'00 BMW 530d

css

Alan check out the spec on UK models, you'll get a tastey spec 530d over there for a good bit cheaper than here.. I'm talking 10k STG, which will be about 20k when you bring it back... fully loaded too.. worth checking out autotrader.co.uk for prices to get an indication.. that might help with the depreciation hit.

Don't forget it's a 3L engine, so it's not gonna be that easy to shift.. Also the age will affect it. Personally buying a 530d as a 1 year investment is a bad idea imho, it's just not saleable enough.... So buy it as a longer term investment!! You know you'd love it!!

AlanD

css wrote:

Alan check out the spec on UK models, you'll get a tastey spec 530d over there for a good bit cheaper than here.. I'm talking 10k STG, which will be about 20k when you bring it back... fully loaded too.. worth checking out autotrader.co.uk for prices to get an indication.. that might help with the depreciation hit.

I've been looking for UK cars all morning. They are not cheap! For example, a '02 with 88k on the clock is still almost stg£14k. I would not be interested in it unless it had the m-tech body kit or auto gearbox. It seems the UK may not be the cheapest place to go, although I'll stay looking. I'm not in any serious rush!

So buy it as a longer term investment!! You know you'd love it!!

It's a distinct possibility that the car could be kept longer than a year. If we love we'd find it hard to sell. If it's drinking diesel we'll just offload it quicker.

unkel

AlanD wrote:

This is true. One thing strikes me though is that for some reason BMW prices in this country for cars like this stay very high for longer than expected

Yes but much more so for the 530d than any other BMW

AlanD wrote:

If I could get a '01 or '02 for close to that price I'd be better off

Especially the '02 one. Might be a wiser choice

AlanD wrote:

Any comments from actual owners?

There are a few owners around here alright. Do a search and PM them asking for their experience / advice

ds20prefecture

AlanD wrote:

If it's drinking diesel we'll just offload it quicker.

Just an observation - you seem unusually sensitive to the expected fuel economy.

Assuming €1.10 per litre for diesel and 20,000 miles at an average of 30mpg, you're looking at a fuel bill of €3300 for the year.

At, say, 25mpg you'd be talking about €3960.

€660 of a difference is hardly a deal breaker when you're paying 1100 in tax and 5000 in depreciation. With a 2.2L 520i you would off-set the difference in fuel costs with the saving in tax (and a lower purchase price). OK, it's not quite as powerful as the 530d but it is a lot smoother.

kdevitt

Wheres 30mpg for a 530d coming from?? I average 31 MPG in a 328ci...and it gets driven hard enough. The 530d is obviously far more economical. I spoke to someone who averaged 35mpg in one around the Nordschliefe...so I'd imagine you'd struggle to do worse in normal driving conditions - unless you do the M50 commute daily

AlanD

ds20prefecture wrote:

Just an observation - you seem unusually sensitive to the expected fuel economy.

€660 of a difference is hardly a deal breaker when you're paying 1100 in tax and 5000 in depreciation. With a 2.2L 520i you would off-set the difference in fuel costs with the saving in tax (and a lower purchase price). OK, it's not quite as powerful as the 530d but it is a lot smoother.

You are absolutely right ds20......I have taken in to account the extra fuel it would take and I've been working on an average 30mpg like you have calculated. So you are right, it's not a deal breaker to pay an extra 600-800 in fuel per year. However, if it was returning less than 30mpg I might have a small problem with it. All my driving is 100km/h stuff so I don't see that as being a problem.

I've actually looked at the 520's but can't find one with m-tech kit that's cheap enough to offset the extra cost of fuel! I'll be looking for both anyway. The 530d is more appealing for what it is though.

lomb

u will lose more like 7-8000 on that car, after 1 year and 20000 miles. no one in the ' proper' trade touches used cars over 60k miles. unkel is right in the regard of depreciation. fuel costs are irrelevent when u are hemoraging 8000 a year in depreciation.
if u want a way nicer car thats not going to lose much in 1 year and will be overall cheaper to run than a 530 have a look at this http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=275940

u really arent going to save anything buying a 530d.

AlanD

lots of great info above guys. I'm a slight bit concerned about the depreciation some of you think there'll be in the first year, and other years after that. I'm not fully buying it. If it's going to drop 7k in the next year then it's priced too high right now as it is and maybe that's your point.

Lots food for thought though.

Anyone got any other opinions on depreciation?

