So we got a 2010 BMW 535i GT long-termer

So we got a 2010 BMW 535i GT long-termer


So Car Middle East got the BMW M3, the BMW 7-Series and the BMW Z4 as long-term cars. And Wheels got the BMW X5 M. We got the BMW 535i Gran Turismo. While the hierarchy of publications is obvious here, we don’t mind. In our experience, every modern BMW drives like a sports car. Every BMW.

This green 2010 BMW 5-Series GT comes to us after a year of press-fleet duty. As such, it has a whopping 27,140 km on the clock. It still looks like a brand new car, as it should, but it gives off “used car” vibes if you look closely, such as the worn-out a/c button markings, the scratched wheels and small stains on the precious beige carpet. But that would be nitpicking.

It seems to still drive as well as when we first tried it out many moons ago. All the gadgets also seem to work fine, many of these features not available on our Infiniti QX56 long-termer. With a turbocharged 3.0-litre engine and some hybrid-like “EfficienctDynamics” system, one of our legendary Economy Tests is also on the cards, and the GT is sure to impress.

Our Infiniti QX56 is with us for only one more week before it goes back. So for this brief time, we’ll have two new luxury vehicles at our disposal. The Infiniti has proven itself to be a fine piece of engineering, with its surprisingly-efficient engine and perfectly-working computer. It is now time to see if the Germans really do have the upper hand when it comes to luxury.

What do you think?

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Comments

  1. Any camparison of the two comming up ??? Would love to see one ………

    • Author

      No logical way I can compare the two really, even going by my crazy-comparo standards. Both are priced the same, but the similarities end there. I will mention some differences now and then between BMW and Infiniti’s tech features though.

  2. Third Pic: Fine for blocking the traffic. I am coming to impound the car. FOR 2 HOURS……

  3. i would still say its one of the most ugliest looking cars i have ever seen

    • Clearly, you can’t afford one!

    • err..so commenting on the looks make one look as they cant afford..you must be a beemer fan to talk sh*t like that

    • Yup, I am a fan.

    • @ abdulla

      if you’re a fan then this does not give you the right to give us your strange kind of comments: i saw your comment on the lancer review and i only think you waste your (and our) time with your weird comments.

      If you don’t like cheap cars, and don’t like people who like cheap cars, and dub them as “cant afford” and all the sh*ts kind of talk…then i believe you’re in the wrong place. This is an open discussion about a vehicle, and i can see you’re so emotionally attached to something that is, in the end, a lifeless machine..a car for the matter. So please stop whining about you being rich and despising cheap cars and people, we got the message, and we’re not inspired nor amused, end of story.

    • …and yes, the car looks ugly, am not saying this to provoke you, but because “freedom of speech” is a right to everyone, even if it hurts your feelings.

      and no, i cannot afford one, and even if i did, i would pick something else than this weird looking car (not talking money here, talking TASTE).

  4. 27k on the odo should not be that much but you are talking with a tone that you are very happy that the car is working or functioning, according to these standards, I should change my car every 4 months, “Marks on the AC botton, after only 27 K!!! what kind of car is this and what are the materials used here? dont forget we are talking about BMW here, if this is the case, then Kia or other brands should be catogrized under “dispoable cars” to be used for only 5000 kms, you may argue that it is a test car and could be abused by others, but for me personally I believe that a new car should go fine or perfect indeed for at least the first 80000 kms even if I spent 20000 kms of them as burnouts or upside down or whatever.

  5. ugly looking patrol and x6

  6. The BMW would be a great car to be chauffered in ,That said i saw one in the parking lot and before i could comment on it my wife said it looked ugly .The moment she said it i thought it was the white colour that wasnt helping but i think she was right,Strangely BMW gets away with stuff like this by calling it Gran turismo.The R -class didnt do any favours for merc …

  7. @Samer – What Mash meant by doing 27k and being abused by other media is that they kill them cars.

    You were referring to your car doing 80,000kms(Well its your car”you own it”) – I’m sure you wouldn’t care much whether you scratch the buttons or stain the chairs if the car wasn’t yours, especially that you don’t have to pay if you scratch,stain or damage like Rent a Car’s.

    • RayanK

      I know that, but they are talking here about performance as if going 27K will effect the car’s performance and that is not true, if the performance to be affected after 20to 30 k on the odo, then the car should be scrapped after 60k only and that is not logical of course, i was not talking about the stains on the seats, and for the scratched bottoms, !!!! fankly it is a strange thing because even if I want to abuse a car (and I did that before for many times and long periods) how would the bottons get abused? will you be pressing them with hammers or nails or ho exactly, even you push the botton harder than usual, a human skin will be contacting them and that should not fade away the words over them after one year!!!

  8. In terms of performance, which would u say is better. the Infiniti or the Beemer ???????

    • Author

      The BMW is slightly faster because it is lighter, based on my previous test of this car.

    • What type of comparison are you taking about dragy… why would someone compare glorified 4×4 to car. 4×4 will win all the space / usage / offroad and luxury part, whereas the car would win on the comfort, speed and onroad characterstics, i wouldn’t even compare the luxury side, may be yes you can compare the advancment achieved in technology part.

  9. @Samer – I think you’ve missed out on a small part in the article – There you go ”t seems to still drive as well as when we first tried it out many moons ago”. So with after 27,000kms the car drives like new :). With regards to your comment about abusing your car, first of all why would you abuse your own car(I know it’s none of my business, but why?). Secondly, I don’t think you were abusing your car enough, and back to my first comment, you wouldn’t abuse your car because you own in the first place.

    • RayanK
      In fact youare missing the point not me, I also was wondering how would a person abuse a botton, for me me I abuse the car regarding the performance so I’m oressing them on the engine and transmission levels but how can I abuse a botton? abuse can take many forms even for your personal car, for example, my friend doesnt like to slow down for humps, for me, I dont like the car to take ages to accelerate so when I stop in a signal and I’m the first car I floor the pedal, and there are many other examples. you referred to Mash saying that the performance was as same as new, and this is the case, the way he wrote the sentence gave the impression that he was sureprised for the car to perform well with 27k on the odo, this is my point.

    • Author

      I didn’t mention any surprise.

  10. hideous looks………….?

  11. the only commom thing b/n both vehicles are both of them are luxury vehicles and u get pampered with luxury..

  12. last pic is the best…dont say your wife took it!!!! 😛

  13. but i think saw infiniti qx56 is powerful vehicle better than bmw gt

  14. I love the wheels on this one. Very german. 🙂

  15. I hated this car when I first saw it… Thought it was an ugly misfit.

    I can afford whatever car I want.

    After testing everything that BMW/AUDI&Merc had to offer I bought a 550GT

    I cant believe it….

    When it came down to a 550T and the 550GT the passanger space and higher drive position of the GT really work.

    Go figure…..

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