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BMW 5-Series Sedans

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Comments

  • hssahuhssahu Member Posts: 26
    After inputs from you, I ditched the idea of dedicated winter tires for SF Bay area (merely for few ski trips).

    But, while generally checking on tirerack, I saw Michelin has a "pilot sport (summer only)" and a "pilot sport A/S". The ratings of "Pilot sport A/S" is much higher than the ones I have now (pilot MXM4 A/S). Even in all dry, wet and snow traction catagories. Worth upgrading to the "Pilot sport A/S"?

    The dry traction rating of "Pilot sport - summer only" is not that much better than "pilot sport A/S".

    Any experiences with these specific ones?
  • 530bmw530bmw Member Posts: 130
    Can anyone tell me if oil changes are included in the warranty?
  • riezriez Member Posts: 2,361
    530bmw... Think you are referring to the free maintenance program. That does cover things like oil changes, Schedule 1 maintenance, wiper blades, brake pads, etc. Doesn't cover tires. The 4/50 b-to-b warranty covers work on car (engine, transmission, suspension, electronic components, etc.).
  • 530bmw530bmw Member Posts: 130
    I had a mental block this morning and could not come up with the right name. Your guess is correct. Thank.
  • dabimmerdabimmer Member Posts: 165
    Don't have too much knowledge about those specific tires but feel that you can not
    compare the two Michelins (Pilot Sport) and the Pilot Sport A/S because they are
    two different classifications. They are both excellent tires in their own right, and the
    Pilot Sport A/S are high performance tires, be aware of that. They might just be what you need for excursions up to the ski country. I am glad you ditched the idea of "winters" though. The final word will have to be yours since I don't know how many miles you have on your present MXM4 A/S and how soon you want to upgrade.
  • dzubadzuba Member Posts: 159
    In my search for the perfect CPO 530:
    01/02 530
    Premium Package
    Sport
    Manual
    Cold Weather
    Xenon
    CPO

    I have found two vehicles so far:

    1: 01 20,000 miles, and CPO for 38K
    2: 02 9,000 miles, non-CPO for 45K

    However - neither has heated seats, and if I am to pay that much for a car - I think I need/want heated seats, so I will wait for the right car.
    Anyone out there disagree on the value add of heated seats, besides being personal?

    Additionally, the one for 45K is way over priced!
  • srfastsrfast Member Posts: 138
    I paid $47,000 for a 2003 530i with: Manual, Premium,Package,Sport,Cold Weather,Xenons,Park Distance Control & Rear Side Airbags. I could have paid less if I pressed the issue, but I am satisfied. I got the car built to my spec, 5-10 miles on the clock and did not have to settle for what other people didn't want. BTW, if the cars you mention had Cold Weather, why didn't they have heated seats ?

    Good luck....JL
  • msealsmseals Member Posts: 257
    Anyone know how much just an oil change cost? Also, is the oil always synthetic? I got a quote from the local dealer and he said it would be $63 for a regular (meaning regular oil) and $75 for synthetic. I was shocked to find out that it was only $12 more for synthetic!! May question it, isn't all BMW oil synthetic?
  • patelni1patelni1 Member Posts: 2
    I'm new to the board and I'm planning on purchasing an '03 530 and was considering adding the DSP stereo option. But I have heard that even with DSP some users found the sound quality to be somewhat bad at certain frequncies and that they ended up upgrading amps/speakers. My understanding is also that modifying the DSP is somewhat difficult. Therefore is it in my best interest to not fork over the extra $1200 and just get the stock system. Any thougths/experiences/advice would be helpful...
  • srfastsrfast Member Posts: 138
    My BMW salesperson is a long time friend and knows that I keep my cars for a long time and would not hestiate spending extra $$'s for options of value. He drives a 2002 540i/6spd with DSP and when I asked if it was a worth while option, his response was: Save your money.

    Hope this helps...JL
  • dzubadzuba Member Posts: 159
    The 2 530's I mentioned did not have the CWP - so no heated seats.

