- Kilometers : 8652KM
- Age : 1.3 years
- Location : Cochin, Kerala
What do you like :
several things! The colour ( mediterranean blue)! The power and torque! And the fact that the car is as comfy as it is sporty!
What do you don’t like :
The fact that from the 2020 model year cars they removed the rear entertainment package! And also how BMW let’s you choose only the ivory color Napa leather for the carbon black one. I initially wanted Carbon Black with the Mocha interiors.
What were the cars considered before buying the 530d ?
The Mercedes Benz E 350d and the CLS the Audi A5 and A6 and Q7, BMW’s own 6 GT, Porsche Cayenne, Jaguar XF and the Lexus ES.
Why did you choose the 530d ?
From my knowledge of the industry, there is no other car that combines power and performance , Luxury and comfort, class and technology in the same way as the BMW 530d! What sealed the deal with the price. I think the car is a bargain for the price it’s going for on road compared to the other cars I looked into.
How is it to drive?
If I were to answer this in one word then it would be effortless. There is so much power and torque at hand all through the rev band that you never run out of breath any time. Add to it the brilliant ZF sources transmission and you get a car that’s quick on its feet. It always picks the right gears at the right time and you are left wondering how effortless it is to drive this car! This car is pretty agile as well within the city and you actually forget the fact that this car is dimensionally longer and wider than the Ford Endeavour!
Looks :
Looks are something that is totally subjective I think. Personally speaking I prefer the looks of the BMW 530d over the E 350 d LWB. I do not feel that the E class does justice to the Mercedes name, especially in india. They should have released the car with the classic Chris grill and given it a batter pair of alloys. BMW’s in general are considered to be a sporty brand and I feel that the 530d does justice to that brand image. The way the car is designed let’s people know that the car is intended to be an outright performer. I especially like the details in the headlights and taillights. Gives the car a unique signature.
Interior :
Coming to the interior. I find Audi and BMW doing the best interiors in the industry. Especially in this price bracket. My uncle has an e 220 d and I was pretty disappointed in the overall built quality of the vehicle both inside And out. BMW on the other hand has literally come out on top in this department. Everything you touch and feel are either leather, metal or some super soft plastic which are all fantastic. What surprised me the most is the fact that the lower centre console materials were of the same quality as the upper ones. Something that the Lexus ES has not done. The attention to detail they’ve given to all the buttons and switch gears are phenomenal. Apart from the fact that the car is built like a tank, I’d like to mentioned how intuitive it is to use everything in and around the cabin. The seats are all supportive and made of napa leather which makes the experience even more luxurious. It’s simply a brilliant place to sit in. Feature wise since this is the top spec model, it’s fair to say it’s filled to the brim with technology. A few features I personally like are the eco mode in the dynamic drive selector, the 360 degree cameras and the sensors(probably the best in the market) and the unique display key for the car. A lot of people might consider this to be a gimmick, but I’ve actually used the display key to remove and park cars in sports where I normally wouldn’t be able to park and get out :). So yea I suppose in cochin traffic conditions we can easily use this feature 🙂
How is the service from BMW? What’s the running cost?
One of the biggest traits of BMW is their service commitment. BMW in general is knows to give some of the best services in the market. Even if the dealer screws up, the customer has the freedom to approach BMW india directly with their complaint. BMW india promptly contacts the customer and makes sure all amends are made. They are also pretty strict with the dealer principles and have made sure that none of the customers will ever have a complaint to make. And if someone does complain, all necessary amends will be made. That’s the level of professionalism I’ve experienced with BMW india and the dealership in cochin. I’ve also taken the BMW repair and service inclusive for 5 years. So for the next 4 years, I would not be coming across any issues when it comes to service and repairs. It’s a degree of commitment BMW has made for its customers.
As of now the primary running costs for me has been diesel. Fuel prices in India has increased drastically and even though i an able to sustain my lifestyle, there are certain changes I have made in my day to day usage of the car. I recently started using the eco pro mode of the car and I was surprised to find that I’m getting more than 15 km/liter in the city and 17 in the highway! That’s phenomenal if you ask me. This is probably due to the coasting function integrated into the car along with cylinder deactivation and engine start stop. I am not going to mention any figures in here since I have a couple of vehicles and I take turns driving all of them but it’s fair to say that the 530d does well in the running costs department dispute the fact that it’s not a hybrid. ECO Pro is a good mode and something a lot of people might end up using.
Thanks to Neil Joseph Terrence from Cochin for sharing this amazing review with us.