BMW 5-Series Sedans

div2 · October 2001

It is my belief that BMW specifies a higher rear inflation pressure in order to increase the car's prpensity to understeer at the limit. I run 32 psi all around on my wife's non-sport 5er and I am quite satisfied.

pap5 · October 2001

chrism123 -- The opinion of a new member: I have an '01 530i with sport suspension, and love it. It enhances the character of the car without extracting any compromises (except cost, of course). I was concerned about ride quality, but find that it rides better than our other cars - '98 Volvo V70 AWD and '82 Datsun Z. Nice, taut, controlled feeling without being harsh.

I have one question related to the sports suspension. Although it's probably overkill 95% of the time, I'm just about convinced to mount dedicated snow tires on new wheels in winter. It seems to be accepted wisdom to go the minus-1 route: 225/55 tires on 16" wheels, standard sizes on the non-sport 5er. What I'm curious about is whether this would cause any clearance or similar problems, due to the sport suspension's lower ride height. An inquiry to BMWNA thru the Owners' Circle did not yield a definitive answer. Does anyone know for sure?

Thanks.

shipo · October 2001

If you mount snow tires with the same overall diameter (like the 225/55QR16 tires), you will have no clearance problems at all.

Best Regards,
Shipo

gfine · October 2001

Hello, We had ordered a new 530 with Sport and Prem Package also poped for the Navagation GPS system.. Has anyone had any problems with the navagation or any pros or cons?

golubian · October 2001

Is there any reason not to go with a third-party CD changer, rather than the BMW model? Can non-BMW models integrate completely with the sound system w/o necessitating additional controls or remotes?

taylort · October 2001

Crism123,
You really should go to the dealer and test drive both if you truly want to know because the experience is different based on your needs and what you are looking for in a car.

I have the 530 w/Sport-Premium Package. I like the feel of the sport suspension in terms on handling but there are tradeoffs of getting the feel of the sport package. You can feel the road a like bit more. This can be good and not so good depending on the roads you ride on. I test drove both before I ordered my car.

The Premium package is a smoother ride but for me the sport package makes it look so much better. I do wish I had more comfortable seats at time.

pat · October 2001

The 5-Series sedan, the 5-Series wagon, the 3-Series sedan, the 330Ci, the M3 and the 3-Series convertible all take top honors in their respective categories in the recently announced Edmunds Most Wanted Awards. Follow the link on the left sidebar of this page to see the story.

Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board

habitat1 · October 2001

Now that I am getting closer to making a purchase decision on a new car, I wanted to test drive a 530i 5-speed sport and 540i 6-speed. Finding a 540i 6-speed at the various DC area dealerships is not a problem. Finding a 530i 5-speed with sport package on the lot seems to be damn near impossible.

Have others on this board had this problem? It is against my religion to buy a car I can't test drive in advance.

cheeks · October 2001

Has anyone noticed a musty smell when the AC comes on? Ever since I had my Aux. fan replaced I have noticed a musty smell when the AC first comes on.

taylort · October 2001

haditat1 - I purchased my 530 from Passport BMW in PG County in June, (Tom Foster was my salesman). When I was looking for a 530 with sports package and one with just the Premium package to compare, I had to make 2 trips to the dealer. They were only a week apart. 530's are hard to find on the lot but they get some in frequently and will let you test drive them before they are delivered to the buyer (most are spoken for before they touch the lot but they did have a few in stock) . One good thing was that they knocked off $200 for my troubles.

cheeks - I to have that musty smell when I first turn on the AC. I hope to get over to the dealer soon. I am making a list items that I need them to look into.(smell from AC, noisy engine fan, molding on sun visor came loose, water dripping on exhaust after I park and turn engine off, ...) If I find the answer I will post it.

zeen · October 2001

I have a 97 528i with 15 inch wheels. I want to upgrade the wheels and tires. Can I go to 17 inch or should I go to 16 inch? Any performance issues? I assume it screws up the speedometer accuracy. Any advice would be appreciated.

div2 · October 2001

As long as you select the proper tire size speedometer accuracy will not be affected. Whatbyou need to remember is that when you increase the wheel diameter you will be decreasing the tire sidewall height. This will make your whgeel more susceptable to pothole damage. Why do you want to "upgrade"? Looks? Performance? I'd be inclined to go with 16" wheels. I sincerely doubt you would be able to detect a significant performance difference on the street between 16" and 17" wheels- particularly with a stock E39 base suspension.

habitat1 · October 2001

Thanks for the feedback on Passport. They are about the only DC area BMW dealer I haven't visited or called (don't get over to PG County very often). I know they are competitive on Nissans - a couple of friends have bought from them.