    What I really like about CPO is the lower finance rate, but more importantly the 100K warranty as I drive 30K miles per year.
  • snagielsnagiel Member Posts: 750
    I don't know what the dealer's talking about; there's only one oil they CAN use, and that's the special BMW-Castrol blend, which is synthetic. (Technically, it's not as purely synthetic as, say, Amsoil, but it's close enough.) BMW also "permits" Mobil 1, Valvoline SynPower, and Castrol Syntec (virtually the same as the BMW stuff), all at 5W-30 weight. What "permits" means I'm not entirely sure, but I would recommend against standard motor oil (which I don't think BMW makes), and am surprised the dealer even offered it. As for pricing, I'm not sure since I'll be getting it for free for the next three years, but I've heard it can run over $100 in some places.
  • joatmonjoatmon Member Posts: 315
    Mark,

    To my knowledge, all BMW branded oil is synthetic. I'm sure the dealer also has non-syn oil of another brand, ie Castrol. In your car, I would use the BMW synthetic.

    From your other posts, I see you are enjoying the BMW.

    Happy motoring,

    Jack
  • snagielsnagiel Member Posts: 750
    This is an old debate. My advice is to go to your dealer, armed with a couple of your favorite CD's (don't rely on the radio, since reception and the medium's inherrent quality limitations are subpar), and ask to test out both systems.

    Not only is the quality of a stereo system's tonal signature somewhat subjective, but the music you listen to might either take advantage of the system's tuning, or may exploit its weaknesses. From my experience, those who enjoy a lot of bass-heavy music (R&B, rap, hip hop, heavy metal, etc.) often find the DSP (and base) system lacking and disappointing. Those who have the DSP system often upgrade to the M audio option (an option on the M5), which entails upgrading the two rear subwoofers. But, certainly, upgrading the standard system is easier (and cheaper) to do.

    I listen more to a mix of rock, pop, jazz, treble-biased vocals, etc., and find the DSP system excellent. But often I hear songs with tangible bass, and I never find myself wishing the response there would be more pronounced.
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,504
    Being Canadian, living in Phoenix & married to someone who puts on a coat (not a jacket, a coat) when we go to the movies, I'll make an observation.

    The people who suffer from the cold (you all know who you are) absolutely love, and at this "price point" need heated seats. Those of us who look forward to Autumn & enjoy Winter could give a rip. It's so, so subjective.

    Unless you just want the heated seats because the "exclusive" cars have them. If that's your position, I'm going to do us all a favour and shut up.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • uswaiteruswaiter Member Posts: 7
    I had a 1993 325i with heated seats. My experience was that by the time the heating elements had begun heating the seats, my butt had already done the job. I didn't order the heated seats, but after having them decided that, given a choice, I'd pass on the option for my later cars. If you're style is to start your car cold, and let the seats warm up with the car, they might work for you. As you might guess from my lead-in, I'm a start and go guy.
  • msealsmseals Member Posts: 257
    Thanks for the info on oil. I didn't think there was a regular oil from BMW so I will have to ask him what the difference is. I had decided to spend the extra $12 anyway for the synthetic since the previous owner said he used synthetic.

