[drnat]

Hoping for any insights or advice on my next car purchase decision!

I am stuck between a 3 series touring & 5 series touring...

I enjoy driving but also like my luxury & gadgets:

F11: Great dash/interior
Love the space
Love the electronic autohandbrake
Lots of toys to choose from....

Is it fun enough to drive & is this relevant?
Can be pricey with bigger engines

F31: Great to drive
Still good toys
More manoeuvrable

Boot system drove me nuts when I borrowed a car with the load cover....

Questions:

F11 - can it be made more fun to drive - I borrowed a 520d SE standard wheels/suspension

F31 - Does the boot system annoy others & any work arounds?

Thoughts please!!

[ZigmundUK]

I think only you can answer the first question. Certainly from posts in other forums and threads show that te f11 can be satisfying to drive but I suspect you need the adaptive drive that doesn't come in the 520d. What sort of mileage do you do- could you go petrol to keep outlay down.

I have an e61 520d se and have to agree with you re luxury. Even the f31 isn't as luxurious. But comparing the interiors of the 31 and 11 the 11 has me yearning every time!

How much do you access the boot anyway?

There's definitely a cost difference between the two - again only one you can answer.

How many people are you ferrying around? I find with kids the 5 is great for pushchair + sundry space. I suspect 3 would be tight for anything more than 1 kid...

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by drnat

Hoping for any insights or advice on my next car purchase decision!

I am stuck between a 3 series touring & 5 series touring...

I enjoy driving but also like my luxury & gadgets:

F11: Great dash/interior
Love the space
Love the electronic autohandbrake
Lots of toys to choose from....

Is it fun enough to drive & is this relevant?
Can be pricey with bigger engines

Questions:

F11 - can it be made more fun to drive - I borrowed a 520d SE standard wheels/suspension

Thoughts please!!

I was in the decision making process of F31 or F11. The 5-series is definitely in a class above the 3-series. But it is a big car. Coming from an E91 330d, the smaller engine 5-series felt very ordinary, compared to the 530d and 535i.

I love the 5-series refinement, having come from a loaded E39 540i, the 330d had never ever filled that refinement/luxury gap, even though I specced it well. I had reservations the F31 would also fail to do so, compared to the F11.

I opted for a 535i M-sport, but to get all the toys and essentials, like sport auto, Adaptive Drive, panoramic roof, all the cameras, HUD, etc., I went for a nearly new BMW ex top management car with less than 6k miles. Far cheaper to buy than a new F31 with similar specification. I don't drive high mileage any more, so the 535i was my preferred choice, if I was doing high mileage it would have been a 530d.

Now is it fun to drive? The set up shrinks the car, but it is the refinement and luxury that stands out more than being 'sporty'. Don't get me wrong, it performs and can be driven just as fast as the E91 through the bends, the adaptive suspension is the key IMO, with 'modes' to suit mood. Following slow traffic through the glen, I just flick to comfort and waft along. Out there on my own, put it in sport and enjoy the drive.

For me it was the right decision, all the toys in a very special car. Best BMW I've ever had, even better than the E39 540i, which I thought would be hard to beat as I enjoyed it so much.

The down side, if buying new, to get a decent specification you are into figures near to £60k.

HighlandPete

[kitster]

Originally Posted by drnat

F31 - Does the boot system annoy others & any work arounds?
!

The load cover is downgrade from the E91, which used to pop up when the rear window was opened. I was miffed at first but like all things you'll get used to it.

We have 2 kids and we find space isn't an issue as we have Thule roofbox should we go away for longer periods.

When we were looking it was between an X3 (F25), F11 and the F31. Quite liked the X3 but the dealers weren't so keen on discounting and the interior was still very EXX style; the missus said the F11 was too big; so the logical choice for us was to upgrade from an E91 to F31.

[drnat]

Thanks for the reply guys - not thought about a petrol one - don't do huge milleage so may check that out...

Have 3 children, tallest is 6'5" but he does fit ok in the F31. Use the boot alot really which is why an issue...

Back to the configurator/used car section.....

[jimboss]

The 520d touring is cheaper than the petrol equivalent and has a better base spec over the 320d. You can spec the variable damper control on the lower models which according to the car reviews really improves the ride and handling. Also add in some 18 inch wheels and sport seats on the 520d se and although the pace may be slightly slower it should still be relatively entertaining (dickie meaden thought as much in his long termer 520d ED saloon). I really like my F31 320d M Sport but next time round I’m tempted to get the 520d especially as I’m likely to have another little one on the way by the time I chop this one in….

