I checked the BMW site in Germany (I cannot read German, so I had to guess at some of it), and here is what I found (Note, in all cases, I have no idea what transmission these cars were equipped with):
Converted to Miles Per Gallon (My first crack at the formula, so, it may be incorrect): 525i -- 17.95 / 32.66 / 25.02 530i -- 17.95 / 31.78 / 24.75 540i -- 12.78 / 26.72 / 19.18
As we can see, their City numbers are worse than the EPA numbers, however, the Highway numbers are better than the EPA. Go figure.
Colt007,
I (and many others as well) use the Klasse system which was developed in Germany for German cars. It is inexpensive, easy to use, and lasts 6 months.
thanks. I've also heard good things about Klasse (class or classy?). Have you ever heard of Zaino? http://www.zainobros.com/ It's actually a polish not a wax. It requires washing the car with dishwashing liquid to remove the wax already on it which I could never bring myself to do.
Klasse is also a polish not a wax, it requires a fraction of the amount of work to apply and maintain, it costs far less, AND it looks as good, if not better IMHO.
I've used it for years on my cars, colt. Tried Zaino once & have switched back, not for any objective reason. Zymol is very good, but you don't need to get the stuff they make for show cars -- you can get the cream (as in soft paste) at most good auto supply stores, about $15 - $20. (Show cars use the expensive stuff, but theyu're not as interested in durability.)
I am buying a 530i and wondering if the sports package is worth it? What do you think? Also are long drives with the sport package? I heard it might be uncomfortable.
I have the sport package on my 530i and drove 800 miles round trip from L.A. to Scottsdale, AZ and I must say that it was the most comfortable long distance ride I'd ever taken. Only made one meal stop and two gas stops(wanted to keep the tank full in the desert) with two kids in the car and no one complained! It was a fast 4 hour drive one way with no fatigue. The sport package makes the car sooooo much more fun to drive in my opinion.
shipo... Thanks. Interesting info. Would be interesting to see what the English and Australian counterparts to USA's EPA say about 5 Series fuel economy.
I have an interesting book written in German, "Alle Automobile BMW 1928-1978, by Motorbuch Verlag". Published "Auflage, 1978". Seems to cover about every BMW made during this time period. Filled with tech specs. Also has acceleration, top speed, and fuel economy numbers. For example, the 1977 528i with 4-speed manual Getrag performance data inclues "16 liter Verbrauch/100 km", top speed of 208 kph, and 0-100 km/h 9.5 sec.
Does anyone know the German word(s) signifying limited slip differential???
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the sport package is the most important and best option on the 5-series, without question. The upgraded suspension would alone be worth the cost, but you also get the cool upgraded 17" wheels, the amazing sport seats, and the fatter steering wheel (much better than the standard wheel), topped off with small ///M insignia that turn the car into an incredibly balanced and responsive sports sedan. I'd only consider the car without it if I did ONLY a lot of highway driving (in which case I'd probably get a Mercedes or Lexus anyway).
But if you enjoy the art of an intuitive trail-brake into a corner, nailing the apex with a laser-guided steering system, and swiftly accelerating out with a perfectly executed 3-2 downshift, the sport package, my friend, is for you. Sorry for the dramatization, but 3500 miles into ownership and I'm still hunting for excuses every night to go driving on empty streets.
bmw530, My previous 2001 540i with sport package was an awesome machine. I now drive a 530i without spp (long story -- which was posted previously on this board). Initially I missed the sharp handling of the 540i spp but after a couple months I am getting used to the std suspension of my new 2002 530i. It is not that bad. You should consider the cheaper operating cost (mainly tires) of a non-spp if you are not really, really picky on car's handling.
bmw530... If the 530i Sport Package is anything like the one in my 540i6, then it is the way to go. Great ride quality and controllability. Mine is an absolute joy to drive long distances on interstate or 2-lane state highways/county roads. But I also enjoy driving my wife's non-Sport '00 323iA. You won't go wrong with any BMW. Maybe the M3 or M5 are a bit too hard, but the 5 Series is a perfect platform for its great Sport Package.
