520d opinions F10 model

Looking for one of these for my father in law. Should be easy enough except for one thing- he wants a manual gearbox.

Test drove one today and was surprised by how sluggish it was. I have a 140hp 2.0tdi Passat which feels much more responsive.

I know the 5 series is a heavier car but are they really this slow? The car in question was a 2016 with 105k miles on it

bazz26

He really should go auto, it's way superior and more suited, pretty much standard in this class of car and will be way easier to sell on. Has he test drove an auto out of interest?

Regarding being sluggish, yes it's a bigger and heavier car. The Passat is a lighter car and VW diesels tend to have more torque lower down the rev range whereas BMW diesels tend to have a more linear power delivery. It's not going to win any traffic light grand prixs but once it gets going it's perfectly fine for daily driving.

Thanks, that's exactly what I thought. The VW felt like it pulls better in low revs. I drove the 520d in the same way I would drive the VW, i.e using the lower rev range. I also didn't want to rev the nuts off it because it wasn't my car.

No chance of him changing to auto. This is probably the last car he will buy and there is no point in changing the habit of a lifetime.

Also trying to sell on his old one as no dealers want to trade it in

Any opinions on this car:

BMW 5 Series (161) 520 D Luxury for sale in Donegal for €21,495 on DoneDeal

I think it's a bit over priced and the guy isn't willing to take much off for a straight deal

RoscommonTom

if hes used to the manual and hes pushing on he might as well stick to them, the auto gear boxes can give a lot of trouble,

a fella down the road from me got a manual 2016 last year and uses it as a limo for weddings, he got it for about 17k last year, its the 518d I think, no leather but the milage was way lower than that one you linked so that looks a bit dear,

2ndcoming

I would go for a 530e if anything.

bazz26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118352045#Comment_118352045

What amount of trouble do these auto gearboxes give because I'm on my 4th BMW with that gearbox and non of them ever had a gearbox problem. The ZF8 gearbox is one of the best out there.

nogoodnamesleft

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118352045#Comment_118352045

I also have never heard of an issue with the ZF gearbox. The auto gearbox was a £1.5K and is one of the best in its class for the F10. The newer 5 series shape (g30) doesn't even come in an manual as far as I am aware as its an auto as standard. I would also not go near the 518d as I believe its is underpowered as well as not having a decent interior which in this class of car would be a requirement for most.

bmwfan

you should get a good deal on a manual they are generally the bog standard spec

the timing chain is a known issue on the 520d

530e is only available as an auto

Would he consider a 3 series you will find a lot lot manual versions

The 520d felt underpowered to me, I'd hate to think what the 518d is like

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118352669#Comment_118352669

We got another few quid off to he's decided to go for it- wants to get it sorted before Xmas.

I thought the timing chain problem was sorted a few years before 2016?

His old one is for sale btw 2006 530d high Kms and needs a few things sorted.

Incidentally does the road tax stay with the car? I'm in NI where the tax cancels when it changes ownership.

The old 530d is taxed until August

bazz26

Motor tax stays with the car. Timing chain is only a concern on the older 2.0d engine. A 2016 model would have the newer engine and they don't have the same issue.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118352824#Comment_118352824

That's what I thought, they have the later B47 engine. The motor tax adds some value to the old one then since it's 1500 euros a year

Stallingrad

A manual 5 series is one if the worst purchasing decisions he'll ever make.

Better to try an A6, same executive class, more refined engine, and the manuals are nicer and far more common.

Back Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118352045#Comment_118352045

The zf 8 speed gearbox in the 5 series is very reliable

Back Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118354228#Comment_118354228

Why?

Stallingrad

Very undesirable, in the same way you rarely see manuals in an E-Class. The few you see are usually ex UK company cars where an automatic wasn't an option.

The B47, while better than the n47, is still not a very refined unit around town, and a gear lever and clutch connect you to that experience a bit more. The ZF 8-speed is outstanding and suits the car far better.

If he is determined make sure you're getting a good deal and be prepared to be wedded to it.

The deal is done, he would have preferred a 530d like his last 2 cars but they stopped making a manual version of those around 2013.

Thanks for all the replies