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BMW 5-Series Sedans

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Comments

  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "It was not fun to skid around a right turn yesterday at all of 15-20 mph."

    Yikes, unless you were on snow or some other slippery surface, something is seriously wrong. To get my car to skid at 15 mph on a clean dry surface, I practically have to have the wheel at full lock and them mash the throttle. Me, I'd drop the car off at the dealership and tell them you won't be back until it's fixed.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • ponytrekkerponytrekker Member Posts: 310
    WOW! It's tough to get my 3 to skid at 60 in the rain.
  • hpowdershpowders Member Posts: 4,330
    If anything my BMW handles better in the rain then on dry roads.
    Have had 2 BMW's since 1993-same for both.
  • cmybimmergocmybimmergo Member Posts: 265
    What tires did/do you have? Michelins aren't great when it's wet, and I did skid once on a hard turn on slightly wet pavement before this whole mess began (I didn't think I was going all that fast, but whatever). But lately I have no confidence at all in my ability to stay where I belong on turns (and I'm not particularly interested in finding out the hard way where perception ends and reality begins). And when I go over unavoidable bumps, the car jumps around; it just doesn't feel sure-footed anymore.

    Thursday can't come fast enough.
  • hpowdershpowders Member Posts: 4,330
    I have Continental ContiTouring Contact Ecoplus tires. They are fantastic. They came with the vehicle.
    Good luck!
    hpowders
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    ..., and not a very good one at that.

    I just posted my last picture of my soon to be turned in 2002 530i on my Yahoo! photos page.

    http://photos.yahoo.com/shipo

    It is in the "Last Pic" album.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I did the deed tonight, I turned in my wonderful 2002 530i. I am now officially BMWless for the first time since January of 1999. :-(

    Hmmm, let's see, according to my calculations, my two children have their Spring Break for 2006 starting on Friday afternoon the 21st of April next year. If we take them out of school a day early so that we can all fly to Munich, I can fetch a new 330i from the ED center during the afternoon of 21-Apr-2006, that means that I only have to wait 12 months and 30 days from now until I get my next BMW. The clock is ticking. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • dl7265dl7265 Member Posts: 1,381
    Ops, I meant to post on prices paid. Anyways I was offered that payment with 5k down,,,,Hello So I made them share their numbers MSRP and MF .00180. I thought my previous deal was bad..

    Whats the point of BMW advertising a price and Center's marking it up 6 ways from Sunday.

    DL(all hope lost in TX)
  • juniorbmwjuniorbmw Member Posts: 29
    I didn't learn about the benefits of the Heads Up Display 'til after I brought my 530i; is it possible to have this HUD installed after market?

    Would any recommend this installation?

    Or is it be discouraged and just wait for the next BMW purchase in about 5 years?
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,180
    It would be cheaper to trade your car in.. Just wait five years..

    I've made it 30 year without HUD.. ;-)

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  • jb_shinjb_shin Member Posts: 357
    I have not kept as detailed record of the car's fuel consumption as shipo did but my 2002 530i gets about what shipo was getting. I have been driving the car for about 12,000 miles over the past year in the DC area traffic and the average is 24.5 mpg. I have gotten about 22-23 in Europe over the 3 years or 16,000 miles. Most of those miles were on autobahn where I averaged about 70 to 80 mph (counting the drive through congestions, sections with 75 mph or slower speed limit, etc.) At 120, OBC showed about 24 or slightly less.

    By the way, I have also just sold it and will be BMW-less unless I can find a replacement in the next week or so. :-(
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Hmmm, maybe these cars need to be flogged on the Autobahns in order to break them in properly. ;-)

    My condolences on being BMW-less, I feel your pain. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • cmybimmergocmybimmergo Member Posts: 265
    I'm starting to think I'm sorry I ever brought up the subject. Ignorance is bliss, but nooooo, I just *had* to know.

    And if one more person tells me you guys all are lying about your mileage, I think I am going to scream.

    BTW, shipo, I wore black yesterday in your honor.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Have faith my friend. I'm betting that your suspension woes that you are addressing with your dealer tomorrow have a lot to do with your crummy mileage. Keep us posted on what they find.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo

    P.S.
    Thanks for the thought. ;-)
  • cmybimmergocmybimmergo Member Posts: 265
    "I'm betting that your suspension woes that you are addressing with your dealer tomorrow have a lot to do with your crummy mileage."

