BMW 5-Series Sedans

jccssc · July 2001

I think you were talking about my "whistling" problem with 00' 528iA - I had that problem at 80mph "cruising" speed. My dealer had said BMW has the problem posted on their service bulletin which means they have had that kind of problems and have a fix to it. If my memory serves me right - it has something to do with the exhaust pipe being too close to the car to create the noise - and the fix to it is to eliminate the "gap" which was creating the problem. I need to go thru my paperwork at the office to tell you exactly how they documented it. Will let you know tomorrow - stay tuned....

sanand5 · July 2001

It was 96 degrees and sunny in Houston the other day. I decided to check out the A/C in a 540i. I explained to the salesman my concerns about the air conditioner and he stated that BMWs have "great" air conditioners. Then we sat in a 540i 6 speed and it literally blew hot air at us for at least 7 minutes. The salesman kept rolling down the windows and driving very fast. It was pathetic. He then said he had a car in the showroom we could check out. I said no, I wanted to check out another one that had been sitting in the sun all day. We did so and this one was much better than the 6-speed. Although it wasn't ice cold air, at least it wasn't hot. Within 30 seconds of startup, the air felt cool.
The point of this is that in testing just two cars, I quickly found one that had a similar problem to the ones described earlier.

Now I don't feel the A/C in my '98 328i is so bad.

w210 · July 2001

You should be able to get more than CAD2500 on a 2001 or 2002 540i. Where about are you?

avl2001 · July 2001

jccssc, thanks for the information. BTW, did they actually fix the noise? Hopefully, they'll be able to fix mine too.

If you could let me know what they actually fixed that'd be great. I don't really trust my service to be able to figure that out on their own. No rush though, my service appointment is scheduled one and a half weeks in advance.

K.

jccssc · July 2001

I was out sick for couple of days (been really hot in S. Cal). I meant to post this information the very next day.
Anyway, my service dealer did fix my 80mph noise problem. I went thru my paperwork and found the document which said a "driveshaft insulator" was installed to eliminate the noise that I complained about. Well, it did the trick and after almost 9 months now, the noise never came back. You might want to try explaining that to your service manager. Mine told me the problem is listed in their bulletin and that means enough people have had this problem and BMW found a way to fix it - GOOD LUCK and keep me posted.

akuma1 · July 2001

The price I got was from a place that I've heard is unwilling to deal so I didn't expect much anyways. How much off on a 530 and 540 should I expect?

avl2001 · July 2001

jccssc, Thanks a lot for the information!Hopefully they'll fix my noise problem too.

K.

w210 · July 2001

I think the dealers in Canada make around 8-9%. You should definitely be able to do better. Leave your email address here if you need more help, I know a pretty competitive BMW dealer in BC.

cheers

nhart · July 2001

I'm thinking about buying a '95 540i automatic with 100K miles on it. Mint condition inside and out with just one owner. Only $13K.
So, what are the possible pitfalls? I hear that the transmissions have historically given problems but otherwise what do you experts out there think?
I've been driving an '83 533i for ten years so I know the joys of a powerful bimmer!

drmx · July 2001

I'm thinking of buying a used 1999 or 2000 5 series. Any suggestions or issues that I should be aware of would be appreciated.

Are 528 owners happy, or do you wish you had a 540? Is a 540 worth the extra money? Broad, general questions, I know, but I appreciate any input.
Thanks.

habitat1 · July 2001

This isn't an exact answer to your questions, since I am looking to buy a new car in the fall. I'm considering both the 530i 5-speed and 540i 6-speed. However, in polling several of my friends and business associates on their 1998-2001 model 5 series experience, I offer the following observations as reported to me:

540 is obviousely quite a bit more powerful than the 528, but the biggest power difference is after 50-60 mph. The 528 5-speed is reasonably quick to 60. Automatic 528's tend to be a little sluggish.

Handling is comparable. One friend who has a 528 with a sport package contends it handles better than the 540 sport, on the basis that it is over 300 pounds lighter. Personally, I think both handle great.

