Just ordered an f10 535i

[duggi]

And here's the first car I've ever financed: a 2015 535i M-Sport (RWD) in Dark Graphite Metallic over Black Nappa Leather (via Carvana). Does anyone else here happen to have/had an F10? Would love to hear your experiences.

I'm pretty excited about the experience of ordering it online and having it delivered to my home via flatbed, it feels so "modern." And while I've never done it myself, I've been to plenty of dealerships and experienced that process with my parents and husband enough to know what it's like. The Carvana purchase process was super-smooth, even did the financing through them. I like the idea that the price they offer is the price they offer, and the pricing and financing terms are very competitive; I won't go into full details, but I paid no money down and they financed everything including delivery, tax, and registration. They also give you a 7-day or 400-mile test period during which you can return it for a full refund for any reason, so it's not a full commitment without trying it, which is great. The car will arrive July 4 at 1pm.

After the photo and specifications, I wrote out a lot about how I ended up at this particular car, if anyone's interested, which was unexpected for me because a black/ish over black BMW is NOT me and I generally have been "boo" about big heavy modern cars.

The car has two previous owners and was serviced routinely by Irvine BMW in SoCal though both ownerships; the first was a 3 year lease and second a CPO private ownership. It has 54k miles and a clean Carfax.



It almost looks too "cool" for me, but whatever.

Installed options:
- (A90) Dark Graphite Metallic
- (LZLZ) Black Nappa Leather

- (2TB) Sport Automatic Transmission with Shift Paddles

- (ZMM) M Sport
-- (ZND) 19" 351M Wheels with Performance Run-Flat Tires
---- (840) Increased Top Speed Limiter (130 --> 155, dependent on performance tires)
-- (337) M Sport Package
-- (3DZ) Without Lines Designation (side "modern line" thing deleted)
-- (4BN) Dark Wood Trim
-- (704) M Sport Suspension
-- (710) M Steering Wheel
-- (715) Aerodynamic Kit
-- (760) Shadowline Exterior Trim (gloss black)
-- (775) Anthracite Headliner

- (ZDA) Driver Assistance Package
-- (3AG) Rearview Camera
-- (508) Park Distance Control
-- (610) Head Up Display
-- (6WA) Instrument Cluster with Extended Display (analog gauges with digital lower portion)

- (ZPP) Premium Package
-- (316) Power Tailgate
-- (322) Comfort Access Keyless Entry
-- (655) Satellite Radio

- (688) Harmon Kardon Surround Sound
- (494) Heated Front Seats
- (Z62) Wheel Locks
- (no code) Gloss Black front Grilles
- (no code) Carbon Black Exhaust Tips

The only thing I'd really change is to give up the Premium Package for Sport Seats...for some reason the F10 doesn't couple sport seats with the m tech package like other generations and as a result, very few 535i M Sport package cars seem to have them...same can be said for the Sport Automatic with Paddle shifters. Overall though, I think this will be one of the easier F10 535i cars to sell when I want to move on, it has the right color combo and look to sell quick as well as a nice feature-set without being "too much." No lane nanny, self-park or any of that nonsense.

Full story:

I've been mulling over a more modern car for several months now for reasons mostly involving my need to diversify my credit load, so I can eventually prepare to buy a home, but modern A/C is also a huge attraction with our recent heat spikes in SF It's just getting to the point that a car loan is unfortunately a very logical step that I can't ignore any longer...I'm 35 and have until now strictly avoided car financing as a "not necessary for life" thing regardless of how much money you make (ie: live within your means), but the economy and my slow-to-climb credit-score have proven me wrong. That said, I do have my ever-rusting-but-dearly-loved-528e and an 1968 NK I'm restoring that I don't want to take attention from, so firmly settled on a $15-25k limit for this car to keep things sensible and manageable across the "fleet."

I saw this as an opportunity to "step out of my BMW 5 Series habits" and try something new -- I have no plan to commit to owning this car longer than two years, so why the heck not have fun with it? I also don't actually need another car: my [daily driver] '84 528e runs beautifully and only lacks working A/C, we have a perfectly fine '87 e30 325is, and an f80 M3 CS...we're not hurting for transportation. I also have two NKs, a 1967 2000 and 1968 2000. When it comes to the 5 Series (which was my first choice), I already have a lot of experience with the 5 Series and know I love them...e12, 2x e28s, e39, and two NKs which are technically the predecessor to the 5 series, so really wanted to try something new. The only real requirements I've had while looking are "Do I like this car?" and "Will it be easy to resell when I'm done with it?" Some arbitrary requirements like "no black-over-black" somehow unexpectedly fell by the wayside..you'll see in the pic at the end.

