[BKPark]

Hello,
I have been considering G30 between 2018 540i(Dark Gray) 44k miles and 2017 540i(Silver) 29k miles

I am going to use the car for commuting to college
It's 20 mile round trip

Which one would you recommend?

[NGT2]

If you're buying certified preowned, then the 2018 may give you more included warranty coverage even though it has more miles.

Hard to recommend beyond that without knowing what the difference in specs are and what is important to you, aside from miles. Most notably, how long will you likely keep it?

Either way, I think you'll enjoy your commute. Great car all around.

[BKPark]

Originally Posted by NGT2

If you're buying certified preowned, then the 2018 may give you more included warranty coverage even though it has more miles.

Hard to recommend beyond that without knowing what the difference in specs are and what is important to you, aside from miles. Most notably, how long will you likely keep it?

Either way, I think you'll enjoy your commute. Great car all around.

I think I going to keep the car for 5 years.
I want to purchase the 2018 540i because it has the driving assistance plus package and better exterior color, but I don't really like the headlight and interior trim.

Do you think the driving assistance plus package is worth it over choosing the adaptive led headlight, better interior trim, and low mileage?

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by BKPark

I think I going to keep the car for 5 years.
I want to purchase the 2018 540i because it has the driving assistance plus package and better exterior color, but I don't really like the headlight and interior trim.

Do you think the driving assistance plus package is worth it over choosing the adaptive led headlight, better interior trim, and low mileage?

The driver assistance pro was a must have for me and I've enjoyed it a lot. I've done more solo road trips in the last 3 months than the last 3 years, mostly because of how much I enjoy this car on the highway. That's due to overall comfort, performance, and the driver assist features.

As far as interior, that's all personal preference.

I think at 5 years, you can probably own either and be done with it by 100k miles or so. And you'll get more factory and certified warranty with the 2018. So, I don't think the extra 15k miles are a big deal.

I would get all the information possible about the maintenance of each. Confirm regular oil changes etc. Every experienced bmw owner or tech has told me the same thing - 10k mile oil changes are fine if you're leasing or keeping it a couple years. But if you're taking it further into it's life, like you will be, 5-6k miles would be better for long term engine. Again, no personal experience but that's been 100% the feedback I've gotten.

I've got adaptive LED headlights so I can't speak for any other option there.

[NGT2]

Also, mine is dark gray (dark graphite metallic) and it's a cool color. Can change a little with light. Sometimes it's almost black at night.

[NGT2]

Here it is on a rainy day right after I got the tint and it almost appears black.

[BKPark]

Originally Posted by NGT2

Here it is on a rainy day right after I got the tint and it almost appears black.

Nice car! I like the color
do you have a car front pic?

[akuwes710]

The 2018 has a non Msport wheels, which is very odd. I heard driving assist is not great on G30… your commute doesnt seem that far to use it.

2017 has lower mileage but out of warranty, exterior hides dirt better, and aluminum interior is sporty.. (wood has certain elegance to it, and high gloss). Full adaptive headlight is a plus because you can code the VLD and auto high beam.


Imo, if they're the same price, i'd take the silver G30.

[BKPark]

Originally Posted by akuwes710

The 2018 has a non Msport wheels, which is very odd. I heard driving assist is not great on G30… your commute doesnt seem that far to use it.

2017 has lower mileage but out of warranty, exterior hides dirt better, and aluminum interior is sporty.. (wood has certain elegance to it, and high gloss). Full adaptive headlight is a plus because you can code the VLD and auto high beam.


Imo, if they're the same price, i'd take the silver G30.

I will purchase the 3rd party warranty.
decoded the 2018 540i VIN number but the car has the M sport package from the factory. I guess the previous owner probably swapped the wheels.

[RonronEG]

I'd do the bluestone but I'm super biased. I agree that you won't need the driving assistant on such a short commute and that it really isn't that polished of a feature (in actual bumper to bumper traffic I do find it to be an 8/10 versus 6/10 in other situations). The bluestone also has comfort seats which are great.

Side note- both those cars have a faulty LED strip in the dash. If you do pick either of them, have them replace it for you before buying. The strip should be fully lit end to end all the way from the left of the screen to where it meets the passenger door on the right.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by BKPark

Nice car! I like the color
do you have a car front pic?

These are the best I have from front

[NGT2]

On active driving assist, it's a feature you will find varying opinions on. I love it. Others feel it doesn't meet expectations.

I agree with RonronEG that the traffic jam usage is more refined than the open road experience. If your commute has regular traffic backups, it will be a stress reliever. If not, I still find it takes some load off. The combo of active lane assist and ACC helps me relax. I don't mind that I still need to oversee the car. I'm going 70+ mph, after all. Also, it is 100% dependent on the cameras being able to distinguish between painted lines on the road. If the lines aren't painted well, it won't work as well.

