2013 and earlier - BMW 5 Series Prices Paid and Buying Experience

kyfdx

If you want a 530i, it will definitely have to be an '01... but, I've yet to see an asking price under $28K, so that might be out of your range.

I've seen a number of '01 330i in the $25K range... Depending on miles, you might even seen an '02 slipping down that way from a private seller.

Does the S4 even come as an Avant? I've seen '01 S4 in the $26k-$28K range.

With $25K, I think you are looking at a 330i... If you were willing to go with a 525i, those are getting down to the mid-20s.

regards,
kyfdx

mtv65

Thanks Ky!! I believe the old S4 Avants were avail MY2001 and 2002 (B5's). They are very rare....not sure how many were actually shipped to US during those years. Test drove one with a 6sp fully loaded. It was perfect except for one thing. The color is Screaming Yellow just like the ads back in 01. The blue one's not bad. Here's some pics -http://www.edmunds.com/used/2001/audi/s4/100000526/photogallery.- html?pg_type=Wagon&imgsrc=%2Fpictures%2FVEHICLE%2F2002%2FAudi- %2F100003621%2F000560-T.jpg.

mtv65

Yellow Avant

mtjohn

My vote is for the 330i SP. But I would stick with a dealer that can provide the CPO warrantee which could bring it up closer to 30K depending on the miles.
The Certifed Pre-Owned warrantee from BMW is impressive: Full warrantee for 6 years from in-service date or 100,000 mi. That would give you at least two years of substantial coverage. Going through a reputable BMW dealer and going CPO will probably add around $2500 over a private seller but well worth it IMO. It is very easy to lose the cost saving if you purchase from a private seller with just one unanticipated mechanical breakdown. All of the cars you are looking at are fine but complex machines. It is one thing to take a gamble with $10-$12K, quite another at $25K+ (at least for my pocketbook).
-J

bmwman2

BMW CENTERS DO NOT HAVE HOLDBACK LIKE THE DOMESTIC DEALERS.

mtv65

Thanks and good point on the CPO. I think Audi has an identical CPO program 6yrs/100k. $25k IS a big hunka change.....worked long and hard to make it so I'm lookin' to spend it wisely. If I do go the 'private seller' route, where do you suggest I take the vehicle for inspection? This is the most critical stage of buying used IMHO. Do I take it to the nearest BMW dealer? Would their inspection be as thorough as if they were certifying it?? Also, how much should I expect to pay for this service? Sorry for all the ????'s, but like you said, $25k is a whole lot of money to lose on a lemon. Heck, $10k-$12k is a lotamoney!! Thanks again!!

-MannyV in Cali

kyfdx

If you want it checked, find a good independent shop.. But, if it is still in warranty, and has relatively low miles (35K or less), then I wouldn't worry too much.. Ask to see the seller's service records.. All of the service has been free at the dealer, so if no collision damage, you should only have to worry about condition of the tires, etc.

regards,
kyfdx

lovemybeamer

Update...I bought a 2003 525 instead. They made an offer I couldn't say no to. Premium, sport, cold weather, PDC and sunshade for less than I could negotiate a 2002 530 at another dealership. Their loss is definately my gain.

1violinist

Congrats!
How much did you pay? What's the milage on the odometer? Do you feel a big difference in power between the 530 and 525?

kying

We need some moral support from all you veteran BMW owners. My wife and I own 3 Audis (2000 A4, 2001 A4 Avant, and 2001 TT), but we just bought a 2004 530i for $46230 (6-speed manual, Premium Package and Xenon) in the Los Angeles area over the holiday weekend. Is the price ($2565 below MSRP) OK?

By the way, we love the I-Drive and have no idea what those "professional reviewers" were talking about.

guccigirl

Considering buying a "used" 2004 545ia /completely loaded with 3600 miles on it.
This will be the 2nd time dealer sold this car.
Wants $62,900/ but wants to low ball me on my car. Any suggestions? I offered a cash deal or a trade deal. Would rather do trade, due to savings in taxes. They seems very indifferent to anything..like they sell way too many cars and could car less about my business..too bad I really want this car. Any helpful suggestions would be appreciated.
I was also looking at the new 2004 tl, which is $20k less, or the new Acura 2005 Rl prototype.

saugatak

Hmmm. . . when a car that expensive gets turned in that early chances are it was a lemon. I'd do some homework on that car if I were you.

