16 years in BMW 520d's .... need to jump (or being pushed!) to 530e

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121254389#Comment_121254389

Yes. Zoe had an exemption in the beginning in order to push the use of EV’s as PSV’s.

Anaki r2d2

OP,my apologies for ever mentioning taxis!

The A6 40TDi is a great product in my opinion. I preferred it over the e-class and 520d. But we are all different. Mine has been great so far. Can get 55mpg if I drive with manners.

anthonymacd

Hi all - Many thanks for the multiple comments and perspectives. All appreciated. My options eventually boiled down to a new A6 40TDI (was an Audi driver for 10 years before i moved to BMW) or a new 530e. After multiple spreadsheets working total-cost-of ownership over a 2 years period (with some unquantifiable emotional weighting) I ordered a very well priced 530e against my 520d trade in. Got a good price from a dealer I've not dealt with before, phone deposit paid and expecting paperwork tomorrow. Car due in late Jan / early Feb. The difference between the A6/530e were negligible, but I was swayed by the fact the 530e should have a lower depreciation curve for the first 2 years as its a new car on the market.

I'll come back to this group with an update in Feb/March after I've had a few weeks driving .....

thanks again all,

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121256619#Comment_121256619

No wrong choices in fairness.

Start getting ready now, organise your home charger. Have it installed and waiting on the car rather than the other way round.

Grant is payable without an EV nowadays too.

DaveyDave

Also keep in mind, depending on where you are, you might need to contact a few companies before you can get someone out to install. Both my sister and I (Dublin/Kildare) had to contact around 10 charger companies and only 2 got back to us.

Buddy Bubs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121259105#Comment_121259105

Lots of electrical contractors will do them. A mate of mine is installing another double socket in my workplace, and 2 singles in directors houses next week.

But electricians not that easy to get hold of either!

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260020#Comment_121260020

“But electricians not that easy to get hold of either!”

I think that’s the point of the post 😂😂

Casati

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121256619#Comment_121256619

Sounds like you got a great deal if the A6 was almost the same cost- side by side for similar money I'd take a 530e all day long

Anaki r2d2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260228#Comment_121260228

That's funny. I'd prefer the A6 by a country mile. First World problems! A6 vs 5series vs E class. All fantastic cars that you would happily have.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260245#Comment_121260245

Me too. For some reason I see the 530e as dated looking and the A6 as not. Much more striking vehicle.

Buddy Bubs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260155#Comment_121260155

He said charger companies, of which there are loads. Some people do think it's a specialised industry, it's not. It's an outside fancy plug/socket

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260645#Comment_121260645

Potato tomato, we all know what he meant as he said “companies”. Even small one man band would be classed as a company to me.

The bigger companies are actually cheaper than one off RECI’s at the moment due to their bulk buying power.

That may change.

Glorified socket indeed but still classed as an appliance with specific requirements in IS10101.

This is currently the cheapest OHME available at the moment. €535 fitted.

carsfan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260579#Comment_121260579

the brand new 5 series looks more dated than the 5 year old design current Audi A6?

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260671#Comment_121260671

Yep. What can I tell you. Is what it is

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260671#Comment_121260671

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121261551#Comment_121261551

No wrong answer here. Styling is subjective. Audi has been the better looking car for many years, more aggressive looking, but lack luster performance and handling in the normal cars (RS/S variants excluded).

The BMW has always handled better and performance better though, even better fuel economy based on my experience.

Somehow, I always found myself back in the BMW so take from that what you will.

Enjoy your respective cars.

Buddy Bubs

I'd agree that Audi are nicer cars, but fall a little short of being the better car. Although there's very little in it unless you are a keen driver.

martinLintzgy

I love my 520d se. Fantastic car, 60mpg, no issues, but 5.5 yrs old now, so I also am considering my next car preferring another 520d, as all the alternatives seem less desirable.

My daily drive is 110km, so that rules out a limited range plug-in hybrid, such as the 530e. The MPG in petrol mode is terrible, and besides, i dont fancy having to plug in every night when I get home in the Irish pissing rain, and unplug every morning.

I fill my 520d once every fortnight, which takes 5 mins under cover of the local filling station and that's the way i like it.

One option would be the Lexus ES300h, reasonable economy for a petrol hybrid, great build quality and reliability, and reasonably priced. A serious alternative.

There are still a few new 520d's around the Irish dealer network, but drying up quickly. New 520d's are mighty expensive.

So, for me, best bet is the best used 520d you can find, as new as possible, then look after it.

In a few years time, I suspect they will be in great demand, as people get pissed off with EV's, and long for the days that you could fill up, then drive for 1200 km without anxiety.