What 2-step procedure? The cleaning and then the conditioning of the leather? That's pretty standard, as far as I'm aware...
And yes, I'm pleased with the products. I've only had my car 4 month/3500 miles, so the upholstery hasn't really gotten dirty. But the conditioner I applied really seemed to breathe new life and moisture to the seats, which seemed to start drying.
Most manufacturers are selling a one-step cleaner/conditioner in the auto supply stores. There is some debate as to whether two steps are necessary and which leather products work best ... the hard part is removing marks or stains from the leather.
...but this reminds me of the cleaner+wax solutions they introduced a couple years back, which, unsurprisingly, weren't very good at either.
The cleaner and conditioner perform two very different tasks: the cleaner is a mild detergent designed to help loosen and remove dirt, debris, and various particles from the leather, and the conditioner is an oil-based product designed to restore the organic material's natural moisture, elasticity, and color. If you try to save time just using one joint product (and even using both it's actually quick, relative to washing and waxing the entire car), I suspect the results won't be as impressive.
Does the conditioner make the leather shiny? We like the "matte" finish of the black leather. Also, do you know what the dash is made of? It feels almost like suede--I'm assuming it's plastic of some sort. Thanks.
Unlike some conditioners, the Lexol product isn't that greasy. I have sand leather, so I can't tell you exactly what it would look like on black, but after applying and buffing it, the seats didn't look or feel greasy. For really dry leather, I imagine it would restore some of the natural shine, but, again, I don't think it would be cheap and oily.
As for the dash, it's a vinyl (a type of plastic)-rubber compound, I think. Unless you've got an M5, in which parts of the dash are leather.
Thanks for all your comments on the wax question. (div2: I see you know Sal@zaino ) ek5: I've used the Lexnol conditioner and cleaner in my 300M. You can wipe it down enough to achieve that matte finish your looking for.
did any of you guys hear about it? I got a quote from a dealer, $1699 for 6 yr/100K miles full warranty on a 99 540ia w/ 49600 miles and sports package. the deductible is $100. what do you guys think? or do you have any suggestions on other good extended warranty serivce? Thanks a lot!
I checked the tire pressure on my new 2002MY 530i with SP for the first time today (2800 miles on the car now). I found the pressure to be 40 psi on all four tires. The car came new from the dealer this way. The tires are all Michelin xse 235/45R17. The recommended tire pressure is 33 front and 41 rear.
Questions: 1. Why would the dealer inflate the fronts to 40? 2. If I deflate fronts to 33 psi, will I feel a difference? If so, what kind of difference. 3. Does the difference in psi result in different tire wear front (33) vs rear (41) and so that is the reason rotating is not recommended? 4. Does the difference in psi cause my speedometer to be off by so much (I know this was discussed before - also this month's Car and Driver has an article on it) 5. I could not find the speed rating on the tires. Is it "V" rated to 128 MPH? Is the tire rating why the car is limited to 128 MPH?
1. They probably made an error. When shipped from Germany, the tires are overinflated to prevent dead spots from forming, and the dealer probably was lazy to look up the right values and just brought them down all around to 40psi.
2. I doubt you'd feel much of a difference. At most, hitting sharp bumps may feel slightly more cushioned.
3. Good questions. Tire wear depends on a lot of things: inflation, alignment, weather, driving habits, whether the wheel is used for steering and/or propulsion, whether it's front or back, terrain you drive on, load weight, etc. BMW recommends against rotation because it takes time for rotated tires to re-seat and the car can handle differently than what you're accustomed to (although minorly so).
4. The speedometer in BMW's runs off a sensor in the rear-left ABS component, so a front tire overinflation will have virtually no effect on the speedometer error.
5. No, the car is governed to 128 for liability reasons, mainly (although the 540i6 and M5 are limited to 155). I think the stock Conti's are actually V-rated to 149mph. It would be dangerous to equip a car governed to 128 with tires rated at 128mph--you need more of a safety margin.
