[AiredaleDad]

Originally Posted by mgeog

I have been driving BMW cars for about 25 years. Picked up a new G60 mdport pro and have to say while the car looks very good on the outside, there are many things that make this car a big departure in quality from all the previous BMW cars I’ve owned summarised as follows:

1. Lots of very poor quality plastic finishes through the interior. It’s worse than other cars in this class from what I see.

2. No sil guards or trunk guards.

3. This model does not have run flats and has no option to jack the car or s spare wheel. Very poor sealant can alternate.

4. Many many faults it seems with the breaking system in the first 2K.. Physical and software in my case. (There have also been recalls for this) Now some parts must be changed but they don’t have the relaceplacement part until next year.

5. HK Audi quality is poor.

6. No assessories available yet but I can somewhat understand this with a new model.

7. Basic controls buried in many many menus in new idrive

Over years driving BMW cars I notice components get removed and in some cars replaced with cheaper or no alternatives. Take for example. Spare wheel and jack removed no good replacements, removal of mud flaps, removal of pockets in rear of seatsetc, no adaption of pocket opening handles and orientation of cockpit. Controls for right hand drive markets, seating and interior material on a nosedive in quality and moving mostly towards polymer based materials. All this while the price increases

First time ever that I have been left very disappointed with BMW

You know, I started looking at all the things people are complaining about in these cars. Then I went to take a look at my 2013 Range Rover Sport HSE(Originally $88,000.00 New, when a new BMW 5 series in 2013 was around $45-60K depending on model and trim). I bought it as a 2YO lease return in 2015. But still in 2013 it was an $88K vehicle. Here are a few observations I have noted for comparison as to quality.

Plastics on the exterior, bottom of the windshield, rear bumper protector, and trim, as well as the interior door storage, luggage cover, tailgate etc.. are cheap and definitely don't feel as good as the G60's. They fade, and I have to make sure I use Cerakote or Armor All etc. to keep them looking good.

The 5.0 V-8 (also 375 HP) is THIRSTY!

Leather seats are not really all leather. The seating surfaces are leather, but the sides and backs are leatherette. The leather does not feel as premium as the Veganza in my G60 540i.

There are no sill plates either. (My much cheaper MB did have them)

There is a notorious lack of storage. The door cards have no cup holders, and there are no storage bins in the cargo space sides. (My previous LR3 did have all these)

The leather covered dash I like, and wish the 540 had it as well.

Side protector at the outside bottom of the front passenger door comes loose once in a while and has to be smacked back into place.

The rubber coated ventilation and audio knobs which once felt premium with their grippy rubber surface, have become oddly sticky. Same as in my MB did. I have no small children and am meticulous about keeping my cars clean. It's something about the rubber coating breaking down with age and heat etc... Thank god my G60 doesn't have them. I have so far in the past few weeks learned to use the controller so I rarely need to touch the screen, so fingerprints are rarely an issue. If they do become bothersome, I have a microfiber cloth in the console.

Yes, I understand it's a 12 year old vehicle. At the time it was built Ford had bought Land Rover from BMW, but not yet sold to Tata Motors, so a lot of it is BMW technology. 12 years ago it was state-of-the-art in technology, and it still is considered to be one of the higher end premium SUV's on the market. It is still running strong, and I have had minimal issues.

So I can only conclude that no matter what vehicle you get, there are going to be things you like, and things you don't. Other than the premature wear things like the brake pads needing replaced so soon, there really is not much to complain about. I love my G60 and, while there are things that could have been done better, I will enjoy it until it no longer excites me, or I start flying to work on my hover car. Lol.

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by AiredaleDad

You know, I started looking at all the things people are complaining about in these cars. Then I went to take a look at my 2013 Range Rover Sport HSE(Originally $88,000.00 New, when a new BMW 5 series in 2013 was around $45-60K depending on model and trim). I bought it as a 2YO lease return in 2015. But still in 2013 it was an $88K vehicle. Here are a few observations I have noted for comparison as to quality.

Plastics on the exterior, bottom of the windshield, rear bumper protector, and trim, as well as the interior door storage, luggage cover, tailgate etc.. are cheap and definitely don't feel as good as the G60's. They fade, and I have to make sure I use Cerakote or Armor All etc. to keep them looking good.

The 5.0 V-8 (also 375 HP) is THIRSTY!

Leather seats are not really all leather. The seating surfaces are leather, but the sides and backs are leatherette. The leather does not feel as premium as the Veganza in my G60 540i.

There are no sill plates either. (My much cheaper MB did have them)

There is a notorious lack of storage. The door cards have no cup holders, and there are no storage bins in the cargo space sides. (My previous LR3 did have all these)

The leather covered dash I like, and wish the 540 had it as well.

