[angel.mora]

Hello

I am ready to order my "custom" G30, initially I decided on a 530i but as I keep on adding options it is getting closer or with some choices more expensive than a 540i.

This is in Mexico where the 530i get the "Sports Line", and the 540i get the M Sport Package. Difference between both base models is about 11,000 USD

So I could get the 530i with
Innovation Package (HUD, Adaptive LED, Gesture control)
Driving Assistant Plus
Spare Tire
19 inch wheels

Or the 540i with
M sport Package
18inch wheels

What would you choose?

[steve090619]

get the 540, the engine is amazing

[solomonshv]

i was faced with a similar predicament. completely loaded 530 or well equipped 540. after driving the 540 for a little bit, it wasn't even a contest. the G30 was made that that 6 cylinder engine.

you don't really need the active headlights, the standard headlights are LEDs anyway. gesture control is a gimmick, a nice way to entertain clueless college girls, but you will not use it, ever. HUD is nice but you won't miss it.

ideally you want the 540 with the driving assist package. if you can't swing it, get it without the driver assist package.

[AP]

my opinion.
the engine in the 540i is superb. (I have not tried the 530i persoanlly though)
HUD is excellent and my opinion is that once you have had a car with one , you wouldn't want a car without.
driving assistant plus whilst good and some of which is fun is perhaps some you could live without. even without it you do have cruise control. acc alone could be a good compromise.
yes gesture control is gimmicky. I disabled it on mine without even trying!.

tough call but suggest another option.
save up and then buy a 540i with more kit on.

[Nivarox]

As a G30 530 xDrive Owner, I must say 540i is a better option from engine standpoint ,6 cylinder is the goldilocks of the engines for G30. We have mighty 550i x Drive too but V8 might be problematic in long term use but I have not heard of inline 6 or V6 engine problems for BMW at all .May be I'm new to the BMW Forums that must be the reason
Between these two I think I would still opt the G30 530i because HUD is a game changer for me

[Roger_M]

I would go for 540i with a small number of key options, HUD would certainly be one.

I didn't check the configurator today, but I'm betting the base 540i is better-equipped than the base 530i anyway.

No point choosing several options at 200-500 each which you would only ever use once....

As pointed out before on this thread: BMW = straight-six engines!

You say you'll get the 'M' package anyway - that's a great start.

Get a good deal, and once the money is gone, it's forgotten, but you'll have that glorious engine for all time!

Get the smaller (4-cylinder) engine and you'll heave a sigh every time you see a 540i.........

[DBV1]

I went with a loaded 530xi. I think the engine in the 530 has more than enough power and still amazed that it is a 4.

[ArchJR]

Even though the 4-cylinder 5-series accounts for over 75% of U.S. 5-series sales, you would not know that from these forums. I drive mostly in a downtown near my house and suburban traffic, with some long flat and boring highway trips. To me the initial cost and ongoing fuel costs for the more powerful engine I can rarely enjoy are not worthwhile, especially as the 530i sounds and feels smoother than my current 528i.

[babaikram]

Originally Posted by ArchJR

Even though the 4-cylinder 5-series accounts for over 75% of U.S. 5-series sales, you would not know that from these forums. I drive mostly in a downtown near my house and suburban traffic, with some long flat and boring highway trips. To me the initial cost and ongoing fuel costs for the more powerful engine I can rarely enjoy are not worthwhile, especially as the 530i sounds and feels smoother than my current 528i.

Buy the one you can easily afford. Don't let the payment for a car prevent you from enjoying certain essentials of life. I would rather buy 530i with options I consider essentials than 540i without the options. 530i driven in Sports mode would feel quite fast as well.

However if you could afford 540i and easily afford other essentials of life, then go for it.

[soco352]

Ask yourself what's more important. Speed or options. I just picked up a 530i msport for the wife and it's a much better drive than the f10 we had. I was shocked to be honest. The 540i has the same feel but is simply faster. So if you value acceleration over options than you have your answer. The 530i is still plenty fast though.

[Laki021]

Take fully loaded 540i.

[bimmer_335]

Originally Posted by angel.mora

Hello

I am ready to order my "custom" G30, initially I decided on a 530i but as I keep on adding options it is getting closer or with some choices more expensive than a 540i.

This is in Mexico where the 530i get the "Sports Line", and the 540i get the M Sport Package. Difference between both base models is about 11,000 USD

So I could get the 530i with
Innovation Package (HUD, Adaptive LED, Gesture control)
Driving Assistant Plus
Spare Tire
19 inch wheels

Or the 540i with
M sport Package
18inch wheels

What would you choose?

I've HUD with polarized glasses its invisible and total waste of money. Adaptive LEDs are overrated i believe they all come with standard LEDs. Gesture Control is too gimmicky.

