BMW 5-Series Sedans

abuck · December 2008

thanks. I am looking at leasing a 535i and know that it is the last chance to get a good deal on the 08 and wasn't sure if I was locking myself into something that had been substantially upgraded in 09.

carnaught · December 2008

Sorry I didn't clarify better. My post is the difference between '08/'09 and the previous years. To my knowledge and cursory inspection the '08 ="09 535.

andys120 · December 2008

Be aware that significant changes are in store or 2010-11 when the de-Bangleized 5 Series debuts>

tayl0rd · December 2008

The most significant change from '08 to '09 is the iDrive controller. The GUI is the same, but the controller layout is redesigned.

carnaught · December 2008

The new 3 Series and 7 Series got the new generation iDrive. I'm not sure the 5 Series did (?). The '09 I saw looked the same as the '08.

tayl0rd · December 2008

The most significant change from '08 to '09 is the iDrive controller. The GUI is the same, but the controller layout is redesigned.

Meaning the actual knob and buttons. Nothing has changed about the display or menus.

carnaught · December 2008

The most significant change from '08 to '09 is the iDrive controller. The GUI is the same, but the controller layout is redesigned.

Meaning the actual knob and buttons. Nothing has changed about the display or menus.

So you're talking about this only in regard to the '08 vs.'09 5 Series?

tayl0rd · December 2008

Correct.

ca_karen · January 2009

I have a 2001 BMW 525i with 45000 miles, mostly highway, on it. I bought it new and have had very little problems with it until now (of course, the warranty both manuf. and extended have expired)....stalling problems were diagnosed by the dealer as needing a new cam sensor. He also said I needed a valve cover gasket as it was beginning to leak. With only 45M miles?? Am I being shammed??? I haven't seen any evidence of oil on the garage floor.....I retired last year and probably only drive the car once a week....should I believe them and have it replaced or hang tight and see what happens? Thanks for any advice you can give.

vanalder · January 2009

We have the same car w/ ~ 60K on i t.

Had to have both front and rear (as I remember the description) cam sensors replaced. Unfortunately, the man who generally works on the car did/could not get it across to me that being prudent I'd have had him put in both at once.
Labor about same + cost of 2nd sensor earlier, vs. two complete labor jobs.

Can't imagine a leak around the valve cover which does not
produce visible oil.

Daan

andys120 · January 2009

If the stalling problems are not severe and don't endanger your safety you might just try to ride them out but I suggest you got a second opinion from a good independent BMW specialist. You can probably find one in your area at www.bimers.org.

It sounds to me like it could be a faulty fuel pump.

ca_karen · January 2009

Thanks for your input......the sensor was installed before I received your reply, so had no opportunity to ask about it or have it done at the same time, darn it...the technician was thorough enough, tho, that when I questioned him about the valve cover gasket, he took me outside and showed me the build up of gunk at a couple of places around the head cover.....having been around cars and men that worked on them in the 60's, I wasn't completely dumb about what I was seeing.....I cleaned the 'gunk' off and will keep a watch on the condition but I think I have a couple of thousand miles left before I have to face this additional expense......and I'll be alert to the other sensor going bad as well.....thanks

bavarian08 · January 2009

Hi there..I am planning to buy/lease a BMW 5 Series 2008. Any useful advice would be appreciated. I saw a 2008 528i with 10k miles ( I was told this was a loaner car) and so technically still owned by the dealership. They are doing a 2.9% APR thru BMW financing.

MSRP: $ 45,425.00
Discount: $ 5,694.00
Selling price: $ 39,731.00

with 5k downpayment, for a 60 month term, monthly payments are $650.00, all taxes and misc included.
Do I negotiate further? Thx.

atodd3 · January 2009

Posted this on 'Buying' forum but doing so here, as well as I'm trying to benefit from as much collective wisdom as possible...thanks for replies...