First I toyed with electric cars...

Fiat 500e: can be had for super-cheap ($10-12k) and a small electric short-range car would actually fit into my life very well...I don't leave a 4 mile radius more than once per month because I live in a big city that has everything I need within short distance, and I only commute to work via car <1x/wk -- I generally take public transit or ride-share with friends. Unfortunately the Fiat 500e, as cheap and fun and as-good-for-my-credit-score-as-anything-else it could be, is just to cheap looking, feeling, and sounding for me to spend any of my money on and not feel crappy about it. And resell value seems horrible, they sit on the market for months at rock-bottom prices.

This led me to the VW eGolf, which can be had used for a neat $14-17k. They were very alluring..lots available to choose from and ridiculously, mind-numbingly sensible. Unfortunately they only come in two trim options and like three colors, and the interior is over-the-top-german-austere in such a boring way. Adding to that, everyone in SF has a Golf, I see at least 30x every time I drive 2 miles across town, so it really would be hard to feel like I'm differentiating myself in any way; I'd be just another mid-thirties-techie-in-a-Golf snooze-fest.

And that led me to the i3, but we've already had an i3 so I felt "meh" on that. It was a fantastic car and I whole-heartedly recommend one to anybody. They're also not much more expensive than the eGolf on the used market (many can be had for ~$15-20k) and you get a lot more for your money, plus the option of the range extender. I just didn't want to rinse and repeat on that decision, even if we loved it.

...so I went back to gas...

Trying further to not go back to a BMW, I also took a long look a the Fiat 124 Spider -- it's probably the first 2-seat roadster that I've actually liked the styling on since the 60's ended. Initially it seemed a unique and fun proposition, but they're EXPENSIVE (~$20-25k) and come with an anemic 1.3 liter 4-cyl. The "Abarth" comes with six (6) more HP, and finding one with a manual? psh. Forget it. Cute, but no. They do get snapped-up off the used market quickly though.

I looked at Mini, but everyone I know who's owned one has had nothing but problems. No thanks. I already have problems.

AND so back to BMW I found myself.

I tried to look at models I've generally ignored or hated in an effort to try to be open-minded and balanced... the 2 Series Convertible, 3 series GT, and 4 series Gran Coupe. All of them weren't doing it for me on some level or another...the practical side of me which likes four doors just couldn't see any sense in a 2-door convertible at all. And while the 3 Series GT has matured well, IMHO, it can rarely be had with any of the options I want without having options I DON'T WANT (like x drive)...a 335i GT with RWD is hard to find in a color/package combo I actually like and a 4-banger 3 Series is as common as a penny these days, resell on those is tough. The 4 Series Gran Coupe suffers a similar issue lots of 4 cylinders around and finding packages you like means you usually have to deal things like a red car with that horrid black-and-red interior, or you're spending $35k on a 428i with the options you want because the 4 Series is hella popular. I don't do SUVs, so ignored those.

I then started looking at the 5 Series GT. It seemed practical with it's semi-wagon-hatchback utility, but unfortunately it has not aged as well as the 3 Series GT; that front fascia is so homely. If BMW made a minivan, it's name would be "5 Series GT." Poor thing should just be taken out back and shot in the face.

So all roads kept leading back to the 5 Series, the LCI F10 specifically. It's new enough to be able to get a generally problem-free example, but old enough to have come down in cost to my price range, really the sweet spot. I know how the reviews generally go for these: not as good as the e60, less agile, heavy, dopey, etc etc, but I'm actually fine with a luxe-barge...actually kind of want that.

At first I thought the 528i would be the sensible choice -- there were plenty available in many color combos with the features I wanted (heated seats mostly, tbh). But then that was the problem that kept me from falling in love with any of them enough to buy one -- there's plenty available and they're all spec'd the same. Reselling a white over beige-or-brown 2014-2016 528i in two years might actually be hard. And then there's the "differentiating yourself" equation.