    joatmon: Yes, I am loving my 528, unfortunately my commute just isn't long enough. I was totally impressed with how high the projected MPG went up on the trip computer as I drove out to Ann Arbor and back (about a 25 mile drive each way. It was all freeway and I was doing about 70-75. The MPG went up to 31 mpg while cruising at about 75 or so.
  • dzubadzuba Member Posts: 159
    When did the Sport Package become standard on the 540? What year? Thanks
  • snagielsnagiel Member Posts: 750
    I believe the sport package has always been standard on the 540i 6-speed, and has always been an option on the 540iA and 540 sport wagon.
  • jb_shinjb_shin Member Posts: 357
    Can anyone recommend a sales person in DC metro area, VA/MD? It will for an M car via ED, so the price will be non-negotiable, but I am looking for a good service I can count on. Thanks.
  • taylorttaylort Member Posts: 31
    I have 20K miles on my 2001 530 and I am looking for an extended warranty. Has anyone had any experience with WarrantyBynet.com? Pricing seems to be good.
    Has anyone had any experience going back to BMW getting an extended warranty after the purchase of the car?
    I now have the basic factory warranty. Some friends who have BMWs have advised me to get an extended warranty.
    Thanks
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    I'm sure the good folks hanging out in this discussion will have advice for you, but you might also want to check out the discussion list on our Finance, Warranty & Insurance board. I think there is a discussion dedicated to WarrantyByNet, and in any case, there is a whole ton of information there about extended warranties.

    Good luck.
  • leepzleepz Member Posts: 1
    After God blessed me with a new bundle of joy, I now have to sale my 300zx(emotional)We purchased a X5 for my wife last year and very impressed..I personally have been looking at some CPO 5-series.. I welcome feedback on 2000 540's, and 2001 530's on maintenance, warranty, performance, etc...i've come across a few 530's with upgrades by Dinan..ex throttle body, intakes, chips, and springs..supposely installed by BMW..should I stay away from used Beamers with upgrades or consider? I look forward to owning one soon.
  • habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    This might sound odd coming from someone who traded a 2000 540i 6-speed for a 2002 M5, but I would recommend you give serious consideration to a 2001 530i (preferably 5-speed, sport package). I encouraged one of my employees to get one (new 2003) and just had the opportunity to drive it myself yesterday. It is a damn nice car and is a significant power improvement over the previous 528i. The handling is exceptional and every bit as good as my old 540i.

    If your trade off is getting a 1-2 year older, higher milage 540i to get the same price as a newer, lower milage 530i, I'd go the 530i route. The newer 530i will cost you quite a bit less to maintain while junior is growing up. If money doesn't matter, get a new M5.

    Also, stay away from upgraded, modified cars. My guess is that fewer than 2% of 5-series buyers modify their cars and that subset correlates very high with the subset that drives them with reckless abandon. That's not the kind of used car you want to buy, CPO'd or not. Find one that has been well maintained and driven responsibly by a professional adult.

