Want a 520d - educate me

JohnCleary

Folks,
Have a 2002 E46 320d and while I love little betsy, i'm getting sick of it. Nice yoke that i've had for 5 years trouble-free and nice spec, but I want change.

In an ideal world i'd be looking for a 530d, but with the car tax price I simply refuse.

So, the next sensible option is a 520d

Can anyone educate me regarding the likes of a 2006+ 520d? More than likely budget would allow for a 2007-2008

Main thing for me is spec - what should I be looking out for apart from the usuals?

Things that would be a must:
Xenon Lights
Leather
Heated mirrors
Nice alloys
Climate Control
Integrated Bluetooth

If they're anything like the 3 series, i'll be going for the SE model

This is my first bit of questioning/research into the 5 series, i'll read more on forums in the coming weeks and give myself a bit of an education


As an aside, thinking of trying to flog the 320d SE for €2,000. Am I being realistic? Spec is: Xenon's, Leather, Heated Seats, Climate Control, Heated mirrors, 6CD Changer in boot, Nice 17" alloys, No NCT - running fine, used as my daily driver. Usual stone chips on the bonnet, 2 tiny dents on either back door. Also had the turbo re-conditioned in the UK 3 years ago - pulls fine, no smoke

Jimbob 83

I was seriously considering a 06 520d after driving an M-sport one with leather but was abit short in terms of money so bought an ST instead, have my eye on a new shape 535d as next car it tax system stays as is

JohnCleary

Was it June 2007 that the cheaper tax band came into play?

I would actually increase my budget to allow for this as i'll save in the long run (provided the feckers don't revert back to the old system, I remember reading that it could be on the cards)

shawnee

2008s are only eligible for cheaper tax.

jprboy

JohnCleary wrote: »

Was it June 2007 that the cheaper tax band came into play?

I would actually increase my budget to allow for this as i'll save in the long run (provided the feckers don't revert back to the old system, I remember reading that it could be on the cards)

No, June 2008

JohnCleary

shawnee wrote: »

2008s are only eligible for cheaper tax.

jprboy wrote: »

No, June 2008

In that case, i'll be looking for a 2008 520d

Theboinkmaster

JohnCleary wrote: »

In that case, i'll be looking for a 2008 520d

Apparently a remap of the 08 520d makes a significant difference. I'm looking at them too and want a 08 520d m sport with following extras:

- leather
- pro sat nav with wide screen (the bog standard one looks crap)
- auto
- heated seats
- increased spyder alloys (but can add them later so no biggie)

Leonard Hofstadter

2008 onwards 520ds have a problem with badly manufactured crankshafts, which will ultimately lead to timing chain failure, which when it fails requires the engined to be removed from the car in order to change (since the chain is at the back of the engine i.e. on the side facing the driver):eek:.

I would not under any circumstances go for a 520d after September 2007 came in (the ones with the newer style gear lever for autos and the ones with auto start/stop for the manuals) - a six cylinder is much more reliable since it has a different engine, and anyway a six cylinder model on the new tax system is the same as a 520d on the old tax system:).

cgal093

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Apparently a remap of the 08 520d makes a significant difference. I'm looking at them too and want a 08 520d m sport with following extras:

- leather
- pro sat nav with wide screen (the bog standard one looks crap)
- auto
- heated seats
- increased spyder alloys (but can add them later so no biggie)

I doubt there would be many 520s in Ireland with that sat nav, you may have to go to the uk or maybe northern ireland

Saab Ed

Buy an 07 530d instead. Nobody wants them now because of exactly the same reason you want a June 08 onwards 520d. I'd sooner have the extra money in my pocket to spend on tax and still have a nicer car. Just a thought

Bigcheeze

Saab Ed wrote: »

Buy an 07 530d instead. Nobody wants them now because of exactly the same reason you want a June 08 onwards 520d. I'd sooner have the extra money in my pocket to spend on tax and still have a nicer car. Just a thought

Means you need to go down the import though. Bugger all choice of anything apart from 520d's in ireland.

Leonard Hofstadter

Saab Ed wrote: »

Buy an 07 530d instead. Nobody wants them now because of exactly the same reason you want a June 08 onwards 520d. I'd sooner have the extra money in my pocket to spend on tax and still have a nicer car. Just a thought

Plus the fact that the 530d won't have the timing chain problems the 520d will either, the tax savings from a 520d would take a hell of a long time to pay for that component failing.

nightster1

Bigcheeze wrote: »

Means you need to go down the import though. Bugger all choice of anything apart from 520d's in ireland.