What did you end up getting (i.e. sport, premium or both) and what has been your post-purchase experience with Passport? Thanks.

cheeks · October 2001

Thanks for your feedback regarding the "musty smell". I also have a loud Aux. fan issue. It has been loud ever since they replaced the fan as a result of the recall. Please let me know what your dealer says. My dealer has told me that the fan noise is normal. I disagree.

hnn · October 2001

Hi, Anyone knows when BMW introduce steptronic gear box? Some earlier discussions stated that steptronic GB lasts 80K-120K? I checked with BMW web site and they denied it? Comments? Hnn

john01 · October 2001

The post you read was probably mine. I don't doubt that BMW will deny it. I emailed one of those "tech forum" discussions on a BMW magazine and that was the reply I received. While I don't take it as the Bible, I did come across quite a few posts on the web that talked about replacing BMW autoboxes. But no such post about the manual so far.

As for the steptronics on the market, I think it was initially available as an option then became standard equipment in 98 or 99.

dantlo · October 2001

I think steptronic was introduced to 5 series in model 99 and up. I had a 98 528 was just automatic.
Dan

hnn · October 2001

John01/Dantlo,

If streptronic was introduced in 1999 then it is only 3 years for someone to drive it to 100-120K Miles!!. It is considered abnormal to me instead of a "normal wear and tear"?? Base on this information, do we consider that it is a steptronic gear box "normal/long-term" reliability problem or an unusual stress to the step gearbox in a short period of time (to cause the failures)? Thanks. Hnn

john01 · October 2001

I will see if I can verify the steptronic availability. I am quite sure it was introduced before 98 or 99, but it was only available as an option, which is why dantlo may not have it on his 98 528. Again, I will try to find out more and post again.

shipo · October 2001

When I was shopping for my 1999 328i in the fall of 1998, my dealership had a "New" (as in new model option) 740i Sport with the "New" Steptronic transmission. At that time, the 528i and none of the 3-Series (E36 or E46) cars had the "Step" as an option, I did not look at a 540iA so I have no knowlege about that one.

Best Regards,
Shipo

dantlo · October 2001

Shipo is right, I bought my 98 528 in the fall of 98 also. It was available on 99's 3 series(E46) but not on the 5 series. And I dont remeber reading about steptronic as an option the owners manual either.
Dan

hnn · October 2001

John01/Dantlo/shipo,

Reply from official BMW sites. For your information.

Comments on my previous post (longterm reliability or stress??)? Thanks. Hnn

From: OwnerCare@bmwusa.com | Block Address | Add to Address Book
To: hnnguyen@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 30 Oct 2001 09:27:41 -0500
Subject: RE:Other [#68320]

Hai Nguyen,

Steptroninc transmission were introduced to our cars in 1999. The transmission are supplied to us by ZF Friedrichshafen AG you can learn more
about them at www.zf.com.

Jess Cusumano

--Original Message--

Jess,
Thank you for your reply.

Please answer the following questions:

1. When was steptronic introduced by BMW?
2. What is the failure rate so far with normal usage sicne there is no maitenance scheduled for it.

Thank you. Hai.

--- OwnerCare@bmwusa.com wrote:
>
> Hai Nguyen,
>
> I have checked with our technical specialists and > they do not such statistic. They stated that there was not a statistic of part failure for the Steptronic Transmition, they added that they had not heard of the failures that you are writing of.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jess Cusumano
> Customer Relations Representative
> 800-831-1117

jls21 · October 2001

Just had my Aux Fan replaced today at Dreher Holloway in Stratham, NH (where I purchased my 530i). Superb service experience. Got my appointment on 4 days notice, had a loaner waiting for me. Done when I returned 3 hours later as promised. What I found interesting was that when I called BMW of Peabody (closer to my home), their next appointment was one month out. My guess is that servicing cars not purchased there is a low priority for them. Their loss. I continue to LOVE my car, and am awaiting delivery of a set of Michelin Pilot Alpins from Tire Rack for winter use. I can't think of a car that I would enjoy more thoroughly.

john01 · October 2001

Thanks for the information.

chrism123 · October 2001

That is good to hear. So far all of my dealings (with Dreher Holloway) have been positive. However my car will not be delievered until February/March.

I am considering changing my exterior/interior color to Sterling Gray/Black. They had a 02 540i on the lot with this combination. Did you notice it. If so what is your opinion. I understand color choices are very subjective.