    Good luck and congratulations on the new arrival. Your 300zx is just a chunk of metal. Save your emotions for parenthood.
  • cdndrivercdndriver Member Posts: 86
    HI,
    I was looking through a dealers used cars and he said they had a 1999, 528, leather, maual 5spd, with the sport package and 60,000kms. on it. There is about a year left on the warranty, and this is a BMW Certified series car so there are two more years after the original expires. The price was just dropped to 32,900.00 (rmember this is Canadian dollars. I'm wondering if this is a good deal. The car looks great. They also have a 528, maual with the premium package and 38000kms at the same price. Do you out there think it's a good deal? Also, has anyone used their "ownership plan" whereby the purchase price is halved and held back in a "balloon" payment at the end of three years. Payments are based on the remianing balance. It's sort of like a lease only toward owning the car. My question here is estimating the depreciation of the car over the next three years. Would it be worth less than the 50% of the 32,900.00 price, which would put me "upside down". If the car is good, I'd like to drive it for 6 years or so. I welcome your input, I'm very tempted, but I don't know much about buying and I don't want to get burned here. I don't know how much they'll come down if at all since it was just reduced again, and I don't know how much BMW negotiates.
    thanks,
    cdn driver
  • dabimmerdabimmer Member Posts: 165
    Sounds rather like a good deal for a 99, 528 with the premium package. Is this one
    CPO'd as well? Not familiar with that type of ownership plan, would prefer a more
    conventional loan where the entire and final deal is spelled out at the inception of
    the loan process. Personally I would prefer the one with the sport suspension but
    not being familiar with Canadian winters it makes me wonder if this would be your
    best choice since the sport package does not mix well with snowy conditions. You
    can always opt for dedicated steel wheels with snow tires during the snowy months.
    Hope this helps.
  • g_carg_car Member Posts: 46
    http://www.imakenews.com/autospies/e_article000109803.cfm?x=269818,7245064
  • jr51jr51 Member Posts: 5
    Have been driving my 03' 530ia for about a month and a half. As an audiophile, I feel the conventional sound system is actually pretty good (good base and treble response).
    The heated seats are quick to heat and are welcome to my entire back.
    There is nothing adverse about this vehicle (so far), but instead, accolades on performance and handling. Just put new Dunlop Winter Sports with Miglio Cello wheels (after reading tire rack reviews; the wheels even came with BMW wheel caps !)I will provide updated posts on my experience. Having two other previous BMWs, it is nice to come home.
  • jr51jr51 Member Posts: 5
    Does anyone know where I can purchase a less costly 6 CD changer than that reommended by BMW ?
  • msealsmseals Member Posts: 257
    I have been researching this too. You can either pay $650 for the BMW Alpine, or you can get a regular Alpine for $250 or an Alpine that plays MP3's for about $300. Then you can get and adapter from either Blitzsafe or Soundgate for about $100. The soundgate I hear is much better and I think that is the route that I will be taking. Soundgate also has adapter for Kenwood, Sony and Pioneer as well. I haven't seen either one in action but it supposedly makes the steering wheel controls work and the radio controls as well, it simply plugs into your changer and the bmw changer wires plug into it. Which ever CD changer you get though, make sure it is direct interface as appose to the RF interface.
  • srfastsrfast Member Posts: 138
    You don't need to pay more than $400 for the Alpine changer. www.eurobuyers.com has it for $395.00 including the no-NAV mounting kit. Shipping is free. www.pacificbmw.com has the same deal for $415.00.

    Hope this helps....JL
  • cdndrivercdndriver Member Posts: 86
    Hi,
    Does CPO'd mean the BMW Certified used car program? yes both of them are. The price is actually 36,900.00, there's also a touring 528, but it's an automatic. Are they a bit more sluggish? Does the touring add much to the weight, making it slow with this engine?
    Thanks,
    cdndriver
  • dzubadzuba Member Posts: 159
    As I am still very very patiently waiting for the CPO car I want to become available (Did I say I was patient) - 01/02 530, PP, CWP, Sport/Manual, Xenons for 38-42K and CPO - I came across an interesting car today on the lot of the local Mercedes/Audi dealer. They are out there - the manual part is hard to find.

    1997 Black 540, non-sport Automatic w/75K miles on it. For 3 weeks they have been asking 23K for the car and today it is listed at 17K. Not bad for a 3rd vehicle toy, etc......but the 75K miles do scare me a bit.

    Any comments on the car for 17K?
    How about the mileage?
    Can you buy a warranty beyond 100K miles?
  • msealsmseals Member Posts: 257
    srfast, yes, that is true, but with the soundgate adapter you can use any CD changer just about. That includes changers that read MP3's. This means that you could get 300 songs on a CD and have 6 cd's in the changer. That is 1800+ songs in the changer as appose to the average of about 12-15 songs per cd.
  • mschukarmschukar Member Posts: 351
    That includes changers that read MP3's.

    ...or get an iPod that will give you 4000 songs with customizable playlists and an intuitive interface that allows you to find any of those 4000 songs in seconds.

    -murray

    Oh yeah, you can take it to work, on the airplane, jogging or anyplace else you have room in a pocket.
  • spyderredspyderred Member Posts: 138
    If you are planning on keeping your 5er past its' factory warranty you should really consider a warranty.

    Check out 1Sourceautowarranty.com I bought from them about a year ago a 5yr/100,000miles, zero ded, diamond plan for $1800. So far they paid for $900 in repair bills without any problems.

    Spyderred,
  • pap5pap5 Member Posts: 144


    Nice to see someone else share this opinion, an audiophile no less! I always thought the base system was fine, but figured it was just due to my tin ear.