Looking for some advice and appreciative of your comments...my very faithful 10 yr old Maxima SE with 205k miles on it has, finally, come to the end of its roadlife. Looking for a used entry level luxury...I drive 30k mi per year to and from the office so want something reliable but at same time, something I want to spend time in. Pretty focused on an '06 3series but, in shopping, have come across an '04 525i at a highly rated BMW dealer. Black w/beige leather, manual, prem and cold pkg's, 35k miles...priced at $20,995, have negotiated to $19,995 but hoping I can get it for $19k. Comes w/extended warranty of 100k mi or thru Nov 2011.

I am nervous about lack of awd here in New England...would appreciate thoughts on that, too.

Any/all comments are greatly appreciated as I need to pull the trigger on something this weekend...thanks in advance.

ponytrekker · January 2009

That's the first year of the new style (E60 is the model) and so, more likely to have problems than the previous model 5 series -- the E39.

I know someone who has a 2002 530 (E39) and he has 205k on the clock. The car looks brand new and he's very happy with it so far.

I'd focus on an '02 or 03 5 series if I were you. That model is incredibly durable.

roadburner · January 2009

I'd focus on an '02 or 03 5 series if I were you. That model is incredibly durable.

That's correct. As a matter of fact, I'm probably going to dump my 2007 Mazdaspeed 3 in favor of a 2003 540i 6 speed.
Can't wait!!!

carnaught · January 2009

I'd focus on an '02 or 03 5 series if I were you. That model is incredibly durable.

I had an '03 5 Series (an E39), and now the newer E60 (2004+) 5 Series. While I agree that the first model year of a redsigned car line can be troublesome, I find the E60 much improved over the older E39 series. The E60's ride, handling, driveability, ergonomics and gas mileage are far superior. The looks of the E60 are not universally loved (especially by BMW purists) but this is purely subjective.

kyfdx · February 2009

..come with the old 2.5 litre engine from the E39/E46?

If so, that's a lot of weight for that engine to lug around, with only 184 HP... It's a great little engine when mated with the right vehicle, but I don't think the E60 is it..

I wouldn't be scared of the first-year model, considering anyone you find is already 5 years old, and should be in working order.. But, that car might be a tad slow..

regards,
kyfdx

andys120 · February 2009

I am nervous about lack of awd here in New England...would appreciate thoughts on that, too.

Don't be, assuming you have some experience driving in snow and a level head as well as a good set of snow tires (not all-seasons).

I bought a 2000 528iA back in '04 and put on a lot of miles in snowy, hilly NH winters
and only ever got it stuck but once so far under odd circumstances. With a set of Blizzaks and a tow strap in the trunk you should be ready for anything.

tayl0rd · February 2009

...that car might be a tad slow..

It'll be more than a "tad" slow! That year did have the wheezy 184HP engine to lug around 3700+ pounds of car and driver. It'll feel like driving a Chevy Cobalt or something along those lines. Agonizingly slow! :sick:

richardga73 · February 2009

Has anyone driven the new 550i with the m-spec sports suspension? In "Bimmer" they said that it rode much smoother yet handled better. The sport option costs over $4K but would be worth it considering the condition of the roads in US. It is only found on the 550i. The 535 and the 528 sports have the regular rough riding sport. And you 535 owners dont get your panties in a wad and say that it doesnt ride rough. It is always "brittle and often abrasive."

bobbybuche · February 2009

yesterday i purchased a 1997 bmw 528i. the car is loaded other than the phone in the center console (im glad, it would be embarassing to have that giant thing in the car), the guy that owned it before me only put 65,000 miles on it. i just traded in my ford exploder and with the loan and interest i only owe 7,100 dollars. i think i got a great deal on this car for the condition, mileage, and price and it beats the hell out of driving a two door explorer for another year.

roadburner · February 2009

Check out the Yahoo E39 Enthusiasts Group; lots of good information can be found there. Also visit BMWTIPS.com. I ran a '97 528i from 2000 to 2005- they are great cars.

tayl0rd · March 2009

As far as I know, the '09 550i Sport has the same suspension as the '08 550i Sport. That being said, I have the '08. To me the ride is more planted than in the 535i Sport. The 535i Sport felt too flimsy to me, and the 550i Sport definitely inspires more confidence in the bends when hustling it (to me.) Some comparison tests have also stated that the 550i Sport corners around a track better than the 535i Sport.