Maintenance expense: little difference when routine maintencance is covered for 3 years / 36k. However, everyone acknowledges that the 540 will end up being quite a bit more expensive to maintain if you intend to keep it several years past the warranty/service period.

Gas milage: Frankly, the 4.4 litre in the 540 is a rather inefficient engine by today's standards. Based upon my non-scientific poll, it appears the real world average of the 540 to be 15-17 mpg, vs. 23-25 for the 528/530. (Note that the 540i sport/6-speed incurs a gas guzzler charge new. Mercedes' and most other competitor's 8 cylinders do not). I have also heard that 540's tend to burn oil as they age more than the 6-cylinder models.

I personally think the 530 will likely be my choice in the fall, unless I hear that the new, more powerful and more fuel efficient 4.4 liter engine in the new 7-series is heading for the 5-series as well.

Good luck.

div2 · July 2001

I really think you need to drive both models bac to back and choose the one that pleases you. I'm a BMW enthusiast fom the Dark Ages(my first was a 1973 Bavaria 3.0) so I'm a bit partial to BMW sixes. My wife's 528iA is fairly nimble for such a large car and power is adequate in any situation. We use it as a commuter/vacation sled and for those purposes it is brilliant. Fortunately, I have an older 3er I thrash when I feel the need to carve up a twisty road or do a track event. That said, we love the 5er, and we'd likely go with a 530i if we needed another.

dhanley · July 2001

I tried a 540, and got a 328. A far-off comparison, but i tried a 528, too.

The 540 is fast, very fast. If you want a car that will scream to 120mph, this is it. The 540 is also more expensive, though, as is it's insurance, upkeep, gas, etc, so you have to look at the longterm cost and decide if it's worth it. One reason i didn't like it was the BAD mileage i got, i was getting 15mpg during my day long mixed test drive.

The 528 is a very nice car, at sea level i think the power is perfectly adequate for this car with a manual tranny. Here at 5000-8000 feet i drive at i felt it was a little underpowered, though i think it would still be good for 95% of the populace.

I got the 328 for it's ligter weight and smaller size which made it feel more sporting to me. Plus i get 25mpg in mixed driving, and i have nicked 40mpg in sedate highway runs. If i were at seal level or had to carry people frequently, i may have opted for the 528, becuause it is quieter, bigger, and has some very nice features.

All said, i think i'd pick a 530 over a 540 for myself. I drive crazy enough as it is!

dave

nvc · July 2001

I have a 2001 525. Any info on changing the rearview witht the Auto rearviews?

rlemos1 · July 2001

I am thinking about replacing my wife's 850 Volvo sedan ( 1995 ) with a 1997 528i.
Is there anything negative about that year model since it was the first year of production ?
The particular car I am looking at has 35 K miles and was delivered to its current owner on Aug/97.
( Asking price is 24 K )
Also, can anyone tell me how does the BMW 5 series compare to the 850 Volvos ?
Thank you

naim · July 2001

BMW offers 4.9% for lease or finance. My question is if I put my down payment as much as possible to minimize my monthly payment for my lease but at the end I'd like to buy the car. The final figure came out almost no interest at all. I don't know if I make any mistake or not but look like if you have money to put down at first and buy back later then I think leasing is the way to go. Could anyone out there help me with this. Oh the car is 530iA (sport pkg, lumbar support, dsc.) final price was around 68K. BMW can only allow minimum payment for leasing is $200 per month CAD. Thanks.

div2 · July 2001

We bought a 1997 528iA(build date 5/96) in March of this year. My research indicates that the 1997 5ers had some teething problems but most cars have had them corrected. We bought a BMW Certified car and the only problem has been a stuck(open)thermostat. Otherwise the car has been flawless. I'd have the car checked by a qualified BMW tech and go for it if it checks out. As for Volvos, we owned a 1991 740 Turbo but lost interest when Volvo went almost 100% FWD. Frankly, I think the Five Series is the best Sport/Luxury sedan in the world, and it seems that nearly all the automotive pundits agree.

sec1 · July 2001

BMW 4.9%??? My BMW 530I will be arriving in August and haven't decided yet where to get my loan, through the dealer or my credit union. Never heard of BMW offering that rate. Do you know if that is for all the dealers? Need to call my dealer. That rate would be a dream.

mmcbride1 · July 2001

What is seal level?