It be interesting to know how good to tires will be in winter driving. Will you be using your existing rims or did you buy another set.

jrc330 · October 2001

Be careful with any changes after your order has gone into the system if it has, any change including color selection will ad at least a month to your delivery time frame...

cheeks · October 2001

Is your new Aux. fan loud? My replacement fan ( along with many other 5 series owners) is loud. BMWNA is trying to remedy the situation.

john01 · October 2001

I was set on Sterling Gray but was not happy that the interior was limited to Blk. It turns out that is actually a mistake on the web site, it is available with other color. anyway, I test drove a Orient Blue, which is now Toledo Blue, I think, and you know the rest.

As for change in order delaying the delivery, that is a news to me. My sales guy said I can change the order anytime until about a couple of weeks prior to the actual production.

npy · October 2001

I'm trying to decide on whether to purchase a 2001 530ia, prem, cold, heated steering wheel, convenience, PDC, and Michelin Alpins w/rims asking $40,900 from a private seller or go for a 2002 530ia.

What are 2002 530's going for in the New England area?

chrism123 · October 2001

I have been seeing $1500-2000 off from MSRP for a 02 530ia. Discounts are all from NH based dealers.

How many miles on the 01 530. Is it in good condiition.

chrism123 · October 2001

I found on a dealer's lot today an 02 540i with Sterling Gray (exterior) and gray interior. Nice combination. However I believe that the black interior looks better. Just concerned about the summer heat.

Any opinions on this new exterior color.

mdstat · October 2001

Does any one use the parking light? In what ocassions are they usefull?

jls21 · October 2001

I had the aux fan replaced on 10/30. I can't really say that I have noticed any different fan noise. Is the noise something that you have heard while driving, or while the car is idling??

jls21 · October 2001

Regarding your color choice, what color combo did you order before you started to reconsider. The choice for me was pretty easy. I was not willing to buy a car with anything but the black interior. My preferred choices for exterior colors were Titanium Silver, Aspen Silver or Black, although I had a higher preference for either silver color. I ended up buying a 530i that the owner of the dealership drove for about 8 weeks - delivered with 1300 miles - Aspen Silver/Black - I love the color combo. Not too many aspen silver cars out there - far fewer than titanium. I didn't notice the Sterling gray - but assuming it is somewhere between silver and black, I would probably like it with a black interior. I'm not a fan of the gray interior. I think the black looks richer. But, as you said, color is subjective. I'll let you know how the snow tires work out - I did not buy a new set of rims.

cmr530i · October 2001

FYI
I just got my November issue of Consumer Reports and it has chosen the 530i as "the best car we've tested" out of four European luxury sedans. The others were: MB E320, Audi A6 Quattro 2.7T, Jaguar S-Type 3.0. It also outscored the Lincoln LS V6, Lexus GS300, Saab 9-5, Volvo S80 2.9, Acura 3.5RL. Good info for those of you thinking about getting the 5 series.

john01 · November 2001

The color selection is purely up to each one of us, so can't really give you any objective opinions. But, having said that, I personally am staying away from the black interior this time. Although I think it looks nice, it just gets darn too hot in the summer (I have one, I know), also it shows cracks very easily. I promised to myself that I'd take good care of it, but I do have a few cracks in my seat after seven years of use and only 2 applications of leather conditioner (Hide Food @your local Rolls Royce dealer, highly recommended). I am going with Toledo Blue with Gray interior because I feel that it is a good compromise, and it makes the cabin look airy and open with the lighter color, whereas the black gives you that tightly wrapped around feel. (like I said, subjective)

However, YOU will be driving it for the next a few years, and who cares what anyone else says, if you are happy with the color, then go for it.

chrism123 · November 2001

For the moment, I have selected Oxford Green w/ Tan. Nice combination, in my opinion, but I'm still not totally sold on it. Some of the other choices I liked were Black/Black (might be a little hot in the summer months plus the dirt factor) and Titanium Silver/Black (great looking but 9/10 5's seem to be this combo). However I did see a Toledo Blue w/Gray, I liked it, another possibility. jls21, I have only seen the Aspen Silver in a swatch. I'm a little hesitant to select a color unless I see it on the car.

I would like asked the opinion of current 5-series owners about the quality of the premium sound system vs. the standard vs. after market. I have asked this question before and for the moment, I have opted to go with the premium system. However after reading some of the reviews on the X5 site there seems to be a division on whether the system is good enough to warrant the $1200 price. Some of the X5 owners suggested replacing the speakers and amplifier would net better results. Any opinions.

john01 · November 2001

I test drove a car with standard sound and was disappointed. Despite having 10 speakers, it sounded no better than my parents Accord with 6 speakers. So I went with the Premium. I think you can get good results by upgrading speakers and amps for less than $1200. I was too lazy to do it myself, and just checked off the box on the order sheet. www.bmwtips.com has some tips on upgrading speakers.

eyeslaher · November 2001

has anyone seen pictures of all new 5 series scheduled for release in 2003

npy · November 2001

The 2001 is listed at 14K for mileage. I haven't seen the car in person, but the seller described it as excellent in condition. Based on the photo it does seem well taken care of.