I've had my 530i (5spd) w/SP for about six weeks. The seats and the steering wheel are great. Although I really enjoy the handling on the car my kids, who sit in the back, complain that the car is too "bumpy." I haven't sat in the back while the car is in motion so I can't verify. If you are about to buy a new 530i, you might want to compare the upgraded sound system to the stock system. The reception on the stock system is fair at best, although the upgraded system may have the same tuner. The sound quality on the stock system is also not particularly good, in my opinion; I wish I had checked out the upgraded system before I ordered the car. All in all, however, a great car.
boxster... Do a lot of research on the company. Insurance is only as good as the insurance company. If the company isn't any good, then neither is the insurance. Check out BBB. See if you can find the company discussed by Value Line, Morningstar, Best, etc.
And equally important, you need to pour over the terms and conditions. Get a copy of the contract first and study it carefully. What are the limitations and exclusions? The devil truly is in the details!!! Don't believe there is such a thing as a "full warranty" for any used car.
Have you compared to BMW's CPO warranty? Only $50 deductible. You can get a copy of its coverage from dealer and some info off BMW NA's web site. Pretty comprehensive. Gives you an additional 2 yrs/50K over in addition to any remaining factory warranty (the initial 4 yr/50K b-to-b warranty).
Thanks, man. you are so helpful. but if I'm buying this car from anothe dealer, not a BMW dealer. so do I have a chance to get it CPOed in BMW center after I buy it from other non-BMW dealer? I was told the chance is pretty slim. I might only can buy 3rd party extended warranty. am I correct?
A BMW center cannot "CPO" a car upon request. It's only done with trade-ins or lease turn-ins which meet certain criteria. But if you get the car inspected by a respected BMW technician and buy a comprehensive extended warranty, you should be in good shape.
I had the same problem you have encountered except I discovered it a few days after I bought my car. If I remember correctly, the pressure was 42 on all four tires. I am pretty sure most people assume that when the dealer prepares a car for delivery the tire pressure is checked. Evidently, that is not the case. Now, I check mine every few weeks.
I know you guys will think that something is wrong with the picture. We only put in 200-300 miles per month since we do not drive a lot. It is not a leased car so I am not trying to stay within an allotted mileage. Am I going to mess up any parts of the car by not putting in enough mileage? I know I won't get a full benefits of the warranty since it will expire long before I reach the mileage limit.
I will try to do more driving once the weather gets better.
boxster... Have you checked out BMW NA's CPO locator on their web site? If not, you really should. Easy to use. And the prices shown are set by the dealer. They are negotiable. Might be able to find some nice cars that meet your needs. They'll be CPO, which is honored at all BMW dealers. I concur with snagiel. Don't think you can buy a used BMW from a private party or non-BMW dealer and then get a BMW to CPO it. (Guess you might be able to if you could sell the car to your BMW dealer and then buy it back from them.)
530bmw...There's nothing wrong with not driving the car enough. Many people (in the Tri-State Area) drive a few miles a day to the train station or bus stop and back + whatever galavanting they do on the weekend.
boxter...Unless you're getting this used BMW dirt cheap (then I'd be really weary about it), I'd definitely check out the CPO 5 series in your area. The 540iA you're looking at seems to not be a spring chicken as far as mileage goes (its not absurly high, but not super low). The cars will be a bit more expensive (offset by the extended warranty that you're getting), but you get what you pay for. CPO BMWs come with a 6 year/100,000 CPO warranty plus whatever is left on the factory warranty. Its definitely worth a look. Also have you considered an new 525 or 530 or possibly an ED 530?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD, 2025 Toyota Camry SE AWD
I heard of someone who went through a muffler due to bad rust despite having a very low mileage. The person only drove a few miles at a time for a few years which never heated it enough to dry out.
