boy you have got a peach!! It's very hard to come by such specimen's and when they come, they surely are not cheap, as it takes a lot to maintain them. So enjoy this beast to its fullest!

Cheers!

Originally Posted by Soul Calibur

Hey congrats on your new ride!

What are the odds! Even I just purchased a 530d UP registration looks exactly like your car and I'm from Bangalore.

I could really use some info about transferring to KA registration. I just joined Teambhp recently.

Let's catch up and discuss? You can contact me on 98868 72162 through watsapp

[Soul Calibur]

Wow thanks for the reassuring words ! Car is totally updated and flawless! Will use the last service pack in December. Hopefully I can get some preventive parts change included in it!

[SGK]

Originally Posted by llamainblue

You say you are looking for a driver's car, and between the three Germans, BMW offers the best driver experience.

Lastly, please don't get any German car with 1L on the odometer. They all go heavy maintenance around 1L km, and high chance anyone selling a car with that mileage has not got that done, and/or has cheaped out on servicing.

Thanks a lot for the detailed update, Ilamainblue, and thanks for the suggestions. During my search, I have come across a Lexus that I think might be a good upgrade from the Crysta. I’m not going for this variant of the 530d and will continue to search, keeping this group updated.

P.S. I’m still wondering whether modern BMWs and Mercs are not suitable for above 1L kms, or if we’re just trying to be more cautious since we don’t know the past owners

[llamainblue]

Originally Posted by SGK

During my search, I have come across a Lexus that I think might be a good upgrade from the Crysta. I’m not going for this variant of the 530d and will continue to search, keeping this group updated.

P.S. I’m still wondering whether modern BMWs and Mercs are not suitable for above 1L kms, or if we’re just trying to be more cautious since we don’t know the past owners

Innova to Lexus is quite an upgrade!

The cars are reliable post 1L km easily, but the updates needed will be expensive, so it is better to do them yourself to be assured of no compromises. So more like erring on the side of caution (I got my Corolla at 90k mileage because it is cheaper to maintain, so I was okay with more KMs on the odo).

Also, you can look at the A6 if you are looking for a family drive. It is getting heavy discounts of up to 20L in some showrooms, so it is a bargain if you are looking in that segment.

[SGK]

Originally Posted by llamainblue

Innova to Lexus is quite an upgrade!

Also, you can look at the A6 if you are looking for a family drive. It is getting heavy discounts of up to 20L in some showrooms, so it is a bargain if you are looking in that segment.

Yes Lexus would be great upgrade ( I am looking at Pre-loved route only). Audi's recent discounts is mouthwatering and I saw a post a new Q3 at 45L which is unbelievable, so I will check that route as well.

[josepeter]

Mine is finally here!!

A 320d and 40K kms after being bit by the Bimmer bug two years ago, my diesel rocket is here.

Picked this peach locally after a search of many months across the country! She's a 2016 and had clocked 70K, absolutely mint!

I just need fresh rubber to belt her. I have a set of forgestar 18" alloys that I plan to finish in gunmetal and have new tyres installed.

I want to maintain the staggered setup but was thinking of slightly higher profile tyres. Prefer Michelin or Conti. Any advice is helpful.

Typical me! Now that I've posted, I'll go to page 1 of this thread and start reading!!

[llamainblue]

Originally Posted by GTO

Update on my car. As it ages, some small niggles have started to crop up:

1. The fuel tank lid wouldn't lock, even after locking the car. Got the entire unit replaced from Akshay.

The fuel lid is not locking on my car either. I initially thought it was by design, but your comment tells me that it's faulty. Any idea on what part needed to be replaced or repaired? And any approximate cost for the same? TIA!

[tictactoe]

I am in the market for a new set of tyres for my 520d. Inspired by GTO, I wanted to replace my RFT Michelins with Yokohama Advan sport tubeless. However the local dealer told me that Advan is now discontinued and only Blue Earth is available.

So now the option is Yokohama Blue Earth or Michelin. Any views?

[Sameergarg]

Originally Posted by tictactoe

I am in the market for a new set of tyres for my 520d. Inspired by GTO, I wanted to replace my RFT Michelins with Yokohama Advan sport tubeless. However the local dealer told me that Advan is now discontinued and only Blue Earth is available.

So now the option is Yokohama Blue Earth or Michelin. Any views?

Hi I’m a newbie so could not reply to your PM. I am using ceat sportdrive tubeless tyres. It has been best decision of my ownership. No scraping. Car is more comfortable and suspension has become smoother. Also they cost half price of Michelin. Got them for 11k. So far done 20 k and about 80 percent tread still left. Extremely silent. Great aquaplaning and low rolling resistance.

Now I feel my 520d has got better SUVish stance. Does not scrape on speedbreaker or potholes. Just go for 50 profile specifically ceat sportdrive without second thought and thank me later. You will save lot of bucks with peace of mind. No more cracked or bent rims I promise.