2010 BMW 520d advice

TestersWanted

I'm looking at a 2010 520d auto (F10) with 68k miles. It's got a good spec, one owner, and is from a dealer in Dublin but not a BMW dealer. He is offering a 12-month warranty. I've had a quick look and it seems fine. Assuming it checks out re history etc, can anyone advise if it's a good deal at €25995 asking?

I've read posts that mention expensive timing chain problems with 520d's but also posts that say the problem has been fixed in newer models. From the reg, I'd say it was registered in the first few months of 2010. From this sparse detail can you tell if this car's engine came after the fix or is vulnerable to the problem?

Also, from what I've read, it seems the timing chain should be replaced around 60-70k miles regardless of the above problem. If it hasn't been done should I walk away?

Also, I've a vague recollection of reading about licence plate snobbery and its effect on prices/resale values. Is there any truth in this? The car I'm looking at has an MN reg. It won't bother me day to day and if I buy this car I will hopefully have it a very long time so resale value will be academic. I'm just wondering if it means the car I'm looking at is less valuable on account of not having a D reg.

Any advice appreciated - thanks!

Moneymaker

I believe it was 2011 when the issue was finally resolved. Others may correct me on this but tread carefully.

Blazer

From what I've heard it was late 2009, early 2010 when the reinforced N47 camshafts etc were deployed in the E60.
I think the F10's are ok as they featured an upgraded version of the N47 engine. You might hear of some timing chain failures but nowhere near the same ratio of the previous E60 and across the 1/3 series cars.

Regarding price I've seen some for 22K so might be worth while shopping around some more.
I usually check with driving.ie etc to get an idea.

bazz26

Early F10s are having timing chain issues too. I'd be reluctant to buy one before mid 2011 unless it was already changed.

Blazer

Conlans in Limerick have a 2010 F10 525D (it's the early 3L 6 pot N57 engine ). Mileage is high at 133K but in fairness I would't worry about that mileage on a good diesel car.

http://www.conlans.ie/UsedVehicleDetails.html?url=L3VzZWQtY2Fycy9CTVcvNS1TZXJpZXMvNTI1ZC1TRS82MTcxNDA1NzA1ODY2NzA4MC8=

Spark Plug

A revised timing chain design was introduced to F10s built after March 2011.

bazz26

N57 engines suffer from timing chain issues too. If you want a reliable 525d/530d then go for the E60.

TestersWanted

Looking at other posts on boards.ie, it looks like there isn't much that can proactively be done about the timing chain issue except do plenty of long journeys (which I'll be doing anyway) and change the oil more frequently than the recommended intervals. Or buy something that's not a BMW :-).

I'll also shop around a bit more. I'm not in any rush. I'd love that 3-litre in Limerick but is the price not steep for the mileage? In any case the running costs might be out of my league. Not to mention that the bean cheile has her heart set on beige leather :-)

Thanks for the advice folks.

bazz26

TestersWanted wrote: »

Looking at other posts on boards.ie, it looks like there isn't much that can proactively be done about the timing chain issue except do plenty of long journeys (which I'll be doing anyway) and change the oil more frequently than the recommended intervals. Or buy something that's not a BMW :-).

I'll also shop around a bit more. I'm not in any rush. I'd love that 3-litre in Limerick but is the price not steep for the mileage? In any case the running costs might be out of my league. Not to mention that the bean cheile has her heart set on beige leather :-)

Thanks for the advice folks.

Yes and it's a typical main dealer price too. You can be sure they are factoring in the cost of the 2 year warranty into that price. Bottom line is you are basically paying up front for 2 years piece of mind which may or may not be a bad thing with that mileage.

Stallingrad

BMW Car magazine has a f10 buying guide this month. Some interesting failures other than the timing chain to be mindful of, well worth a read.

TestersWanted

bazz26 wrote: »

You can be sure they are factoring in the cost of the 2 year warranty into that price. Bottom line is you are basically paying up front for 2 years piece of mind which may or may not be a bad thing with that mileage.

Yes I have also been looking at a 520d in a main dealer and he keeps emphasising the warranty as the reason for the price difference. But said emphasis on the warranty doesn't inspire confidence in the reliability :-)

Idbatterim

you could import a 2011 from UK and save quite a bit...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201407025474585/sort/default/usedcars/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/maximum-age/up_to_3_years_old/postcode/bt39jp/make/bmw/radius/1501/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/model/5_series/fuel-type/diesel/body-type/saloon/page/1?logcode=p

blingrhino

Idbatterim wrote: »

you could import a 2011 from UK and save quite a bit...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201407025474585/sort/default/usedcars/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/maximum-age/up_to_3_years_old/postcode/bt39jp/make/bmw/radius/1501/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/model/5_series/fuel-type/diesel/body-type/saloon/page/1?logcode=p

A Manual , very few are bought in manual form.

