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420d xdrive mpg


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Last week I rented Fiesta automatic from Enterprise at Stainsted. Filled it up before driving 100miles down the A14/M11, when I arrived at the airport the needle had hardly moved so wasn't charge for extra fuel :grin:  Wish I could do that in the RR or M2 - just looking at them uses half a tank.

Edited by Andy_Bangle
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I am absolutely amazed at this car, I was always a sceptic of BMWs, people always banging on about how wonderful they are etc. After only 2 or 3 weeks I was completely sold. The handling, the quality, the comfort, the connectivity, the software and now the fuel economy, all way better than I expected and way better than in anything I have owned/driven before. :)

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I'm a bit late to this one, but here's my take...

I've said for over a decade on here that I have zero brand loyalty.  I don't really care if something I own is a result of a purchase error (the X-Type and the Z4 are good examples of that!).  I would much rather be honest about a car than try to convince people that the one I own is the best thing since sliced bread (and the Audi A4 Avant that I had is an example of a vehicle bought on the advice of others - when I should have ignored their advice about how amazing the car was, because it wasn't).

Well, after M3's, the 645, the Z4, the 5 series, X5, X6, blah blah, I now own a Mercedes ML320.

Not new, because our plans wouldn't have made that practical (semi-retirement), but still a very fine vehicle with over 500Nm of torque, ample horsepower, a lovely smooth V6 engine and excellent build quality.

So why contribute?

Because it isn't a patch on BMW engineering.  The Nav is crap by comparison, as is other tech.  The ride is squishy but okay.  I can throw it around but the likes of the X5 and certainly the X6 would decimate it in twisty situations.  The gearbox is good.  Just good, not excellent.  The seats are very good, but not on par with a BMW.  

The switchgear and dash would probably delight an Audi owner who loves more buttons than the ISS because they think it looks cool - well mark my words, it isn't.  It is crap in ergonomic and usability when compared to a BMW.

BMW do it better than anyone.  Their engines are the best (pound for pound), their balance and driver enjoyment is second to none and the build quality throughout is nothing short of remarkable.  

Please don't think I've made a purchase error, I haven't.  The ML is perfect for what we needed, but I'm not going to lie to anyone and pretend it is on par with BMW because it isn't.

There'll be some people who'd prefer a Mercedes, an Audi, whatever, and that is absolutely fine because we're all different.  However, I would argue all day with anyone who tries saying they don't make the finest cars on the planet for the mass market, because they do.

I smile to myself when I think of all the years spent arguing with Audi (in particular, but others too) owners on here.  The majority are now singing the praises of BMW!

On that basis alone I have decided that I must be a trend setter and that you'll all be driving Merc's in 10 years time - by which time I'll be driving an Alfa Romeo.:roflmao:

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I have to agree in principle with the above.

I have historically owned more BMWs than anything else over the years.

I have ALWAYS bought the car that closest does what I want it to the best that I can afford & that just seems to be BMW more than ANY other brand.

Particularly when you buy for the way the car drives, you just need to try them out, they kind of have driving dynamics pretty much sorted out.

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The thing that gets me most about people who say they don't like BMW's is how few have driven them.

"Oh I don't like the interior, it is very bland"

"Oh I need 4WD for my daily commute on the M25"  (of course there is now an easy response to that, but you know what I mean prior to xDrive)

"They're too common"  (ever wondered why?)

What they fail to grasp is that all these things are small elements of what makes the sum of their parts.  Put it all together and they are supreme machines.  

A few people know that I looked at all manner of cars again before buying the ML (and I kept the 520d for 6 weeks after until selling privately, so I have a bloody side by side comparison!).  The Merc is a really, really good car.  Excellent in some respects and the ride quality is lovely.  It is also very quiet.  But it doesn't all add up in the same way BMW cars do.  Nor did any of the other cars I looked at.  You could say I should have bought another BMW, but we fancied something different and I was very impressed with the ML.  Is it as good as an X5?  No, not as a total package - but the ride is and the engine is quieter (but probably not as good).  That was about it.  The X5 as a car for most people is clearly better and it doesn't pain me in the slightest to say that!

There is one thing an ML absolutely destroys BMW with.

It has 6 x 12v sockets.  Yeah baby, yeah,  Feck you, BMW. :roflmao:

 

Edited by NewNiceMrMe
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6 hours ago, NewNiceMrMe said:

There is one thing an ML absolutely destroys BMW with.


It has 6 x 12v sockets.  Yeah baby, yeah,  Feck you, BMW. :roflmao:

 

PMSL.   I actually haven't counted how many are in mine...

The ONLY reason I have never bought a BMW while living in Canberra is simple.  There is only one Stealer and they have a terrible reputation.  Given the costs of European cars in Oz, the whole ownership experience weighs heavily in the buying decision.   (I have driven 3x M3s fo various ages and loved their wolf in sheeps clothing performance)

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I've had many BMW now. In fact my last.... 5 have been BMW. What's odd about that is I think I only really *loved* one of those cars - the E92 M3. 

The rest have been eminently brilliant. You couple that with a dealer that understands I don't mind paying 10-20% more (Sorry Ben) for convenience and reliability of service, and all of a sudden they have a package that's incredibly hard to beat.

I look at Porsches, hell even some Jags and think oooo, but then I think...well, cars are down my list of interests now. I like them, sure, but other things are more important to me. Then the whole package of the BMW offer becomes very hard to beat.

I do wonder if this countered by the extremes in dealers? I remember constantly fighting with Audi dealers - have never experienced this with BMW. Actually, that isn't quite true - I disagreed about some work being covered by warranty or not. Paid the bill, made my thoughts known, and left with the hump. Few days later get a call from the dealer saying they'd got sanctioning from BMW and refunded the work.

Is that what happens when you get older? Owning a car becomes an 'experience'? I did a mouth sick then. The whole 'experience' thing.

Cornwall Dave for example loves his Audi, but then I also know he has a fantastic relationship with his dealer. 

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They do some how seem to be more than the sum of their parts. 

I've had Audi, Lexus and more and the BMW have felt better to drive and to be in than any other. As you say there is more exotic options but BMW ticks most of the boxes I need ticking very very well. 

Dealers have been great mostly, even the recovery service is stunning. I've used it once and so has my wife (puncture and the local tyre places didn't have a replacement), she was so impressed (Replacement 5 series waiting for here when she got home, taxi paid for to get her back and even a last minute service done when it was in the dealer), that its now a significant factor in getting another BMW probably an X1 next time.

Dave has a Jag as well now don't forget he should really have a proper look at a BMW but there are always other factors for some, currently digital dash is poor and some really want that but he actual map tech is streets ahead IMO. 

No idea what I will get next but a BMW will certainly be on the list. 

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17 hours ago, CarMad said:

I drove home yesterday and got 48.8mpg, in a 535d GT, I'd say that was pretty darn good. 

Overall MPG is 40.5 which is up on my last 530d GT that was 38.5 overall when it left me. So more power and better economy, result. +++

That is really good for such a large sized vehicle/engine.

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I was genuinely looking at a fruity petrol when I changed, a 3GT as I really loved the 330i I had before. But everything is diesel its rare to even find a half decent petrol anymore. 335i / 340i are hard to come by. 

I still hanker after a Cayman as a second car, just a 2.9 (fairly rare) not bothered about power. I want to spank it to death at times and enjoy a drive in Wales and take my son. A promotion and pay rise make that closer if only I can get my accountant wife to release funds.. gggrrrr

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  • 1 year later...

So 19 months in, 63,000 miles at an average of 54.5mpg, total servicing costs of £700.00 (for 3 services), still on the same brakes (30,000 miles left) on second set of tyres and still loving the car. My nephew, who is the M specialist at my local dealer, keeps trying to get me to change, but why should I. I think it has at least another 12 months to give me and I'm doing even more miles now, approx 1k per month.

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  • 1 year later...

Brief update,116k miles in 35 months, still around the 54mpg mark, only issue was an egr cooler sorted under warranty 5k miles ago. Had gearbox oil change at 112k and pads all round at 115k in hope that the car lasts at least another 40k before looking at changing. Car still feels the same, nothing loose or creaky yet. Can honestly say it's been possibly the best car i've had.

Did a trip to Larkhall and back last week at 67.3mpg in 525 miles.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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