[2008bimmerM3]

Hello All

I’m very close to buying a 2018 530i and have a few questions.

How reliable is this car compared to the f10?

What problems are there?

What does the cpo warranty not cover?

How much is the prepaid maintenance plan for 2 years?

Thanks all for your help

[AP]

Whilst I don't have a 530e I have a 2017 540
The only 2 issues I have had are

Rear camera not working on 3 occasions. Istep upgrade and no further reoccurrences

Coolant reservoir leak. Low coolant warning and replace under warranty

Neither stopped me getting to where I was going

I guess reliability needs to be split into 2 categories

Those that stop you getting to where you want to go and those issues that are a nuisance but the car still functions as a car.

Like any other car , the more more mileage the higher the chance of something breaking

I've found over the last 20 years I've had BMWs that they are very good and to the extent I self insure once they are out of warranty

See what others say specifically about the 530e

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by 2008bimmerM3

Hello All

I’m very close to buying a 2018 530i and have a few questions.

How reliable is this car compared to the f10?

What problems are there?

What does the cpo warranty not cover?

How much is the prepaid maintenance plan for 2 years?

Thanks all for your help

Not trying to be a smart ass, but CPO coverage is pretty much laid out in great detail on the BMW NA website. You should read it rather than relying on others interpretation of it. In terms of comparing it to the F10 in terms of reliability, which F10? The I6 535 is a rock, the N63 in the 550i, not so much. You are also asking about reliability of a newer car compared to a model year that hit the market 11 years ago, so I am sure they are breaking down here and there. If you want to minimize risk, BMW is well known for it's bullet proof I6 engines, so maybe look at the 540 vs. the 530 4-banger.

Ask the dealer for a quote on prepaid maintenance plan, you can only buy it from them IF you are buying a CPO BMW from an actual dealer. But rule of thumb, the cost of the plan with save you about 10-15% by writing a check up front vs. as you go. Time value of money. I'd leave it in the market and get a good indie to do brakes and oil changes.

[2008bimmerM3]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Not trying to be a smart ass, but CPO coverage is pretty much laid out in great detail on the BMW NA website. You should read it rather than relying on others interpretation of it. In terms of comparing it to the F10 in terms of reliability, which F10? The I6 535 is a rock, the N63 in the 550i, not so much. You are also asking about reliability of a newer car compared to a model year that hit the market 11 years ago, so I am sure they are breaking down here and there. If you want to minimize risk, BMW is well known for it's bullet proof I6 engines, so maybe look at the 540 vs. the 530 4-banger.

Ask the dealer for a quote on prepaid maintenance plan, you can only buy it from them IF you are buying a CPO BMW from an actual dealer. But rule of thumb, the cost of the plan with save you about 10-15% by writing a check up front vs. as you go. Time value of money. I'd leave it in the market and get a good indie to do brakes and oil changes.

Comparing to the f10 528i

Would you say the inline 6 turbo in the X5 is a more solid engine?

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by 2008bimmerM3

Comparing to the f10 528i

Would you say the inline 6 turbo in the X5 is a more solid engine?

I'd say any BMW inline 6 is a solid engine in terms of reliability and longevity. It's just designed well where it is less susceptible to wear and tear.

Now, that said, my two current BMW's are big V8's. They are more fun. When people ask me about a BMW and reliability and cost of ownership, I say if it is an issue with you, then you should be looking at Toyota's and Hondas.

[ericvt]

Originally Posted by 2008bimmerM3

Hello All

I’m very close to buying a 2018 530i and have a few questions.

How reliable is this car compared to the f10?

What problems are there?

What does the cpo warranty not cover?

How much is the prepaid maintenance plan for 2 years?

Thanks all for your help

All depends on how many KM/Miles you have on the 2018 you are purchasing? AND how the previous owner treated the car.
Reason I ask is because it could still be covered under the new car warranty (then the CPO after).

I got my G30 530i last year with 50K KM's and it was covered until 80K with the new car warranty. On top of that I have CPO from the BMW for an additional year. In the last year of my warranty I tried to drive the car as much as I could to see if major issues would come up and everything has been fine so far.

Long story short...my G30 530i has been amazing so far in the time I've owned it. *knocks on wood* no major issues and still under CPO as the new car warranty expired. I have heard the I4 Turbo B48 that the 530i has is very reliable and BMW has had some years to refine it now.

[en1gma]

I have an October 2017 530i in the UK.

The only ongoing 'intermittent' problem I have is once in a while the reversing camera does not work. Very rare, but does happen. And then goes away…

I also had coolant levels go down to cause the warning light to come on. I topped up on those two occasions and no issue since.

First time in over 20 years of owning BMWs that I had that, but like I said, no real issue (did get dealer to check under warranty but no leak/pressure issues found).

Otherwise no problems and very happy with reliability!

[akuwes710]

B48 is solid so far. There was a recall for fuel pump sensor, nothing else aside. Good thing with B48 is depending where you are located (im in california), there's a SULEV warranty 15 Yr/ 150k Miles for Emission related parts. My previous 328i had engine cover cracked with oil leaking out. Replaced free…

[claykin]

Originally Posted by 2008bimmerM3

Hello All

I'm very close to buying a 2018 530i and have a few questions.

How reliable is this car compared to the f10?

What problems are there?

What does the cpo warranty not cover?

How much is the prepaid maintenance plan for 2 years?

Thanks all for your help

Pull the service records and get a carfax for the vehicle you're considering. Do not trust that CPO always means the vehicle is a cream puff.

In general the G30 530i is a solid vehicle. No glaring issues to be concerned with. The B48 engine is a better engine than the N20 in the F10 528i.

Test drive the car and listen closely for unusual sounds. Make sure the stereo is off during the test drive. Listen to the stereo later to be sure it works to your satisfaction. Check everything you can to help identify issues the CPO process may have missed. Trust me, they miss stuff all the time.

I suggest you require the dealer do an iStep upgrade before delivery. Easy way to make sure it was completed is to check iDrive software version which should be NBT_X or later. X is the iDrive software version number.