    Also agree with the assessment of the heated seats. A few years ago I would have thought this to be a silly option, but after a winter day in a poorly heated office, nothing brings the ol' core temp back up so quickly.
  • habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    On the 1997 540i, this was a changeover year. Some of the early 1997's still had the 4.0 liter instead of 4.4 liter engine. Also, engine refinements were made in later years to the 4.4 liter engine, increasing output. I would stay away from the 1997 540i (the 1997 528i was fine). If your local BMW dealer is honest, he will admit that the 1997 had a fair number of engine replacements, due to problems.

    On you patientce for a 2001/2002 530i CPO, why don't you just get a new 2003 for about $43.5k through ED? For the life of me, I cannot figure out why someone would pay $38k to $42k for a 1-2 year old 530i - especially a 5-speed - when they can get a brand new one, break it in themselves, for $43.5k with your options. That difference will be more than made up when you go to trade a 1-2 year newer "one-owner" car. Enlighten me?
  • dabimmerdabimmer Member Posts: 165
    Yes, CPO is certified pre-owned. At 36,900 CAD which is about 23,383 USD it is still
    a very good price especially the lower mileage vehicle . I'm not sure what you mean
    by Touring, could that be the term for the wagon? I'll defer comments to others on
    this board who have more knowledge with the Touring designation. I have driven a
    528 automatic sedan and it is by no means sluggish. Good luck.
  • dzubadzuba Member Posts: 159
    Actually, I totally agree. In fact, I have read Shipo's "cost benefit analysis/justification" from last March several times and even agree more. Some of my reasons for not doing it are:

    Wife will not go with me to pick it up. Not into flying over the ocean! Still working on her. A guy I work with (Audi driver) may go with me - we'll see.

    Never been to Europe - I only speak English!

    Timing actually works in my favor to go ED - as I can get it after the snow melts here!

    I am strongly re-considering it based on the same reasons you give! Stay tuned!
  • riezriez Member Posts: 2,361
    spyderred... You have me a bit confused. You say the 1SourceAutoWarranty is 5yr/100K miles. When is the start date? From when car originally went into service or when you bought the warranty? Do you get roadside assistance?

    BMW CPO is 2yr/50K on top of the original 4yr/50K. So ends up being 6yr/100K from when the car originally went into service. There is a $50 deductible per visit (but batch things together into one visit and you can cut that down). CPO also gets you full roadside assistance during the CPO period.

    I remain unconvinced that any 3rd party warranty is as good as BMW CPO. These 3rd party warranties are only as good as the company offering them (and many of these companies have been less than impressive over time) and the terms & conditions of the warranties (and many of them are filled with exceptions and limitations). BMW CPO coverage is honored by all BMW dealers and backed by BMW. The coverage is quite comprehensive, though, of course, not quite as complete as the original 4/50 b-to-b factory warranty.
  • snagielsnagiel Member Posts: 750
    My wife doesn't like to fly either, but I never understand why some people are more selective about flying over land than over water. As rare as they are, flight "emergencies" are most likely to happen around takeoff or landing, not when cruising on autopilot through open skies. Besides, as they say, you have a much higher chance of dying driving to the airport than of flying itself.

    As for the English, worry not. English is fairly well spoken and understood by many Europeans, especially those working in big cities and in capacities where they encounter a lot of tourists.