Good luck.

manybmws

Recently got $3K off of a 545iA with 0 miles. So I would think another $1,500 or so on top of that.

I have owned 2 Acura Legends and had great reliability while I owned them and excellent re-sale value at the end. In fact my '95 is still running without problems with 130K on it (sold to a friend).

The new TL has been reported to have considerable oversteer with its 260HP? driving the front wheels. So under normal driving conditions all is well. But when pushed hard it could be a little unsettling. Definitely not BMW-class handling dynamics. As for the new RL, it looks sweet with 300HP 6-cylinder engine. In this case Acura is adressing the torque steer issue head on by giving the car a 4-wheel drive system. This is the same front-drive biased 4-wheel drive system that is on the Acura MDX. So again, it probably will not have a rear wheel drive biased feel like the current BMW 4-wheel drive systems. Sounds like the new RL will get a base price of $45K. Typically only Nav is an option on TLs and RLs, so I would assume $47K+ would be it. A good deal considering a 330xi is around $42K with options. Hope this helps.

bmwman2

Guccigirl, the 2004 545ia is in short supply, so the used prices are pretty strong.

On the used one, ask the BMW Center for the background on the car and call the previous owner.

Just do your homework on that car and if it checks out ....then go for it...you will enjoy that vehicle more then most others!!!!

carnaught

Traded already twice? I'd ask to see the service record. BTW I've seen the same car for resale with low mileage for $60k. Check eBay for reference.

lee_w

David,
You would be better off to list your email as public, rather than posting here. You can get a lot of spam listing it on message board. You can edit and remove from post.

jim123

carsdirect.com is offering a base 2004 525 for $400 above invoice. Has anyone obtained a better price in the SF bay area recently?
thanks

lovemybeamer

Thanks. Drive out approx $35. Mileage 24,000. I actually liked the drive of the 525 better.

tam2k

Hello,

I'm in the process of researching to purchase my 1st BMW. I'd like to buy a 2002 525 with <30K miles. On Kelley Blue Book, they listed an estimated trade-in price at around 28K and private at 31.4 for a 30K mile car in Excellent condition. Should I look to purchase at the 28K price or less? Has anyone purchased a 2002 recently? I'm in the Atlanta area.

Thanks

mtv65

My .02 cents -

Just went thru this whole process for a gorgeous Titanium Silver 01 530i with Sport Premium. Kelley prices seem inflated compared to Edmunds TMV. TMV seem to follow the market or the other way around but Edmunds pricing is more realistic. Lots of factors go into pricing a pre-owned car. Simply entering the mileage, model year and a zip code gives you a starting point. From there, you begin your test drives. Find the one you like, ask lots of $$$'s, negotiate the price based on condition of car, get it inspected and use what repairs are needed to offset the price and you'll be rewarded at the end.

Don't know if you've test driven a 530i but the power difference is definitely there (butt dyno) and handling with the Sport Premium pkg is just tremendous. The wife would've settled for a base 525i for a few thousand less but why settle. I like the wheels on the 02 525 a lot plus easier to clean compared to the 530 sport wheels .

Go to the 5-Series Sedans board for more info and Good Luck!!!!

tam2k

Thanks for the tips mtv65. I haven't test driven a 530. I test drove a 2004 525, but I don't really care for the model design and I don't want to spend that kind of money either! I'm hoping to test drive the 525 today. I'll also post on the 5 sedans board as well.

When did you purchase your car? Were you able to get a price around the Edmund TMV?

mtv65

Hi tam2k!! Click on my 'blue username' directly after the subject above and it'l take you to my current posts. There's some good talk over at the 5-Series Sedan board. See you there!!

saugatak

Is it my imagination, or are all the recent postings here for used e39 5 series?

Isn't anyone here buying the e60?

mtv65

IMHO....

