Extended Test Drive of a BMW 520d

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Thu 5 Apr 2012 21:11
Extended Test Drive of a BMW 520d - a900ss
I have recently had a BMW 520d SE on a 3 day extended test drive and here are my thoughts.

To put a bit of background to this, my company car is due for renewal and I had originally short listed a Merc E and a 5 series for test drives. Unfortunately the E has now been removed from my list so although I wasn’t that keen, I decided to drive an Audi A S-Line as a comparison to the BMW 5 series.

Anyway, the BM was delivered and had circa 5,000 miles under its belt so was loosened up nicely. Initial impressions on driving it away were underwhelming. I was expecting a lot but it just felt a bit flat. It felt a bit faster than the Audi, a bit better ride, a bit better handling but nowhere near what I was expecting. The car also had a very lethargic feel to it.

I parked it up and did some research overnight.

The car was loaded up with options and I believed it was also fitted with variable dampers. As I couldn’t get that option, I just left the car in comfort as I believed this was as close as I could get to a standard car.

However, the button that moved from Sport to Comfort is standard. It adjusts the weight of the steering, the throttle response and the revs that the auto gearbox changes at. The car did NOT have the optional variable dampers.

Using this button did make the car much better. Leave it in Comfort for most driving including motorways for a relaxing drive but a quick flick to Sport for overtaking or fast B road blasts and the car was much better. Still a bit of a barge but it is a large car and it you want total B road thrills, perhaps a 3 series is better suited.

On the motorway, it was excellent. 80MPH was 2,000 RPM in 8th gear and the car felt effortless. Steering weight was heavier than the Audi and had a nice feel to it. Wind noise was very low, lower than the Audi for sure.

Inside, the BMW did feel smaller than the Audi even though you did have plenty of space but I felt the seats were not as comfortable as the Audi’s. Surprisingly BMW charge you if you want to add lumber support which I think is a total rip-off in a car costing over £30k. All in all though, the BMW is an excellent mile muncher as I expected.

B road thrills are there if you allow for the bulk of the car but it is not streets ahead of the Audi by any means, slightly better, just a bit….

Boot size goes to the Audi. Officially there is only 20 litres in it but the Audi is a more uniform shape so is more usable.

If you are paying your own fuel, the BMW is significantly better than the Audi (according to trip computers). The Audi was about 40MPG, the BM about 55MPG with 55MPG easily shown on an 80MPH motorway run.

So, decision time after 600 miles in the BMW and similar number in the Audi A6 S-Line.

I went into the Audi expecting little but it over delivered. I went into the BMW expecting a lot and it under delivered. Ultimately there is swings and roundabouts of both cars but they end up both as very good cars and are difficult to separate.

I fully accept that some people may say that the S-Line Audi and the SE BMW are not fair comparisons and I should be comparing the M Sport. Well they are the same price to me from my lease company so that is why they are being compared.

The BMW is a slightly better driver and is more economical (however as I have a fuel card that is of no concern to me). The Audi has better equipment (Sat Nav, Sports seats with lumber, better quality leather, better stereo, Xenon’s) but lacks heated seats and electric seat adjustment.

Whichever car I choose, I think I will be satisfied.
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Thu 5 Apr 2012 21:14
Extended Test Drive of a BMW 520d - a900ss
One thing I forgot to add is that I was surprised that the Audi 2.0 engine was considerably smoother than the 2.0 BMW engine. I was expecting it to be the other way round.

My review of the Audi is here.

www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=95348

Edited by a900ss on 05/04/2012 at 21:15

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Thu 5 Apr 2012 23:21
Extended Test Drive of a BMW 520d - Avant

Many thanks - very illuminating.

As I suggested on your Audi thread, road testers to a man (and it IS nearly always a man) prefer BMWs to Audis, usually on handling and steering response. So people should do as you have done and decide which suits their own preferences better.

The steering could be the main difference which makes your decision for you. Audis tend to be light - which I like but some don't: BMWs' steering would be described by journalists as 'meaty' but by my wife as 'heavy'.

If it were me, as a 63-year-old fairly relaxed driver it would be the Audi every time - probably the SE version (to avoid the harder suspension, bigger wheels and thinner tyres) and adding on the extras that I wanted. But each to his own and as you say you should be happy with both - and you won't miss much by not being able to have the Mercedes.

Edited by Avant on 05/04/2012 at 23:24

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Fri 6 Apr 2012 08:01
Extended Test Drive of a BMW 520d - Happy Blue!