Been reading all the posts, which by the way, are head and shoulders above anything on Edmunds Town Hall. Since 98% of the time there are only two of us in this car I carry 30F and 33R and I find the car handles very well and rides very well without the jouncy, jittery ride of the higher tire inflations. The tires are Michelin Pilot Primacy's and the car has the sport suspension and 17' wheels. I have the stock 10 speaker radio with CD and I find it is more than adequate, the best car radio I have ever had in all these years of driving. I am sure that with the digital processor the radio would be even better but since I am thoroughly satisfied with the stock system I am content. Maybe in the future I may upgrade with new speakers if the time comes and I don't think the stock is up to par, till then..... just my 02 cents.
Let us know where you are. I'm sure someone would love to drive your car & help accumulate some miles I don't use the car to commute, so when I get home I look for any excuse (or none at all) to go for a drive.
I'm not sure only driving 200 to 300 miles a month is a big issue, but only driving short hops when the engine doesn't get a chance to warm up and/or run at higher speeds can be.
As John01 mentioned, the exhaust system doesn't get a chance to burn off water that is created when the engine runs cold or cool. And the fuel injectors and other parts of the engine can clog up with carbon deposits at low speeds and rpms. There are numerous other little items that are affected by short hops.
I am very conscious of this because my cousin initially thought he was getting a great deal on a very low milage 540i a few months ago (1999 6-speed w/6,500 miles). He had the good sense to take it to a BMW mechanic before buying and found evidence of several problems including those described above. The fact that the car was driven in a colder climate (Pennsylavania) exacerbated the problems. And, performance oriented engines, like BMW's, are actually affected more, since they are so efficient as to take longer to fully warm up. Basically, the mechanics advice for low milage drivers was to try to minimize short trips and make sure the car gets at least some opportunity to "stretch its legs" with a 30-50+ mile highway drive at least once every week or two.
Conversely, I have a 1995 Maxima with 123k of mostly highway milage and the engine compression, as verified at the 120k service, is within a few percent of a new car tolerance. My Nissan mechanic claims that, over two years, 1,000 5-mile roundtrips (i.e. 5,000 total miles) would put more wear on certain parts and the engine than than 500 100-mile trips (50,000 total miles).
Perhaps you should lend me the car every other week??
I picked-up my 02 530ia on 1/02 and currently have 602 miles on the odometer. For the most part, I am waiting until the spring weather arrives and washes the road salt away.
Just curious, does anybody find it difficult to obey the break-in recommendation of keeping the engine speed under 4500 RPM’s.
I have 530 delivered in Feb and have 1350 miles. I did 700 mile trip last month and was hard to stay below 4000 rpm, especially on autobahn. Our German sales guys says they tell the German customers 1000 km, which is about 600 miles or so. We put the snow tires on and have been driving, but no snow. Probably will change back to the summers next week.
Habitat...your info agrees with jonn01 on a possible damage on exhaust system and something else. I am glad I asked about it, I will start doing as you suggested-- long drive to make sure nothing is clogged up. Incidentally, I also have a 95 Maxima with 123k and if I remember correctly you live in DC area too, right? Thank you for your valuable input.
Chrism124, I thought mine was bad, yours is a few hundred miles less than me. Should we rent the cars out on the weekends?
Colt007, may be you can take turn driving my car and chrism124's to increase the mileage.
Difficult? Are you kidding? When I got picked up the car at the Spartanburg Delivery Center with 3 miles on the odometer, I exited the driveway and, actually trying to accelerate gingerly, accidentally ran it up to the redline. It just climbed so fast and eagerly, I had no idea it would be so difficult to hold back.
The "Rear Door Mounted Side Impact Airbag" which "(Includes rear HPS for Sedan)" has an MSRP of $550 with an invoice of $500 for the sedan versions of the 5-Series, and $385 and $350 respectively for the "Sport Wagon" 5-Series cars.
When I tried to "build my 5 series" on the bmw web site, it appears to require leather seats to get the sport package. Is this true? If so, does anyone know why? I don't really want leather, so the sport package effectively costs me $2,700.