    And, if you want to do ED just for the cost savings, it's certainly possible to simply fly out, pick up the car, drive it over to the Munich drop-off spot, and fly back home. Of course, doing so will prevent you from enjoying all that Europe has to offer (as well as driving your brand new car on the autobahnen), but if you just want to save the money it's something to consider.
  • lgrosslgross Member Posts: 55
    You will have little or no problem obtaining the basics (eat, sleep, gasoline, airline) in Western Europe knowing only English. No problem at all in large cities, especially in Germany (and the UK, of course). Get lot's of maps and a GPS to ease the driving since navigation within cites can be challenging if you don't know the language. Or, buy the BMW with the NAV system.
  • gorrilla800lbsgorrilla800lbs Member Posts: 2
    I've been looking for perf/lux sedans in the ~$11-$10k range with ~100k miles and am now looking at these two models...only consider BMW with replaced alusil engines and intact service records. My objective is to buy and hold for another 100k+ miles or so and want something that I will enjoy driving for that long and will still be reliable (within reason for car with mileage). I like the BMW but my wife points to Lexus for better long term overall satisfaction. A fully loaded 99 Maxima SE also gets mentioned from time to time. Can anyone give me some 3rd party advice on our pending purchase (albeit from a BMW page)? Thanks in advance.
  • dzubadzuba Member Posts: 159
    I agree, however I am losing the battle to get her to fly over water - not gonna happen and especially with the Terrorist thing and all. So who wants to go with? A couple friends are considering it!

    What would happen if I ordered a car through ED, put the down payment down (which is what $250-500), and then decided for whatever reason to not go - ? What happens to the car and am I financially obligated?
  • tigertowntigertown Member Posts: 3
    I just got back into the BMW world (used to have an 88 750il..Yikes) by buying a used 97 528iA. Anyway, I had a few questions for the board:

    1.What should I replace (K&N Filter...etc)
    2.I want a superb shine..How? (products..procedure)
    3.I want a superb interior.How? (products)
    4. The car used to be in TX & now in Colorado. How/what to winterize on the car.
    5. Do you guys recommend www.bavarianautosport. for parts? I used to use them during 750 days??

    Thanks
  • snagielsnagiel Member Posts: 750
    I've heard of plenty of folks who've had no trouble running up their early-90's 5- and 7-series up to 200k or 300k miles. Over the long term, when properly serviced, it's cheaper than buying a new [5- or 7-series] every three or four years. But, that doesn't mean they're cheap to maintain. I'm guessing a '95 540i--even in relatively good shape--will cost a couple thousand dollars (on average) every year in repairs--some routine, some not. If you can live with that, and without relying on it to be a 100% dependable daily driver, than you might enjoy extended ownership of it. Personally, if I only had $10k to spend on a car, I'd look for a '98 Accord EX 5-speed, which are fun to drive and a whole lot more reliable and cheap to maintain.
  • snagielsnagiel Member Posts: 750
    1. I don't know. Bring the car to an experienced BMW technician, and have them go over the car and make their recommendations.


    2 and 3. I created a list of my cleaning supplies, which I'm very happy with overall. You needn't buy them all, but it you're going to baby your car it'll take some investment. See http://members.roadfly.com/snagiel/Cleaning2.xls


    4. Edmunds has a good article about winterizing at: http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/howto/articles/43799/article.html.


    5. Yes, BavAuto is a good supplier, but I haven't had much experience ordering parts yet since my 5er is still fairly new.

  • habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    One of my neighbors who is a BMW fanatic bought a 1995 530i and had lots of problems. He claimed it was the "worst of both worlds". A finnicky V-8 that had less displacement and power than many 6 cylinders. That engine was not one of BMW's high points. BMWNA finally took the car back after 2 years and he got a 1997 528i which he still drives.

    As for the Japanese alternatives, there's quite a difference between the driving dynamics of a BMW 5-series and an ES300 (or any front wheel drive sedan). That said, I have a 1995 Maxima SE 5-speed with 132k miles that has run like a top since the day I bought it. IMO it was (and still is) the best combination of performance, durability, build quality (still made in Japan) and fun to drive compared with the Accord, Camry and other Japanese sedans.
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    Use the stock air filter. K&Ns don't filter as well and will not increase hp. Upgrade your ECM with a Shark Injector.
    Everybody has their own ideas about cleaners and waxes. As for the interior, I use Vinylex on the vinyl and a product called Leathermaster for the leather. BMW now sells a good leather cleaner/preservative as well.
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