    Me too. I have my fingers crossed...and my ankles...and my toes...
  • george94george94 Member Posts: 75
    I certainly hope wou will keep hanging around these boards even w/o your beloved e39. Best luck to you.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Thanks to our fellow TownHall member PJT I've been alerted to the fact that my 530i is already CPOed and up on the BMW-USA web site used car locater.

    Hmmm, the MSRP on my car was $47,395 (I’m looking at the window sticker right now), I leased it for something just north of $42,000, and they are asking $36,995 for it. Wow! When I turned it in they took one look at it and said, "Yup, we're keeping that one, 5-Speed 530i's with the Sport Package are very hard to come by." Jeez, I think they are actually asking MORE for it than a comparable 530iA. So much for the old adage, "Manual transmissions destroy resale value." ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,180
    My local dealer has two CPO '02 530i... with sport package.. and automatic..

    They just lowered the price to $29,900 and $30,900 respectively.. (about a $4K price drop from before).

    However, I think both have more miles than yours.. 45K and 39K mileage...

    I'd buy yours, but I'd have to give it a $5K deduction for the lack of heated seats.. ;-)

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • dl7265dl7265 Member Posts: 1,381
    And no heated steering wheel, And no heated side bolsters :)

    Ill be the 1st one in TX with CWP....

    DL
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Yikes! Does that make me the first one in New England without the CWP? ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • cmybimmergocmybimmergo Member Posts: 265
    530i 5 spds with sport are hens' teeth, which I found out in short order last December. When I did a search, I found ONE in the entire DC-Baltimore area. When I queried a dealer about how often they see them, he said just about never. Needless to say, it's the one I bought, even though I would have preferred an actual color as opposed to the silver I got stuck with.

    The price seems high, though. My dealer has one on his website for 29,950. Low miles like yours, too.
  • 530ir1150r530ir1150r Member Posts: 263
    If that is the case, my Khalihari Beige 2002 530i 5 speed Sport Package is even rarer than hens teeth. It also has the CWP, premium package, Xenons and rear window shade, but I ordered comfort seats instead of sport seats.

    The lady at the delivery center in Munich remarked that she once had to push the key fob to find the vehicle she was delivering because all the cars in the center were silver. Ours was the only non silver or gray car the day we were there.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,180
    Kalahari beige... While I'm sure that is attractive, it will certainly be rare.. I saw a 3-series in an earth-tone the other day... It really caught my eye, as you almost never see those anymore..

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  • 530ir1150r530ir1150r Member Posts: 263
    We bought our car in Paducah and they sold two other Khalihari Beige 2002 5s, both non-sport. There was a 2002 Khalihari Beige non sport 525iA on the Nissan lot in Frankfort last Fall that I think I see once in awhile.

    Ours has sand interior and 2 weeks in Europe scuffed them. I ordered brown mats from Griot's (I think) while we were waiting for it to arrive. They do not show any wear yet and match the wood tone.

    Since no one wanted to steal the original floor mats, they were still in the car when we picked it up and the US floor mats are still in the bag.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    what was the lease buyout if you wanted to keep your car? That's great resale value. I wonder what they'll get for it.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • cmybimmergocmybimmergo Member Posts: 265
    I regret to inform everyone that my car has been pronounced just fine. In spite of what I feel is physical evidence to the contrary.

    The service manager at the dealer (who is not a franchise dealer; he sells only BMWs, but he buys them at auction, certifies them, and resells) says to take it to a franchise dealer and have them give it a onceover. He also says he hasn't ever seen anyone get 30 mph, and that I ought to be happy with 21, but I just don't buy it. Especially since my mileage is going down even as my driving is becoming more cautious owing to the lack of traction I seem to be getting these days.
  • dabimmerdabimmer Member Posts: 165
    Had to write about my 5er. Took delivery Dec 2000 and after the break in period took the car from San Francisco Bay Area to LA. Car was fantastic, gave us 28 mpg at speeds of 75 mph and the AC full bore. The throttle response has been fantastic, very quick at all speeds. An extreme pleasure to drive this car. When it came off lease last Nov. I couldn't part with it and had the dealer CPO it and bought it. Still couldn't be any more satisfied. I have never had any trouble with it. My oil was changed at 18,000 miles and it was clean ! I have never put any oil in between oil changes and the car drives fabulously. On a recent trip to San Diego We got as high as 31 mpg, overall was 29.5 mpg. Super car ! I now have 26,000 miles on it . I drive most of the time around 80 . I just don't know what I will be in the market for when the new car bug hits, this car has really spoiled me. It pains me to hear about other people who have 2002 and 2003 models that have many, many problems. Thanks for listening to my rant.
  • cmybimmergocmybimmergo Member Posts: 265
    Another observation: When I picked up my car today, I noticed that the OBC now indicates a range of only 344 miles on a tank of gas, which works out to less than 20 mpg. When I bought this baby, it was 469 miles, which is more like 26 mpg.