So I started focusing on LCI F10s at the top of my price range ($21-25k). Not as much choice when you nix the option of a 4-cyl, but I had a few 535d xdrive and 535i rwd/xdrive options to choose from.

I found myself looking hard at two in particular: a 2014 Alpine White over Tobacco 535d X-Drive and a 2015 Dark Graphite Metallic over Black 535i RWD M-Sport, both had around 50k miles. While I liked the dark brown interior on the diesel, I already have a white 5 series, and this car had the base-model wheels and almost everything else (Premium and Cold Weather packages, that's it)...stylistically it looked really basic. The 535i on the other-hand, looked slick -- very dark grey, shadow line, black grilles, m-tech, tinted windows. To be honest, I generally hate "triple-black" cars, but this one was really speaking to me. And then over the next two days it went on "pending sale" twice and the diesel didn't, and that told me what I needed to know about resell value so I pulled the trigger this Friday after the "sale pending" status disappeared and I got a notification. Now to just wait until Thursday...more pics and first experience will come then!

[demetk]

Congrats. Doesn't look too bad for a modern BMW. It looks like something I'd consider if I didn't have my e34. Any reliability issues with this platform?

[duggi]

Congrats. Doesn't look too bad for a modern BMW. It looks like something I'd consider if I didn't have my e34. Any reliability issues with this platform?

Thanks! Basically aligns with my thinking: nice looking for a modern BMW. Definitely in luxo-barge territory, but we have plenty of options in our garage for lightweight, engaging and quick BMWs, so I'm actually kind of wanting that.

As far as reliability, I haven't been able to find any serious patterns of issues through my searching. The N55 turbos are known to get some carbon build-up and need injector replacements from what I understand, but are generally under-stressed enough that they don't seem to suffer weird issues like turbo motors of the 90s/early 2000s. The platform itself sounds (from internet reports/reviews) to be rock solid, probably because of the engineering and quality demands placed on it by being shared with the F01 7 Series and Rolls Royce Ghost....it's likely over-engineered for a 5 Series, to be honest. The biggest complaints I've seen are that it's not nearly as engaging to drive as previous 5 Series have been, but in all comparison tests it places top in technical handling against it's direct competition, so it's still obviously a very capable vehicle. We'll see how it goes. I'm planning on two years and will probably report back on this thread occasionally on what it's like to live with.

[Mike W.]

I'm not sure what I'm more surprised at, the new 535i purchase or the fact that you're 35 now.

It seems too new, but... We got into E39s a dozen years ago now so not that much difference I suppose. They're too new, they're no good, you can't work on them, the last good ones were the *** platform. Which I think has been said at every platform change since the E12 was replaced by the E28. If you can deal with the controlling nature of it, I suspect it will serve you well. Like even the E39 I suspect it suffers from the engineers curse of "if it still works it's not complicated enough yet" but I also suspect it's a fantastic car in many senses. While I think you're in the tech field I don't know exactly what you do, so a newish car might even be a job necessity. Regardless, hope you enjoy it and it serves you well.

And give us reports in the "Your other car" thread as time goes on.

[duggi]

Yeah, I can't believe either of those things either I was a naive 23-year-old when I met a lot of you all at 5er Fest '08 in Reno in my plucky 528e!

In all honesty I'm not sure I ever want to work on this thing beyond basic maintenance (and I might even take it in for that), it's just not that kind of car for me, it's almost like a Camry, just a nice, bearable one. My mom's e39 530i gives me a run for my money when it needs something and that's more than enough....I've done the cooling system and rebuilt the VANOS so far and hope she gets rid of it before it hits 250k (it's at 230k now). I can't imagine trying to fit my hands in this engine bay with the turbo and 5-billion-miles of wiring and tubing. Exactly like you said, "too new, no good, can't work on them..."

The car will serve for me what I want: help diversify and build my credit for a few years and give me a more comfortable place to traverse SF's many chasms -- I mean potholes -- and provide modern A/C when I decide to visit my family in the Fourth Circle of Hell (Redding, CA). I'm going at it with an open mind to appreciate it for what it is and not place any significant performance expectations on it, it's 4000 for goodness sake I am however seriously considering the Dinan reflash... 60hp/80ft-lbs for $400 is a bargain.

