LOL - Tis all just healthy entertainment..............

 

TC being that you are the first, the one and only, and you also happen to have chosen the CB please share your opinion. I have CB on order, never seen before other than a 2002 M5. I have heard that the CB on the 2008 may differ somewhat. Not sure how, just some talk. Assuming you have seen a few more older and possibly newer(yours) CB cars please offer your opinion. In the end, what I want to know is how great it looks in person. Pix are great but I am sure they don't do it justice,

Thanks.

 

It is already a love hate relationship with the colour - looks fantastic for the hour or so after you clean it, it then spends the rest of the time with a thin film of visible dust. I guess however this is true of all of the dark colours; moving the 'clean' issue to one side, this is by far and away the most attractive of BMW's dark hue's available at the present time, in the right light it has a fabulous deep metallic blue edge to the colour, everyone I know has commented on how classy the car looks - even with the cleaning issue I would definitely choose the colour again. If you look at the spot just above the wheel in this picture you can really see the depth of the blue - you have to see it to appreciate it. What will amaze you is that in other lights the car looks pure metallic jet black...........stunning colour.

 

Thanks TC. I appreciate all the great shots and info. Best of luck with it. Also, you mentioned several times about the break in period, what was suggested to you and do believe it may be different for the 550?

Thanks

 

Tis listed in the owners manual - don't exceed 90mph or 4.5K rpm (petrol) mine is a diesel therefore can't exceed 3.5K rpm for the first 1200 miles. As far as I can tell in the 535d it feels to be worth it, also look at it from the other point of view, it is like getting two new cars, one at zero miles and then another at 1200 miles!!

 

Congrats and what a car!

 

TC.

What sort of mileage are you expecting to do if you dont mind me asking?

I've taken my new one on 16K/year for 3 years.

Interestingly the residuals have plumeted as my last 530d sport based on 3 x 20K had a ?17,850 residual/baloon based on '05 figures and this one which is ?2k more list has a ?14,700 baloon based on 3 x 16K

Fatlab

 

To reflect the drop that will occur when the F10 is introduced in 3 years

 

I can understand the logic behind that but in my opinion it didn't happen with the launch of the E60. If anything the controversial looks bolstered the residuals at least in the first 18-24 months.

I part exchanged an 55K mile E39 02' plate 530d Sport in March 05' against an E60 530d Sport and got ?20,500 part ex and an 11% discount off the new one.

I do think there is a wider BMW issue here as I have a number of colleagues in the same situation with 3 series and 6 series experiencing similar drops second time around.

Fatlab

 

3 years at 20K per year........to be honest though, with my track record I imagine I will be out of the car within 12 to 14 months. I have to say though, based on my initial ownership experience, the only car I would be prepared to trade into from the 535d would be prefixed with an M - and the wife already agree's!! The residual for me was virtualy no different between pre and post LCI. I believe that a lower residual ultimately helps you balance the cost; monthly rentals are higher however you are much more likely to be in a positive position if you want out of the contract early.........there are numerous things that can dictate future market value......I wouldn't even bigen to speculate why yours has dropped; you may well find that it is simply a case of your dealer being more realistic the second time round.