Your fleet running reports

[Swervin_Mervin]

I'm really starting to get why people become serial BMW owners.

You're one of us now

I got it as soon as the wife bought her first 1-series.

That said, the current line-up leaves me completely cold, and I think the build quality has fallen off a cliff after the E numbered cars. Added to that, their shift towards FWD for the smaller models, and 4WD for the top end sub-M models, could see them lose some of their more loyal customers. But I guess WGAF as long as they can sell cr4p to people who only care what badge is on the front?

[Jobbo]

I don't think the build quality of my F11 5-series was worse than my E61s. Probably better, in fact. No personal experience of the G-series yet.

[Mito Man]

Funnily enough I drove my dad to BMW to pick up the M6 yesterday from its service and the salesperson who has become a bit of a mate with him after 20 years always had a long chat. Even he admitted the new models look terrible. Don’t think he will ever buy another M unless they make the M2 CSL. He wanted the new i3 coming in November but they are going to bin the Rex model as the new one will have a 180 mile range although that is expected to drop to 120 in winter - so useless really when the current one will do the same mileage with £8 of petrol.

Can’t tell if build quality is any better or worse on newer cars, they stick more soft touch plastics, leather and insulation in each successive model which makes them ‘feel’ like they’re put together better but that’s just what you see on the surface isn’t it.

[Jobbo]

I wasn't talking about the bits you touch feeling nicer. Anyone who knows anything about BMWs will be aware how much more reliable an F01 7-series is than an E65 as they age.

[Mito Man]

Because it’s newer? Or are you going to pull up a graph with e60 breakdowns vs F10s year by year?

[Sundayjumper]

I don't think the build quality of my F11 5-series was worse than my E61s. Probably better, in fact. No personal experience of the G-series yet.

My E39 was a complete disaster, my F10 has been totally reliable. I think the early noughties were a was a bit of a low point for BMW quality though, lots of people seemed to have trouble with that era of car.

Although I have to say the E39 seats were a lot more comfortable. Both my cars came with Sports seats but the F10 ones are very narrow on the thighs and the headrest pushes much too far forwards. I get numb legs and upper back pain after a couple of hours, which never happened on any of the other BMWs I've had.

[Beany]

I'm really starting to get why people become serial BMW owners.

You're one of us now

ONE OF US
ONE OF US
ONE OF US

etc.

[mik]

BMWanker.

[Jimmy Choo]

My E39 was a complete disaster, my F10 has been totally reliable. I think the early noughties were a was a bit of a low point for BMW quality though, lots of people seemed to have trouble with that era of car.

Although I have to say the E39 seats were a lot more comfortable. Both my cars came with Sports seats but the F10 ones are very narrow on the thighs and the headrest pushes much too far forwards. I get numb legs and upper back pain after a couple of hours, which never happened on any of the other BMWs I've had.

Agreed. The sports seats in my e39 and e46 were lovely and comfortable. I know that everyone raves about the seats in Saabs but they weren't even close to the BMW seats.

[ste]

A part of my BMW fan-boy-ism is in no small part due to the usually excellent sport seats. The seats in my e46 are wank though.

[Swervin_Mervin]

I wasn't talking about the bits you touch feeling nicer. Anyone who knows anything about BMWs will be aware how much more reliable an F01 7-series is than an E65 as they age.

I was. it's all part of the build quality. The F20 feels far more plasticky than the E87, and the car generally doesn't "feel" as solid when moving. Same for the F30 vs E90 imo, albeit the F30 feels ultra cheap to me. Having sat in a few of the newer models now the wife is looking to change again, and having also sat in a couple of Volvos I'd say BMW are a bloody long way short. And they're fairly dull as well.

Setting mechanical reliability aside that is, as I can't compare that obvs.

[Jobbo]

Because it’s newer? Or are you going to pull up a graph with e60 breakdowns vs F10s year by year?

I don't have a graph, just personal experience of E61 and F11 which were of similar age/mileage. You don't need to be good at googling to see horror stories about the E65 7-series which the F01 simply hasn't suffered from in the same way despite being nearly a decade old now.