And yes, updates will be coming over the next few months on the other cars -- the '68 NK is currently in the middle of a front subframe rebuild, lots of rubber bits in boxes are waiting for the subframe to be sent out for powder coating (you can watch it's thread here: https://www.bmw2002faq.com/forums/topic ... 0-1341378/). And the e28 is in the middle of a multi-weekend three-door replacement (rust abatement). It got a new fender a few weekends ago and finally looks much better. Our e30 is also getting a repaint and full re-rubbering later this summer as well...clear coat is so gone on that poor car. Lot's going on in this household!

[brickwhite]

My wife Daily drives a 2012 535i, RWD no X drive, sport seats etc, Sport package.

Ours has 55k miles. Put 528i Wheels/tires for comfort over the staggered 18 dunlops Runflats that road like shit. She drives it 70 miles to work a day. Who cares.

Meh it's OK. N55 is a good motor has some grunt. But not much different that driving an Accord or Camry, these days looks about the same.

Since BMW got rid of their 3 year/100k mile CPOs I won't be buying any used newer BMWs.

F10s can be had pretty cheap these days... depreciation sucks.. I won't finance anything.. cash only if I can't afford to pay cash I don't need it. (except my house but that increases in value, unlike cars)

I change the oil on it.

I wish it was a manual....and its heavy.

It's hard to see out of with the seats and windows

[Cactus]

I've driven an f10 or two. They're really nice. I don't know that I could justify the spend, but I'd happy drive one. Even with the 2L they're still really nice.

[duggi]

My wife Daily drives a 2012 535i, RWD no X drive, sport seats etc, Sport package.

Ours has 55k miles. Put 528i Wheels/tires for comfort over the staggered 18 dunlops Runflats that road like shit. She drives it 70 miles to work a day. Who cares.

Meh it's OK. N55 is a good motor has some grunt. But not much different that driving an Accord or Camry, these days looks about the same.

Since BMW got rid of their 3 year/100k mile CPOs I won't be buying any used newer BMWs.

F10s can be had pretty cheap these days... depreciation sucks.. I won't finance anything.. cash only if I can't afford to pay cash I don't need it. (except my house but that increases in value, unlike cars)

I change the oil on it.

I wish it was a manual....and its heavy.

It's hard to see out of with the seats and windows

These comments align exactly with my thinking... It'll be nice, comfy, and reliable (hopefully). I'm not sure whether I'll swap-out the run-flats for normal tires yet, no experience with them so we'll see how unbearable I find it and if it's worth spending $$$ on four new 19" performance tires (I do love the Continentals on my e28). Definitely will be hard to see out of (I've never sat in one, so don't actually know how bad it'll be....yes buying a car model I've never test driven...looking hard at that 7 day trial period!). On the motor I agree, N55 is just the nicest/smoothest variant of the ~3-liter-six-cylinder formula you see as an option on all mid-size cars these days, but really not much different than an A6, Camry, Accord, E350, CTS, Passat, etc, etc, etc, all of them have somewhere in-between 275-325 HP it seems and similar fuel economy, the differences are getting more and more subtle every day (still can't beat BMW on NVH and power delivery though).

Depreciation sucks for the original seller. In my case, I just bought a $65k car for $24k with only 50k miles on it and four years old. I couldn't step into a base GTI for that, so I kind of feel like a winner on that front.

I actually don't wish it was a manual... it's 4000 lbs, that's a lot of car to command with a clutch in a city like SF where (when I drive) my daily commute sees an 18% grade in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

I've driven an f10 or two. They're really nice. I don't know that I could justify the spend, but I'd happy drive one. Even with the 2L they're still really nice.

I'm not sure any spend on any car can be justified in my situation because I don't need it, but it seems like a very good deal for a lot of car. There's even a bit of choice out there for sub-20k 528i models, but (1) resell will be hard because they're common and (2) I just can't do a 2.0 4-cyl in a 4000 lb car, no matter how good it is. I call that "cruel and unusual punishment" to the engine.

[dsmith]

Why don’t you just take out a loan on the M3 instead?

[duggi]

Why don’t you just take out a loan on the M3 instead?