[Porsche Power]

Just switched from an F11 520d M-sport last week to a F31. I would say that it's is definitely not the limousine that the F11 is. The F11 is obviously much more spacious and has in my opinion a higher level in detail and quality feel. The things I miss with the F11, Comfort seats and better hifi (my bad for not ordering the HK:s for the F31). Also the F11 is a much more quieter in both wind and road noise.

But, I fit the kids (both in child seats), the wife, myself and push chair plus bags easily into the F31. Of course in the F11 we could fit an extra passenger between the child seats in the rear, which is impossible now.

Am I happy with my down sizing? Oh yes! The F31 just looks so amazing! The driving experience is more direct and "alive". The F31 is car you drive actively, the F11 was more for cruising along imo.

And yes, the cargo cover is crap in the F31...

Over and out!

[sunscreemer]

Originally Posted by drnat

Thanks for the reply guys - not thought about a petrol one - don't do huge milleage so may check that out...

Have 3 children, tallest is 6'5" but he does fit ok in the F31. Use the boot alot really which is why an issue...

Back to the configurator/used car section.....

That made me chuckle - 3 children - use the boot alot (i'm sure you don't put your children in the boot, but...) ;-)

[RedPepper]

Originally Posted by Porsche Power

Just switched from an F11 520d M-sport last week to a F31. I would say that it's is definitely not the limousine that the F11 is. The F11 is obviously much more spacious and has in my opinion a higher level in detail and quality feel. The things I miss with the F11, Comfort seats and better hifi (my bad for not ordering the HK:s for the F31). Also the F11 is a much more quieter in both wind and road noise.

But, I fit the kids (both in child seats), the wife, myself and push chair plus bags easily into the F31. Of course in the F11 we could fit an extra passenger between the child seats in the rear, which is impossible now.

Am I happy with my down sizing? Oh yes! The F31 just looks so amazing! The driving experience is more direct and "alive". The F31 is car you drive actively, the F11 was more for cruising along imo.

And yes, the cargo cover is crap in the F31...

Over and out!

I'm going much the same way, from a Jaguar XF 3.0S Portfolio (powerful engine, all the toys) to a 330d, so considered a 5 series, but made a conscious decision to go for a smaller car with the big engine, rather than the bigger car but with a smaller engine (damn having a budget to stick to!)

Given that I used to throw the Jag around and try to treat it like a sports car on lanes and B roads, it sounds like I've made the right choice!!

[ZigmundUK]

Originally Posted by drnat

Thanks for the reply guys - not thought about a petrol one - don't do huge milleage so may check that out...

Have 3 children, tallest is 6'5" but he does fit ok in the F31. Use the boot alot really which is why an issue...

Back to the configurator/used car section.....

Have you asked the question in the F10 section?

[Porsche Power]

Originally Posted by RedPepper

I'm going much the same way, from a Jaguar XF 3.0S Portfolio (powerful engine, all the toys) to a 330d, so considered a 5 series, but made a conscious decision to go for a smaller car with the big engine, rather than the bigger car but with a smaller engine (damn having a budget to stick to!)

Given that I used to throw the Jag around and try to treat it like a sports car on lanes and B roads, it sounds like I've made the right choice!!

Damn those car allowances and taxes otherwise I would be waiting for a 335 xd....

[RedPepper]

Originally Posted by Porsche Power

Damn those car allowances and taxes otherwise I would be waiting for a 335 xd....

It's a personal purchase rather than company, but the same rules apply! As someone posted earlier, I looked at A6 and 5 series and to get the performance and extras I wanted, the price was heading well over £55k.

Don't know if others have experienced it, but since I bought the Jag, the monthly cost of an exactly equivalent vehicle had gone up substantially ... could be residual values offered have dropped substantially, could be exchange rates - either way, needed to realign my expectations!

[Zero71]

Originally Posted by jimboss

The 520d touring is cheaper than the petrol equivalent and has a better base spec over the 320d. You can spec the variable damper control on the lower models which according to the car reviews really improves the ride and handling. Also add in some 18 inch wheels and sport seats on the 520d se and although the pace may be slightly slower it should still be relatively entertaining (dickie meaden thought as much in his long termer 520d ED saloon). I really like my F31 320d M Sport but next time round I’m tempted to get the 520d especially as I’m likely to have another little one on the way by the time I chop this one in….

Does it have to be a tourer? The F30 with split folding seats offers a lot of luggage space, albeit not as much as a tourer. Would get around the niggles with the load cover.

[jimboss]

Originally Posted by zerolight

Does it have to be a tourer? The F30 with split folding seats offers a lot of luggage space, albeit not as much as a tourer. Would get around the niggles with the load cover.

Loving the touring over the saloon plus it has a tad more practicality for me. I may be being thick but I don’t understand this load cover issue (I’m assuming it’s the roll cover that you bring out if required). I never really use it but whenI do this doesn't interfere with the tailgate? Am I missing the issue?