    I don't floor it at traffic lights, I have not ever squealed my tires, and yes, I use premium gas (Shell VPower).
  • cassidymcassidym Member Posts: 108
    You're getting sound advice. I bought a 2005 545 last October and agoniozed over the sports package as well. But, after driving 545's with and without SP, I decided I really wanted it anbd have not been sorry since. Both the anti-roll and the variable steering are damn nice.

    It's true I banged into a few curbs till I got use to the steering ratio change. I learned that, after a while, the steering becomes intuitive. And it is really handy for maneuvering around parking garages and city streets.

    I live in Norther Virginia where we get considerably less snow than you do in the Midwest but I opted for snow tires as well. I had them put on in early Nov and have been very pleased with how the car handles in the snow. I'll put my sports tires back on in a week or two.

    Let us know what you decide.
  • cpeterson3cpeterson3 Member Posts: 51
    Hey folks - how about your thoughts:

    1) what are my chances of special ordering and getting Truffle Brown in my April production 545? (available in Canada, England and every other civilized country but the US)

    2) just saw that Satelite Prep. is no longer a charge on the '06 525 and 530 but it is still a $75 line item option for the continuing 545!!!!! Come on BMW, give me a break. I'm already spending $1K's more....
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    BMW Individual used to do special order requests, but expect to pay $2000 or more for your truffles...
  • jb_shinjb_shin Member Posts: 357
    Although mine is not CPO'd, I sold it via 5-series mailing list on another board within 1 day. The dealer I took it to offered about $27,000 and the specifics are:

    Toledo Blue/Grey Montana leather
    28,200 miles (2 oil changes done before the Service Inspection I at 25,000
    miles)
    5-speed
    OEM Continental Contisports has about 3,000 miles left in them (I have a set
    of Dunlop Wintersport M2 with matching 5th BMW alloy to be used as a spare,
    8,500 miles or so on them)
    Premium pkg
    Sports pkg
    Cold Weather pkg
    Xenon light
    DSP stereo
    DVD Navigation
    16-way comfort seats
    Active seat (was only available in 7 series in the US)
    Power shade
    PDC
    Rear side airbags
    CD changer
    BMW warranty expires 2/2006

    I ended up selling it for $30,000 with a set of snow tires (8500 miles on them) with fifth rim as spare. Ithink I could have gotten a grand or two more, but did not want to hassle. I think the buyer is getting a heck of a deal. The local dealers are asking $34,000 for models with less options. I have not seen any 5-series with as many options as mine
  • habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    Something doesn't add up. You have a 4.5 year old 530 with 26,000 miles - less than 6,000 miles per year - and didn't change the oil until 18,000 miles? That means you drove the car for over 3 years on it's original oil?

    I am sure the oil looked clean to you and I trust your claim that the car runs great, but that's not a maintenance schedule you should brag about when you decide to sell the car!

    I've kept my 1995 Nissan Maxima at our second home for back-up use. It has 154,000 miles and is on it's original clutch. Oil was changed (by me) every 3,500-4,000 miles since new. At a 150,000 mile service, the dealer did a free compression test and the results showed all cylinders within 2-3% of new car tolerance. To which the dealer responded, "you must have changed your oil every other month". Pretty good guess.

    I'm now casually shopping for a new 2005 911S Cabriolet. When I asked about maintenance requirements, the dealer was quick to point out that the Porsche holds about 9 quarts of Mobil 1 and, as such, the oil doesn't have to be changed for up to 20,000 miles. Well, that sure makes the $100k sticker price easier to swallow.

