BMW 5-Series Sedans

bdkinnh

Why not just combine options 1 and 2 and drive the DGC until the right 5er comes along?

shipo

designman

"The price seems to be a typo. Retail on such a car (MY 2000) is around $22K. I would look into it further."

I looked. It is being offered by a dealer and he has two other 528i offerings both in the high twenties, and both have more miles. Geez, I could have kept my 530i for only $28,000!

"Maybe you could broaden the possibilities by being less demanding with the options. Aren't the stick and SP what you really want?"

Well, yes, and the Sport Seats (which typically means PP as well). I had the same non-Sport Seats in my 328i that are in the standard 528i and while they were nice, the Sport Seats in my 530i were soooo much better. Given the time I'm going to be spending in whatever I drive, a happy butt equates to a much happier me. ;-)

markcincinnati

"Have you considered a BMW 325?"

Yeah, I've considered 3ers in virtually every E46 and E90 guise. I had an E46 before my 530i, and while it was a good and competent car, there were certain little things that made the 5er just that much more enjoyable of a driving experience.

Regarding leasing. I'm thinking that is rather impractical given that I'm already driving some 30,000 miles per year. Assuming that I stay on the current contract, that will jump to somewhere north of 45,000 miles next year. If that scenario does in fact come to pass, I could easily see a total of 120,000 miles over the next three years. Even at $0.16 per mile I'd need to cough up $12,000 in excess mileage charges.

As far as the full maintenance/warranty/CPO warranty issues go, I turn a pretty fair wrench and about the only thing I shy away from are transmission overhauls. As such, general maintenance items and such really aren't an issue for me, and even the odd major job is something that I kind of look forward to in a cathartic kind of way.

Regarding the AWD issue. Personally I much prefer RWD and a good set of winter skins as opposed to AWD. With a set of Michelin Arctic-Alpin tires on my 530i I drove it through three winters up here in New Hampshire, and two of those three featured total snowfall numbers of well in excess of 100". Through it all it never put a foot wrong and proved to be the best winter car I've ever had, and I have no doubt that a well maintained 528i will be just as capable.

Regarding the A3, wow, what a fun and practical car, and if it was available with the 2.0T, a 6-Speed and RWD, the combination might just be too much for me to pass up. Alas, RWD isn't an option at any price, and to get the engine and tranny of my choice I'd have to opt for FWD.

Makes me muse, "I remember what it was like to be rich."

Hey! I resemble that remark! ;-)

bdkinnh

"Why not just combine options 1 and 2 and drive the DGC until the right 5er comes along?"

I strongly suspect that is exactly what I will end up doing. I sure hope it doesn't take a year or more to find the perfect car.

Best Regards,
Shipo

erickpl

There is an E39 at a dealer near me (non-BMW). Want me to get the specs on it for you?

-Paul

shipo

I'm all ears. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

bdkinnh

>"I sure hope it doesn't take a year or more to find the perfect car."

Patience, young padwan. I've been looking for a house in Windham for three years; I hope your luck is better than mine.

shipo

"Patience, young padwan. I've been looking for a house in Windham for three years; I hope your luck is better than mine."

Really? I mean, are you yanking my leg about Windhan because I live there ;-) or are you really looking to move to our fair town?

Best Regards,
Shipo

bdkinnh

I had no idea you were in Windham; I figured somewhere in the area due to the Exit 3 comment a while back, but that could also be Pelham, Hudson, Londonderry....

Really looking to move there - I grew up in Nashua and I'm renting in Salem (I just had to get out of MA).

I saw a place I liked in Londonderry, but the taxes there are about 50% higher than anywhere else. Not married and no kids, so a good school system isn't a priority right now. It did, however, have a good sized garage that I could probably fit a lift into.

shipo

"I saw a place I liked in Londonderry, but the taxes there are about 50% higher than anywhere else. Not married and no kids, so a good school system isn't a priority right now. It did, however, have a good sized garage that I could probably fit a lift into."

Hmmm, are you aware that Salem booted our kids out of their high school a couple of years back? Last year the Windham voters approved the building of a new high school (scheduled to open in August of 2008) by a "Yes" vote of 79%. We are breaking ground in the next week or so and since we are going it alone on this school (at least until the state condemns the school in Pelham), it is very much a certainty that our taxes will GO UP.