Side protector at the outside bottom of the front passenger door comes loose once in a while and has to be smacked back into place.

The rubber coated ventilation and audio knobs which once felt premium with their grippy rubber surface, have become oddly sticky. Same as in my MB did. I have no small children and am meticulous about [...]

I appreciate the effort made for this comparison but I feel it only matters how the two compare now? I mean an RRS can still be had for 90k not much more than a g60 these days. Having sat in a few of the new Range Rover sports - I can confidently say that RR has gone in the correct direction when it comes to material quality and feels like an entirely different car now compared to then and is a thousand miles ahead of the g60 as far as premium interiors go. Considering the moderate price delta - the RRS feels like a bargain compared to bmw if what you’re looking for is luxury.

I find bmw to be the better product for me bc they combine a better powertrain and far better reliability, but they are not more luxurious IMO - but I’ll sacrifice that for the other two. The g05 is closer in luxury with Alcantara, more leather, softer touch better materials etc.. but I still think the RRS is more premium inside. These were the two I was comparing and I find the g05 built better than the g60 which we all know my opinion there - but nonetheless the comparison to the g60 would be even further away.

[Maverick241]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

I appreciate the effort made for this comparison but I feel it only matters how the two compare now? I mean an RRS can still be had for 90k not much more than a g60 these days. Having sat in a few of the new Range Rover sports - I can confidently say that RR has gone in the correct direction when it comes to material quality and feels like an entirely different car now compared to then and is a thousand miles ahead of the g60 as far as premium interiors go. Considering the moderate price delta - the RRS feels like a bargain compared to bmw if what you’re looking for is luxury.

I find bmw to be the better product for me bc they combine a better powertrain and far better reliability, but they are not more luxurious IMO - but I’ll sacrifice that for the other two. The g05 is closer in luxury with Alcantara, more leather, softer touch better materials etc.. but I still think the RRS is more premium inside. These were the two I was comparing and I find the g05 built better than the g60 which we all know my opinion there - but nonetheless the comparison to the g60 would be even further away.

Out of curiosity why did you decide to go EV over something like a 50e? You seem to be a big g05 fan. That would have been best of both worlds.

[Blue Sky]

That’s an interesting look at a Range Rover from 2016, but keep in mind that BMW sold off Range Rover around 2001, and sold off Rover around 2006.

Please note that there is no BMW technology in the Range Rovers. The engines were made by Rover. If you’ve used Esys, NCSexpert/NCSdummy, INPA or so on, you know that BMW group shared tech among BMW, Rolls Royce (notice I’m not using the ambiguous RR abbreviation anywhere), and Mini. I was amused to watch a Top Gear episode back in the day with Clarkson driving a Rolls around the UK, and the iDrive screen and backup camera system and graphics were exactly the same one as in my F10 550i.

I had that same gummy problem on my E60 2004 545i driver’s door control panel. AliExpress to the rescue, I got a high quality knock off replacement for a fraction of the BMW part price. Same for the volume knob I think too.

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by Maverick241

Out of curiosity why did you decide to go EV over something like a 50e? You seem to be a big g05 fan. That would have been best of both worlds.

I thought the 50e wouldn’t cover enough of my commute requiring the gas station every 7-8 trips to work (less than 2 weeks). I couldn’t justify the 2200 spend for charger to convert only 40% of my commute miles plus the 50e was 7.5k more than a 40i. So I had always targeted the 40i before the original IX move. Once I had the charger I wanted to keep using it in full.

I do like the g05 better from a quality of material / build perspective. That doesn’t mean it has a model that’s the best fit for me tho.

The g60 is still a nice car. I’d like to think that it’s okay for me to think the g05 is better but still have the g60 bc the model series / full EV fits my commute better. It’s a better commuter car for me that’s for sure.

[SkykingUSA]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

... I’d like to think that it’s okay for me to think the g05 is better but still have the g60 bc the model series / full EV fits my commute better...

Nope, I don't think that's allowed. You're a bad boy. LOL

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by SkykingUSA

Nope, I don't think that's allowed. You're a bad boy. LOL

lol, plz don’t tell on me!

[tsbrown]

Some of you seem to be triggered by comments of the shortcomings of the car. Here's a thought...if you don't like it, just move along to the next thread.

mgeog 's comments are all legitmate, even if he did a 1000km test drive prior to buying the car. No car is perfect and it's quite likely the 530e was the best total package of all competitive options in the Irish market. I'd venture that every owner here came to the same conclusion...not perfect but the best available option. Same applies to anyone singing the praises of the car constantly where others don't have the same experience or don't agree.