I've asked the same question on the bimmer.org site and those who responded say I should go for a 2002. They believe that I should be able to get one at $2500-3500 off msrp.

Do you think this is possible in the NE area? I'm in MA.

cheeks · November 2001

I hear the fan come on and off while I'm driving. You can definitely hear it when you are idling. Check out bimmer.org E39 message board to read about other owners experiences with the replacement fan.

hnn · November 2001

http://www.bmw2002.co.uk/news.htm

gerry18 · November 2001

My wife and I went through the same exterior/interior color choice dilemna you are facing. We are replacing her 10 year old silver with black leather Sable. Feels it is time for a color change and initially was against the black leather for the same hot weather issues john01 discussed. However, we have managed 10 years with the interior still looking good as new with only one cleaning (black doesn't seem to show the dirt) and an occasional leather treatment. Decided tolerating the hot weather initial cool-down problem of the black leather was a reasonable trade for the good looks and relatively easy long term maintenance. We are expecting delivery of her 2002 530i in sterling gray with black leather in mid November.

michaelg5 · November 2001

Aspen silver is a color that must be seen on a car because it has an unusual cast that some people don't like and cannot be seen from a swatch. I've heard stories about people ordering it froma swatch and were not happy when they actually saw the car. As for interior, I have the gray and I agree with the person who said it gives an airy feeling. There are no cracks and it looks as good as the day it was new. MG

john01 · November 2001

the swatch on the catalog is useless, especially the metallic paints. (well that covers most of the BMW colors) The dealer in Berlin I went to actually has about 2 ft. cut off section of Z3 hoods with all diffrent colors to help. Even then, you really need to see it from outside under the natural light to really see what its like.

jls21 · November 2001

I definitely agree that color is subjective and that the swatches can be pretty useless, and while I'm not trying to sway anybody, Aspen Silver is a color that if you like it, you will really love it. It's much more unique than titanium, and gets ALOT of comments from people who see it. Most people who have seen my car for the first time immediately comment on how much they like the color. It is one of those colors that can look a little different depending on the available light. Like I said, not trying to sway anyone - who else out there has Aspen Silver and loves it?? Regarding interior color, one of my major issues is that I have very young children, and feel that black will wear best for my family over the next several years.

dabimmer · November 2001

When we purchased our 2001 5er Dec 30 last year we were not so interested in color choices as we were in the options we were getting. The car that had everything we wanted and nothing we didn't want turned out to be Anthracite exterior with Black interior, I loved the exterior right away especially since it was delivered with a rich coat of high gloss polish and a protective coat of carnauba wax. I hated the black interior and it was the source of many
irritations. Then I saw a 530I like mine with gray interior and I realized black is much more
beautiful and classy. Needless to say after almost one year of ownership the black is here to stay and if and when I get another it will be black. But, like other posts have said this is entirely subjective and I'm sure others love their ext/int combos just as much as I do mine.

dave1363 · November 2001

I've been out car shopping lately and was considering a new Toyota Avalon or Acura TL. What about a used BMW 528? Is it worth leasing a 99 or 2000 BMW 528 instead of leasing a new car? What are the pros and cons? The local dealer here claims there are great lease options now on the used 528's. I didn't have time to run numbers with the sales guy (plus he wouldn't shut up long enough for me to ask questions). Could it be feasible that with BMW's holding their value that maybe a lease on a new one could be close in cost to a used one? For ex. he said that the Certified preowned 1999 (most options) 40K miles would lease out at about $1,500 down and $500-$550 a month. We didn't pin down actual numbers, but I just wanted a ball park number. Does this sound like it's in the ball park and is it worth pursuing a used BMW? Or should I stick to the new car? If it's even money I guess I would prefer the new car. But if the Beemer is all that and then some and it is a really good deal then I think I would take the plunge.

mbnut1 · November 2001

Assuming that you have driven both cars, the fact that you are even debating the issue tells me that you should probably go with the Toyotas. The cars you are talking about couldn't be more different. Used BMW's are for die hard car guys who couldn't stand to drive a Toyota but are willing to put up with the maintance issues. Toyotas a nice reliable but boring transportation.

mdstat · November 2001

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