Good luck in your search. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

bdkinnh

>"Hmmm, are you aware that Salem booted our kids out of their high school a couple of years back?"

Yep - knew all about it. I know they will go up, but I doubt they'll go up 50% (fingers crossed). Plus, once Windham has it's own high school, I imagine property values will go up as well.

IMHO, Pelham really goofed by voting down a co-op. A friend of mine that lives in Pelham felt that Windham would have controlled everything, and they (Pelham) were just wanted for the funding. Could be, but I doubt that Pelham has the tax base to support a state-of-the-art new high school on their own.

Oh well... it will be that much sweeter to watch the Windham kids kick the stuffing out of the Pelham kids at high school football.

shipo

"IMHO, Pelham really goofed by voting down a co-op. A friend of mine that lives in Pelham felt that Windham would have controlled everything, and they (Pelham) were just wanted for the funding."

Pretty funny from a Windham perspective. :confuse: There are of course two sides to every story, and this is no exception. Send me an E-Mail as very little of this is on topic and I'll fill you in.

Back on topic, I don't know about other towns in New Hampshire, but I was rather surprised to find that Windham profits mightily from those with nice new cars. I leased my ED 530i in March of 2002 (drove it in Germany in April and then licensed it in May when it hit our shores) in New Jersey, which charges sales tax on the depreciation value of the lease (about $850 in this case –IIRC-), and then promptly moved to New Hampshire that August. When I showed up at the Windham Town Hall I was stunned to find that I was then on the hook for about $800 per year, payable directly to the town for the privilege of driving my car. :mad: Had I known I would have waited for a few extra months before I ordered my car.

Best Regards,
Shipo

kyfdx

Is that a property tax? I didn't think that NH had sales taxes?

shipo

Correct, we have no sales tax and no income tax, however, "Zhere ist other vays in vich ve get ze monee".

I believe the actual state license fee is only about $35 or so per year, however, the newer and the more expensive (per their chart, no discounts for ED) a car is, the more the town fee is. That by the way is another reason I like driving the 1998 DGC, the town fee is a whopping ~$70 per year. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

kyfdx

We have sales tax.. On leases, it is charged monthly on the payment.. not too bad..

But, whether you buy or lease, you have to pay property tax.... to the school district, city, county and state... It runs about $20 per thousand of retail value... So, on my wife's lease.. The monthly sales tax is around $30 ($360/yr.)... But, the property tax is over $900/yr.

Man.. I'm sorry I just figured that out... now, I'm depressed...lol.

shipo

Yikes! A sales tax and a use/property tax? That's kind of like double dipping if you ask me. :P Of course nobody from your state taxation board bothered to ask me so I guess y'all are stuck with it. Errr, that is unless y'all organize a "Tea Party" or other tax payer revolt of some such. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

pat

A sales tax and a use/property tax?

True in Virginia. And local property assessments have just skyrocketed. The assessed value of my house doubled (HUH?? The only thing it's done in the last year is developed more places that need painting!) meaning my property tax is doubled also without TPTB ever having to lift a finger to raise the rates.

Um, which means I can't buy new 5-Series either. (<-- on topic )

shipo

Hmmm, the more I think about this (taxes and such), the more I'm liking the idea of picking up a lightly used E39 and then drive it until it won't.

I'll keep y'all posted.

Best Regards,
Shipo

cmybimmergo

nearly a year and 30,000 miles later I find myself REALLY missing my 5er,

Is this where I get to say I told you? (Sorry; I couldn't resist.)

I cannot imagine that I know more than you about any car-related subject (and a whole lot of non-car-related ones as well), but you asked, so here's my two cents:

My understanding is that 70,000 miles seems to be the magic number, after which everything starts to go (at least, the likelihood skyrockets)...but if you go for higher miles with a good maintenance history, most problems will have been replaced already. By 100,000 miles, if you hang on that long, you essentially have a new car. And that new car will take you a good 300 grand...provided it gets the proper tender loving care.

So, if you don't find something with low miles--and at that age too low could mean maybe not enough or the wrong kind of driving--then you might want to consider a "higher mileage" one--although there are those who will argue that 100,000 miles on a bimmer is just getting started (and the way I'm piling miles on mine, I sure hope so).