Good choice on carzone at the mo

JohnCleary

Would the consensus be; spend the extra few bob on an 08 530d and accept the 'new' low rate of tax on it?

It wouldn't be any more expensive to tax than my current 320d, but my fear is that the Govt will revert back to the cc based tax system... it'd just be an extra kick in the nuts (I can absorb the extra insurance/running costs no problem, it's just a principle thing re. tax)

unkel

JohnCleary wrote: »

Would the consensus be; spend the extra few bob on an 08 530d and accept the 'new' low rate of tax on it?

Yes

Theboinkmaster

cgal093 wrote: »

I doubt there would be many 520s in Ireland with that sat nav, you may have to go to the uk or maybe northern ireland

Sorry im assuming you're getting from UK as spec on 5 series in Ireland is shocking. 99% are poverty spec.

GavMan

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Sorry im assuming you're getting from UK as spec on 5 series in Ireland is shocking. 99% are poverty spec.

Hmmmm, standard specs on Irish cars has been the exact same as the UK for the last number of years. Since BMW Ireland became a subsidiary of BMW UK

Blazer

Saab Ed wrote: »

Buy an 07 530d instead. Nobody wants them now because of exactly the same reason you want a June 08 onwards 520d. I'd sooner have the extra money in my pocket to spend on tax and still have a nicer car. Just a thought

exactly what I did..plus it was the M47 engine which has none of the issues with the N47 and timing chain.
Saved about 8k from a 08 model and well worth it.
If you are getting a newer one get a 09/10 model to avoid the timing chain issues.

JohnCleary

With every post, I seem to be going a year younger.... Jaysus next thing i'll have a 2013 on order :eek::pac:

Theboinkmaster

GavMan wrote: »

Hmmmm, standard specs on Irish cars has been the exact same as the UK for the last number of years. Since BMW Ireland became a subsidiary of BMW UK

I'm not talking about standard spec I'm talking about optional extras.

Leonard Hofstadter

Blazer wrote: »

exactly what I did..plus it was the M47 engine which has none of the issues with the N47 and timing chain.
Saved about 8k from a 08 model and well worth it.
If you are getting a newer one get a 09/10 model to avoid the timing chain issues.

I think, but am not sure, that they (finally) sorted out the timing chain problems when the '20d' engine was uprated to 184 bhp. So that *should* mean that the F10 won't have the problem (but knowing BMW there probably will be some other basic engineering oversight that we won't hear about causing problems for another while with the newer N47 engines:rolleyes:).

GavMan

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

I'm not talking about standard spec I'm talking about optional extras.

We have all the same options....Ours are just more expensive because of VRT...

Dr.Rieux

GavMan wrote: »

We have all the same options....Ours are just more expensive because of VRT...

Over in the UK they're probably more likely to add the options due to less cost so more better specced cars in the second hand market.

Theboinkmaster

GavMan wrote: »

We have all the same options....Ours are just more expensive because of VRT...

You're completely missing my point. In the second hard market the 5 series cars in the UK are much better specced than in Ireland, and much better maintained.

Blazer

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

You're completely missing my point. In the second hard market the 5 series cars in the UK are much better specced than in Ireland, and much better maintained.

agreed..Irish people don't seem to go for extras..even I was looking at 09/10 models and most of them were half leather...
jesus christ..a half leather 520d or worse..clothed..
But then again the price of extras here is ridiculous.
I got lucky with mine as it came with full leather/bluetooth /sports wheel etc...
wish the fúcker had got xenons though as well

Leonard Hofstadter

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

You're completely missing my point. In the second hard market the 5 series cars in the UK are much better specced than in Ireland, and much better maintained.

Exactly, the base specs are identical, but the Irish go for less powerful engines (something like 75% of 3 series are 316ds in Ireland, in the UK the 320d accounts for over 60% of sales) and usually don't bother with extras.

To be fair the basic F10 520d SE has pretty much everything you need anyway.

cadaliac

@ OP - re: tax on '08 or above.
I honestly think that the Government will leave the '08 Co2 tax based system as it is. (for now ) As in, they will not go back and say 2008 cars are now based on cc rather that CO2 emmissions - thats just lunacy.

