BMW 5-Series Sedans

tayl0rd

...does anyone know if they are going to be making changes to the 550 anytime soon. ...

All new 5-series is due for the 2010/11 model year (probably 2010.)

tayl0rd

I read on a dedicated 5-series board that there is a problem with the windshield seal from the factory. Some bubbles in the glue, or some such, that lets air force its way through at speed. I've experienced the sound, but it was above 110MPH. Mine sounded more like electronic noise than wind whistling. I only heard it that one time, but I've driven much faster than that since then.

sdg380

From google searches of "5-series next generation", or similar, I've read that the next 5 will no longer have the normally aspirated 5 liter V-8, but the twin-turbo 4.4 liter V-8, to go with the twin-turbo 3.5 liter 6 (also a normally aspirated 6 with 525 designation.) I think we can expect these as 2010 models.

carnaught

..........there seemed to be a lot of "wind noise" or a light whistling sound when I drove on the highway environment, speeds greater that 50 MPH. ...............Has anyone else experienced this condition and is there a remedy?


I often drive my 535 on the highway at over 70mph, and there have been absolutely no issues with wind noise. I agree that you should drive another one for comparison.

hull

I was wondering what peoples experience is with different all-season tires for the 525i w/o sport package. My Conti's are getting worn down to 3/32" on the back with only 20K miles.

I am considering BF Goodrich Super-Sport A/S, and Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. I am looking for somewhat better handling than the stock Continental’s

By the way, my dealer insists that BWM recommends not to rotate the tires due to the possibility of causing sensor malfunction. I have followed this advice, with the not surprising result that my rear tires have worn faster than the front ones. I am wondering if it would make sense next time to at least rotate the tires once sometime near mid-life (say 15K miles).

shipo

I followed the "No rotate" advice on my 328i and wore the rear rubber down WAY before the front rubber. On my 530i I decided to rotate the tires anyway and got much more even wear on the set. If you have the same size rubber on the front and rear of the car (many don't), I suggest you rotate.

Best Regards,
Shipo

roadburner

What Shipo said.

andys120

I have an E39 and was unaware of any " no rotate" advisories. I rotate tires every 5K and have gotten decent, even tire wear but have had to replace ABS sensors three or four times in the 60,000 miles I've had this car.

Ya can't win. :sick:

warrior_pr

Hi .. I am considering buy a BMW 528i with premium package. I was looking that series 5 BMW only have 3 star in driver crash tests . In this era when a lot of midsize cars (Camrys, Accord,and other) no comparable to BMW are 5 star in this kind of test.... Why BMW is so back on this?... Any possible reason ??

habitat1

sorry to be redundant but does anyone know if they are going to be making changes to the 550 anytime soon. Placed a refundable order but just second guessing myself. Of course the salesman says not for another 4-5 yrs

I stopped in the BMW dealership last week, as I am considering the possibiliity of a 2009 5-series through ED. The sales manager I spoke with had no definitive knowledge of any changes, but there is ample speculation among some that that the 550i would/should be getting an engine upgrade within 1-2 years. In his opinion, there just isn't enough of a performance difference between the 535i and 550i to justify the added price and lower fuel economy. He came to BMW from MB last year, and pointed out with the E class, going from the E350 to E550, $8k buys you 45-50% more horsepower and torque, a much more sporty drive and a lower "penalty" on fuel efficiency. In the case of BMW, that same $8k+/- premium "only" buys you a 20% increase in horsepower and torque, some of which is lost on the added weight, and a greater penalty in fuel efficiency. Not to mention, some (himself) prefer the handling of the 535i sport to the heavier 550i sport. He sells more 550is than any other dealer in a 300 mile radius, but it's usually to buyers who aren't even aware of the 535i and still think of the 528i or 530i when they think 6 cylinder 5 series. In those cases, the 540/545/550 was a much more justified upgrade.

I always thought I'd end up in a 550i 6-speed, but, at this point, I'd either get the 535i 6-speed or wait for a 555i or whatever the next one will be.

topspin628

You can go to Bimmerfest.com and see the 535-550 debated ad nauseum.
I opted for the 550 after extensive testing of both because I preferred the feel of the 550's 8 cylinder, the sound of the engine, the aero package, the M sport tuned suspension and the non run flats.
As for the future of the 550, I am sure that it will convert to a 555 turbo 8 within the next year or 2 but again there are those at the other site that have more knowledge on that.
Good luck

pat

Let's continue here: gb2008, "Buying a used 5 Series" #155, 28 Apr 2008 10:08 am.