What does that say about the e60? I felt that way about the e46's as well. I've got a 99 e36 M3 and was looking to get an 01 e46 330i with SportPremium pkg when they first came out. 2 completely different cars - 330ci felt homogenized and not as instinctive as the e36's. The new e46 330i with the Performance pkg(ZHP) looks promising. Gotta take one of those out for a test drive .

hpowders

Does anyone know a good BMW dealer in Florida regarding service and price? I am about to shop around in the Tampa Bay area but am willing to travel 200 to 300 miles to get the best deal. The car I want has MSRP of $51,330. Edmunds's price is $49,510. Can I realistically get lower?
Thank you.
hpowders

abby

hi folks
i am buying my very first car. i started off with a budget of 11,000, which i felt comfortable with, but i always dreamt of owning a bmw.
i have a private party offering this car. it is in mint condition from the inside and outside, seems to be highway driven. the tires are new.
has 5 reports in carfax, but i dont have an account to check what it is abt.
any suggestions?
thanks
abby

riez

abby...

1. Just pay for the full CarFax Report.

2. Check all the service records. Don't buy if they don't exist. Check with the primary servicing dealer.

3. Pay to have an independent mechanic do a thorough inspection of the car.

If I were you and I was buying my first car, I would NOT be buying this car. Out of warranty BMWs can be very expensive to repair. And unless you know a good independent garage that specializes in BMWs, they can be expensive to maintaing (i.e., the routine service).

kyfdx

Ditto to everything above.. If your budget is in the mid-teens, you would be much better off with an older 3-series with lower miles. '98 3-series with miles in the 50K-60K range can be had for under $15K. I saw an '00 323i with 40K miles at a local dealer for $19K asking price.

Either of those would probably cost less to service over the next few years than that high-mileage 5-series. When buying a used BMW, always go for the lowest mile car you can afford, even if its older.

regards,
kyfdx

tam2k

I am trying to purchase my 1st BMW. I'm looking for a Silver 525i 2001 or newer with 30K miles or less. I have a couple of cars that I'd like to get opinions on, please.

I'm looking at a 2003 Silver 525i with 6K miles on it. It is being sold at CarMax for $38,599. Does anyone have experience dealing with them or would advise against it? I've done a CarFax search and didn't find anything.

The 2nd car that I'm reviewing is a 2001 Silver 525i with 21K miles CPO. I am located in Atlanta and this car is at a BMW dealership in NC. They want around $33K for it. They say that they'd bring it to me for a $500 deposit that is refundable. I'm concerned about a couple of things. #1 the car isn't local so I can't test drive it and review it w/out any obligation. #2 the car will be out of warranty w/in 9 months before the CPO warranty and I'm not sure exactly what the CPO warranty will cover.

Does anyone have any experience with either of these types of sales? I really don't want to spend more than $34.5K for the car that I buy.

Thanks for any advice!

Tam

kyfdx

1) The '03 looks like a better buy at the asking prices, but since that is over your budget...

2) The '01 looks a little steep on price, but CPO cars do bring bigger money. The extended warranty is nice, but it looks like you are only going to have warranty for 33 months, so that isn't a really long time.

3) I wouldn't let them bring me the car.. Your bargaining power goes right out the window.. Take the time to drive up there on a Saturday morning.. Even if its 4-5 hours away.. Those are "asking prices".. "getting prices" might be a different story. If you are spending that much money, take the extra time to go see the car in person.. You can always make a better deal at the dealership, checkbook in hand, than if they drive it down to Atlanta for you...

regards,
kyfdx

habitat1

For what it's worth, BMW was offering some pretty serious incentives on the 2003 5 series cars last summer/fall as they cleared them out for the new 5 series. I considered a 2003 530i premium, sport, etc. for just under $42,000 brand new. As I recall, the incentive was about $3,000 and the car was being sold for $2,500 under invoice. Unfortunately it was an automatic and no more 6-speeds were available, so I passed. I do know of someone who picked up a 525i for around $37,800 in July, 2003. The elected to go with a 525i for essentially the same price as a 330i, giving up performance in favor of passenger space. They are happy, but now wished they had spent the extra $4.5k for the 530i. Their advice is to test drive the car with ALL family members inside - they have a vacation house in western Maryland and the 525i does not do well on the steeper hills loaded down with 2 adults, 2 teenagers and luggage.

It is pretty amazing to me that a 1+ year old 2003 525i could fetch $38,500 from Carmax. That speaks well to BMW 1 year resale values (around 102%), or on the downside, the excessive price some are willing to pay for a 1 year old BMW. I think the "old" 5 series is a classic myself, but I would have a tough time paying more for a used one than I could have gotten a new one for in 2003. And, slowly but surely, the new 5 series exterior looks are growing on me.