Hmmm, it appears that BMW does in fact require Montana Leather Seats for the Sport Package, and that you will effectively be paying $3,750 for the SP.
As to why this is so? My guess would be that it is a simple marketing decision. I can see one of those German Bean Counters going "Hmmmm, vell now, ve vill only do leather on zee 'Scherz Paket' und ve vill make extra Euros on each Auto". Maybe that is a little harsh, however, after growing up in Detroit, I guess I have a slightly jaundice view of Automobile Company Bean Counters.
According to BMW's 86-page full color brochure for the 2002 5 Series...
1. "Rear side airbags (deactivated), including rear head airbags" is a stand-alone option for ALL 5 Series, from 525i up to 540i6.
2. "Montana leather upholstery and door trim" is standard for all 540i's and is either a stand-alone option for the 525i & 530i or "included in optional Premium Package" for both. Interestingly, there is no mention--footnote or otherwise--of having to get Montana leather with the optional Sport Package, but the photograph of the 525i & 530i interiors (same picture) shows Montana leather. The Sport Pkg gets you the 12-way power front sport seats but no mention of whether they have to be Montana leather or not.
My car has step, I took my car out this morning to burn more mileage and tried to fool around with the transmission modes without good understanding. There are three different modes: automatic, sport automatic, and manual. I understand auto and manual but not sport automatic, I am not sure what are the differences between automatic and sport automatic and when to use the sport mode.
All of the car I owned so far are automatic. I barely know how to drive a car with manual let alone how to drive it properly, i.e. when to shift gear, and should it be based on RPM or something else? Before I start using the manual mode I would like to learn the basic of manual driving. Is there a web site that provides some basic lesson for a person like me.
I want to make sure I understand how and when to use them without messing the transmission for both the sport automatic and manual. I know some of you will educate me on this.
I am no expert but here is my take on various auto modes:
1. Auto - the car does it for you. It has different shift patterns programmed by the engineers to best match your driving style. Some that use "fuzzy logic algorithms" (don't ask me why it is called that way) are supposed to "learn" and adapt to your particular driving habit. I think Honda uses this, not sure about BMW.
2. Sport Auto - to me it is mostly a sales gimmick. the computer is simply shifting the transmission at higher RPM range than the normal pattern. You can do the same with the normal mode by just holding your foot down on the gas. One of the annoying things about the sport auto mode is that if for some reason you wanted to accelerate slowly due to traffic condition, etc. it will hold the gear and give you the jerky movement, not to mention the loud engine noise.
3. Auto-manual - even in auto-manual mode, most cars will shift near the redline if you forget. However, it allows you to pick your shift point, to mimic the manual, so you can push or pull to upshift and downshift when you want to. As good as the stepbox in the 530 was, I found it to be too slow for my taste, and not so smart. I just left it in auto when I drove it for a couple of days, which was actually better. The sequential transmissions in the new M3 SMG or the Ferrari 360 are actually manual transmissions with hydraulically actuated clutch, so you will bounce off the rev-limiter if you forget to shift on those cars.
Fuzzy logic doesn't refer to the transmission's ability to "learn" its owner's driving habits. It refers to the complex algorithms used to determine shift points. Old automatics used to do so with simple hydraulics and measurements, but they earned notorious reputations for "gear hunting" on inclines and both premature upshifts and hesitant downshift. "Fuzzy" logic (which isn't really fuzzy but is called so to capture the seemingly vague decisions involved) has been refined in automatics over the years to more closely emulate the shifting decisions a real human would. You can read more about the concept at: http://www.emsl.pnl.gov:2080/proj/neuron/fuzzy/what.html
In the very limited amount (602 miles) of driving with my 530ia, I have noticed the following.
In Auto Mode the transmission appears to start in 2nd gear. Assume normal driving, will shift into the next gear around 2k RPM's. By the time I reach 35-40 mph the transmission will already be in 5th gear. Good for fuel conservation but not for performance.