nyccarguy

So my Dad took his '07 X5 3.0si in for service and added to the oil change & whatever else they did, they found that the Relay to the Accelerator & Fan was bad and needed to be replaced. He got a shiny Black/Black E60 535iA as a loaner car. My Mom used to have a similar car ('05 530i) and I forgot how much I really love the lines of the car. I think If I were in the market for a large car, the 535i would be it. Maybe I can convince my wife that we could get a nice CPO E60 535i when the lease is up on her '07 X3 :P

I was pumping gas into my '01 Prelude this evening ($4.39 per gallon for super :sick: ) and this guy pulls up next to me in a '97 E39 528iA. Silver with Grey interior. To say that this car was in showroom condition is an understatement. It was PERFECT, not a ding or chip to be found! I remarked to him what a nice car he had and what gorgeous condition it was in. He told me it had on 50,000 miles on it! He plans on keeping it another 10 years!

roadburner

this guy pulls up next to me in a '97 E39 528iA. Silver with Grey interior. To say that this car was in showroom condition is an understatement. It was PERFECT, not a ding or chip to be found! I remarked to him what a nice car he had and what gorgeous condition it was in. He told me it had on 50,000 miles on it! He plans on keeping it another 10 years!

I wish I'd kept our E39 528i instaed of the Jeep, but at the time we bought the X3 I needed to have one UAW built car for political reasons. Bleah.

pgenero

I know your posting is a few years old but the exact same thing has happened to me twice (tonight was the latest) in my 2002 530i. Did you ever get any replies or suggestions?
Thanks,
Pete

hpowders

I used to get 20-21 mpg consistently with "my" 2005 545i. Now almost 3 years later, I am only getting 16-18, caused by endlessly waiting for these Florida red lights to turn green plus a gradually increasing heavy foot ( Read: FUN!!) The latest mileage reading was only 16.7. The dealer has offered me $5600 off of the buyout price to take it off their hands at lease termination at the end of July. No thanks. I have a deposit on a 4 door VW Rabbit Hatch which is a lot of fun to drive, much more practical (I can get my 68" road bike in there with the front passenger seat down) and gets 24 mpg on regular fuel, which may not seem like much mpg to some, but to me sounds like heaven.

Tired of getting MDX SUV mileage in the 545i.

the_big_al

Okay - this is the first time purusing the BMW boards, and although I do not own a BMW or do I think that anytime in the near future I will be owning one, I have always wanted a BMW. Specifically the 5 series. This is just an arbitrary wish/want and if I really wanted to I am sure that I could go down and get one. But at the present time I have other priorities. Such is the reason that I drive I 6 year old domestic small truck and a 3 year old domestic sedan - both GM models.

Anyway, I can never see myself plunking down over 40K, or even 30K for a vehicle and so to even beging to think about aquiring a BMW, particularly a 5 series, I would have to go used, and 3-5 years old at that. That in and of itself doesn't bother me. I would not be ashamed to be driving a 5 year old Beemer.

So my question is, would buying a several model year old 5 series be worth it? Or would I be better of in my domestic sedan, even though it is practically new? Even though I paid the same price for it as I would a 5 year old Beemer? The car doesn't get driven much and in 3 years it has only aquired 20K miles.

I wouldn't be replacing tires that often because it's not driven extensively, the vehicle wouldn't experience "extreme" wear and tear, and it would recieve it's regular maintanence, but I would assume that since it is not driven very much, would require the "regular" maintanence less often and so wouldn't cost as much to maintain? Also, how would the insurance rates be affected? is there a significant difference between insuring a 5 series and a late model value vehicle? I would expect there to be a difference, but how much of a difference?

And then how reliable is the 5 series. The domestic I drive has proven over the years to be fairly reliable, but no car is bullet proof. I expect this car to take me to beyond 100K miles with no major problems, but at the rate I am driving it, it would take me another 12 years to get to 100K. I don't see myself keeping that car for another 12 years. A growing family could force a vehicular change long before the car requires it. So if I were to purchase a 40-70K 5 or 6 year old 5 series, would it serve me well if maintained properly? Also what would be the best way to go? A 525, 528, 530 or 540? I have been looking at 530's but only briefly and not in depth. I haven't done any major research on the different designations to know the major differences and options. I only know that the number designates which drivetrain is in the vehicle?

Anyway, this is probably only a pipedream and I may never actually go out and get a car. Common sense tells me to just keep what I have until the wheels fall off, especially since it is paid for and as of right now I don't really want another car payment. I wanted to find out more info as just maybe I might so something as asanine as purchasing a BMW ...... but maybe just maybe, after doing some research and crunching numbers and all that stuff, it won't be such an asinine thing, but rather a good thing ???

hhgolf

What with the cost of fuel, has anyone been satisfied that the 525xi will cost less at the pump than the 530xi?

andys120

has anyone been satisfied that the 525xi will cost less at the pump than the 530xi?