Go with 540i and get the wheels you want... you can thank me later

[wknddrivr]

Originally Posted by ArchJR

Even though the 4-cylinder 5-series accounts for over 75% of U.S. 5-series sales, you would not know that from these forums. I drive mostly in a downtown near my house and suburban traffic, with some long flat and boring highway trips. To me the initial cost and ongoing fuel costs for the more powerful engine I can rarely enjoy are not worthwhile, especially as the 530i sounds and feels smoother than my current 528i.

I feel the same. Test drove both the 530 and 540, could afford either with whatever options I want and went with the 530i.

The G30 is so quiet that in normal driving the engine is barely audible and the acceleration out of the 530i is more than adequate for everyday driving. Its also extremely smooth although the 540 is definitely smoother.

I live in LA and deal with insane traffic so the extra power of the 540 wasn't worth it for me.

I've had the car just about a month and have no regrets. If I lived somewhere I could enjoy the power and open it up more often, I'd probably have gone with 540i. But for my everyday commute, the 530i is perfect balance. I save my fun drives for my M3.

[Bandiano]

Originally Posted by bimmer_335

I've HUD with polarized glasses its invisible and total waste of money. Adaptive LEDs are overrated i believe they all come with standard LEDs. Gesture Control is too gimmicky.

Go with 540i and get the wheels you want... you can thank me later

Big difference between std LEDs and icon adaptive ( not to be confused with adaptive )
They are all toys, the heart of any car is its engine
540 every day of the week

[ArchJR]

Originally Posted by babaikram

Buy the one you can easily afford. Don't let the payment for a car prevent you from enjoying certain essentials of life. I would rather buy 530i with options I consider essentials than 540i without the options. 530i driven in Sports mode would feel quite fast as well.

However if you could afford 540i and easily afford other essentials of life, then go for it.

One can use that justification for any luxury good, but being able to afford something does not mean one should go for it. If I can afford a 530i, I can afford a 540i. If $100/month makes a difference in my lifestyle, I should not be driving a luxury car in the first place. It really is about priorities and fuel consumption.

[SilverRevlis]

The only 530 I have driven was the 530e. To be completely honest, if the 530i isn't that much different power-delivery wise than that, it wasn't that much different than my F10 535! If you are deciding between getting a car with features you like, versus a car with a larger engine without the features you like, sorry to say, get the 540 with the features you picked on the 530i. As mentioned, if its an affordability issue, then that's a different story, and I'm not going to lecture you at all, but power wise, I feel better knowing the power is there to be able to better place the car in traffic, merge without causing anyone to have to slow their speed and grab an opening and confidently accelerate. Fuel economy was never even a concern for me, if it was, I would be looking at a hybrid or full electric car anyway.

[raddy]

Good discussion here.

Next summer I will make the move to the G30.. Appreciate the comments here.

[bimmer_335]

Originally Posted by Bandiano

Big difference between std LEDs and icon adaptive ( not to be confused with adaptive )
They are all toys, the heart of any car is its engine
540 every day of the week

enlighten me...

i thought only difference is that they swivel.

[babaikram]

Originally Posted by bimmer_335

enlighten me...

i thought only difference is that they swivel.

dynamic lighting with selective beam based on the road traffic, nature of the road and longer beam length etc

[wknddrivr]

Originally Posted by babaikram

dynamic lighting with selective beam based on the road traffic, nature of the road and longer beam length etc

In the US we don't get the selective beam due to some outdated regulation, but it can be coded assuming you get the ICON Adaptive.

We do get a longer beam length. IIHS tests headlight performance among other things, and there is a clear difference between the Adaptive LED and ICON Adaptive in the distance they cover.

Had I special ordered my car I'd have ordered the ICON lights, but I took my car off the lot as it was configured exactly as I wanted with the exception of the lights.

The adaptive LED lights without ICON do swivel though and they are decent.

[angel.mora]

Thanks everyone for your comments and insight.

Where I live there are not a lot of places where I could get the chance to stretch the car legs, 95% city driving, so that gives an advantage to the 530i

Affordability is not an issue but as a lot of you have found out, once you start adding options is difficult to stop then you start looking to the 540i, 550i now the M5

Thanks again for your input, I am now leaning more to the 530i side... now, what about the color!, I need to go looking into threads with car pictures that show the colors under "real life" conditions.

[bimmer_335]

Originally Posted by angel.mora

now, what about the color!, I need to go looking into threads with car pictures that show the colors under "real life" conditions.

yes colors you got to experience in real life.

my top 2 choices were Bluestone Metallic and Mediterranean Blue and ended up with Med Blue.