The materials are unequivocally cheaper.
The braking system issues have delayed many of your deliveries and impacted BMW's overall profitability in 2024. The OP experienced issues 2k km's into ownership.
The HK audio used to be upper tier audio for BMW. Apparently not anymore.
The conversion from physical knobs and buttons for some features is just silly/stupid on BMW's part, many of you saying that trying to find the controls in iDrive is distracting your driving.
Some regular participants here continue to be caught out by the spare tire kit vs inflator issue.

I have driven every model of the G60/G90 (i5, 530i, 540i, 550e, M5 sedan) available in the US and even the leather on the M5 seems cheap and plasticy even though it's listed as merino leather. In 5 test drives, I've never once listened to the stereo because I'm more concerned with how the car feels when you drive it. I'd just order the B+W anyway. Longtime BMW owners will have different expectations than owners new to the brand. It doesn't make either wrong, just different expectations.

[Maverick241]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

I thought the 50e wouldn’t cover enough of my commute requiring the gas station every 7-8 trips to work (less than 2 weeks). I couldn’t justify the 2200 spend for charger to convert only 40% of my commute miles plus the 50e was 7.5k more than a 40i. So I had always targeted the 40i before the original IX move. Once I had the charger I wanted to keep using it in full.

I do like the g05 better from a quality of material / build perspective. That doesn’t mean it has a model that’s the best fit for me tho.

The g60 is still a nice car. I’d like to think that it’s okay for me to think the g05 is better but still have the g60 bc the model series / full EV fits my commute better. It’s a better commuter car for me that’s for sure.

Ahh gotcha. And wow 2200 for a charger install? Prices must have gone nuts, I paid like 400 a few years ago!

[Blue Sky]

It varies by job complexity and what else needs to be upgraded to handle it.

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by Maverick241

Ahh gotcha. And wow 2200 for a charger install? Prices must have gone nuts, I paid like 400 a few years ago!

Yea and that doesn’t include the charger itself. I had to upgrade a sub panel, and trench 30ft to the driveway, hard wire the charger, mount to fence post. It’s expensive, but it was about a 3/4 day for 2 guys, wiring is also super expensive relative to other material cost. I received multiple quotes all others were > 3k. Crazy. I’d wager a guess that prices get a little inflated when electrician is coming to someone’s house to install a charger for their 90k car.. they also knew I needed it asap.

[Maverick241]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Yea and that doesn’t include the charger itself. I had to upgrade a sub panel, and trench 30ft to the driveway, hard wire the charger, mount to fence post. It’s expensive, but it was about a 3/4 day for 2 guys, wiring is also super expensive relative to other material cost. I received multiple quotes all others were > 3k. Crazy. I’d wager a guess that prices get a little inflated when electrician is coming to someone’s house to install a charger for their 90k car.. they also knew I needed it asap.

Yeah probably! I got my charger at the time for like 100 through PSEG, also had to trench about 12 feet to my detached garage (which I did myself) mounted the EVSE inside my garage where my cars are, he just had to run the cable and put in the outlet, luckily no sub panel needed. Didn’t take all that long. And yeah copper ain’t cheap ! How’s the car holding up in the frigid weather. This week should be a good test.

[rgw]

Would highly recommend installing your home car charging equipment before purchasing an electric vehicle. You do not need the vehicle manufacturer’s wall box. Everything is going to go the Tesla charging port (NACS) anyway.

Furthermore, you may need a service upgrade to your home’s electrical system. Better to get a full picture of your costs ahead of the purchase of the vehicle so you do not get surprised by a 5k+ USD quote to get at-home charging for your vehicle you may have dropped a hefty amount of money on to purchase.

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by Maverick241

Yeah probably! I got my charger at the time for like 100 through PSEG, also had to trench about 12 feet to my detached garage (which I did myself) mounted the EVSE inside my garage where my cars are, he just had to run the cable and put in the outlet, luckily no sub panel needed. Didn’t take all that long. And yeah copper ain’t cheap ! How’s the car holding up in the frigid weather. This week should be a good test.

Yea mix of an easier job / your willingness to get your hands dirty to save some cash! I should have done the same.

Was doing great with the cold IMO. Couple mid 20d days I still saw about 3/kw which I thought was very impressive.

This week will be an even better test with the wind. I get the car back tomorrow night. It’s in the shop. I had to get a state inspection - got the car out of state - long over due + I had a bubble in the front left tire and clanky brakes.

Somewhat scary story. The front left blew out on me 1/4 mile from the service center. Scary I had driven couple hundred miles on it, went over a really tiny pothole after getting off the exit for the dealer. All of sudden dash pops up / tire low pressure basically saying do not drive.
Went about 2 mph rest of the way and sure enough my wheel was basically on the ground when I got there. I’ve never had a blow out in my life. Plenty of bubbles but never a full pop. Buddy of mine in a Tesla said to get used to it. A sedan low profile tires with EV weight and winter time pot holes is a recipe for continued disaster. He’s has 3-4 blow outs in 1 seasons.