As a former Audi Quattro owner who has switched to RWD, I'm satisfied that any Fiver
without X-Drive will cost less at the pump than the xi equivalent.

hihomike

I'm frustrated and disgusted. I've owned a new 5 series BMW for each of the last 5 years. In June, 2007, I took delivery of my new 535i Sedan equipped with Premium, Comfort Access, Rear Electric Shade, Logic 7, HD Radio and Sirius. From the onset, whenever it rained heavily for 4 or so hours, the next morning I would start the car and get the message "High Battery Drain When Car Stopped". My dealer could not resolve the problem for almost 8 months. BMW finally decided to replace my vehicle, so I ordered an identical vehicle. I took delivery in June, 2008, and guess what? Same problem.

They now have my new vehicle at service for 4 days, and they said it is the same error message they get out of my computer when they plug in their reader as the other car. They said they are waiting for BMW to come up with a fix, but in the meantime, 2 in a row???? I have to believe others have had problems like mine because the odds of it happening only to me are astronomical. BMW says it hasn't happened on any other vehicles. I don't believe that. What should I do? I requested that they replace my vehicle again, but no response.

As the problem ages, the car gets harder to start as the battery keeps discharging, and only in heavy rain. They've repalced every conceivable part, still not solution. And now I have the same problem with the brand new one with 230 miles on it.

Thanks All.

rockblue

Hey I am having the same thing going on with my 08 528i, they have put a 7 series battery in and a couple months later bam the same error. The original battery was drained to 60%. Now it's in the shop once again who did you talk to at your local dealer to resolve the issue with a replacement vehicle? Do I need to write BMWusa?

Any insight is appreciated.

Lloyd :mad:

lou

I felt the same way as you do until I bought a Garmin 750. Now I never go anywhere without it. It is fun and a big help.
Once you get one you will feel the same way. You will also say why did I wait so long.

hihomike

According to my dealership's service department, they have had 4 such vehicles in for service and have found no solution to the problem. It seems that the 4 they have had have "comfort access" as an option. They say the vehicle "awakens" from either noise or rain, and creates high battery drain when car stopped. They had my car under water sprinklers for weeks, and the same error comes up each time as it does on a 550 and two 528's. All of them ar 08 models, no problems with the previous models.

I think BMW is at a loss to solve the problem. They say they have techs working on the problem in Germany, but I don't believe it. I think they have a computer glitch, and they don't know the reason for it.

I hope all of us who have this problem contact BMW consumer affairs like I did so the extent of this problem creates issues so they will put more effort into solving it. I could be without this second 535i for weeks, if not months.

I'm just disgusted with BMW. I've owned 5 5series vehicles, and will never, ever buy another one.

hihomike

My dealer's General Manager and Service manager had to arrange a replacement vehicle for the first 08 I had. They are trying to do the same thing for this second one with the same problem. You can contact BMW consumer relations and they will contact your dealer, however it is the dealer that has to negotiate the replacement vehicle. I don't think they are going to be successful in getting another replacement, however. I think they are going to keep my new vehicle, with 500 miles on it, until a solution is found.

They used something called "trade assistance". It cost me 190.00 dollars for the new one (tax on the assistance amount after trade in).

I hope more people with this problem will respond here so I can bring it to BMW's attention.

They originally stated to me that no other vehicles had this problem. But now, it seems I've found 9 such instances, four of which are currently at my dealer's service dept.

They are as frustrated as I am (the dealer, not BMW), since they have had to give out all those loaner cars and can't fix the problem.

Let's hope something can be done soon. I've lived with this for 14 months with two different 08 BMW 535i's.

carnaught

Sorry you have the problem with your 535 because it is such a great car, at least usually.

What is your build date? Do you have any idea if the other affected ones have the same build date or are close?

hihomike

The first one was built in May, 2007, the second one was built in May, 2008. It seems that the build date is not the issue as there are problems with them at any build date. It is suspected it may be comfort access.

The vehicle is "awakened" (term used by the technicians) by heavy sustained rain "or" is awakened by noise from the rain, or thunder. There are now 8 such vehicles I know of, five of them are now at my dealer. So I suspect there are problems with them all over the country. That's why I posted this.

srvivor87

-Does anybody know if the refreshed 01-03 5-Series models came with LED taillights?

-How is the 530i factory DVD Navigation System on the 03' models, is it worth it?