(You know I'm just messing with you)

muller_bf · July 2001

Have you test driven either?

The 540i 6spd, when driven properly, is a much much faster car than the 528i (or
530i) from 0-60, from 0-100, and for 60-100mph. Sometimes the performance
numbers you see in print (BMW NA material) do not accurately reflect the
real nature of the difference.

As far as mileage goes. the 540i 6spd should get very good HIGHWAY mileage
for a car with it's performance potential. On my very old 540i 6spd, I average
25.6mpg at 80mph, and 27.0mpg at 70mph. I think that's pretty darn good.
My last car, Ford Taurus SHO never got better than 22mpg on the highway.

One reason it's so good is the TALL
6th gear. In the city, the 540i will guzzle a lot more than the 528i, assuming the
two are driven similarly. If you drove the 528i extra hard to try to duplicate the
performance of the 540i, then the difference in city mileage would not be
as large. In the city, I get around 16.5mpg.

As far as efficiency, the 4.4l is actually pretty darn good in ANY measure of
performance and efficiency.

Oil consumption? It can vary widely by car, but I'm going thru about 1 quart per
4000miles, but my engine is up for a warranty replacement due to a problem with
the cylinder walls.

John Feng

chesdin3 · July 2001

I drove a 525 manual and 540iA (all the dealer had) back-to-back, and concluded that a 530 manual would be about the right performance for the money (even w/o driving one!).

I've been happy with it so far. I get 19-20 mpg in town and 30 on the highway @ 70 mph, and the car is still pretty green, with 2000 miles. It has plenty of power, even at high speeds. (Took Euro delivery.) I was particularly impressed at its 80-100 mph acceleration (which you do frequently on the autobahn), even leaving it in 5th. Cruised effortlessly @ 100, which is all you can do during break-in.

One MAJOR regret: my wife can't get used to the clutch feel and is still uncomfortable driving the car. I have to say if I had to do it all over again I'd have gotten the automatic for her sake.

lgross · July 2001

You need to modify or remove your CDV (clutch delay valve) to improve the clutch feel.

naim · July 2001

That's the rate for all dealers in Canada right now. I hope it'll stay until I get my 530iA.

lmsylvan · July 2001

Hello,
I am new to this forum. I am considering a 525i Sport Wagon, and live in Denver. Has anyone had good, bad, or indifferent experiences with this model in snowy, slippery weather? What about the 4.5 inches of clearance? Is the self-leveling suspension worthwhile? The dealership is claiming that a set of Blizzaks will make winter driving a snap. The 3 series ix is too small for me. Also, what about engine power in the 2.5? Please respond to saslms@wnt.sas.com - I plan on buying SOON!
Thanks,
Loren

mmcbride1 · July 2001

We really don't get that much snow here, so you should be fine with dedicated snow tires in the winter (they don't necessarily have to be Blizzaks). I think you'll be fine with the power, too. It's not the fastest thing around, but it's fast enough for most people.

Please tell me you're not looking to buy from Murray Motors - I can't stand that dealership!

lmsylvan · July 2001

Hello,
I am new to this forum. I am considering a 525i Sport Wagon, and live in Denver. Has anyone had good, bad, or indifferent experiences with this model in snowy, slippery weather? What about the 4.5 inches of clearance? Is the self-leveling suspension worthwhile? The dealership is claiming that a set of Blizzaks will make winter driving a snap. The 3 series ix is too small for me. Also, what about engine power in the 2.5? Please respond to saslms@wnt.sas.com - I plan on buying SOON!
Thanks,
Loren

lmsylvan · July 2001

Actually, I am. It's a long story - I currently have an ML320 (for 4 months) that's had a LOT of problems, and this is my option to trade in. It's a decent offer from then. What are your experiences?
Thanks.
Loren

mmcbride1 · July 2001

I've never bought a car from them, but when I was looking at the 325i (I ended up buying an Audi A4 instead), I found them to be completely unprofessional, and even condescending on a couple of occasions (I guess we just weren't looking at an expensive enough car for them - only $35k or so!). I just got the sleazy vibe from them, so I walked out after our test drive was over, and I'll never go back.