Drive both and see for yourself. Your buttometer is the deciding factor.

dexinsd · March 2009

Does anyone out there have any experience to share with the Dinan Stage 1 or 2 upgrade for a 2009 535i? Supposedly it significantly boosts the HP and torque by increasing the turbo boost. Cost is $2K for the Stage 2 and $1,500 for Stage 1. Dinan provides the warranty equivalent to BMW 4 yr/50K mi.

Thoughts or recommendations?

roadburner · March 2009

I know Steve Dinan, and the products that he sells are first-rate- no question. But they do tend to be expensive. Will Turner has an ECU upgrade for the N54; you might want to give him a call. I've had good service from his shop as well.

galama · April 2009

I got 2002 bmw 530i was driving and horn went off few times on its own 30 sec. later again 20 sec. later went on and it stayed on. i took fuse out now my memory seats don't work normal my strering wheel does not move up when i turn my key off and when i tryed to put my fuse back in and horn went off again and stays on.. can anyone help please. tx Joe

zoelman · July 2009

i have a 2004 545i with sports package and run-flat tires and the tires are close to needing replacement. I have the Dunlop SP Sport 01 DSST on now.

have other BMW drivers switched from run-flats to regular tires and what were their experiences, better, worse? are the run-flats worth the huge price difference? i am really leaning toward regular UHP tires as i live in southern california.

also, by current tires are 93Y rated, can i go with a 93W and is there much difference?

tires i found on tirerack that look good are Bridgestone Potenza RE760 and the Dunlop Direzza DZ101. the Michelins are so expensive, nearly as much as the run-flats so i didn't want to go that way if i could help it.

thanks for any help.

brian

shipo · July 2009

I've been following the RFT debate since its inception, and over the years I've heard reports from well over 100 folks who've thrown their RFTs in the trash (often before they're worn out) and replaced them with Gets Flat Tires (GFTs). Guess what? Not a single one of them has even remotely considered switching back. Why? GFTs cost less, ride better, handle better, are often much quieter, and they usually last longer.

Best regards,
Shipo

roadburner · July 2009

I'd go with the Direzzas- you'll increase comfort and grip.

erickpl · July 2009

Just make sure you make accomodations for a flat should it happen. Portable air compressor, a can of fix-a-flat, and perhaps a simple repair kit would be cheap, easy investments...

That's what I did in my 6 Series.

-Paul

gardis · July 2009

Guys,
I have a 2007 530i with premium sound pkg. I notice some of you talking about "logic" sound. What's the difference? Is that an additional package?
Just curious, thanks.

zoelman · July 2009

thanks for the tips guys! i think i will definitely be going with the GFTs and get some fix a flat and compressed air can.

how much stock can you put in those tire tests.....as the Bridgestones i mentioned had higher marks (wet, dry traction, handling, etc.) than the Direzzas, but then i am getting a good recommend on this site for the Direzzas? which i do appreciate as i was leaning toward the Direzzas except for the test scores on tirerack.

brian

carnaught · July 2009

I have a 2007 530i with premium sound pkg. I notice some of you talking about "logic" sound. What's the difference? Is that an additional package?

The premium radio is the Harmon-Kardon, Logic 7. To me it sounds better than the standard radio but I'm not sure it's worth the premium in price.

gregoryx · July 2009

I'm about to order my 2010 535xi. the only option i'm debating is the active cruise control option. does anyone have experience with the cruise control feature?

passion1 · July 2009

hi
i am planning to buy new bmw 2010 bmw 528i and i have included options into MSRP and it brings up to $51225. so i have talked to the dealer,he told that he can give me for 48700 as final price. so my question is that the better price i can pay for it? options i include are premium package,comfort access system,navigation.can you please help me the best price i can ask the dealer to negotiate and amount finally i can pay for?

carnaught · July 2009

How much over invoice is your price? Off hand, it doesn't sound bad.

passion1 · July 2009

the base invoice price is around $42000 and i have added some options as i mentioned in the previous message.the dealer had given me $2500 approx. off on MSRP ($51225) which is after adding options.so according to your reply so i can go paying $48000 finally with those options.

carnaught · July 2009

Hopefully, the dealer has not tacked-on unwanted options like paint protection, which most feel is bogus.