Because my husband already has a pretty hefty loan on it

[garageboy]

I know how the reviews generally go for these: not as good as the e60, less agile, heavy, dopey, etc etc, but I'm actually fine with a luxe-barge...actually kind of want that.

The "not as good as the E60" comment made me laugh a lot. Thanks very much.

Good luck, and enjoy, your new car! I believe you will discover, to your dismay, that you will spend ridiculous amounts of money on regular maintenance on this car -- not repairs -- just regular maintenance, like the first run-flat you might replace, but the 2nd and 3rd will piss you off to no end, and then you will get 4 (5? where's the spare?), and programmable car batteries, etc., etc...

[duggi]

I know how the reviews generally go for these: not as good as the e60, less agile, heavy, dopey, etc etc, but I'm actually fine with a luxe-barge...actually kind of want that.

The "not as good as the E60" comment made me laugh a lot. Thanks very much.

Good luck, and enjoy, your new car! I believe you will discover, to your dismay, that you will spend ridiculous amounts of money on regular maintenance on this car -- not repairs -- just regular maintenance, like the first run-flat you might replace, but the 2nd and 3rd will piss you off to no end, and then you will get 4 (5? where's the spare?), and programmable car batteries, etc., etc...

You're welcome! I'm not terrified of the maintenance costs too much...you clearly haven't met my 35-year-old 528e or purchased parts for a 60's BMW Insane car-related maintenance costs are just a fact of my life. If I wasn't OK with that I'd be buying a Camry.

[duggi]

Well it arrived today and I have to say it's an impressive piece of machinery...I'm very happy with it



The N55 and ZF 8-Speed are both superb, I'm actually shocked at how effortlessly the N55 pulls around all that weight, but will admit that eight gears is a bit hilarious. And the shifter will take some getting used to, it's some f*ing complicated weird witchcraft:



The steering isn't nearly as dead and lifeless as I've been led to believe by numerous reviews, but it's definitely not the fully-engaging car that my mom's e39 530i m sport is (even though it's technically a direct modern replacement). It's fast and handles well, but you can't chuck it around like an e28; my attempt at a quick lane-change maneuver while I was still in my first few miles with the car today left me a bit clenched. It wasn't dangerous or anything, but you do need to be aware of the extra 1000 lbs you're commanding and not try to move it like an e28 at 50 mph. The ride definitely leans more comfortable than sport, but it's still a BMW and holds on well -- it does exhibit a decent amount of body roll, but it almost has a bit of that old-school BMW "lean into the corners" thing.. It could clearly benefit from better sway bars and higher-quality tires, both of which I'm considering. The ride of the run-flats don't actually bother me that much, but I can feel their weight, and that kind of bothers me a bit.

The Carvana experience has been a little different than expected: they called me two hours before my scheduled delivery to inform me of some problems with their truck. They're obviously scrappy though and offered to either move the delivery or just drive the car over on it's own wheels (they asked if I was ok with that), so I had them do the latter, as didn't want to wait any more and the car actually ended up arriving an hour before scheduled. So in balance that was fine for me..was looking forward to the flatbed delivery though. While the lack of truck was easily forgiven, the car also showed up quite dirty (more than just from a drive) and with some additional paint damage on the front bumper that (1) wasn't called-out in the ad or (2) apparent in the photos online, and (3) obviously caused by them in transport. The delivery person was very nice though -- immediately noted when he arrived that the detailer didn't do a great job (clearly) and he was already processing a $100 refund for me. He also took photos of and documented all the areas I pointed out and informed me of their process -- their central office will review and will likely return back with a credit/refund of some sort (which may require me to go get a quote for repair). I assume they'll "offer what they offer" and it'll be up to me whether I want to accept or not...we'll see how that goes, it could end up being a factor in whether or not I end up keeping the car. More to come later on that...

Overall though, it's a really nice car: it drives and handles better than I expected - isn't nearly as big-and-lumbering feeling as I thought it would be. It actually feels lighter than it is (until you mishandle it) and doesn't feel much larger when maneuvering it around compact SF than my 528e. It's a bit dirty and dusty, but I'll clean that all up this weekend with a good detailing. There are a few things I don't like, such as the auto-start/stop or the feature that turns on the parking brake at stops so you can let your foot off the brake. I do like the small touches though, like the gauges that go matte-black when the car is off, the ///M doorsills, and the stitching detail on the seats.