As for the Jag? I'm probably a bit too young! haha.....

css

To be honest you'd be better off getting a 320d if you wanna beat the depreciation.. the 3L engine is always gonna take a big hit..

AlanD

css wrote:

To be honest you'd be better off getting a 320d if you wanna beat the depreciation.. the 3L engine is always gonna take a big hit..

it's also on my shopping list but they are all so miserably specced and not all have that nice 150bhp engine that I'd see it as a complete waste of money having one unless it had lots of toys.

HashSlinging

css wrote:

You are comparing a 5 series (mid range exec car) to a mass produced car that's built to be as cheap as possible. No comparison when it comes to comfort.

Incidentally you can remap that 530d to 220bhp/500Nm, if that's your fancy. You might as well buy the engine to do the job, than wasting money on stupid remaps that'll leave the road behind you like a WW1 battlefield..

Well the golf PD 150 is within the guys price range and it has the same power as the 530D when chipped, he did pass a comment of how fast they are, the golf is a lighter car so in fact would be faster still. From a tax, depreciation, and fuel consumption point of view the 1.9Tdi is a better buy. He'll also be able to buy an '02 or an '03 for that money, provided he finds one. Also your comment about the golf being built as cheap as possible compared to a BMW doesn’t make much sense, do you think BMW produce the 5 series to make a loss? of course not, they are going to make the car the cheapest acceptable way. Its basic economics.

ds20prefecture

css wrote:

You are comparing a 5 series (mid range exec car) to a mass produced car that's built to be as cheap as possible. No comparison when it comes to comfort.

I get a little depressed when people buy into the marketing line instead of the product - i.e. they buy a "premium exclusive executive" car instead of a 530d.

The 5 series, like all BMWs, is a mass produced car. The idea that a Golf is "as cheap as possible" is frankly laughable. The Octavia is the same car as the Golf, yet roughly 3000 cheaper when new. THAT might be as "cheap as possible" .

The "executive" handle you use to distinguish the 5 from the Golf is pure image - it has nothing to do with the engineering or quality of the car, e.g. Mercedes and Lexus both mass produce "executive" cars but of very different quality.

Comfort also has nothing to do with the volume or cost of manufacture. It is determined by the level of equipment, the firmness of the ride, the smoothness of the engine, the amount of sound deadening and the amount of space in the cabin. Both 5 series and Golf score highly in this regard - the Golf being generally accepted to have the nicer interior.

What does distinguish the 5 over the Golf is how the car drives - the suspension setup is regarded as among the best compromise between ride and handling in the it excels at both. The steering is direct and without interference from the drivetrain. The car has been engineered to handle well with much more powerful drivetrains than the 3.0 diesel, and so it never feels flustered in the application of power.

The Golf was engineered to be a front wheel drive family hatchback with one or two powerful variants. The diesel provides a surfeit of torque through the same wheels that are being used to steer the car. In normal tune, it does this very well. Most people who tune their cars to meet some nominal BHP figure fail to account for the extra power in the rest of the car - i.e. brakes, suspension, wheels, etc. 200bhp is above the limit of what the Mk IV Golf should have. The previous standard 5 was sold up to 300bhp from the factory.

It is generally pointless comparing a VW Golf to a 530d, however the original poster seemed to cast a fairly wide net - it seems he's looking for a fast diesel 4 door car. It also seems that he's decided that the 5 is the one he wants so the argument is moot.

css

ds20prefecture wrote:

The "executive" handle you use to distinguish the 5 from the Golf is pure image - it has nothing to do with the engineering or quality of the car, e.g. Mercedes and Lexus both mass produce "executive" cars but of very different quality.

I guess what I was getting at is you are comparing a dolphin to a whale. The Golf is a small car, the 5 series isn't. Try putting 5 grown adults in that golf and see how comfortable they are, put the same 5 people in a 5 series and see which they prefer. There's more to a car than simple BHP/torque figures is what I was trying to say!

AlanD

css wrote:

I guess what I was getting at is you are comparing a dolphin to a whale. The Golf is a small car, the 5 series isn't. Try putting 5 grown adults in that golf and see how comfortable they are, put the same 5 people in a 5 series and see which they prefer. There's more to a car than simple BHP/torque figures is what I was trying to say!