I would recommend testing that feature before you buy. It really seems to satisfy some and disappoint others.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by akuwes710

The 2018 has a non Msport wheels, which is very odd. I heard driving assist is not great on G30… your commute doesnt seem that far to use it.

2017 has lower mileage but out of warranty, exterior hides dirt better, and aluminum interior is sporty.. (wood has certain elegance to it, and high gloss). Full adaptive headlight is a plus because you can code the VLD and auto high beam.


Imo, if they're the same price, i'd take the silver G30.

I think the wheels issue on the 2018 is kind of funny. Had I known what I know now, I might've held out for finding an M sport model. But when I see them, I always think I prefer my wheels and combining the two would be nice.

Further proof that there are no original ideas

[BKPark]

Originally Posted by NGT2

These are the best I have from front

nice cars!

Does your car have a high beam assist and turn with the steering wheel or on the corner?

[SteveinArizona]

I would also go for the 2018 for an additional reason...it is always chancy to get a car in the first year of its production...which in the case of the G30 is 2017 model year.

[AP]

Depending upon your commute, the traffic jam assist component of driving assist may be of some benefit. ( as well as the cruise control keeping a distance betweeen you and the car in front, the car will lock onto the car in front and follow it, within limitations)

Another thought if you don't absolutely need a car now is to wait, save up a bit more and see what other cars come up. Just a thought as I say

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by BKPark

nice cars!

Does your car have a high beam assist and turn with the steering wheel or on the corner?

Yes. Lighting up the direction I'm turning in is a pretty cool feature.

[Joe-BMW33]

Just a general comment on mileage. Just because one car might have 10k miles more than another, not all miles and care for a car are equal. I have seen some pretty beat up 20k mile cars where you know they were not cared for in terms of scheduled maintenance. I would rather have a pristine G30 with 35k miles vs. a tired one with 20k miles.

[NGT2]

I second what Joe said. All miles definitely aren't equal. I think that's another thing you might deduce from service records. If an owner is lazy about adhering to service recommendations, probably a decent sign they don't take care of it well at all.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by NGT2

I second what Joe said. All miles definitely aren't equal. I think that's another thing you might deduce from service records. If an owner is lazy about adhering to service recommendations, probably a decent sign they don't take care of it well at all.

Just to add, often lease return cars tend to fall into the attractive mileage with lazy prior owner category. I try to stay away from lease cars. I have leased 2-3 BMW's and I can honestly say, I don't feel the same way about the car as when I own it because I know it is going back. That is not to say I don't care for it like a future owner would want me too mechanically, but I probably won't be ceramicing it and I won't lose as much sleep over the small door dings or scuffs, etc. I also would probably let my dog in a lease where he has never been in the M550. These things all add up. Everything gets addressed in real time on the cars I own. It's just a mindset I think.

[LogicalApex]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Just to add, often lease return cars tend to fall into the attractive mileage with lazy prior owner category. I try to stay away from lease cars. I have leased 2-3 BMW's and I can honestly say, I don't feel the same way about the car as when I own it because I know it is going back. That is not to say I don't care for it like a future owner would want me too mechanically, but I probably won't be ceramicing it and I won't lose as much sleep over the small door dings or scuffs, etc. I also would probably let my dog in a lease where he has never been in the M550. These things all add up. Everything gets addressed in real time on the cars I own. It's just a mindset I think.

A lease is a glorified rental car and should be approached the same way when looking at them on the used market.

In some leases, just like in rentals. You can get the old relaxed driver who treats it well and “respects” that it is someone’s property. You also get the potentially younger driver who is hammering it every second they can get. Break in period? Who needs those! Warm the car up before flooring it? Why if it blows up you have a warranty! BMW says 89 is the minimum octane? Give it the lowest octane you can find and drive it as hard as you can!

And everything in between.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by LogicalApex

A lease is a glorified rental car and should be approached the same way when looking at them on the used market.

In some leases, just like in rentals. You can get the old relaxed driver who treats it well and "respects" that it is someone's property. You also get the potentially younger driver who is hammering it every second they can get. Break in period? Who needs those! Warm the car up before flooring it? Why if it blows up you have a warranty! BMW says 89 is the minimum octane? Give it the lowest octane you can find and drive it as hard as you can!

And everything in between.

I'd say, with the 2-3 BMW leases I've entered in, I came out of the box thinking I'm going buy this off lease so I treat it like that, then the novelty wears off and you rash a rim or bumper rub something and that thought starts to drift. I was only fooling myself. I've bought two cars off lease in my life and neither were BMWs. Audi Q7 because it was the family bus and the residual was $10k less than market value and an Infiniti QX60 which I still have and hate, but it's also the family bus that gets beat on.