If you do go with an older one, beware the double vanos, which is a chronic and considerable headache. :sick:

The other crucial consideration is the extended warranty. There are two sides to that argument, too, but when my indie heard what I paid for mine, he said I'll come out ahead.

YMMV

PS--Check your inbox.

cmr530i

Hi Shipo!
I can offer you this...
You can take a spin in my 530 with 5 speed, SP, PP and sport seats when you visit CA if you clean my wheels like you did on your beloved 2002 5er.

djp4

Hello All!

I need to replace tires for my 2001 540i Sport Package vehicle and would like your advice on which tires to consider. I live in Iowa so i need all season tires, what advice on good, better and best type of tire to look at and where would i get the best deal?

shipo

"Is this where I get to say I told you?"

Yup. Although if I remember correctly I agreed with you at the time. That having been said, given the new business launch (which entailed outlays of hard cash in excess of the cost of two brand new M5s) and the resultant financial conditions that my business partner and I were in, affording my 530i was no longer a practical option.

Now with the business finally launched (although not in the black yet) coupled with my ever-extending consulting contract, the immediate financial pressure is off.

Regarding the maintenance issues, I cannot say that I've ever noticed a trend for any serious problems on 1999 and 2000 vintage cars anywhere south of 150,000 miles, errr, except for some automatic models (525i). Either way, I'm more than capable of doing pumps, motors, alternators, brakes, clutches, some suspension components, sensors and oil changes myself, so as long as the engine and transmission are good to go, so am I. ;-) And for the items that I don't have the time or expertise for, I have a very good indy BMW specialist the next town over that is very active in the local BMW racing scene, and reasonably priced to boot.

From a purely financial perspective, buying any car is a dumb move given how inexpensive the DGC is to drive. That having been said, buying a sweet 2000 528i (as opposed to a Civic, Golf, Corolla or something else new for approximately the same dollars) will probably cost more per mile than the appliance cars from a maintenance perspective. Of course, given that I'd be starting with a car that was already partially depreciated, at least some of that extra maintenance will be offset by virtue of the fact that the BMW will most likely hold its relative value better.

From a driving perspective, I'd much, MUCH, MUCH rather spend my hours in a 528i than any appliance car currently on the market. As such, it comes down to this:
1) Keep the DGC until it hits about 250,000 miles (about three more years), or
2) Buy a 528i (keeping the DGC as well) with say 80,000 on the clock and then driving it into the ground (probably four to five years at the same annual mileage rate)

I'll keep you posted. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

shipo

Hey CMR,

Oooooh, tempting offer. ;-) I have to admit, it took some elbow grease to bring those wheels back up to showroom condition, fortunately I replaced the brake pads with a set of PBR/Axxis pads and the wheels stayed clean from brake dust for the last year that I had the car.

Funny thought... The lucky individual that got my car had probably an easy 25,000 miles of pad life left on the PBR/Axxis pads when they bought it. When those PBRs are done the (then) new owner will probably have OEM pads put back on, and if they do, they're in for a very rude surprise. :-(

I can just imagine the conversation with his dealership...

Owner: "Hey guys, ever since you put new brakes on my 530i, I've noticed lots of brake dust, especially on the front wheels."

Dealer: "Lots of dust? Yup, that's totally normal."

Owner: "Totally normal?!? What are you, NUTS?!? I know better than that, my car's wheels stayed clean for weeks on end before YOU did the brakes and now I cannot drive to the corner store and back without turning my wheels black. What did you do, use really cheap brake pads and then charge me for BMW pads or something?"

I kinda pity the dealer on this one. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

cmybimmergo

if I remember correctly I agreed with you at the time. That having been said...affording my 530i was no longer a practical option.

But I told you to ditch the wife, and you refused. :P

Anyway, as is usually the case in situations such as these, I believe you have answered your own question.