One of the things that would be a decider for me is the interior ambiance. However much you liked driving each car and irrespective of the spec, you have to sit in them for several hours each day. I much prefer the internal and dashboard design of the Audi. The minimalist interior of the BMW just doesn't do it for me.

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Fri 6 Apr 2012 08:52
Extended Test Drive of a BMW 520d - Chris79
I read the reviews of BMW s with some doubts. I have had an a3 and an a4 in the last 3 years and at the time of choosing test drove the 1 and 3 series. My experience was that of the op, I was not particularly impressed. On both occasions I thought the BMW felt smaller inside than the respective Audi and I really could nt see much difference in the way they drove, it certainly wasn't t the revelation I was expecting!.

As someone has said it is all down to your individual preferences and I do realise that there will be people out there who disagree with me.

This does lead me onto something that I have thought for a while, it strikes me that the media have a slight bias towards certain manufacturers. BMW and ford being examples. Is the Mondeo a good car, in my opinion yes it is but not streets ahead of every one else, as a personal preference I think the insignia is better.

I do sometimes wonder how much motoring journalists opinions are swayed by the car launches, if a particular manufacturer wines and dines them in Spain as opposed to Swindon do they get a better write up?
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Fri 6 Apr 2012 10:25
Extended Test Drive of a BMW 520d - Roly93

Many thanks - very illuminating.

As I suggested on your Audi thread, road testers to a man (and it IS nearly always a man) prefer BMWs to Audis, usually on handling and steering response. So people should do as you have done and decide which suits their own preferences better.

Audi finally have BMW on the run with their current range. I always chuckle when road testers 'to a man' always bang on about the RWD handling of BMWs as though it is pasted into their brains but how often in real world driving does this emerge as a major plus .05% of the time ?? Its as though they are taking a pipe and slippers view of how things will always be !

Most larger new Audis have servotronic steering which is superb, light below 40 and weighting up after that, I love it on my car.

I have always liked the 5 series BMW and have owned every shape of 3 series from the mid 90's up to the E90, but I think that in general terms Audis are now a much nicer car without the gloomy interior that BMWs tend to now have. It is only a shame that the tester expected to dislike most aspects of the Audi rather like expecting to catch a cold in winter time !

Edited by Roly93 on 06/04/2012 at 10:27

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Mon 9 Apr 2012 20:07
Extended Test Drive of a BMW 520d - rogue-trooper

I always chuckle when road testers 'to a man' always bang on about the RWD handling of BMWs as though it is pasted into their brains but how often in real world driving does this emerge as a major plus .05% of the time ?? Its as though they are taking a pipe and slippers view of how things will always be !

You may chuckle but to me I far prefer RWD. I won't go as far as saying I hate FWD but I do really, really, really hate torque steer. As such, I might buy a FWD for SWMBO but not myself.

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Fri 6 Apr 2012 15:14
Extended Test Drive of a BMW 520d - Bobbin Threadbare

As I suggested on your Audi thread, road testers to a man (and it IS nearly always a man) prefer BMWs to Audis, usually on handling and steering response. So people should do as you have done and decide which suits their own preferences better.

If anyone would like me to do any extended test drives in some really nice cars in order to improve gender balance, please let me know :-D

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Fri 6 Apr 2012 15:28
Extended Test Drive of a BMW 520d - unthrottled

Oi, there's no 'affirmative action' round here missy!

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Fri 6 Apr 2012 15:31
Extended Test Drive of a BMW 520d - Bobbin Threadbare

This is purely in the interests of a scientific fair test.

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Mon 9 Apr 2012 12:58
Extended Test Drive of a BMW 520d - a900ss
OK - I've had a long think over the weekend and am going to go for the 520d rather than an A6 (subject to work sign off which is an altogether different story!)

It will be an auto SE and now just need to decide if I should go for a saloon with the professional navigation or the touring with no navigation.

Decisions, decisions.
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Mon 9 Apr 2012 17:24
Extended Test Drive of a BMW 520d - Roly93
OK - I've had a long think over the weekend and am going to go for the 520d rather than an A6 (subject to work sign off which is an altogether different story!) It will be an auto SE and now just need to decide if I should go for a saloon with the professional navigation or the touring with no navigation. Decisions, decisions.

I'm sure you will be happy with your choice and its comforting to know that in these austere times that there are still some company car schemes as good as yours !

In the end though it is difficult to separate the Blue/White roundel from the man !

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