Contrast that to the salesman at Ralph Schomp BMW(his name is Steve Torres), who is the best, most professional salesperson I've ever met. I didn't even buy a car from Steve, but to this day, he's the best salesperson I've ever dealt with. Friendly, knows his BMW's inside and out, and no pressure. He'll let you take all the time you want and then buy when you're ready.

If you're on the south end of town, I highly recommend going to see him. If you're up north, then I don't have any experience with anyone up there. I've lived down south my whole life and I work in the Tech Center.

And as far as price is considered, I haven't priced out the 5 series, but on the 325i, they were within $50-100 of each other, so as far as I was concerned, price was not an issue.

Did you get your ML320 from Murray MB? If so, you may not have a choice as to where you get your Bimmer (sounds like they may be buying it back, but it's not officially a 'lemon').

lmsylvan · July 2001

You got it exactly right. I have to get the bimmer from them because I got the 320 there. I'm a little nervous about a RWD car. I do like the ML from a size, power, comfort perspective, but just don't believe in it from a reliability perspective. They are giving me the 525 wagon at cost, but more depreciation than I'm comfortable withe on the ML. But, since it's not a lemon by the letter of the law, it's a good deal for me.
What's your direct email, bTW?
Thanks,
Loren (I live by the Cherry Creek mall, and work in the tech center)

chesdin3 · July 2001

lgross: Thanks for the info about this... How can the clutch feel be adjusted? I can best describe the problem by saying that the clutch is too "grabby" (e.g., it's not very progressive and wants to engage all at once, sometimes causing my wife to stall the car).

(Now, our other 5-speed is a Miata so we may just be spoiled. It has a very progressive clutch and is the best-shifting car on the planet...)

mmcbride1 · July 2001

At mgm5933@hotmail.com.

I don't put out my work email over the net - maybe I'm a little paranoid. But I'll check my hotmail account today.

My wife wishes we lived by CC mall! She used to work at 3rd and Milwaukee and loves it down there.

lgross · July 2001

I am not an expert. Go to http://www.bimmer.org/5series/messages/ and you will see many posts on CDV. A fellow by the name of David Zeckhausen is the CDV expert. Ask him the question. He holds "clinics" to help owners modify the CDV.

spfotey · July 2001

i am considering getting my wife into a 530 -- but am wondering about overall reliability. she has an acura tl now so we are accustomed to minimal service/repairs.

thx.

jtouga1 · July 2001

All you European car lovers out there, please check into "European Parallel Importing" on the Smart Shopper in the Town Hall.

I really need you opinons and advice on this subject. Thanks...

Jon

cmr530i · July 2001

I too was concerned about reliability and did a lot of research before I bought my 2001 530i. One source that helped a lot was the June 20,2001 edition of Consumer Reports "Cars 2001." Not only did the car get great scores in reliability, satisfaction and depreciation, it is a recommended purchase by CR. I also checked out the ratings for used 5 series over the past 7 years(in this same issue of CR) and it seems as if the car has been really reliable since 1999. Prior to this it appears that electrical problems were a setback. I am comforted by the fact that all I have to do is put in gas for three years. I will be purchasing the fourth year warranty extension later down the road as added insurance. Hope this helps. Do the research before you buy so you can be happy with your purchase.

musafir · July 2001

Does anyone know when the new 5 series is going to be introduced, my dealer said 2004, i have been reading about 2002 introduction?

naim · July 2001

On the weekend I had a chance of test drive four cars, they were E320, 530iA, A6 2.7T and S80 T6. E320 needs more work with the interior. The way cruise control locates is easy to access, the leather looks and feel very cheap. The ride was not that bad, but I would prefer if the car wasn't do the driving for myself too. Overall I was disappointed because E320 was most expensive car and it didn't live to its value and performance of a luxury sedan. A6 was very nicely done inside, every detail was neatly done, the seats were more comfortable than E320. The ride was nicer too but I like more heavier steering not that light like the A6. I would buy A6 over E320 anytime. S80 was the worst car. Engine was very noisy, suspension was TERRIBLE. I don't know why S80's suspension was tuned so sensitive to the road. Do not buy S80. The only one that took my breath away was 530. Interior was very nicely done, the performance was incredible. The salesman demonstrated how DBS should work when he tried to stop the car at 80km/I at a corner and the car was dead stop no moving at all. I was amazed by this, I think BMW done a tremendous job on this car I don't think any other car in its class will ever come close to this kind of performance. I'm planning to buy the car in the next month, does anyone out there know when is the last day that I can order 2001 model. I asked my salesman but I didn't trust him completely. BMW is the ultimate driving machine.

vaark · July 2001

Received my new 530i last week and noticed what appears to be a lot of small water spots on the hood. Washed it yesterday and spots still are visible. Anyone have an idea as to what the problme is? Topaz Blue color. Thanks.

jccssc · July 2001

vaark - try handwax the hood instead of just washing, that might do the trick. And be patient - it might take couple of handwaxes to get rid of them. I once had that concern but I took my 00'528i (anthracite - charcoal gray) to a detailer and they were gone once and for all after one "detail" handwax.

vaark · July 2001

Thanks John. I'll try that soon.

benz55amg · July 2001

Go to whylifesucks.tripod.com to see a bunch of BMW photos, as well as Ferrari's, Mercedes, Audi's, Porsche's etc.

indylowflyer · July 2001

This is my first posting on Edmunds, I thought I'd wait until I had a few thousand miles before reporting. I took delivery of my new 2001 Titanium Metallic Silver BMW 540i 6-speed on 4/30/01. Options are: cold weather package, in-dash cd player, alloy wheels, and up-graded stereo system. As of this posting, I now have just turned 5,000 miles. This is an awesome sedan. I don't know what I like the best, the engine, the handling/ride, or the stereo! First the engine; the acceleration is incredible-either from a standing start or mid-range. It just keeps pulling-great torque. The handling/ride; sport suspension is standard on 6-speed, I highly recommend this feature. The handling is fantastic and the ride is firm, but smooth. I was very concerned about the possibility of a harsh ride, but now have driven on a wide variety of roads, and am glad this car has the sport suspension. The stereo; this is the most awesome sound system in any car I've owned. The $1200.00 option for this worth it. As for reliability, I have not had any problems so far, it has performed flawlessly. Average mileage has been 19.6 m.p.g. with About 75% in town and 25% on the interstate and I have a lead foot! I did pay to have the oil changed at 2800 miles just for my own peace of mind. Overall, I highly recommend this car and feel the extra cost over the 530 was well worth it.

stanny1 · July 2001

You are one of the few intelligent people who prefer a Manual to the appliance-like auto. I am 52 and last year bought a Manual Lincoln LS with the Getrag five speed. Are you also considered slightly crazy by buying a Manual in a luxury car? Only 2.5% of Lincoln LS owners buy the Manual. I don't know what % 5 series owners shift, but the sales of the 540i-6 and M5 are indeed small. Overall, Manual buyers are a small % of cars in this country compared to Europe where a standard transmission is standard (60%).
The last I heard, Manual sales are about 12-15% of all BMW sales. Are we wierd?

mmcbride1 · July 2001

There is no auto M5. Manual only (just like it should be for a 400 hp super sedan).