It so happens that I just spent almost exactly your budget on a new Acura TL 6-speed w/nav ($33.5k) I still prefer the RWD setup and handling of the 5-series, but couldn't justify $60k+ for the 545i. And even the new 530i seemed a little pokey after test driving the other cars (including the 330i) I had considered. I did look into going for a used 5-series briefly, as there are a lot of them available at any given time in the DC area. But as comfortable as I feel shopping and negotiating on a new car, I am fearful of buying the wrong used one. If you are not averse to travelling, you might want to check out Washington DC prices. I am quite certain that you could do much better than the prices you have been quoted in Atlanta. We have diplomats galore that seem to need a new BMW or Mercedes every 2-3 years. A friend of mine recently purchased a mint condition 2002 E320 w/25k miles for his wife at $29,000. I would be willing to bet you could find a very nice 2002 525i for that price or below.

pfl

After 2 months + of wait for the custom ordering, just received a 530, sliver gray, black interior, excluding tax lic etc it is 49,000, in southern california.
I didn't think the premium pck was worth that much money, and leatherette was plenty good, aluminum vs. wood trim isn't much diff for younger guys. if you look for luxury, you should look at the E320, i've heard that Merc is upping the E320 to E350 next year. Dealer tried to justify the $2400 by saying the advantage is in reselling the car, but i didn't buy it. sport pack is good except in all seriousness it would cost me many tickets in the future.
Some of the add-ons were: auto, xenon, navigation, heads up display (very very nice).

without premium and sport, two commonly added features, you can save 3300+2400=$5700, it all depends on if you're on a budget or not.
My biggest regret is that BMW doesn't offer active steering and active rool stabilization separately from the sports pck. (they do in canada and europe i think.)

mtjohn

pfl:
Congrats on your new 530! I agree that you can save a bundle with BMWs by avoiding certain options. Just wanted to chime in on the sport pack. Your ride will handle really great with the standard suspension set up but for those who opt for the sport package I think it is the single best option of the bunch and well worth the additional expense (even at the new prices). True, one is tempted to take corners 50% faster than normal (guilty), and your point about increased risk of tickets is well founded, but the sport pack rocks for the $$. The added transmission of road information into a stiff, dynamic chassis is music.
-John

savora

Well, I think you did very well. I also have 04 530 with auto/xenon/logic 7. I really liked the look of the titanium trim with black leatherette. I drove the car with and without sports package. I decided against it and put the extra $$ into premium sound. (awesome)

I thought that BMW offered the best drive before active steering. I like the feedback that you get with the regular drive vs. the sports package feel. But thet is my opinion only.

Enjoy the car.

smith83

Anyone know if BMW will release any incentives on the 2004 5-Series this summer? I see the 3-Series just introduced $1,200.00 cash back as well as 1.9% financing. I am about to pull the trigger on a 530i, with premium package and Xenons. Any advice on buying (price, upcoming incentives, etc.) would be most appreciated.

Thanks.

mtjohn

FWIW if I had the fever right now, I would be very tempted to negotiate hard on a loaded '04 330i (maybe even a convertible). A real classic with strong resale. No first year model bug or Bangle blues.

Sylvia

A reporter is interested in hearing from anyone who really exhaustively debated between this car and a competitor, weighed all the pros and cons,
etc. Please respond to sbreckenridge@hearst.com or jfallon@edmunds.com with a few details and your contact information no later than Wednesday, July 21, 2004.

Thanks for your consideration.

Jeannine Fallon
PR Director
Edmunds.com

rich545

Just bought a new Silver-Grey metallic 545i with sport, cold weather and premium sound packages. After everything it came out to about $63K. I got 3K off and since I was trading in a 2003 330xi for it they gave me a "good" deal on the trade in. I say "good" because I probably should have gotten more for the 330, but I took them about as far as they would go on it. I got the 545i at Laurel BWM of Westmont in IL. The experience was pretty good, but not being the most patient car buyer I find it frustrating that it's so difficult to locate cars at other dealers (at least around here). Just not much stock on 545's, and I think the fact that to really get what you want most of the time you have to order the car and wait 8 weeks is just insane. If someone walks into a dealership ready to shell out $60K they damn-well should be able to get you the exact car you want in a lot less than 8 weeks. I have to admit though. I love the car I got!

livinbmw

3 grand off on that car was very generous of the dealer and a fine purchase especially since you are in chicago where there is a strong market for such a car and not many around. Maybe, they did hold back on your trade. That's a common tactic with "discount" buyers.