I have not used the Sport Mode but would 1st gear be used from a dead stop. This would make a difference in acceleration times.
The Manual Mode is fun but certainly not a replacement for a real manual transmission. But this mode will also start in 2nd gear from a dead stop.
Comments
I checked the BMW site in Germany (I cannot read German, so I had to guess at some of it), and here is what I found (Note, in all cases, I have no idea what transmission these cars were equipped with):
Liters per 100 Kilometers:
525i -- 13.1 / 7.2 / 9.4 (städtisch / außerstädtisch / insgesamt)
530i -- 13.1 / 7.4 / 9.5 (urban / not urban (highway?) / combined)
540i -- 18.4 / 8.8 / 12.3
Converted to Miles Per Gallon (My first crack at the formula, so, it may be incorrect):
525i -- 17.95 / 32.66 / 25.02
530i -- 17.95 / 31.78 / 24.75
540i -- 12.78 / 26.72 / 19.18
As we can see, their City numbers are worse than the EPA numbers, however, the Highway numbers are better than the EPA. Go figure.
Colt007,
I (and many others as well) use the Klasse system which was developed in Germany for German cars. It is inexpensive, easy to use, and lasts 6 months.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Colt.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Colt.
Take care.
Joe W.
OMMMMM
Washing: P21S Bodywork shampoo
Glazing/Cleaning: 3M Imperial Hand Glaze
Waxing: One Grand Blitz Wax
Leather Cleaner: Lexol pH Cleaner
Leather Conditioner: Lexol Leather Conditioner
Tire Cleaner: One Grand Exterior Rubber and Vinyl Dressing
Wheel Cleaner: P21S High Performance Wheel Cleaner
Vinyl (dash, doors): Lexol Vinylex Protectant
I have an interesting book written in German, "Alle Automobile BMW 1928-1978, by Motorbuch Verlag". Published "Auflage, 1978". Seems to cover about every BMW made during this time period. Filled with tech specs. Also has acceleration, top speed, and fuel economy numbers. For example, the 1977 528i with 4-speed manual Getrag performance data inclues "16 liter Verbrauch/100 km", top speed of 208 kph, and 0-100 km/h 9.5 sec.
Does anyone know the German word(s) signifying limited slip differential???
But if you enjoy the art of an intuitive trail-brake into a corner, nailing the apex with a laser-guided steering system, and swiftly accelerating out with a perfectly executed 3-2 downshift, the sport package, my friend, is for you. Sorry for the dramatization, but 3500 miles into ownership and I'm still hunting for excuses every night to go driving on empty streets.
Good Luck. Hnn.
Do you like the Lexol and the 2-step procedure, or is it just that you haven't found what you do like?
Take care.
Joe W.
And yes, I'm pleased with the products. I've only had my car 4 month/3500 miles, so the upholstery hasn't really gotten dirty. But the conditioner I applied really seemed to breathe new life and moisture to the seats, which seemed to start drying.
Take care.
Joe W.
The cleaner and conditioner perform two very different tasks: the cleaner is a mild detergent designed to help loosen and remove dirt, debris, and various particles from the leather, and the conditioner is an oil-based product designed to restore the organic material's natural moisture, elasticity, and color. If you try to save time just using one joint product (and even using both it's actually quick, relative to washing and waxing the entire car), I suspect the results won't be as impressive.
As for the dash, it's a vinyl (a type of plastic)-rubber compound, I think. Unless you've got an M5, in which parts of the dash are leather.
Colt.
Thanks a lot!
Questions:
1. Why would the dealer inflate the fronts to 40?
2. If I deflate fronts to 33 psi, will I feel a difference? If so, what kind of difference.
3. Does the difference in psi result in different tire wear front (33) vs rear (41) and so that is the reason rotating is not recommended?
