530d Initial Impressions & bugs
03-04-2004, 12:26 PM
#1
Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: West Midlands
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Basically what a wonderful car..........but............technology without the application as yet...I think.
I have driven the car for four days now and I am very impressed with it, but I do think BMW do let themselves down with the hype generated from their literature and marketing without the understanding of software integration. What I am trying to say is that the engineering quality and expertise is faultless but it is let down with software bugs which I agree are only minor but when you have parted with ?40k you expect the software to function as expected. Note, I didn't say as the manual as I also think that the manual is also badly written as they have not yet caught up with the software team and missed ceratin details out. The Bluetooth does some strange things and nobody can come up with the answer even at two dealerships. If you have a passenger and you let them out and drive on, without stopping the engine, the seat belt warning will not go off and drives you to despare, the only way to stop it is that you have to stop the car and restart the engine.
In essence I am very pleased but I have already learned that the key to good MPG is get it into 6th gear asap (if auto) and keep it below 2k rpm.
Interested to hear from other owners.
I will update as I gain more experience of it.
I have driven the car for four days now and I am very impressed with it, but I do think BMW do let themselves down with the hype generated from their literature and marketing without the understanding of software integration. What I am trying to say is that the engineering quality and expertise is faultless but it is let down with software bugs which I agree are only minor but when you have parted with ?40k you expect the software to function as expected. Note, I didn't say as the manual as I also think that the manual is also badly written as they have not yet caught up with the software team and missed ceratin details out. The Bluetooth does some strange things and nobody can come up with the answer even at two dealerships. If you have a passenger and you let them out and drive on, without stopping the engine, the seat belt warning will not go off and drives you to despare, the only way to stop it is that you have to stop the car and restart the engine.
In essence I am very pleased but I have already learned that the key to good MPG is get it into 6th gear asap (if auto) and keep it below 2k rpm.
Interested to hear from other owners.
I will update as I gain more experience of it.
03-04-2004, 10:38 PM
#3
Members
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Cambs, UK
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Iain,
You mention software bugs, I have had my 530d for 4 months and haven't noticed one at all. Is the seatbelt one the only one you have found ?
I also have bluetooth, and have never had any problem with it, what phone do you have, and what problems do you have ?
You mention software bugs, I have had my 530d for 4 months and haven't noticed one at all. Is the seatbelt one the only one you have found ?
I also have bluetooth, and have never had any problem with it, what phone do you have, and what problems do you have ?
03-04-2004, 10:50 PM
#4
Members
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah, I'm finding the same, lots of small issues, so far.
1. There's no speed limiter on my car, manual says there should be (their demonstrator has it, another new 530d doesn't)
2. Stuck on pixel on the lcd
3. CD keeps reseting to track one after starting car
4. Climate control doesn't control fan (don't expect anything here but if enough of us complain then future owners might get an improvement)
I actually went to the dealer last night and they're getting back to me today, they were surprised by all the things above.
I did a 350 mile round trip yesterday and reckon I hit half a tank at about 250-270 miles, trip computer is reading in the low 30s so far.
Bluetooth phone did wierd things as well, at one point I lost signal and the call but the screen then came up with a call saying *****. Couldn't cancel it until I turned the phone it's self off. Later on I had a second call come in but couldn't swith to it, can the E60 do call waiting ? if not it's a pity as I could do it with with 4 year old car kit. I got my T610 snap in adaptor last night at the dealer, it's quite neat.
I would stress though that all these things are minor and are overshadowed by the fantastic engine and handling
but it would be nice to get them sorted out, I'll let you know what the dealer says
1. There's no speed limiter on my car, manual says there should be (their demonstrator has it, another new 530d doesn't)
2. Stuck on pixel on the lcd
3. CD keeps reseting to track one after starting car
4. Climate control doesn't control fan (don't expect anything here but if enough of us complain then future owners might get an improvement)
I actually went to the dealer last night and they're getting back to me today, they were surprised by all the things above.
I did a 350 mile round trip yesterday and reckon I hit half a tank at about 250-270 miles, trip computer is reading in the low 30s so far.
Bluetooth phone did wierd things as well, at one point I lost signal and the call but the screen then came up with a call saying *****. Couldn't cancel it until I turned the phone it's self off. Later on I had a second call come in but couldn't swith to it, can the E60 do call waiting ? if not it's a pity as I could do it with with 4 year old car kit. I got my T610 snap in adaptor last night at the dealer, it's quite neat.
I would stress though that all these things are minor and are overshadowed by the fantastic engine and handling
but it would be nice to get them sorted out, I'll let you know what the dealer says
03-05-2004, 04:15 AM
#5
Senior Members
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
you get to the speed limiter within the Nav system... and not really a limiter but a warning -- it beeps, the obc & idrive screens give a warning and then it leaves you alone, until such a time as you go under and again over your set limit
03-05-2004, 05:04 AM
#6
Members
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Romania
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Iain' date='Mar 4 2004, 03:26 PM
If you have a passenger and you let them out and drive on, without stopping the engine, the seat belt warning will not go off and drives you to despare, the only way to stop it is that you have to stop the car and restart the engine.
03-05-2004, 12:48 PM
#7
Members
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That's wierd Skidster, the manual states that for those cars without nav you go to "board info" to set speed warning and the salesman agreed that it worked on their demonstrator which doesn't have nav. Anyways I might be wrong, I'll let you know what the dealer says.
03-05-2004, 07:11 PM
#8
Members
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Saudi Arabia
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mine is Middle East eidition, and yes the seat belt issue did come up with me once. I may have to test it again.
E60_530D: Can you tell me a little bit more about Bluetooth and if you have a built in BMW phone. I have seen bluetooth work on other cars but not on mine because the built in phone takes over bluetooth and keeps asking me to insert a GSM card in it.
for more details please see my issue here
http://e60.doit.wisc.edu/forums/index.php?showtopic=431
I couldn't solver this issue yet
E60_530D: Can you tell me a little bit more about Bluetooth and if you have a built in BMW phone. I have seen bluetooth work on other cars but not on mine because the built in phone takes over bluetooth and keeps asking me to insert a GSM card in it.
for more details please see my issue here
http://e60.doit.wisc.edu/forums/index.php?showtopic=431
I couldn't solver this issue yet
02-08-2014, 09:52 AM
#9
Members
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have a bmw e60 2004 and the list of problems has been truly epic! Luckily, I'm an ex mechanic and I enjoy to tinker a bit so it's not to bad. The so called 'German engineering' thing is a myth.