Can't wait to see what you find...

nyccarguy

May the force be with you! Good luck finding that perfect used E39 528i

jec1031

Just wanted an opinion on owning or leasing my first BMW. The cost difference between the 2007 525i and the 530i are about four grand. As far as I can tell, the only difference between the two are 40 additional horse power, and the standard Xenon lights for the 530i. Bottom line. For the money, am I better off with a 2007 loaded 525i, with 40 less horses, or a low end 530i. Are the 40 horses and the lighting worth the extra four grand, or is my money better else spent in a 525i with more options. Thanks!

maccar

Any sage advice appreciated:
My warranty is going to expire (48800 miles) in the next few months. My second service will likely be due before then. Is there anything I should insist they do that they may not if I don't prompt them? Belts, fluids of any kind, brake pads etc...
Thanks

cmybimmergo

They won't do anything that isn't part of the service unless there's a failure.

Unless, of course, you're willing to pay for it.

shipo

"As far as I can tell, the only difference between the two are 40 additional horse power, and the standard Xenon lights for the 530i. Bottom line."

The Manual transmission in the 530i is more robust than that of the 525i (I'm pretty sure that the Automatic trannys are the same), and the brakes in the 530i are larger and more capable as well.

Best Regards,
Shipo

markcincinnati

Two of our favorite BMW sales reps offer:

Get the 525 with the stick shift, rather than the 530 with the auto.

My wife and I buy into this logic -- but most folks don't.

Of course, we also bought into a new X3 (in 2005) with a stick and a new Audi allroad (in 2003) with a stick -- when virtually all the cars in inventory were autos.

kying

My two cents: If power is a slight concern for you, then the 530i would be a better choice. I have a 2004 manual 530i, which only marginally gives me the power I want to pass, especially in uphill situations. One of my acquaintances who has an auto 525i tells me that he hates his car because it is too underpowered.

I haven't been keeping up with the 2007 specs, but the 2004 530i actually gets better gas mileage than the 525i. Hope this helps.

shipo

"I have a 2004 manual 530i, which only marginally gives me the power I want to pass, especially in uphill situations."

Really? Hmmm, my E39 530i 5-Speed (same engine as your car) had plenty of power for passing especially in second or third gears, even up hill.

FWIW, the current 530i has both more horsepower and more torque than your 2004 530i and as such it should be noticeably quicker.

Best Regards,
Shipo

cabbatan

If budget allows, I would highly recommend the 530i however,having recently test driven the 525i, I must say that I was very impressed with the over all driving experience. I'm currently driving an 03 325xi and to me, the 525i feels quicker. My lease is up on the 325xi and was all set to
pull the trigger on a 06 330i. In fact, I had negotiated
my deal on the 330i and went in to the dealership to close the deal. As I was waiting for my salesman, I had some time to look around the showroom and the there was a 525i on the floor which I started enquiring about. The salesman asked me if I would like to take one out and I agreed. I came back to the dealership and singed the papers on the 525i. I'm picking the car up at the end of July. I was completely won over by the smooth power delivery, softer suspension and additional space offered in the 5. I could have had a fully loaded 330i but chose the base 525i.. Thats how good I think this car is. Of course, I completely love the 330i
and wish I could have them both..
Good luck!

cmr530i

I have a question for you about the brake pads. Can I put the PBR/Axxis pads on only the rear brakes, as they will be due to be replaced next? Or is it best to have them put on front and rear at the same time? The front pads are newer and OEM. Yeah, I spend a few nights each week wiping off the dust.

markcincinnati

Part of the overall dealership experience at our dealership here in Cincinnati is Kleen Wheels.

The dealer -- the OWNER of the dealership -- seems to be a big advocate, personally, of the brake dust shields. He claims that the shields have been designed to allow the cooling effects that used to be restricted by older technology brake dust shields.

He claims his Kleen Wheels are specific to the BMW you order, bla bla bla.

In any case, despite some criticism here and elsewhere, we have enjoyed clean wheels for 13 months on my wife's X3 with the sport package (very nice 5 spoke wheels) -- otherwise these wheels would be clean for about an hour or two a week.

Conversely my 2005 Audi A6 needs what seems like constant attention to keep the wheels free of dust.

shipo

By all accounts the PBR/Axxis Deluxe Plus Organic pads (which are the least dusty of all of the PBR/Axxis product line) has a similar amount of braking power as do the OEM pads, and as such I wouldn't have a problem mixing axle sets. In my case I went the other way around, I put the PBR/Axxis pads on the front of my 530i as they were by far the worst dust collectors of the two ends.