Mike, if you just want to compare touchy-feeliness, the F10 5-series is vastly nicer inside than the E60 was. The F30's problem was that it shared so much of the inside with the 1-series.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Because it’s newer? Or are you going to pull up a graph with e60 breakdowns vs F10s year by year?

I don't have a graph, just personal experience of E61 and F11 which were of similar age/mileage. You don't need to be good at googling to see horror stories about the E65 7-series which the F01 simply hasn't suffered from in the same way despite being nearly a decade old now.

Mike, if you just want to compare touchy-feeliness, the F10 5-series is vastly nicer inside than the E60 was. The F30's problem was that it shared so much of the inside with the 1-series.

Fair enough - I can only speak from the end of the range I'm familiar with. I wonder if the new 3 will step things back up again. Even so, only having the warmer stuff in 4wd is a huge turn-off.

[Jobbo]

The F30 3-series was available in xDrive form from the small engines upwards; I've seen loads of 320i and 320d xDrives. You can't really draw any conclusions about which variants of the new 3-series will be available in xDrive form because they've only announced a couple of engines so far; the 320d (which is already available to spec as an xDrive) and 330i.

Since the next 1-series isn't based on the same architecture as the new 3-series, I can't see it sharing much, if any, of the interior. So that bodes well for it feeling nice inside.

ETA: are you actually saying you don't want xDrive on the bigger engined versions? The F30 330d was available with or without it, the 340i was only available without and the 335d only with. That seems a wide enough range of options.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Most recently when I looked the 340i was only available with xdrive. Seems that way across a few of the models as well. I wouldn't want it, personally.

ETA: Just checked and the runout 340i is available as RWD only now - I'm positive it was xdrive only last time I looked.

[Matty]

After a 'very long fucking time' I've finally got the bootlid/spoiler on my car sorted.

Noice. A mate of mine has fitted the exact same spoiler to his, he had to bond his to the boot due to the fixing locations, or something. Either way, it strike a good balance without being OTT.

[IanF]

I didn’t buy an M2 cos the interior felt/looked cheap for its price. Annoyingly, they’ve changed the direction to change the scale on the satnav (unless anyone knows a fix?).

[KiwiDave]

Noice. A mate of mine has fitted the exact same spoiler to his, he had to bond his to the boot due to the fixing locations, or something. Either way, it strike a good balance without being OTT.

Yeah they're bonded on. Added bonus in this case is that I ultimately get a bootlid with no holes filled up, whereas fitting it to the other one would have meant some filler to cover the holes from the carbon wing he had fitted.

Chris - I love the 86. Slow, fun at all speeds and once wound up surprisingly lethal down some back roads, can take huge liberties with them. Downsides are panels are like paper so you can dent them just by looking at them and the gearboxes hate engaging second until properly warmed through. 50% of the ones in the owners club here have also sprouted oil leaks from the cylinder heads or from around the cover for the timing chain. Mine was done under warranty using a new sealant and the dealer billed Toyota NZ $4500 for the job (engine out apparently).

[Jobbo]

Most recently when I looked the 340i was only available with xdrive. Seems that way across a few of the models as well. I wouldn't want it, personally.

ETA: Just checked and the runout 340i is available as RWD only now - I'm positive it was xdrive only last time I looked.

340i has never been available with xDrive in the UK. The new 540i is xDrive only, but I’ve not seen any sign the new M340i will be.

[Mark_bt52]

The F30 3-series was available in xDrive form from the small engines upwards; I've seen loads of 320i and 320d xDrives. You can't really draw any conclusions about which variants of the new 3-series will be available in xDrive form because they've only announced a couple of engines so far; the 320d (which is already available to spec as an xDrive) and 330i.

Since the next 1-series isn't based on the same architecture as the new 3-series, I can't see it sharing much, if any, of the interior. So that bodes well for it feeling nice inside.

ETA: are you actually saying you don't want xDrive on the bigger engined versions? The F30 330d was available with or without it, the 340i was only available without and the 335d only with. That seems a wide enough range of options.

Problem with the x drive f30 was the raised suspension.
Once noticed, can't be unnoticed.

Meant the wheels didn't fit the arches properly.
Because the f30 was not meant to have an xdrive version when designed it meant the suspension was compromised.