Stick, SMG or automatic?

As far as having the exact car that you want in stock you have to consider the exclusivity of that car. Relax. Give the dealer a break and enjoy shelling out the 60 grand. Any day that you go from a 330 to a new 545 is a good day, right? There is not a big dealer supply of 5's now at all, much less the baby that you got. I'm jealous. It's the best driving sedan I've ever driven.

livinbmw

Silver Gray.......good selection

rich545

It's automatic. One of the reasons I got it was that my 330 was stick and there is so much congestion around here that it was becoming a pain (I just moved here in November). I guess you're right; I can't complain too much! I loved my 330, but there really is no comparison between the two cars. Granted, that's to be expected when the 545 costs about $20 more than the loaded 330xi.

vsaxena

I am wondering why you went from the xi with the 4WD to the 545 with the RWD. Winters in Chicagoland can be bad.

rich545

Actually the winters here haven't been bad in terms of snow for about a decade from what people tell me. They are cold, but we got less snow for the entire winter in Chicago than NY got in one of the bigs storms they had last winter. I guess if they had offered a 545 with AWD I probably would have gotten it, but I think it will be okay as long as the winters stay mild here snow-wise. Here's a bit of trivia. Did you know Chicago is not called the Windy City because it's particularly windy? It's actually not even the windiest city in the US. I think it's about 7th or so on the list of major cities in terms of wind.

vsaxena

Having spent a few years in Urbana and Chicago, I find it windy enough! I have also heard these tales of Chicago not getting as much snow as it used to. I think the comparisons would have been with upstate New York, not the downstate NYC area. But even if you can not drive it 5 days an year, the other 360 days should make it worth it. Now if ChicagoLand had something like highway 280,35 or 1 (SF Bay Area) you would have really enjoyed the scenic route to work!

rich545

True enough. I can live without driving it for a few bad days. Plus I'm trying to convince my fiancee to get the X5 so we'll be all set. The snow comparison was for where I moved from which was about 30 minutes north of NYC. They had a pretty bad winter last year. Several storms that dropped 10 or more inches. I don't even remember any storms dumping more than 5 inches at a time here last winter.

livinbmw

yes, they do

pen101

The lease on my MY2002 530i expires in a few months. I am struggling with 3 different options at lease end:

1. return the car
2. re-lease the car for another 3 years
3. buy the car

BMW cannot give me solid numbers at this time on the re-leasing price. Has anyone here re-leased their car? If so, did your payments go down? What was the depreciation factor? What other costs were involved? Do you regret doing it? When the car is released, is it considered a CPO car with extended warranty?

Thanks.

smith83

Does anyone know if the 2004 5-Series will offer any incentives this summer? The 330i's are currently offering $2,400.00 manufacturer to dealer, as well as 1.9% financing.

If I see this offered on the 530i's, it's on!!!

livinbmw

To CPO the car you need to let your dealer buy out the lease and re-sell you the car after they inspect, recondition and enroll the car. A car cannot be Certified unless it is retailed as a CPO car through a BMW center. The dealer can buy the car for less than you can buy it out for so, you should be able to negotiate some after the cost of the certification which should be around a thousand dollars plus any recon costs.

The dealer should be able to give you figures on the lease without much bother at all. In fact, it's quite easy. E-mail me if you have any questions or want any other advice....

rroyce10

 ........... #2) Never lease a pre-owned vehicle, the rate and the residual will kill you and you will regret it ...

             #3) The reason why BMW can't give you an exact figure is, the lease isn't complete, but your purchase figure will be "in and around" the residual - contact the lease company ONLY, they own it and NEVER involve the dealer, they have nothing to do with the contract .. wait until the last 3/4 weeks of the lease and contact the regional/district lease manager (not the nice folks that answer the phone, they look at a fixed screen all day and have no horsepower for a decision) at that time they will looking at the auction reports and make a decision to blow and go - or not.

            Does the Bimmer dealer pay less than you.? .. it depends, they usually wait til' they hit the auction and purchase them from there .. when you get closer to the lease-end, flip over to "Real-World Trade-In Values" over at the Smart Shopper and I will be able to tell you what the value is, with a complete description from you of course ...........

                                          

                                      Terry.