Best Regards,
Shipo

srfast

Relace all four with Axxis Deluxe Plus pads. The dust will be reduced by 90-95%.

Hope this helps....JL

cmr530i

Thanks for the tip. This sounds like an interesting product. What was your total cost?

cmr530i

The fronts are the worst dust collectors. I find too that the right front wheel really takes a beating between the brake dust and road crud. I'm glad to know that I can mix them up if I want to. Thanks for your advice.

cmr530i

I like those %s. Thanks!

markcincinnati

$55 for the fronts and $50 for the rears and $95 for all four if bought at once. Since this was part of the deal, we did not have to pay to have them put on, only for the parts. After the deal, I would expect there would be a labor charge.

We also had the chrome tips put on as part of the deal -- seems things are easier to make happen at that time.

kyfdx

I saw a new (used) E39 in the parking lot today at work.. It reminded me of you... had Style 42 17" wheels... very clean..

Weird, though.... The model designation was 525.. no i on the end of it..Did they ever make an E39 with that designation? Plus, the front bumper reminded me of what you would find on the front of an E46 coupe... sort of open below, sporty, etc..

It got me thinking... maybe it is a Canadian import? Either that, or it had some mild customizing...

Did I mention? Sapphire black..

shipo

A 525i with Type 42 wheels with no i? Hmmm, sounds like its been tweeked. ;-) So, what transmission? ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

cdnpinhead

Having followed a number of BMW & other boards for several (6+) years, I hate to admit that I still don't know the code for the models.

What's "i" about. My internal theory has been that it has to do with fuel injection, which was (back in the day) optional.

Perhaps not.

Could you walk the ignorant among us (of whom I am prominent) through the "i", "l" & whatever else shows up on those badges that most in Europe either never had in the first place or take off at their first opportunity?

Thanks.

shipo

"What's "i" about. My internal theory has been that it has to do with fuel injection, which was (back in the day) optional."

Bingo! ;-)

I'm thinking that at this point, even though fuel injection is standard on virutally every BMW built, even if something else comes along that is a better methodology for promoting the mixture of fuel and air, the "i" will still continue on.

In the case of the 525(i) referenced above, most likely the model designation has been played with and the "i" simply fell off (or was taken off).

Best Regards,
Shipo

div2

Could you walk the ignorant among us (of whom I am prominent) through the "i", "l" & whatever else shows up on those badges that most in Europe either never had in the first place or take off at their first opportunity?

Don't feel too bad; I had a friend with a seriously tweaked E36 M3. He pulled the ///M badges off and stuck a 316td badge on the deck lid. Several months later there was a question in the tech column of European Car asking about what motor came in a 316td. It seems that the letter writer had seen a 316td win FTD at a National Capital Chapter autocross...
Anyways...
i=fuel injection
l="Lang"- German for "Long"; an extended wheelbase
x=AWD
ti=Touring International
tii=Touring International injection
CS=Coupe Sport
CSL=Coupe Sport Leicht(light)
d=diesel
td=turbo diesel
g=LPG
h=Hydrogen fueled
e="eta"-efficiency; the high torque, low-rpm engines fitted to some E28s and E30s in the 1980s.
s=Sport
///M=Motorsport, although some wags say it really means "Marketing".

cmr530i

I got a short look at the new M5 on the road today. Traffic was heavy and I had a hard time getting along side it for any length of time. The front and rear bumpers look aggressive. Those and the M badge were the best parts. The color was some kind of watery looking silver. Not very M-ish to my mind. Ooooh, but I like the thought of the stuff under the hood!

kyfdx

Automatic, naturally...

My first thought was the i had fallen off, as well... but, this 525 didn't leave any room for an i..

Probably just a little customization.. too bad he didn't start with a manual equipped car... It has been around all week.. I'll look more closely today..

regards,
kyfdx

erickpl

You mean this color?



They are a true blast to drive, and I never even got to press the M button!

-Paul

cdnpinhead

Thanks for your very comprehensive response.

And to Shipo, too.

cmr530i

That could be the color. It's close enough. Where and how long did you get to drive it?

erickpl

BMW Performance Center.

Long enough to know that I want one. And we were told to drive em like we stole em - I just forgot to hit the M button.

I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to try out the skid pad with one, but that didn't happen.

-Paul