g_car · July 2001

Just some general information. My wife and I just purchased a 2001 525i this past weekend. Blue, Orient Metallic with Gray interior, sports premium package, Auto, cold weather, convenience, Xenons and compact disc. MSRP was $43,320. The Xenons were N/C. The salesperson said they have been seeing the 525/530s coming in with N/C for the Xenons. Anyway they made the deal at $41,620 plus I had them add the dealer installed CD Changer for $795 for a total out the door price of $42,415 not including tax/tags etc.
We test drove the 530i, 525i and 330i. I was concerned the 525 would not have enough punch. Fears were unfounded. Not that much difference in the seat of the pants between the 525 and 530, the 525i with the Sports suspension is a sweet handling car and in the Orient Blue sitting on the dealership floor looked stunning. Anyway when I feel the need for speed I jump into my wifes 300ZX. 330i is nice but it feels a little cheap compared to the 5 series and just does not have the luxury car feel esp. since the 330i we were looking at only priced out about $2k less then 525i with the options. If we had gone the 330i route would have gotten it with the 5 speed. A friend of mine has a nice 1998 528, 525 feels very similar from a performance point of view with the Sport option giving it a little sharper edge plus looks great. My wife took the 525i to work this morning so I guess its her car now! I am probably going to be stuck driving the 300 or my old 95 Accord. The Alpine Silver with gray interior was our first choice for the color combo but the dark Blue with gray really won us over. We also test drove the Audi A6 nice car with great interior but feels a little soft on the handling compared to the 5er with Sport package and the wife really did not like the styling of the Audis. Anyway we have been very happy with our choice so far and will keep you updated if we have any problems. Happy Motoring.

yanbuken · July 2001

Just went to my local dealer and test drove a 330i manual, which I loved and had planned to buy. However, the dealer also suggested I test drive a 530i manual. As much as the 330i was a blast to drive, my wife and I were both overwhelmed with the ride and qualilty of the 530i. The 530i is probably the nicest car I've ever driven. Now I am seriously considering ordering the 530i over the 330i, since it is only about $5k more.

However, I know the 3-series has a very good track record for maintaining a high resale value, both in auto and manual configurations. Do any of you guys have the numbers relative to the depreciation of the 528i/530i's, particularly with manuals. I'm afraid that as Stanny1 pointed out in post #993, manuals are not as highly desired by buyers as the auto trans is (at least for the 5-Series), which is beyond me. Do any of you guys know how the resale of 528i/530i's with manual transmissions have went? Thanks in advance.

habitat1 · July 2001

yanbuken:

I will likely be ordering a 2002 530i 5-speed through European Delivery for pick up this winter. My research suggests that there won't be much depreciation difference. The 530i 5-speed with sport package is pretty rare around here (Washington DC) and is in reasonably high demand. I waited several weeks before I found a dealership with one that I could test drive.

In the case of 540's, the 6-speed definitely holds its value better than the 540iA in this area.

However, I must admit that it appears the 5-series underperforms the 3-series in resale value across the board. For whatever reason, the Mercedes E-class tends to be the resale king of this segment. Not that I would ever buy one over a 5-series.

sadaharu_oh · July 2001

Just got information from my dealer saying the model year 2002 for the 5 series will have 5 new exterior color choices. Does anybody know what these colors will be? I'm guessing they will be slight variations of the current colors or borrowed colors from the 7 series. Also, the in-dash CD appears to be standard equipment now along with the power passenger seat across the line. I couldn't find out pricing yet either. Any insight on '02 pricing out there?

indylowflyer · July 2001

stanny1: I don't know the percentage of 540 manuals vs. auto though I agree it is small. The advent of step-tronic tranny probably reduces manual sales even more. I prefer manual for more control over shift points and the pure joy of driving. With the 540i there are several standard options included not on the automatic ; sport suspension, wider tires, lowered suspension, different rear end gearing etc.I feel these were "must have".
mmcbride1: I agree, the M5 should only be equiped with a manual. I am now thinking the M5 will be my next vehicle. Does any one know if this model will be redesigned at the same time as the 5-series?(2003)

drew_ · July 2001

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