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by rgw

Would highly recommend installing your home car charging equipment before purchasing an electric vehicle. You do not need the vehicle manufacturer’s wall box. Everything is going to go the Tesla charging port (NACS) anyway.

Furthermore, you may need a service upgrade to your home’s electrical system. Better to get a full picture of your costs ahead of the purchase of the vehicle so you do not get surprised by a 5k+ USD quote to get at-home charging for your vehicle you may have dropped a hefty amount of money on to purchase.

Good advice. I had explored charger installs before so I knew what I was getting myself into cost wise and actually the 2200 was a good surprise. I just so happened to get a car unexpectedly and needed to actually get the job done quicker than if I had planned it out more.

[rgw]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Good advice. I had explored charger installs before so I knew what I was getting myself into cost wise and actually the 2200 was a good surprise. I just so happened to get a car unexpectedly and needed to actually get the job done quicker than if I had planned it out more.

The big thing is everyone’s home electrical system is different. Older houses can be particularly costly. It’s good that you know what you were getting into. I know some people who were chapped after just deciding to get a model 3 one day.

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by rgw

The big thing is everyone’s home electrical system is different. Older houses can be particularly costly. It’s good that you know what you were getting into. I know some people who were chapped after just deciding to get a model 3 one day.

Yea I can definitely see that. My cost of 2200 isn’t the true cost. I did some of the work earlier by routing a 90 breaker from my panel to my backyard behind my driveway where I have 2 ponds.

This is where electricians suck and my lack of knowledge burned me…

First electrician routes 20amps over. We are talking 220 feet. You want to do this one time.. little did I know… Wasn’t even enough for the second pond equipment.

So i bring in a second electrician who Im
Very clear with and say I want to future proof so he routes 4 gauge and 90 amps— into what I later found out was a freaking 60amp sub panel…. I go for the car charger and I’m told by a 3rd electrician I’ve gotta upgrade the panel that I just had put in 1 season ago…. FML … I guess it’s my own fault but at the EOD if it’s not your expertise you’re supposed to be able to pay once for this crap and get a good job..

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by rgw

The big thing is everyone’s home electrical system is different. Older houses can be particularly costly. It’s good that you know what you were getting into. I know some people who were chapped after just deciding to get a model 3 one day.

Sorry left out in my story.
The 3rd electrician who upgraded the panel installed a 50amp breaker for my my charger after I explicitly said the whole time I wanted 60amps to max the 48amp draw for the cars.
I only discovered after when car was charged slow and investigated myself.
His response - he was worried 60amps is too much….
I was so freaking livid - why the heck would I have upgraded my panel for 50 amps nets 40amps! It’s almost comical how ridiculous people are but it’s really not funny at all..

[SkykingUSA]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

... A sedan low profile tires with EV weight and winter time pot holes is a recipe for continued disaster.

Please remind us, which size wheels do you have?

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by SkykingUSA

Please remind us, which size wheels do you have?

20inch aero bicolor black - all season tires.
These didn’t seem very thin so when I got the car I wasn’t worried about this stuff. Maybe it was just a bad tire.

[Maverick241]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Yea mix of an easier job / your willingness to get your hands dirty to save some cash! I should have done the same.

Was doing great with the cold IMO. Couple mid 20d days I still saw about 3/kw which I thought was very impressive.

This week will be an even better test with the wind. I get the car back tomorrow night. It’s in the shop. I had to get a state inspection - got the car out of state - long over due + I had a bubble in the front left tire and clanky brakes.

Somewhat scary story. The front left blew out on me 1/4 mile from the service center. Scary I had driven couple hundred miles on it, went over a really tiny pothole after getting off the exit for the dealer. All of sudden dash pops up / tire low pressure basically saying do not drive.
Went about 2 mph rest of the way and sure enough my wheel was basically on the ground when I got there. I’ve never had a blow out in my life. Plenty of bubbles but never a full pop. Buddy of mine in a Tesla said to get used to it. A sedan low profile tires with EV weight and winter time pot holes is a recipe for continued disaster. He’s has 3-4 blow outs in 1 seasons.

Wow thank goodness that happened 1/4 from the dealer! Could have been a long day otherwise! As far as blowouts go I’ve had teslas for years now and personally never had an issue (even hit a pothole or 2 in the past). Only had 1 flat due to a nail and tesla just fixed it in my driveway. Of course it depends on what model he’s driving and what type of tires as well.

[Maverick241]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

20inch aero bicolor black - all season tires.
These didn’t seem very thin so when I got the car I wasn’t worried about this stuff. Maybe it was just a bad tire.

Yeah sounds like a bad tire, doubt you will have another issue like that