4. Does the difference in psi cause my speedometer to be off by so much (I know this was discussed before - also this month's Car and Driver has an article on it)
5. I could not find the speed rating on the tires. Is it "V" rated to 128 MPH? Is the tire rating why the car is limited to 128 MPH?
2. I doubt you'd feel much of a difference. At most, hitting sharp bumps may feel slightly more cushioned.
3. Good questions. Tire wear depends on a lot of things: inflation, alignment, weather, driving habits, whether the wheel is used for steering and/or propulsion, whether it's front or back, terrain you drive on, load weight, etc. BMW recommends against rotation because it takes time for rotated tires to re-seat and the car can handle differently than what you're accustomed to (although minorly so).
4. The speedometer in BMW's runs off a sensor in the rear-left ABS component, so a front tire overinflation will have virtually no effect on the speedometer error.
5. No, the car is governed to 128 for liability reasons, mainly (although the 540i6 and M5 are limited to 155). I think the stock Conti's are actually V-rated to 149mph. It would be dangerous to equip a car governed to 128 with tires rated at 128mph--you need more of a safety margin.
And equally important, you need to pour over the terms and conditions. Get a copy of the contract first and study it carefully. What are the limitations and exclusions? The devil truly is in the details!!! Don't believe there is such a thing as a "full warranty" for any used car.
Have you compared to BMW's CPO warranty? Only $50 deductible. You can get a copy of its coverage from dealer and some info off BMW NA's web site. Pretty comprehensive. Gives you an additional 2 yrs/50K over in addition to any remaining factory warranty (the initial 4 yr/50K b-to-b warranty).
but if I'm buying this car from anothe dealer, not a BMW dealer. so do I have a chance to get it CPOed in BMW center after I buy it from other non-BMW dealer? I was told the chance is pretty slim. I might only can buy 3rd party extended warranty. am I correct?
I will try to do more driving once the weather gets better.
boxter...Unless you're getting this used BMW dirt cheap (then I'd be really weary about it), I'd definitely check out the CPO 5 series in your area. The 540iA you're looking at seems to not be a spring chicken as far as mileage goes (its not absurly high, but not super low). The cars will be a bit more expensive (offset by the extended warranty that you're getting), but you get what you pay for. CPO BMWs come with a 6 year/100,000 CPO warranty plus whatever is left on the factory warranty. Its definitely worth a look. Also have you considered an new 525 or 530 or possibly an ED 530?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD, 2025 Toyota Camry SE AWD
Town Hall. Since 98% of the time there are only two of us in this car I carry 30F and 33R and I
find the car handles very well and rides very well without the jouncy, jittery ride of the higher
tire inflations. The tires are Michelin Pilot Primacy's and the car has the sport suspension and
17' wheels.
I have the stock 10 speaker radio with CD and I find it is more than adequate, the best car radio
I have ever had in all these years of driving. I am sure that with the digital processor the radio
would be even better but since I am thoroughly satisfied with the stock system I am content.
Maybe in the future I may upgrade with new speakers if the time comes and I don't think the stock is up to par, till then..... just my 02 cents.
Colt.
As John01 mentioned, the exhaust system doesn't get a chance to burn off water that is created when the engine runs cold or cool. And the fuel injectors and other parts of the engine can clog up with carbon deposits at low speeds and rpms. There are numerous other little items that are affected by short hops.
I am very conscious of this because my cousin initially thought he was getting a great deal on a very low milage 540i a few months ago (1999 6-speed w/6,500 miles). He had the good sense to take it to a BMW mechanic before buying and found evidence of several problems including those described above. The fact that the car was driven in a colder climate (Pennsylavania) exacerbated the problems. And, performance oriented engines, like BMW's, are actually affected more, since they are so efficient as to take longer to fully warm up. Basically, the mechanics advice for low milage drivers was to try to minimize short trips and make sure the car gets at least some opportunity to "stretch its legs" with a 30-50+ mile highway drive at least once every week or two.