Thanks.

ttitansfan

I am new to this forum and also to BMW's so please be kind. Just bought a used 1986 528e and none of the windows work. I downloaded a wiring diagram and have started troubleshooting. I see a 25amp circuit breaker on the diagram which I can not find. Anyone have any ideas? I checked power at the safety switch and have none so I am working my way back to the fuse box. Thanks.

jb_shin

Try searching through information at www.mye28.com. It is a site dedicated for e28 5 series.

roadburner

The circuit breaker is an unmarked button on the dash. Check and see if it has popped.

mbigelow

BMW 528xi, Cold Weather Package, Premium Package, Xenon headlights. 48,475?

What does everyone think?

Mike

carnaught

BMW 528xi, Cold Weather Package, Premium Package, Xenon headlights. 48,475?

What does everyone think?

Mike

What's the sticker price (MSRP) and is this a buy or lease?

andys120

mbigelow

Purchase, cash. MSRP 51,575

carnaught

Use Edmunds to figure what dealer invoice is, then negotiate from there. At this late in the model year (I assume this is an '08 model) you should be able to get it close to invoice. If there are any dealer incentives, below invoice is not out of the realm.

toulan

I got same problem with new BMW 528i after second day I got it from dealer, will take it to service this week, any progress from BMW on fix for this issue or advice on what I should do.

timbmw

Does anyone know if the storage compartment between the front seats on a 98 528i with a factory phone is not supposed to open? I can not open it and have a feeling it was sealed at the factory. Shouldn't the lid lift with ease. I pull as hard as I can and it will not open. Thanks

srfast

The arm rest does not flip up because there is NO center console storage compartment in US E39s. It is only a sliding arm rest.

Hope this helps...JL

rockblue

Hey are you leasing this 5 series? The reason I ask is that I had the problem for a year the end of the month with no resolution in site. The dealer (service manager) seems to put it off because I only rent the car for now ( they have no idea if I will buy out at the lease end) anyway I been in loaner cars for the better of six months. Now I am driving a newer build 08 (more options) that had 23 miles off the lot and requested that they just do a even trade. Big BMW says it is more complicated with a lease heck I am a first time owner of the model and leased it just so I do not get suck with problems like this. Looks like it Lawer time with one year left on the contract.

Rockblue. :lemon:

tayl0rd

Why is there no KBB listing for the (2008) 550i? The other 5s are accounted for. :confuse:

rayainsw

"Why is there no KBB listing for the (2008) 550i? The other 5s are accounted for."

My ** GUESS ** is that ( like the M5 )
there have just not been enough trades \ resales
to be able to establish a value...
- Ray
Not a KBB employee.........

tayl0rd

That's a fair guess, but there have been plenty of new M5s dumped as a result of this economy. Autotrader has a bunch of 550i's out there, too. :confuse:

rockblue

Warning the official decisions from BMW Germany is that the Comfort access on ALL of the 5 series will cause the system to wake up only to be shut down before there is a significant battery drain (hence the warning of the drain it self). To make a long story short they had my car for over 8 months and replaced one-battery and three modules just to tell me that the service indicatory is normal yes, you read it right NORMAL to get this error. I‘m floored, dumb founded heck just do not know what to say. I guess it is time to look at the 7 series. I hope others read this and not panic (yea right). Seriously what can you do?
Happy with the brand not the errors. :mad:

carnaught

Geez....I've had my '08 535 with C.A. for over a year without such a problem.

Sounds like yours is just not fixable(?). Would this make it eligible for a Lemon Law turn-in?

rockblue

Have you ever tried to start the car after it sat in the rain i.e. while at work or home? The dealer has re produced the error on all of their 5 series cars on the lot after a rainstorm. I have looked into the lemon law in my state and still have plenty of time to act but what's the use.

08 528i

:confuse:

carnaught

Have you ever tried to start the car after it sat in the rain i.e. while at work or home?

Yes, with no issues.

tayl0rd

... I have looked into the lemon law in my state and still have plenty of time to act but what's the use.

To possibly prevent being stuck paying for a car that is more of an inconvenience/burden than a luxury!

tayl0rd

Have you ever tried to start the car after it sat in the rain i.e. while at work or home?

Yes, with no issues.

Same here...

crmgr

Also have had no issues or messages with Comfort Access on my 08 535XI. So far I think it is a great option. Winter will probably be the test.

ttitansfan

I have a pinhole leak at the top radiator hose inlet and bought some epoxy to repair it. (1987 BMW 528e)Although it slowed it down I still have a small leak so I thought I would stop by a repair shop and have it soldered. When I called a shop to find out if they could do it the guy told me that the radiator was plastic. I have worked on cars for a lot of years but I have never heard of a plastic radiator. Is this guy telling me the truth or is he just trying to sell me a new radiator?
P.S. It is in the radiator (the leak) and not the overflow tank which IS plastic. :confuse: