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BMW 5-Series (G30) Forum 2017+ BMW 5 Series (G30) General Discussions Loaded 530i or Base 540i

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      09-13-2018, 02:13 PM   #45
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Originally Posted by 530iDriver View Post
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Originally Posted by Zap-xpilot View Post
This is from someone driving a fully loaded 540i:

Take the 540 any day of the week!

I helped a colleague of mine get a good deal on a brand new 530i g31, it's almost the same car as my fully loaded 540, except for the engine, but boy what a difference in performance and perception.

While his car sounds strained under load and the engine chatters, mine just wafts along unperturbed. The 540 is almost Rolls like in its power delivery.

In fact, if I could do the purchase all over again, I'd go for a base 540i with just the M-sport package and save some money.
The inline 6 is a masterpiece!

Also, since we both drive the same distance to work, I can tell you that there is NO discernible difference in petrol consumption. These are heavy, four wheel drive cars, the smaller engine strains more under real life usage.

Take the four and you'll regret it every day. The 6 will put a smile on your face on daily basis, even if all you're doing is creeping in traffic
I took the 4 six months ago and have not regret it to this day.

My B46 doesn't clatter, sounds fairly good under acceleration and the car has never felt strained to quickly pass on the highway and accelerate.

Simply put, I am not getting on with the hate the 4 cyl 2 liter turbo is getting from some in this thread.

I do, however, get the love for the 6-cyl in line BMW engine as I had one in my 2011 E90 (N52).

But unlike the N20 before it, the B46 is a tremendously improved engine and it is perfectly suitable for a car like the G30.

Furthermore, for my daily driving needs and traffic conditions, a car with 335HP and 4.7sec 0-60 acceleration is completely wasted in the traffic grind of this city. Here is where the B46 shines with its superb fuel economy.

There is no wrong choice when it comes to the G30 available engines.

Please, don't put down the B46 until you live with it for a while. And if you don't like it is OK, I am not hurt....but I do take a bit of an issue with 540i owners putting down 530i owners to feel better about their rides. Just sayin'....
Quote:
Originally Posted by 530iDriver View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zap-xpilot View Post
This is from someone driving a fully loaded 540i:

Take the 540 any day of the week!

I helped a colleague of mine get a good deal on a brand new 530i g31, it's almost the same car as my fully loaded 540, except for the engine, but boy what a difference in performance and perception.

While his car sounds strained under load and the engine chatters, mine just wafts along unperturbed. The 540 is almost Rolls like in its power delivery.

In fact, if I could do the purchase all over again, I'd go for a base 540i with just the M-sport package and save some money.
The inline 6 is a masterpiece!

Also, since we both drive the same distance to work, I can tell you that there is NO discernible difference in petrol consumption. These are heavy, four wheel drive cars, the smaller engine strains more under real life usage.

Take the four and you'll regret it every day. The 6 will put a smile on your face on daily basis, even if all you're doing is creeping in traffic
I took the 4 six months ago and have not regret it to this day.

My B46 doesn't clatter, sounds fairly good under acceleration and the car has never felt strained to quickly pass on the highway and accelerate.

Simply put, I am not getting on with the hate the 4 cyl 2 liter turbo is getting from some in this thread.

I do, however, get the love for the 6-cyl in line BMW engine as I had one in my 2011 E90 (N52).

But unlike the N20 before it, the B46 is a tremendously improved engine and it is perfectly suitable for a car like the G30.

Furthermore, for my daily driving needs and traffic conditions, a car with 335HP and 4.7sec 0-60 acceleration is completely wasted in the traffic grind of this city. Here is where the B46 shines with its superb fuel economy.

There is no wrong choice when it comes to the G30 available engines.

Please, don't put down the B46 until you live with it for a while. And if you don't like it is OK, I am not hurt....but I do take a bit of an issue with 540i owners putting down 530i owners to feel better about their rides. Just sayin'....
I have G30 520d. I was made to feel I was missing out on 6 cylinder G30. I then proceeded to test drive the G30 530d (540d in USA), I was actually disappointed as it felt nose heavy without that additional feel of the shove in the back. I test drove 640d and 540i they felt faster in the 50-70mph but not much faster though with better ASD sound but not worth the financial penalty.

I strolled to the dealer one day and test drove M240i. God the shove in the back and the acceleration was felt and brutal. I then bought the M240i and keep the G30. M240i gave me that thing I was missing. G30 makes me feel rich, m240i makes me feel young

G30 is head and shoulder better than m240i as a luxurious car. The difference in their levels of comfort is just too wide. Neither the 4 or 6 cylinder G30 would give you that sensation of speed, the car is just too big to feel the speed. If you want to feel the speed you go v8 (m550i or M5)

G30 is primarily a luxurious car, a good one at that. My advice is that I would take a full loaded 4 cylinder G30 over a base 6 cylinder G30 if money is an issue . Of course if I could comfortably afford either fully loaded I would go for 540i

Surely I would take a base M550i or M5 over a full loaded 4 cylinder because I would feel that speed

This is just my opinion
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      09-14-2018, 10:58 AM   #46
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Originally Posted by 530iDriver View Post
Sure but that comes at a price.
The 'value' we put on the drivetrain, will depend on our priorities.

If I had to drop to a 4-pot in a BMW, (I intended to do this back in 2006, but backed off after comparing 4 & 6-cylinder variants of the same model), I seriously question is it worth even running a BMW with a 4-cylinder engine. There are decent 4-pot engines in other 'cheaper' marques.
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      09-14-2018, 11:17 AM   #47
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 530iDriver View Post
Sure but that comes at a price.
The 'value' we put on the drivetrain, will depend on our priorities.

If I had to drop to a 4-pot in a BMW, (I intended to do this back in 2006, but backed off after comparing 4 & 6-cylinder variants of the same model), I seriously question is it worth even running a BMW with a 4-cylinder engine. There are decent 4-pot engines in other 'cheaper' marques.
You will not get any argument from regarding the smoothness and inherit superiority of BMW's 6 in line power plants. With that said, I would recommend spending sometime behind the wheel of a B46/48 equipped G30. It is a respectable engine in my humble opinion. Would the B58 in 540i would be better, sure! And I certainly hope it is the case as BMW charges you a premium for the extra 2 cylinders.

When I was shopping for my current car, I was mentally prepared to not to like the B46 as previous experiences with the N20 in various F30 and F10 vehicles had not been favorable.

I believe BMW further refined the B46 and addressed some issues that kept me away from the N20. Would other brands make equal or better 4 pots? Probably so, but I can tell you my B46 drives and sounds a lot nicer than some recent 4 cyl turbocharged efforts from Honda, Toyota and Hyundai.

I owned a N52 powered E90 for 7 years and loved that engine. I believe that the N/A still has a place in BMWs portfolio but unfortunately the marketeers, focus groups and ever increasingly government regulations for emission ls and fuel economy see it differently.

I would have liked to see a smaller displacement I-6 N/A offered with direct injection. I think the N/A sixes still had some life left in them but oh well...
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      09-14-2018, 01:06 PM   #48
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HighlandPete View Post
The 'value' we put on the drivetrain, will depend on our priorities.

If I had to drop to a 4-pot in a BMW, (I intended to do this back in 2006, but backed off after comparing 4 & 6-cylinder variants of the same model), I seriously question is it worth even running a BMW with a 4-cylinder engine. There are decent 4-pot engines in other 'cheaper' marques.
Not sure what your point is. There are decent V6 engines in other relatively cheaper brands that undercut BMW's pricing too.

You don't buy a 5er because it's a "performance" vehicle that cheaper brands cannot produce an equivalent I6/V6 for. Way too big, heavy and numb. You buy it because it's a semi-luxury cruiser that can transport a family of 4 in relative comfort and safety, period. For those that buy the G30 as an "Ultimate Driving Machine", they will surely be disappointed.
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      09-14-2018, 03:15 PM   #49
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Not sure what your point is. There are decent V6 engines in other relatively cheaper brands that undercut BMW's pricing too.

You don't buy a 5er because it's a "performance" vehicle that cheaper brands cannot produce an equivalent I6/V6 for. Way too big, heavy and numb. You buy it because it's a semi-luxury cruiser that can transport a family of 4 in relative comfort and safety, period. For those that buy the G30 as an "Ultimate Driving Machine", they will surely be disappointed.
My point... I was responding to a reply to my earlier post.

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For me, the in-line six is BMW.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 530iDriver View Post
Sure but that comes at a price.
Take away the I6 engine and I'd be questioning my staying with BMW. The I6 engine is integral to my enjoyment of a BMW, part of the package I buy into. It is that simple.
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      09-14-2018, 04:02 PM   #50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HighlandPete View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by enigma01 View Post
Not sure what your point is. There are decent V6 engines in other relatively cheaper brands that undercut BMW's pricing too.

You don't buy a 5er because it's a "performance" vehicle that cheaper brands cannot produce an equivalent I6/V6 for. Way too big, heavy and numb. You buy it because it's a semi-luxury cruiser that can transport a family of 4 in relative comfort and safety, period. For those that buy the G30 as an "Ultimate Driving Machine", they will surely be disappointed.
My point... I was responding to a reply to my earlier post.

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For me, the in-line six is BMW.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 530iDriver View Post
Sure but that comes at a price.
Take away the I6 engine and I'd be questioning my staying with BMW. The I6 engine is integral to my enjoyment of a BMW, part of the package I buy into. It is that simple.
Mercedes is bring back the I-6 engine into the lineup.
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      09-14-2018, 08:22 PM   #51
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Take away the I6 engine and I'd be questioning my staying with BMW. The I6 engine is integral to my enjoyment of a BMW, part of the package I buy into. It is that simple.
OK. I won't argue what BMW means to you personally.

From the historical perspective, the I4 graced as many iconic BMWs as the I6.

M10 (or variants of it) powered the 1600/1602 and all too famous 2002.

S14 was found under e30 M3's hood/bonnet.

To be sure, I loved my I6-powered cars (e.g. S54 inside my e86 Z4MC), but I personally wouldn't consider it an integral part. In fact, with BMW making all out efforts to please the SUV and Lexus crowd, I am not sure what makes a BMW a BMW any more.

G30 is the first BMW that I bought as a good transportation appliance, not as an exciting car to drive.
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      09-14-2018, 10:57 PM   #52
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Coming from a Porsche Panamera 4S, I was set to be disappointed. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised and actually opted for a 530i Xdrive. Why?? Its quite simple. Its a brilliant engine. I cant believe what they have engineered to have this much pull from this little 2.0L! Its light and nimble and frankly so much more tossable than the 540i, which I drove extensively. I actually put my ego aside and opted for what actually felt better. Its ok it is the “lesser” engine. My 2c.
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      09-15-2018, 06:56 AM   #53
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Quote:
Originally Posted by enigma01 View Post
OK. I won't argue what BMW means to you personally.

From the historical perspective, the I4 graced as many iconic BMWs as the I6.

M10 (or variants of it) powered the 1600/1602 and all too famous 2002.

S14 was found under e30 M3's hood/bonnet.

To be sure, I loved my I6-powered cars (e.g. S54 inside my e86 Z4MC), but I personally wouldn't consider it an integral part. In fact, with BMW making all out efforts to please the SUV and Lexus crowd, I am not sure what makes a BMW a BMW any more.

G30 is the first BMW that I bought as a good transportation appliance, not as an exciting car to drive.
Thanks for this head up. I never knew any past BMW cars of note were powered by 4 cylinder engine.

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      09-15-2018, 07:20 AM   #54
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Thanks for this head up. I never knew any past BMW cars of note were powered by 4 cylinder engine.
Yes some iconic models for sure. My introduction to BMW was a 2000 New Class saloon (sedan), bought by my father. Father soon moved to I6 models, right through to his last, an E23 735i, sat in his garage when he died.

I was also brought up with British built I6 engines, as in the Triumph models like the Herald Vitesse, 2.5 P.I., 2500S, TR6 & GT6. Plus Rover models. My first drive in a BMW I6 was in the E12 528 5-series, blown away by the whole package, set the standard for what I really enjoy about driving a BMW.
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      09-17-2018, 10:15 PM   #55
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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.
Honestly, if you get a 530, I would get the 530e. There isn't any cost difference and if you plug ig in, you'll save money and the torque boost is awesome.

Edit: I just noticed this thread is 13 months old; I'm sure the OP already bought a car!
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      09-18-2018, 09:49 AM   #56
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BMW stopped selling 4 cyl engines in the US market between 1998-2012.
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      09-18-2018, 09:53 AM   #57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waccamatt View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by angel.mora View Post
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.
Honestly, if you get a 530, I would get the 530e. There isn't any cost difference and if you plug ig in, you'll save money and the torque boost is awesome.

Edit: I just noticed this thread is 13 months old; I'm sure the OP already bought a car!
The 530e is a good choice if you are after maximum fuel economy. However, keep in mind that the 530e is inherently more complex, a consideration if you are keeping the vehicle for a long time, it weighs 400 pounds more than the 530i (And you will feel the heft in the handling)and you lose at least 4 cubic feet of usable trunk space due to the batteries.

Another is if you don't have easy access to a charging port at home or work it may make the whole plug in hybrid concept a moot point.

530e is an interesting choice if you understand it's limitations and what you are getting yourself into.
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      09-18-2018, 01:16 PM   #58
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540i by far. The 530i is adequate. The 540i is more refined.
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      09-18-2018, 01:23 PM   #59
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 530iDriver View Post
The 530e is a good choice if you are after maximum fuel economy. However, keep in mind that the 530e is inherently more complex, a consideration if you are keeping the vehicle for a long time, it weighs 400 pounds more than the 530i (And you will feel the heft in the handling)and you lose at least 4 cubic feet of usable trunk space due to the batteries.

Another is if you don't have easy access to a charging port at home or work it may make the whole plug in hybrid concept a moot point.

530e is an interesting choice if you understand it's limitations and what you are getting yourself into.
That right there would be a deal breaker for me.

One of the good points of the G30, in general, is it's handling and feel on the road.
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