We'll see how I feel as Tuesday approaches (my last day to make up my mind). More pics from today, but will probably post more when it's clean Saturday:

[Nosis]

Thank you for this detailed review! I’m also really attracted to the F10, but have no idea when or if I’ll ever take the plunge. So I’m happy to read so much detail about your car - pretty much the car I would have picked options-wise. Looking forward to more.
Cheers,
Cyp

[stuartinmn]

Good looking car, although it's too bad there isn't a third pedal on the floor.

[garageboy]

That "auto start-stop" feature can be disabled through the computer (without visiting a dealership!! )

Enjoy your car! We hope to hear another review from you within the year!

[duggi]

Thank you for this detailed review! I’m also really attracted to the F10, but have no idea when or if I’ll ever take the plunge. So I’m happy to read so much detail about your car - pretty much the car I would have picked options-wise. Looking forward to more.
Cheers,
Cyp

I'll definitely update after an extended period with it =)

Good looking car, although it's too bad there isn't a third pedal on the floor.

OMG I know...I accidentlally smashed my left foot into the footwell today as I was preparing to pull away from a light The automatic is pretty impressive though.

That "auto start-stop" feature can be disabled through the computer (without visiting a dealership!! )

Enjoy your car! We hope to hear another review from you within the year!

Yes, it's basically permanently off now the LCI models (2014+) changed the behavior to remember your last-used setting (there's a button to turn it on-and-off below the start/stop button). We coded a few things though. And thanks! Like I said above, will definitely circle-back =)

[laguna30]

I have a 14 335XI with 98,000 miles
Drove it out of the Weld with 0.3 miles and have never looked back

Have stayed current or exceeded maintenance demands/requests
Same power train as yours less AWD -
Change the oil before 7000 miles and DO a tranny oil change at 60000

Drive it in Sport mode - it is a BMW

I suspect you like myself have multiple ways of exercising our left legs
My reason for AWD is winter travel - I smile as I go over the pass
You will enjoy

[duggi]

I have a 14 335XI with 98,000 miles
Drove it out of the Weld with 0.3 miles and have never looked back

Have stayed current or exceeded maintenance demands/requests
Same power train as yours less AWD -
Change the oil before 7000 miles and DO a tranny oil change at 60000

Drive it in Sport mode - it is a BMW

I suspect you like myself have multiple ways of exercising our left legs
My reason for AWD is winter travel - I smile as I go over the pass
You will enjoy

I'm finding sport mode with that much power is just too jumpy for maneuvering around a tight, packed place like SF. It's great on the highway or more open roads though

And thank you for the note about the tranny fluid...I'm just starting to look into the maintenance schedule on this thing and 60k isn't far away.

[topher800]

Of the automatics in our quiver, I find sport mode (labeled 'tow/haul' in the truck) more useful for braking. In normal mode, you see a red light down the road, you take your foot off the gas expecting some slowing, but nothing happens, car maintains speed. So you feather the brake to give the car a hint, but nothing happens. Drove me nuts until I learned sport mode gets rid of that and it acts like one expects.

[laguna30]

Sport mode does include increased engine compression for braking
Starts in 1st gear instead of 2nd
Stays in lower gears for increased responsiveness
Tightens up the suspension, reducing the lean/roll

The exhaust sounds better as well

YMMV

[duggi]

Of the automatics in our quiver, I find sport mode (labeled 'tow/haul' in the truck) more useful for braking. In normal mode, you see a red light down the road, you take your foot off the gas expecting some slowing, but nothing happens, car maintains speed. So you feather the brake to give the car a hint, but nothing happens. Drove me nuts until I learned sport mode gets rid of that and it acts like one expects.

Sport mode does include increased engine compression for braking
Starts in 1st gear instead of 2nd
Stays in lower gears for increased responsiveness
Tightens up the suspension, reducing the lean/roll

The exhaust sounds better as well

YMMV

Yeah the reduction in engine braking in Eco+ & Comfort modes takes a little getting used to...really don't like the "coasting" feature in Eco+. It doesn't actually change the engine compression, just the amount of interaction you get from the transmission wrt downshifting.

My car actually has the "passive" m tech suspension, so no tightening of the suspension happens, that's always in "sport mode"

[Bachehbeemveh]

That's a beautiful car!

