BMW 520d (161 model)

vintagevrs

Folding mirrors is the most important option don't you know!

High in my list of options is comfort access. It's used everytime you get in and out, compared with something like nav that might get used twice a year it's great value.

Bigcheeze

vintagevrs wrote: »

Folding mirrors is the most important option don't you know!

High in my list of options is comfort access. It's used everytime you get in and out, compared with something like nav that might get used twice a year it's great value.

I have the folding mirrors and lighting pack or whatever it's called. Have pro nav but it's crap, never use it for actual navigation, just have the maps on the display. If I actually need to find somewhere I use google maps on my phone.

I'm also one of the handful in Ireland with Variable Damper Control. I do like the firmer suspension in sport mode but probably wouldn't pay for it.

bazz26

The novelty of the folding mirrors wears off after a short time but what is a better feature that they come with as part of the pack is that they auto dim the same as the interior view mirror when headlights from the rear hit them. They also tilt down towards the ground when you reverse.

BTW has anyone experience of running the F10 on the 19" rims? I see alot of M Sports are running 275/35/r19s run flats on the rear. What are they like for comfort? I had 18" rims with a 35" rear tyre wall on my old 3 Series M Sport and frequently got punctures and an altercation with a kerb killed one tyre. I know the current generation of run flats are way better but the lower profile type walls tends to make them more vulnerable. Are the 19" on the F10 the same?

macjohn

bazz26 wrote: »

Mine came from the factory with rear privacey glass if you can see the different shade in the rear side window in this photo.




Done right and at the right level of tint it looks good.

Thanks lads,
two fab cars and both spotless.

Bazz how do you keep it so well? I have those alloys but they are a long way off those!!!

Ye have sold me on the the tint - will get a price tomorrow for a 20%. Think thats as far as I would go. (I presume the aftermarket tint works with the auto dim mirror)
The electric mirrors do finish it well!!!

I actual use the sat nav a good bit - its fine for my needs.
Sometimes worth changing the route criteria to look at different options.

One dealer wanted €320 the other €350 to update the maps so used the guy from the states thats on the american forums as didn't know of the guy in lucan

Edit - just saw your post above mine. The pack with the mirrors sounds the job.

bazz26

Ah my alloys have marks and some curbing on them too, typical 5 year old wear, the camera just hides it well from a distance. Car was just cleaned before taking the photo too.

The tint is definitely worth looking at but as you say try and keep the level of darkness close to factory spec. The rearview mirror should have no issues.

macjohn

bazz26 wrote: »

Ah my alloys have marks and some curbing on them too, typical 5 year old wear, the camera just hides it well from a distance. Car was just cleaned before taking the photo too.

The tint is definitely worth looking at but as you say try and keep the level of darkness close to factory spec. The rearview mirror should have no issues.

Thanks. Do you know if factory spec around 20%?

bazz26

According to the guys here, yes 20% is factory spec:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1185984

166man

bazz26 wrote: »

I know what you're saying but to me its still a fair wack of money to go from a 5 year old car to a 3 year old similar car. Not looking to change the world but not happy about the way it is either.




Being honest the Pro Nav is nice but was expensive when new and the standard one does the basic job, anyway these days things like Apple Carplay and Android Auto are moving away from the need for in car storage or expensive interfaces.

BTW I got quoted 20k over the phone to go up to a 141 M Sport.

To be fair just to add the other side of the argument here. Your car is a 2011 520d SE and you looked at say a 2014 520d Msport.

They're selling from main dealers at about €45kish which is silly money anyway.

Your 520d is only worth about €25-€27k on a trade in so really €20k wasn't far off the mark.

It should be pointed out chaps, that these dealers have to take the car in, warranty it, take care of any repairs, sit on it before selling and also cover overheads. They have to make profit out of the deal, that's the whole point.

Sometimes I think on this forum people cannot understand that a dealer has to make a margin on the used cars because the new cars margins are pretty tight, you'd be surprised.

heroics

bazz26 wrote: »

The novelty of the folding mirrors wears off after a short time but what is a better feature that they come with as part of the pack is that they auto dim the same as the interior view mirror when headlights from the rear hit them. They also tilt down towards the ground when you reverse.