I totally agree with your last 2 posts. Excellent points. You just can't compare a golf to a 5 series. They are cater for different needs and whether one can be just as fast as the other is not the point. I'm not going to buy a golf, old or new. I need a boot, space in the back, power, comfort and a bit of fun thrown in there. The 530d probably caters for all of that. I've almost never heard a bad thing said about them which is why I'm considering one now, depreciation or not. Pricewise, the alternative is a Passat with a misrable 1.9 tdi engine or a very well specced Laguna with a nice engine but that might break down. I'm looking to fill a gap until someone buys a passat with the 2.0 tdi engine for me this year and trades it in next year, then I'll pounce. The 530d might just fill that gap.

That one I was talking about is sold already.....with all my faffing about. Everything else is too dear, too many miles, rubbish spec or all of the above, so perhaps that car was good value after all.

css

You know what you want and have time on your side, (or do you!).. so it's worth waiting for the right motor.. Just make sure it has full bmwsh that will matter on resale..

Seth Brundle

Go for the 530d!
Incidentally here is a link to a 2002 owners manual to peruse until you get your own.

AlanD

css wrote:

You know what you want and have time on your side, (or do you!).. so it's worth waiting for the right motor.. Just make sure it has full bmwsh that will matter on resale..

I have time alright, I'll hang on until something comes up with the right spec, miles, etc. A full BMW S.H. is a must alright. Too many people don't take good enough care of their car's engine.

And some car porn from kbannon? fair play!

HashSlinging

good look with your choice, i'll be looking for one next year (530D), and theres been a fair few good points for them here. So when you do get it let me know what you think and if it lives up to expectations.

to CSS your right theres no comparison to a golf when any 5 series is sitting beside it, whatever model, saying that Golf aint bad though, but I'd never buy one. Even with an engine out of a 530D.

PlayaFlow

bbability wrote:

That's a ball park figure for that car with that mileage. I drove a 00 530d in June for the first time. What a car It was fully loaded too. Drove it down the M1 and by jaysus was I moving. You'll never understand a car like that until you actually drive one for yourself. You know the way this type of car overtakes you at light speed. They are built for eating roads. My friend's old man who was lucky enough to buy it got it for €15k. The reason.... the bloke he bought it off has his own company and knows him for years. He was trading up to a brand new 730D. BMW only offered him 15 on the trade in.

I know exactly what you mean! you really have to drive a car like that to appreciate it , my dad just got a merc C270 Cdi , before i drove that i used to hate diesels , but the torque and the way it just flows so effortlessly on the motorway is excellent.
I would assume is the same story with the beemer.

kevodaly

alan - i've a grand toyota corolla for ya. could let it go for say 4500.
tis cheap to tax and insure and will go forever.

you'd save 20k on the cost, about 800 on tax, more on fuel

basically i'd be giving you 21,000 euros.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=273399

ds20prefecture

css wrote:

I guess what I was getting at is you are comparing a dolphin to a whale. The Golf is a small car, the 5 series isn't.

ds20prefecture wrote:

It is generally pointless comparing a VW Golf to a 530d, however the original poster seemed to cast a fairly wide net - it seems he's looking for a fast diesel 4 door car. It also seems that he's decided that the 5 is the one he wants so the argument is moot.

AlanD

kevodaly wrote:

alan - i've a grand toyota corolla for ya. could let it go for say 4500.
tis cheap to tax and insure and will go forever.

you'd save 20k on the cost, about 800 on tax, more on fuel

basically i'd be giving you 21,000 euros.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=273399

tempting offer alright. I especially like the lack of electric windows. So how about you just give me the €21,000 and I'll let you keep the car for free.

AlanD

I went off to drive a 530d on Saturday. It was a sport model but was poverty spec on the inside. So no cruise, auto or climate control which is a bit of a cod. But wow, what a car. A cruiser it certainly is. I felt so comfortable in it. Driving position was excellent, power was amazing and it was so quiet on the road too.

Definitely have fallen in love with it. Would have bought it there and then if it had cruise control. He was selling it at cost price (well so he says). It was 02, with 60k on the clock. All for 33,500.

The dealer did confirm what some of you have said about the depreciation that they drop 5k per year. But for 00's they will drop about 3-4k per year at this stage. New one's drop an unbelieveable 10k per year he said.

But yes, top car. Will definitely go drive some more and wait for the right one with the right toys at the right price.

unkel

AlanD wrote:

But yes, top car. Will definitely go drive some more and wait for the right one with the right toys at the right price.

This is it. Happy hunting