[Zero71]

I think the issue is that people like to keep it covered always, so it's a case of manually moving it. I still don't get quite what the tourer has over the saloon though, aside from looks which are a personal thing.

[ZigmundUK]

Originally Posted by jimboss

Loving the touring over the saloon plus it has a tad more practicality for me. I may be being thick but I don’t understand this load cover issue (I’m assuming it’s the roll cover that you bring out if required). I never really use it but whenI do this doesn't interfere with the tailgate? Am I missing the issue?

I think the issue is that if you have it closed, you can't access the boot area easily/at all. It also remains in place when you open the boot or the tailgate window. This is different to the F11, where the cover raises up automatically when the boot or the window are opened, allowing better access to the boot area.

So it means one either has to a) manually slide open and closed this cover each time one wants to access the luggage area or b) just keep it open all the time, unless one wants to hide something valuable.

Personally if this were going to be an issue for me I'd do what I've done on my E61 - get the rear tinted to like 70-90% darkness - so it makes it v unlikely anyone can see anything in the luggage area, even if you're loaded over the cover area.

[ZigmundUK]

Originally Posted by zerolight

I think the issue is that people like to keep it covered always, so it's a case of manually moving it. I still don't get quite what the tourer has over the saloon though, aside from looks which are a personal thing.

Surely it's the practicality of space. e.g. get anything from ikea, and you're at the mercy of the space the folding seats allow you. I've taken so much stuff in my hatchbacks and touring that would never have fit in a saloon. My father in law couldn't bring back an lcd tv once coz it just wouldn't fit the contours around the luggage area/seat folding area - that was an e class saloon, yet it fit easily in my wife's vw polo at the time...

So it's not the volume of space in total but the volume of block space (for want of a better phrase - imagine big cardboard boxes) that it provides.

Additionally there's the aspect that the touring fits more in the luggage area in terms of total volume without the seats folded - so if you have max passengers already, you have more space in the boot for luggage. this is really useful with 2 kids and pushchairs, buggy boards, back carriers, wellies, etc etc that I don't think would fit in a normal F30 boot for me and mine.

It's down to requirements though. Someone else with 2 kids might not have so much crap as me so might be fine with an F30

[Zero71]

Ah, OK. I guess I just wouldn't need that cavernous folded down space more than once or twice in 4 years and would just get it delivered instead. I'm in the camp that prefers my boot space to be always covered and private and would therefore rather have a saloon than mess with a manual cover. But if you regularly need the space, I guess that makes sense.

[davyk31]

I was considering this recently as my dealer have a 330d 2013 car but for a few grand less they also have a 2012 530d F11 with just 2000 miles. So pay more and get the smaller car but newer or save a few grand and get the well specced 5 series?

Yes the bigger cars like 5 series and A6 are mega cash when new but a few months depreciation can slash a third of their value no problem.

[Andys83]

Personally I've 2 young uns (4 & 2) one still uses his buggy from time to time and it resides in the boot all the time. I can still fit their bikes, balls, wellies etc in the boot of the F30 no probs.

Also done a ikea run just this weekend past to Glasgow and with the seats down (no kids came along!) we got 2 sets of drawers a unit for the living room and loads of other junk!

As its been says its a personal thing but I made sure the f30 could take the demands space wise before we bought it, we had it for two days to allow us to go through the practicalities. I like the touring but the saloon IMO looks so much more sporty! (Still the right side of 30 just!) which appeals to me more just now!

[ZigmundUK]

Originally Posted by Andys83

Personally I've 2 young uns (4 & 2) one still uses his buggy from time to time and it resides in the boot all the time. I can still fit their bikes, balls, wellies etc in the boot of the F30 no probs.

Also done a ikea run just this weekend past to Glasgow and with the seats down (no kids came along!) we got 2 sets of drawers a unit for the living room and loads of other junk!

As its been says its a personal thing but I made sure the f30 could take the demands space wise before we bought it, we had it for two days to allow us to go through the practicalities. I like the touring but the saloon IMO looks so much more sporty! (Still the right side of 30 just!) which appeals to me more just now!

haha - well I'm definitely the 'wrong' side of 30, & I've always thought the E9x and the F3x tourings look better than the saloons, which tbh is the major reason for us to get a touring rather than saloon. I already have an E61 so the ikea-conundrum isn't an issue for me.

[Zero71]

I really disliked the look of the Exx saloon, but I really love the F30 saloon. Very personal I guess, but I agree with Andy, for me, just me, the saloon looks more sporty. I'm at the wrong side of 40 with two young kids (almost 5 and almost 8).