You may want to research it here on Edmund's new car search, price it with your options and see what the market value is.

lanc3lot75 · August 2009

Hello Guys! I'm new to the forum and new to buying a BMW. I'm interested in buying a used 530i but have 3 options below.

- Price $33,888, Mileage 21,800 (Premium and Sports Pkg w/ Nav) Blk/Blk
- Price $36,900, Mileage 36,979 (Premium and Sports Pkg w/ Nav) Blk/Blk, CPO
- Price $31,988, Mileage 48,174 (Premium and Sports Pkg w/ Nav) Blk/Blk, CPO

Can you please let me know which one will be the best price to buy or let me know if all are over price.

Thanks!

andys120 · August 2009

The low mileage car looks like the best buy but I'd wonder why it isn't a CPO. Is it more than 3 yrs old?

tayl0rd · August 2009

What model years are these cars? I've never priced a used 5-series before, but they all seem overpriced to me, especially if they're over 3 years old. :confuse: A coworker of mine got a 545i Sport/Premium w/ a little over 30K miles, IIRC, for about $35K a couple of years ago.

lanc3lot75 · August 2009

My apology about the Year. All cars are 2007. And all of them are from different dealership in my area (Bay Area). The low mileage is not CPO because it's from Infinity Dealership. I think the previous owner trade the car there. Thanks!

nyccarguy · August 2009

I would get the VIN off of the car at the Infiniti Dealership. Take it to your local BMW dealer and ask them to run the service history. If it comes back clean, offer the Infiniti Dealer $26.5K plus tax for the car (Your final price might be $27K or $28K + Tax). An '07 will still be under factory warranty & include the balance of factory scheduled maintenance. You'll be saving a boatload over the CPO cars (assuming the car wasn't in the shop a lot or crashed) and any repairs that do come up once the factory warranty is up you can pay for with some of the money you saved. Good luck!

gardis · August 2009

Very goo dadvice nyccarguy.

Lanc you should do that. The BMW dealer will be only too happy to look it up, thinking you'll become a service customer. Try it. Let us know how you make out with it.

mark528 · August 2009

I just picked up my new 528xi, and the dealer was not able to get the hands free feature working. I have an LG voyager, which is listed on the compatibility chart, and there was no trouble getting it to pair and have my address book show up, but the hands free, as activated by the steering wheel wouldn't respond. After the prompt, it seems as though the mike doesn't work, but for calls initiated from the idrive the hands free works fine. The dealer claims my phone is a newer version software than that which was tested, and Verizon does not install old software onto its phones. Does anyone know the way around this? Otherwise, I can't initiate calls by voice.

bmwgal3 · August 2009

I didn't mind, at first, that my speedometer and odometer run higher, show higher speeds and mileage, than my gps unit and roadside mileage postings, about 10% higher, in fact. But now that my leased 535i is over the allowed mileage, I'll have to pay 10% more for BMW's enthusiasm/erroneous settings. When the car is due to be turned in a year from now, I'll probably be thousands of miles over. My job changed after I signed the lease deal, and I never thought I'd have to commute this far. Has anyone run into this issue before?

shipo · August 2009

Virtually all BMWs report a higher speed compared to actual, but I've never heard of a single one reporting higher miles driven. Are you absolutely sure that the odometer is misreporting how far you've driven? If so, schedule a service appointment and have your dealership document the discrepancy between recorded and actual. That should be enough documentation to allow you to make a very strong case, especially as there are a number of laws that are supposed to protect the consumer from this type of thing (Honda got burned in a massive class-action law suit a couple of years back due to this very issue).

nyccarguy · August 2009

And if that is the case, once you get the repairs made and you are still over your miles, you can pre-pay your over miles @ $.16 per mile instead of $.25 per mile when you turn the car in.

nyccarguy · August 2009

Hey Shipo! My how these boards have changed. We used to get threatened by the host on a weekly basis for arguing with others on the merits of snow tires & the sport package. :P

BMW 5-Series Sedans

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