They are very likely to change it from now on, however - from 2012 and onward, maybe, but if you recall when the new based Co2 system came in everyone wanted the Gov to back date and do all sorts. They were adamant that they would only use it from 2008 and onward.

It would cost the Exchequer millions and millions to get it right anyway. It opens up far too many difficulties for government also. If they did it would mean that all the low Co2 emitting cars with large engines actually owe the government for lost tax, so to speak.
It would be a nightmare to manage and they will never attempt such a poorly rewarded expensive task for themselves.

It won't happen. The cars between 2008 and now that are good for Co2 emmissions are good to tax. I think you would be mad to go for the 520d (07) when you could get a 2008 530d (08). Initial price would higher alright though.

GavMan

cadaliac wrote: »

@ OP - re: tax on '08 or above.
I honestly think that the Government will leave the '08 Co2 tax based system as it is. (for now ) As in, they will not go back and say 2008 cars are now based on cc rather that CO2 emmissions - thats just lunacy.

They are very likely to change it from now on, however - from 2012 and onward, maybe, but if you recall when the new based Co2 system came in everyone wanted the Gov to back date and do all sorts. They were adamant that they would only use it from 2008 and onward.

It would cost the Exchequer millions and millions to get it right anyway. It opens up far too many difficulties for government also. If they did it would mean that all the low Co2 emitting cars with large engines actually owe the government for lost tax, so to speak.
It would be a nightmare to manage and they will never attempt such a poorly rewarded expensive task for themselves.

It won't happen. The cars between 2008 and now that are good for Co2 emmissions are good to tax. I think you would be mad to go for the 520d (07) when you could get a 2008 530d (08). Initial price would higher alright though.

Effectively 3 tax systems?

cadaliac

GavMan wrote: »

Effectively 3 tax systems?

Well, unless they go back to the cc based system, which I don't think they will either. I would doubt they will streamline all years, ever.

I would say that they will increase the Co2 tax and claw back the lost revenue from 2008 up to now. This will of course be a gradual increase.

I'd say they just didn't realise how many people would go diesel.

Gumbo

Very hard to get a 520d with that spec, i ended up going for the 525d.
Not much more to tax (well less, as i came from an E39 530d) and more power, smoother as its the 6 cycliner over the 20d engine.

I wanted the same kind of extras as yourself, but they wre just not out there, the 525d i got has :

• Adaptive Xenons
• Integrated Bluetooth
• Rear Lip Spoiler
• Privacy Glass
• Black Leather
• Heated Seats
• Silver Alu cube trim
• Professional Sat Nav (the wide screen one, the smaller one is business nav)
• DVD

The climate control things quizzes me, they have standard twisty dials but the temp is marked around the knob, not just blue and red, so i guess thats climate control?

the 535d gets the advance climate control as standard and i think it was an option on other E60's.

Ive added the 192 172M wheels afterwards

Theboinkmaster

kceire wrote: »

Very hard to get a 520d with that spec, i ended up going for the 525d.
Not much more to tax (well less, as i came from an E39 530d) and more power, smoother as its the 6 cycliner over the 20d engine.

I wanted the same kind of extras as yourself, but they wre just not out there, the 525d i got has :

• Adaptive Xenons
• Integrated Bluetooth
• Rear Lip Spoiler
• Privacy Glass
• Black Leather
• Heated Seats
• Silver Alu cube trim
• Professional Sat Nav (the wide screen one, the smaller one is business nav)
• DVD

The climate control things quizzes me, they have standard twisty dials but the temp is marked around the knob, not just blue and red, so i guess thats climate control?

the 535d gets the advance climate control as standard and i think it was an option on other E60's.

Ive added the 192 172M wheels afterwards

I've seen your car on the bmw forum it's a beaut!

Joe 90

captainspeed wrote: »

2008 onwards 520ds have a problem with badly manufactured crankshafts, which will ultimately lead to timing chain failure, which when it fails requires the engined to be removed from the car in order to change (since the chain is at the back of the engine i.e. on the side facing the driver):eek:.

I would not under any circumstances go for a 520d after September 2007 came in (the ones with the newer style gear lever for autos and the ones with auto start/stop for the manuals) - a six cylinder is much more reliable since it has a different engine, and anyway a six cylinder model on the new tax system is the same as a 520d on the old tax system:).

Never in my life have I seen an engine with the timing chain at the flywheel end of the crank. Can you post a link to an illustration of some sort?