Conversely, I have a 1995 Maxima with 123k of mostly highway milage and the engine compression, as verified at the 120k service, is within a few percent of a new car tolerance. My Nissan mechanic claims that, over two years, 1,000 5-mile roundtrips (i.e. 5,000 total miles) would put more wear on certain parts and the engine than than 500 100-mile trips (50,000 total miles).
Perhaps you should lend me the car every other week??
Just curious, does anybody find it difficult to obey the break-in recommendation of keeping the engine speed under 4500 RPM’s.
Chris M
Habitat...your info agrees with jonn01 on a possible damage on exhaust system and something else. I am glad I asked about it, I will start doing as you suggested-- long drive to make sure nothing is clogged up. Incidentally, I also have a 95 Maxima with 123k and if I remember correctly you live in DC area too, right? Thank you for your valuable input.
Chrism124, I thought mine was bad, yours is a few hundred miles less than me. Should we rent the cars out on the weekends?
Colt007, may be you can take turn driving my car and chrism124's to increase the mileage.
Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Shipo
As to why this is so? My guess would be that it is a simple marketing decision. I can see one of those German Bean Counters going "Hmmmm, vell now, ve vill only do leather on zee 'Scherz Paket' und ve vill make extra Euros on each Auto". Maybe that is a little harsh, however, after growing up in Detroit, I guess I have a slightly jaundice view of Automobile Company Bean Counters.
Best Regards,
Shipo
1. "Rear side airbags (deactivated), including rear head airbags" is a stand-alone option for ALL 5 Series, from 525i up to 540i6.
2. "Montana leather upholstery and door trim" is standard for all 540i's and is either a stand-alone option for the 525i & 530i or "included in optional Premium Package" for both. Interestingly, there is no mention--footnote or otherwise--of having to get Montana leather with the optional Sport Package, but the photograph of the 525i & 530i interiors (same picture) shows Montana leather. The Sport Pkg gets you the 12-way power front sport seats but no mention of whether they have to be Montana leather or not.
All of the car I owned so far are automatic. I barely know how to drive a car with manual let alone how to drive it properly, i.e. when to shift gear, and should it be based on RPM or something else? Before I start using the manual mode I would like to learn the basic of manual driving. Is there a web site that provides some basic lesson for a person like me.
I want to make sure I understand how and when to use them without messing the transmission for both the sport automatic and manual. I know some of you will educate me on this.
1. Auto - the car does it for you. It has different shift patterns programmed by the engineers to best match your driving style. Some that use "fuzzy logic algorithms" (don't ask me why it is called that way) are supposed to "learn" and adapt to your particular driving habit. I think Honda uses this, not sure about BMW.
2. Sport Auto - to me it is mostly a sales gimmick. the computer is simply shifting the transmission at higher RPM range than the normal pattern. You can do the same with the normal mode by just holding your foot down on the gas. One of the annoying things about the sport auto mode is that if for some reason you wanted to accelerate slowly due to traffic condition, etc. it will hold the gear and give you the jerky movement, not to mention the loud engine noise.
3. Auto-manual - even in auto-manual mode, most cars will shift near the redline if you forget. However, it allows you to pick your shift point, to mimic the manual, so you can push or pull to upshift and downshift when you want to. As good as the stepbox in the 530 was, I found it to be too slow for my taste, and not so smart. I just left it in auto when I drove it for a couple of days, which was actually better. The sequential transmissions in the new M3 SMG or the Ferrari 360 are actually manual transmissions with hydraulically actuated clutch, so you will bounce off the rev-limiter if you forget to shift on those cars.
In Auto Mode the transmission appears to start in 2nd gear. Assume normal driving, will shift into the next gear around 2k RPM's. By the time I reach 35-40 mph the transmission will already be in 5th gear. Good for fuel conservation but not for performance.
I have not used the Sport Mode but would 1st gear be used from a dead stop. This would make a difference in acceleration times.
The Manual Mode is fun but certainly not a replacement for a real manual transmission. But this mode will also start in 2nd gear from a dead stop.
Chris