BTW has anyone experience of running the F10 on the 19" rims? I see alot of M Sports are running 275/35/r19s run flats on the rear. What are they like for comfort? I had 18" rims with a 35" rear tyre wall on my old 3 Series M Sport and frequently got punctures and an altercation with a kerb killed one tyre. I know the current generation of run flats are way better but the lower profile type walls tends to make them more vulnerable. Are the 19" on the F10 the same?

Except when you try and reverse into my driveway and it sees the security lights as a headlight and dims so you cant see out any mirror

I have the 275/35/19 on mine and no problems with the comfort or punctures. Love the look of them to be honest really fill the arches

Bigcheeze

I know we're a bit off topic at this stage but has anyone updated the maps on an F10 (2011) ?

Large sections of the motorway network and housing estates 10 years old are missing from mine.

bazz26

166man wrote: »

To be fair just to add the other side of the argument here. Your car is a 2011 520d SE and you looked at say a 2014 520d Msport.

They're selling from main dealers at about €45kish which is silly money anyway.

Your 520d is only worth about €25-€27k on a trade in so really €20k wasn't far off the mark.

It should be pointed out chaps, that these dealers have to take the car in, warranty it, take care of any repairs, sit on it before selling and also cover overheads. They have to make profit out of the deal, that's the whole point.

Sometimes I think on this forum people cannot understand that a dealer has to make a margin on the used cars because the new cars margins are pretty tight, you'd be surprised.

20k wasn't the worst compared to some prices I have been getting for trading up only two years. And I'm well aware that dealers have to make a profit. But when you start talking those sort of figures to trade up 2 or 3 years then buying brand new becomes more attractive long term given the lower interest rates being offered on new cars. Also with the way sterling is going over the next few months importing is becoming attractive again. So neither is good reading for dealers with large amounts of 2-3 year old stock sitting on their forecourts.

Bigcheeze wrote: »

I know we're a bit off topic at this stage but has anyone updated the maps on an F10 (2011) ?

Large sections of the motorway network and housing estates 10 years old are missing from mine.

Go back a page or two of this thread, it's been discussed.

Theboinkmaster

macjohn wrote: »

F1O drivers what do you think of privacy glass ( or in thiscase a retrofit tint of 20%) on the se model?

Its an imperial blue with the chromeline
would the blue with the silver(chrome) look naff with a tint?

Definitely get it done, here's mine (factory done) but think it looks great:

landmarkjohn

macjohn wrote: »

- worth a quick call to any dealer and they will give you the original factory spec of the car

There is a VIN decoder available online, use last 7 digits of VIN. Google BMW VIN decoder.

http://www.bmwarchive.org

bigdaddy2010

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Definitely get it done, here's mine (factory done) but think it looks great:

Like the black rims round the windows. Your wheel rims ruin the look

landmarkjohn

Saw a 161 520D this morning with the chrome strip full width of car low down on the back bumper...... now there are not many styling cues from BMW over the last few years that I really didn't like but this chrome strip..... don't know..

Stallingrad

landmarkjohn wrote: »

Saw a 161 520D this morning with the chrome strip full width of car low down on the back bumper...... now there are not many styling cues from BMW over the last few years that I really didn't like but this chrome strip..... don't know..

It has the whiff of Halfords off it alright.

carsfan

That's on the luxury model.
Have to agree, it's one thing I don't like on that spec model.

bazz26

Luxury model got the chrome strip on the bottom of the front and back bumper when the facelift model was introduced in the second half of 2013.

macjohn

bazz26 wrote: »

Luxury model got the chrome strip on the bottom of the front and back bumper when the facelift model was introduced in the second half of 2013.

I think the luxury pack with the chrome gives a nice "lift" to the darker coloured lci.
The back but particularly around the front fogs.

macjohn

Said I would post it here maybe should start a new thread.

Anyways - f10 drivers question about the sat nav.

Mine seem to be a tiny bit "off"/couple of feet behind, in that for example it you have filling stations turned on you will be slightly(literally start of next building) past the filling station when it shows you are at it.

Anyone else have this?
Is it possible to do some kind of hard reset on the nav and do you think that would help?

Thanks