Gumbo

Ohh sweet Jesus ……

kanuseeme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121671322#Comment_121671322

I was trying to work it out for 100 km, diesel v plug in and for the 12 kwh, there is not much in it, diesel wins by 1.15 euro per 100km, then I went to BMW.ie to see the price of the 5 series, no diesel version now, but I did see the 530e with 22 kwh battery and for the 100 km trip I would think it would be easily done for 5 euro around 300mpg compared to the 8 euro 60 mpg diesel, a tank would probably last 3 months.

All for 5 seconds to plug in.

MojoMaker

Has to be a piss-take.

Buddy Bubs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121672462#Comment_121672462

60 mpg is a piss take for starters. Maybe for short periods of time but long term average, not a hope.

maidhc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121672659#Comment_121672659

I had an avensis with a n47 318d engine. It did about 42mpg over its life. I swapped it for Camry (es300h with a low rent interior) and that does about 45.

Only car we had that got close to 60mpg was a 2017 Astra.

Old diesel

1200 kms is actually 750 miles.......

In real terms it's the equivalent of TEN hours non stop at 75 mph.

I suspect that far from running back to 520ds what many drivers will actually find is they don't actually need 750 miles of range.....

If we take an old school Japanese 2 litre diesel non turbo direct injection like an old E10 or E11 Corolla.....

You were looking at a real life 400 to 450 miles between fills.....

Because you'd frequently find yourself filling up with 1/4 of a tank showing on the gauge.....

Because if you go lower then that you never quite knew how much you really had.

How accurate is a gauge for example...

So leaving the EV argument aside - a hybrid - whether "self charging" or a plug in should be plenty.....

Would be interested to know what use case actually requires 750 miles can't stop at all ability......

MojoMaker

None, which is why it must be a piss take, especially given the forum orientation.

dodzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121671322#Comment_121671322

2018 Beemer 5 series D that does 60mpg ? I've put 70k miles on a 5 series. Not a chicken's chance in Thailand you are averaging that mileage. I too, call BS on that statement.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121674782#Comment_121674782

Personally, at that price point, I would buy an EV all day long but I don't get the necessity of describing somebody's decision to buy an ICE as a pisstake. IMO all it serves is to drag the thread down a rabbit hole which benefits no one.

A friend of mine is in a similar situation ATM. Has driven 520ds for around 15 years and, despite a number of conversations with him, he's adamant he won't buy an EV. Equally he considers the 530e to be too expensive so is buying a 330e instead. Personal choice is fine by me. Its not a black and white decision

Old diesel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121674987#Comment_121674987

The issues (with his argument) are......

1) he reckons people will be back looking for the 520ds 1200 km range...... Few people need 1200 km range in the first place.

BUT

The bigger issue is.....

2) he doesn't fully understand how PHEVs work..... He thinks you need to charge when the PHEV runs out of battery.

The ability to keep going on fossil is literally the entire point of a PHEV.

If the point was he can't use an EV* then fine but he's dismissing hybrids and PHEVs out of hand......

People talk of an EVer bubble but there's a hard core diesel driver bubble....

They are the ones that will overlook all manner of diesel engine failures.

When they could get superior reliability on say a Toyota hybrid.....

Oh I see - wrong badge.

Never mind 😀😀.

Edit to explain the astrik

*a modern EV at 520d money will probably run for 2 to 3 days between charges at 110 kms a day......

creedp

It could be argued there are 2 or even 3 bubbles though! How many threads go to shoite with EV supporters arguing with PHEV supporters that PHEVs are a waste of space and go full EV and vice versa?

Discussion is good as all sides learn from each other but in the end some people are not for turning, just not yet anyway.

DaveyDave

What sort of range would you get in hybrid mode from these? Assuming the petrol does the majority or all of the motorway work.

I regularly see PHEVs charging at my local Tesco, I personally don't see the point of driving them in EV mode if it means having to top up for an hour when doing your weekly shop or whenever you left the house. Fair enough if you can communute and do a few errands in a day on battery but if I couldn't get a day out of the EV mode I'd probably run hybrid mode, or at least run hybrid once the battery ran low. Wouldn't be arsed paying 60c/kWh+ on public chargers for 7-11kW charging rates.

At least if you charged at work it would be alright but charging while out and about, feck that.

I seem to be one of the few EV owners that thinks hybrid is ok. I live and work in Dublin, I'd much rather walk past a few 530e than 520d on their 5 minute school run.

Buddy Bubs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121676176#Comment_121676176

Somewhere between 20 and 40kms from mine which was smaller battery. Rarely got above 30 on full battery usage.

We are full EV x 2 now, but up to a few months ago I had a 530e PHEV. I did try to maximise range on battery but it meant plugging in every day and was still using some petrol, about 50% of petrol of a 520i perhaps.

Became a bit of a pain, I always plugged in but herself didnt if it was cold or wet or windy or she had loads of petrol in the tank! Stopping to charge the odd time on a long run is, for me, easier and less hassle than plugging in every single day.