Stallingrad

Quite a few fleet manuals in the UK, (see Cargiantt) not as desirable as the auto and prices reflect this.

Idbatterim

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201407045542022/sort/default/usedcars/fuel-type/diesel/model/5_series/body-type/saloon/postcode/bt39jp/maximum-age/up_to_3_years_old/radius/1501/page/1/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/make/bmw/transmission/automatic?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201407045546008/sort/default/usedcars/maximum-age/up_to_3_years_old/transmission/automatic/postcode/bt39jp/make/bmw/radius/1501/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/model/5_series/fuel-type/diesel/body-type/saloon/page/2?logcode=p

bazz26

Jeez, who would want a manual 5 Series?

dharn

Tell the bean cheile that leather is awful cold on her ass;)

Bigcheeze

dharn wrote: »

Tell the bean cheile that leather is awful cold on her ass;)

Heated front seats are standard on the F10

R.O.R

Bigcheeze wrote: »

Heated front seats are standard on the F10

Not on the 2010 models it wasn't

Option code 494 - Seat heating, front. €444.20 as an option on a 520d, €486.16 on the other diesel models.

Think they became standard in 2011, along with the USB interface on a 520d - that was standard on the 525d from launch.

mossym

R.O.R wrote: »

Not on the 2010 models it wasn't

Option code 494 - Seat heating, front. €444.20 as an option on a 520d, €486.16 on the other diesel models.

Think they became standard in 2011, along with the USB interface on a 520d - that was standard on the 525d from launch.

don't think so, my 2011 f10 has a usb interface but no heated seats

Bigcheeze

mossym wrote: »

don't think so, my 2011 f10 has a usb interface but no heated seats

must be during 2011. My July 2011 F10 has it.

bazz26

mossym wrote: »

don't think so, my 2011 f10 has a usb interface but no heated seats

Probably a MY10 build registered in 2011.

mossym

Bigcheeze wrote: »

must be during 2011. My July 2011 F10 has it.

my tax is just up for renewal now..:)

bazz26 wrote: »

Probably a MY10 build registered in 2011.

vin gives a production date of 31 jan 2011

my point was the usb and heated seats did not get introduced together. mine has one, and not the other. the timing heated seats were introduced would appear to be sometime in the first half of 2011 alright

R.O.R

mossym wrote: »

my point was the usb and heated seats did not get introduced together. mine has one, and not the other. the timing heated seats were introduced would appear to be sometime in the first half of 2011 alright

BMW Product Manager UK&IE, 17th January 2011 wrote:

5 Series Saloon and Touring – due to the increase in standard equipment (494 heated seats & 6FL USB interface). Please note that 520d for both Saloon and Touring will have 494 and 6FL as standard from week 11 production.

If you have a 520d produced in Jan 2011, that doesn't have heated seats, but does have USB, the USB was specified as an option (was €303.54).

If you have a 6 cylinder F10, USB was standard on them from launch, but heated seats weren't.

Bigcheeze

I have Telephone USB audio interface as an option on mine. Is that different than USB interface ?

R.O.R

Bigcheeze wrote: »

I have Telephone USB audio interface as an option on mine. Is that different than USB interface ?

Telephone USB audio interface - 6NF is a different option to USB audio interface - 6FL, but includes option 6FL.

I think (but I'm not sure) that option 6NF allows Bluetooth Streaming, over what 6FL gives.

mossym

R.O.R wrote: »

If you have a 520d produced in Jan 2011, that doesn't have heated seats, but does have USB, the USB was specified as an option (was €303.54).

If you have a 6 cylinder F10, USB was standard on them from launch, but heated seats weren't.

could be, didn't think it was an option but could have been.that would explain it

TJJP

mossym wrote: »

the timing heated seats

Therein lies the problem...

mossym

TJJP wrote: »

Therein lies the problem...

????

You can make most sentences a problem if you selectively discard most of the sentence?

TJJP

Ah no, sorry no offence intended, I just thought through typo funny, a Freudian slip if you will (as opposed to a timing chain slip!). I'm sure more than a few N47 owners are kept warm in their seats thinking about the chain issue. (-:

blingrhino

Is there any changes from a 2011 f10 sport as opposed to buying a new one now apart from visual . I.e indicators . New steering wheel, xenons .

Is the power output the same ?

Seats etc all seem the same ?

Was there talk of a 520d twin turbo ?

Bigcheeze

blingrhino wrote: »

Is there any changes from a 2011 f10 sport as opposed to buying a new one now apart from visual . I.e indicators . New steering wheel, xenons .

Is the power output the same ?

Seats etc all seem the same ?

Was there talk of a 520d twin turbo ?