    So you really went over 3 years without changing the oil in a 530iA???
  • big_jimbig_jim Member Posts: 27
    One last sport package question. Do the sport seats have lumbar support?? The normal seats and comfort seats both explicitly mention lumbar, but the sport package doesn't mention it at all - just power adjustable thigh support.

    Saturday is the day I'll be ordering up my Orient Blue 530i. Then I have to wait 6+ weeks. Arggh.
  • howser81howser81 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2003 530i (w/ Sport Package) with 25,000 miles and have been dealing with a road noise issue since purchasing the vehicle new in 05-03. It is a high pitched whining noice at high speeds and a low grade grinding at lower speeds. I initially started noticing it at about 8K-10K and it got progressively worse. Dealer diagnosis at 18K was that all the tires were cupped. Negotiated with dealer to replace all tires with new Michelin Pilots and within 2K miles started noticing noise again. Returned to the dealer with 3.5K miles on the new tires and they verified all four tires were again cupped. Alignment and suspension checked out ok. They are scheduling to have a BMWNA technical specialist look at it. Love the vehicle but the noise is very annoying and driving it has become an aggravation. Am curious if anyone has had a similar experience and if so how was it resolved.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Up until last week I had a 2002 530i SP, and by about 12K miles on my OEM Michelin Pilot Primacy tires I was getting significant tire noise (that sounded much like cupped tires), so much so that I was about to replace the tires. With that in mind, I had little to lose so I rotated them front to back, same side. The noise was immediately reduced to almost non-existent, and within a few thousand miles it was gone completely.

    That's one of the nice things about the 530i SP; it has the same size tires at all four corners, hence making a tire rotation doable.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • howser81howser81 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks - I'll go through with the technical evaluation by BMWNA, but will definitely give that a try. Just seems odd that both the original Continental's and brand new Michelin's would start cupping so early. I understand the SP issues regarding tire wear, but something just doesn't add up. Will keep you posted - thanks again.
  • cmybimmergocmybimmergo Member Posts: 265
    The sport seat does not to my knowledge have lumbar support. But I can tell you that I don't miss it in the least. My 92 ES has it, and until I bought my bimmer I thought they were the most comfortable seats I had ever sat in. Now when I drive the Lexus, it takes quite a bit of getting used to, and I definitely prefer the bimmer's seats.
  • dabimmerdabimmer Member Posts: 165
    Actually drove car with the factory oil for 2 years, when I called BMW of San Francisco they informed me that since I wasn't putting a lot of miles on it that I should change the oil yearly which I did. The mechanic told me that it hadn't been a problem at all and the oil was very,very clean. The mileage ( I verified it from the work order was 15800, not 18000 as I had previously posted. Sorry if I mislead you. BTW, last Nov I changed the oil and had some other things done , so I am on a yearly schedule as they suggested. The car is still doing great and I hope to have it for a long time.
  • 530ir1150r530ir1150r Member Posts: 263
    Goodyear Eagle F1 Tires.

    I have almost 15,000 miles on a set and no noise yet. Michelin Pilot Primacys became noisy around 10,000 and stayed that way till they were replaced at 37,500, and I rotate and balance every 7,500 miles. On the other hand, they do not look like they will last for 37,500 miles.
  • cassidymcassidym Member Posts: 108
    My 2005 545i with SP came equipped with lumbar support and I am very fond of it especially with the heated seats. Here is the text of an e-mail on the subject from BMW of NA:

    From: ProductQuestions@bmwusa.com
    Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 9:28 AM
    To: cassidym
    Subject: RE: Products and Services [1-194481479]

    Dear Mr. Cassidy:

    Thank you for contacting BMW North America, LLC in regards to the 5 Series. We appreciate your interest in BMW. BMW will be making the following changes to the 2005 model year 5 Series:

    -Poplar Grain wood trim is now standard on the 525i and 530i, as well as the 545i. -Anthracite Maple wood trim is available as a no cost option. -Front lumbar supports are now standard on the 530i and 545i. -Active Steering is a new stand-alone option on all models (it is still part of the Sport Packages). -Park Distance Control is now standard on the 545i. -The 545i now comes standard with the six-speed manual transmission. The six-speed STEPTRONIC automatic is now a no-cost option. -The Sequential Manual Gearbox is available for 530i and 545i. SMG requires the Sport Package.