Benny

[Mdreamer]

Congratulations on your new-to-you car! I bought something that is very similar to your car (same colors, M-Tech package, but with chrome grille surrounds) about nine months ago (time flies!). Mine is a couple of years older, and I searched and searched until I found a car with head's up display, and massaging, ventilated sports seats. Thus far it's been comfortable and reliable. I definitely find it heavier and less agile than what I'm accustomed do driving 5ers (I have an e28 and an e39 currently, I've owned an e34, and my father has an e60), but it is still predictable and very comfortable.

Like you, I plan to keep it for another year or so. I bought it mainly so I could have something relatively new in the garage because I love modern conveniences (usb port for music, navigation, etc.), and so I could accelerate away from lights at the same pace as a V-6 Camry without damn near blowing my motor. There will likely be no emotional attachment to this one, but it is serving it's purpose well thus far.

[duggi]

At 5pm today my "7 Day Trial" period with the car ended and I'm now committed to owning it =) While the car was delivered in less-than-satisfactory and not-as-advertised condition, Carvana has been extremely professional, friendly, and fully-admitting of their faults in the transaction. They're processing a $175 refund (via check) to me for my time cleaning it (which seems acceptable to me) and are going to pay to have the bumper professionally repainted, I just have to do the legwork of getting the quote and taking the car to get the work done, but they'll arrange to pay for it directly. That's somewhat annoying, but it's in otherwise very-good-condition for a four year old car and I got it at a great price; in any other situation I'd have to pay to have this repaired myself, so all in balance I can be happy with the outcome.

The car did clean up very nicely. It has a few (like 3) wear and tear areas on the interior plastics, to be expected for 50k miles, but nothing serious that can't be replaced relatively cheaply with new parts. And that's basically all that's wrong with it. We checked the codes and everything was clean as a whistle. After a week and ~300 miles I think I can fairly say that the reviews of the steering seem bit over-stated. No it doesn't have the level of feedback you're used to from previous 5 Series cars, but it's there and it's not completely dead like a Toyota or GM product, just more muted than one would expect in a typical BMW.

As far as changes, I want to keep them light as the goal here is to have my project energy available for my 528e and 2000 NK. I'm planning on blacking-out the door handles, side repeater blanking plates, and 535i badge, since those chromed areas stand out really harshly on this car and can be toned-down easily. I'm also probably going to install a set of 30mm/20mm sway bars from H&R to reduce the body roll, it's noticeable enough that I'm going back on my promise to myself as to no mechanical or expensive upgrades on this car. I am also considering having the Dinan tune installed for the "easy" additional 60 HP & 70 ft-lbs, but am still on the fence, it's pretty powerful as-is. Now on to some photos of it CLEAN:

That's a beautiful car!

Benny

Thank you!

Congratulations on your new-to-you car! I bought something that is very similar to your car (same colors, M-Tech package, but with chrome grille surrounds) about nine months ago (time flies!). Mine is a couple of years older, and I searched and searched until I found a car with head's up display, and massaging, ventilated sports seats. Thus far it's been comfortable and reliable. I definitely find it heavier and less agile than what I'm accustomed do driving 5ers (I have an e28 and an e39 currently, I've owned an e34, and my father has an e60), but it is still predictable and very comfortable.

Like you, I plan to keep it for another year or so. I bought it mainly so I could have something relatively new in the garage because I love modern conveniences (usb port for music, navigation, etc.), and so I could accelerate away from lights at the same pace as a V-6 Camry without damn near blowing my motor. There will likely be no emotional attachment to this one, but it is serving it's purpose well thus far.

Glad to hear someone else going through a similar experience and that it's going well! I did want the massaging, ventilated sport seats, but they're so hard to find...and I was happy with the rest of the overall package/colors/etc. I do get what you're saying about having to exercise an e28 way too hard to keep up at the lights these days...it can do it, but you're revving at 3500-4000rpm just to keep up with a cacophony of terrible-sounding turbo 4 cyls around you that're only turning-over at 1800rpm to go the same speed, and people look at you like you're a psychopath even though they're going faster I'm noticing the f10 can swiftly get off the line like everyone else without making as much of a scene about it, and it makes me feel normal