There's a new engine just out which produces 190bhp up from 184 and 400nm of torque up from 375nm. It's reported to be a quieter engine.

dharn

Where is the timing chain ?

mossym

TJJP wrote: »

Ah no, sorry no offence intended, I just thought through typo funny, a Freudian slip if you will (as opposed to a timing chain slip!). I'm sure more than a few N47 owners are kept warm in their seats thinking about the chain issue. (-:

ah right got you now, nicely done, i was totally baffled by what you were getting at

TestersWanted

dharn wrote: »

Tell the bean cheile that leather is awful cold on her ass;)

Thanks for this wise advice, and to everyone else who replied. One more quick question if I may...

I have narrowed it down to two contenders... both 2010 520d automatics at the same price.

One is an Irish car with the pro media pack (i.e. sat nav and wide screen display) but it has 67,000 miles.

The other is a UK import without pro media or sat nav but it has only 39,000 miles plus it has a sunroof.

I never thought I'd be bothered about sat nav etc. but having driven the one with pro media first, the other one looks very bare inside without it. My heart says take the one with the toys but my head says take the one with the lower mileage. What should I do?

TJJP

That's a tough call. I have the pro media, big screen and navigation and it does look a whole lot better. The pro comes with a good few extra toys, voice command, connective drive, traffic and so on. Problem is that most of it is pretty useless over here as it isn't properly enabled on pre 2013 and it doesn't seem you can retro activate. If the lower milage car has usb audio import (save mp3 to the car) and good bluetooth, I'm not sure I'd bother with the screen and navigation. The navigation isn't great, a tom tom beats it hands down, but does clutter the car. BMW map updates are €€€€ but you can get it done cheaper. As an option there's a cic unit on adverts for 500 or so you you could get that fitted and coded to have pro media. Not quite sure what else pro entails over your standard unit though so it's probably worth researching a bit more just be sure. Ideally you should do a vin lookup, you'll find it on the Web free. You run the last six digits and it will give you the build sheet with all the specs listed for each car so you can compare fully.

Something like this - http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=829706

Bigcheeze

TJJP wrote: »

That's a tough call. I have the pro media, big screen and navigation and it does look a whole lot better. The pro comes with a good few extra toys, voice command, connective drive, traffic and so on. Problem is that most of it is pretty useless over here as it isn't properly enabled on pre 2013 and it doesn't seem you can retro activate. If the lower milage car has usb audio import (save mp3 to the car) and good bluetooth, I'm not sure I'd bother with the screen and navigation. The navigation isn't great, a tom tom beats it hands down, but does clutter the car. BMW map updates are €€€€ but you can get it done cheaper. As an option there's a cic unit on adverts for 500 or so you you could get that fitted and coded to have pro media. Not quite sure what else pro entails over your standard unit though so it's probably worth researching a bit more just be sure. Ideally you should do a vin lookup, you'll find it on the Web free. You run the last six digits and it will give you the build sheet with all the specs listed for each car so you can compare fully.

Something like this - http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=829706

I'd agree with this. I have the pro-media pack and it looks great having the nav on the display all the time but I don't really use it for navigation. Harsh reality for all sat nav companies is that it's easier to search for places on Google maps on your phone.

mossym

TJJP wrote: »

If the lower milage car has usb audio import (save mp3 to the car) and good bluetooth, I'm not sure I'd bother with the screen and navigation.

not sure i;d agree with this. i think you;re better making sure the car has a usb port in between the seats. the inbuilt hard drive has what, 6gig of storage? i;ve a 32 gig usb stick stuck in the usb port of mine and it works flawlessly. stick cost less than a tenner. spotify from the phone over bluetooth and you've more music than you could ever use. i;d fill that 6 gig straight away

i may be wrong, but i thought the professional unit allowed playing back video? that would be one reason to go for it i guess. i have the smaller unit and never really wished i had the bigger. sat nav on phone, most of the live functionality never works in Ireland anyway, plus Google maps tends to have a better database of addresses and businesses

TJJP

On the on-board I get 12Gb of storage (upped from earlier 8Gb during a software update). Good point re the between seat USB though, handy for iPhone compatibility if its enabled. But again test it, some are USB charge points only (for a phone or such), and they don't allow direct mp3 playback like mossym's does. On video in car I used it once, but its isn't enabled during driving so you'd have to get that coded if you really wanted that.

blingrhino

i love the pro nav screen , i split it in to two so that you can have two different perspectives and everybody always comments if they were never in the car before. ive no complaints about the maps either rarely have they let me down.
And it looks 100 times better than an audi/merc sat nav which stick out of the dashboard like a sore thumb !
This would actually put me off buying an A6.

Bigcheeze

blingrhino wrote: »

i love the pro nav screen , i split it in to two so that you can have two different perspectives

What do you have on the split screen ? I have Nav and Journey computer, just wondering what the other options are. Don't have the car long so haven't really played with it.