    We update our website (www.bmwusa.com) with the latest model information as soon as specifics are known. The website also keeps our fans informed of BMW news, technical information, upcoming events, purchase plans, etc. I hope you will stay in touch with us by regularly browsing our site or visiting a local BMW center.

    Thank you for choosing BMW. If you have any further questions, please respond to this e-mail or contact the Customer Relations and Services Department at 1-800-831-1117, Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time.

    Sincerely,

    Tricia Young
    Customer Relations and Services
    Representative
  • cmr530icmr530i Member Posts: 278
    Hello dabimmer! I am with you when you say you couldn't be more satisfied buying your 530. I bought mine when the lease ended last May. I just couldn't give it up. Besides, there was no other car out there that could compare to what I had in my opinion. I just got a new windshield courtesy of my dealer's service dept. so it is like new again. (They had improperly installed new wiper inserts last Dec., and when the rains came in Jan. they put deep scratches in the glass. Only solution was to replace the glass. They did so without batting an eyelash.) I continue to add a quart of oil about every 5K miles or so. No leaking, so I chalk it up to the stop and go driving I do daily.
  • dabimmerdabimmer Member Posts: 165
    Hello again ! Hadn't seen you in this forum for quite a while, good to see you couldn't part with your Bimmer either. I have no clue what car I will get next so I continue to be very satisfied with this wonderful automobile. New windshield, eh, it is just like new again. And a quart of oil every 5K miles isn't too bad, all in all pretty cheap for the driving you do. Again, great to hear from you. Missed your posts.
  • big_jimbig_jim Member Posts: 27
    Thanks cassidym and cmybimmergo...sport package it is. I will be ordering tomorrow or Saturday with one of three dealers. Hopefully my local guy will step up, as interestingly enough I have found a few dealers within reasonable distance of me (1 to 3 hours) willing to sell me a 2006 at what I would consider a substantial discount off of msrp, i.e. about half of the spread between invoice and msrp.

    Thanks again everyone for the answers, looking forward to finally pulling the trigger!
  • cassidymcassidym Member Posts: 108
    If you've got the time and inclination, you might want to consider European Delivery. I saved an additional $5K on my 545 and Lufthansa gave us half off the airfare. Munich is a blast and you can drive your new car all over Europe on vacation or (in my case) ship it from right there near the factory.
  • pen101pen101 Member Posts: 238
    Put in 18.6 gallons at $2.699 for $50.22. Not since my trip to Europe have I paid this much for a tank of gas. At least my 530 is averaging about 24 mpg combined. Never thought I'd be combining $50 fill-ups and BMW in the same sentence. The $2.699 for premium is actually a good deal in my area (LA) where I am seeing a few stations at $2.999.
  • big_jimbig_jim Member Posts: 27
    You know, that was our original plan. But with some other trips planned this summer/fall, and two young kids, it made sense to forego that option and do it the old fashioned way. Plus, then I get the car faster!

    I keep telling my wife that I'd be happy to get on a plane, take delivery, and get right back on the plane to save a few bucks. She thinks I am nuts :)
  • cmybimmergocmybimmergo Member Posts: 265
    You live in LA and you're getting 24 mpg? Do you drive (okay, I mean sit) in all that infamous LA traffic or do you limit it to highways and off-the-beaten-path back roads (or both)?
  • pen101pen101 Member Posts: 238
    My mpg figures on the car are similar to those of dabimmer (see post 10125). Best tank was from LA to San Diego at about 32 mpg. My daily 24 mile each way commute consists of extremes, the first half at well over the 65 mph speed limit and the second half averaging about 5 mph. The 5-speed is very efficient. I do notice a slight drop off in mpg in the summer when I use the air conditioning.

    On a different note, one side of the bottom rubber piece under the bumper tore (and riping a small section of the bumper off where the screw attaches to the bumper) when it got caught on a parking lot curb. Any suggestions on what to do? I thought either to drill a new screw hole and remount it, or applying a real strong glue. Also, our dog chewed a small area of the front bumper near the wheel well. I got estimates of between $475 to $750 to replace the bumper. Our dog is now banned from the garage.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,180
    Ouch.. $2.3199 on I-75 in Georgetown, KY today.. Shell 93 octane.

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