R.O.R

TJJP wrote: »

On the on-board I get 12Gb of storage (upped from earlier 8Gb during a software update). Good point re the between seat USB though, handy for iPhone compatibility if its enabled. But again test it, some are USB charge points only (for a phone or such), and they don't allow direct mp3 playback like mossym's does. On video in car I used it once, but its isn't enabled during driving so you'd have to get that coded if you really wanted that.

Any of the 5 Series I've driven with the USB integration, play MP3 files from a music player/phone/USB stick.

It's only Apple products that have an issue, and it takes a special Y cable to enable playback and control of an I-Pod/Pad/Phone.

There are now 2 cables available for the I-Phone 5 and which one you require depends on which version of the Nav or Bluetooth and which model I-Phone 5 you have - all very complicated now.

blingrhino

Bigcheeze wrote: »

What do you have on the split screen ? I have Nav and Journey computer, just wondering what the other options are. Don't have the car long so haven't really played with it.

You can have two types of map .I.e north orientated, direction of travel or perspective view with different zoom in ability per screen if that makes sense !

bbari

I got my 1st every BMW 4 weeks ago, the only extra I got was the Pro Nav and I have to say that it worth every cent.
Maps are great, as blingrhino said that you can get two types of maps, then split screen, search direction on your phone and send the direction on the car maps, 3D maps, actual pics of the buildings, street view - its just wow!!
Media - it plays all sort of files, mp3, wma etc...
You can play a youtube video on your phone and audio will be streamed to the car system.
Video - you can't play video from the usb but u can play from the dvd player in the dash.
Hard drive is 20gb, i never need to import songs on to that as the usb drive I have is 64gb.

On split screen you can run panoramio, it shows you pics of the area you are in and the quality of pics is superb. or you can have the weather widget, digital clock etc.

Then BMW online apps like weather, news etc are good add on. though you don't use all of that but its still cool to have it


Apart from all the features of Pro Media, the wider screen makes the car looks classy.

bbari

R.O.R wrote: »

It's only Apple products that have an issue, and it takes a special Y cable to enable playback and control of an I-Pod/Pad/Phone.

.

Can you not stream the audio via bluetooth ? Probably sound quality isn't as good then ?

Bigcheeze

bbari wrote: »

I got my 1st every BMW 4 weeks ago, the only extra I got was the Pro Nav and I have to say that it worth every cent.
Maps are great, as blingrhino said that you can get two types of maps, then split screen, search direction on your phone and send the direction on the car maps, 3D maps, actual pics of the buildings, street view - its just wow!!
Media - it plays all sort of files, mp3, wma etc...
You can play a youtube video on your phone and audio will be streamed to the car system.
Video - you can't play video from the usb but u can play from the dvd player in the dash.
Hard drive is 20gb, i never need to import songs on to that as the usb drive I have is 64gb.

On split screen you can run panoramio, it shows you pics of the area you are in and the quality of pics is superb. or you can have the weather widget, digital clock etc.

Then BMW online apps like weather, news etc are good add on. though you don't use all of that but its still cool to have it


Apart from all the features of Pro Media, the wider screen makes the car looks classy.

I take it this is a new car ? Anyone know if older pro-nav (2011) is upgradeable.

bbari

Bigcheeze wrote: »

I take it this is a new car ? Anyone know if older pro-nav (2011) is upgradeable.

Yes, it's a new one. Probably the old pro media have the same features too.

TestersWanted

Just a quick update in case anyone is interested... ended up importing a 2010 (Sept) 520d from the UK with 86k miles, full BMW service history, the beige leather so adamantly specified by the bean cheile, and pro media. I wasn't bothered about the sat nav for the rare times I'll need it nor will I ever play a DVD, but the wide screen looks great and the additional media features are great as you can imagine for someone whose previous car was an 01 E200. It hasn't got heated seats or USB between the seats, but they are minor irritants. Cost me €19k to import, so with the VRT the total will hopefully be a little under €25k.

Thanks for the comments - if it wasn't for what I read here I wouldn't have held out for the pro pack, but I'm glad I did.

bazz26

Good luck and well wear with it.

Did you buy it privately or from a garage? The reason I ask is that I may be taking a trip across the Irish Sea myself to buy an F10 if I cannot find something suitable here for reasonable money.

TestersWanted

bazz26 wrote: »

Did you buy it privately or from a garage? The reason I ask is that I may be taking a trip across the Irish Sea myself to buy an F10 if I cannot find something suitable here for reasonable money.

I couldn't spare the time to go over myself so I bought it from a garage - Draytons in Ealing. Website is draytons dot co dot uk (as a new user I can't post links). They specialise in exporting cars to Ireland. I contacted them and told them what I was looking for. A few weeks later they found it and delivered it. No hassle.

bbari

Congrats!