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For 525i ($1,300 MSRP):
Automatic Climate Control
10-way Power Front Passenger Seat
BMW Universal Transceiver (3 function programmable)
For 530i ($600 MSRP):
10-way Power Front Passenger Seat
BMW Universal Transceiver
For 530i there was also a "Comfort Seats and Convenience Package" ($1,800 MSRP):
16-way Power Comfort Seats
BMW Universal Transceiver
Essentially all of the CP was standard on the various 540i.
Since I live in Colorado I need a good set of snow tires. What brand is the best that offer good handling with little or no road noise.
thanks
Hope this helps....JL
Spyderred
awd2003 -- If you order your 530i with the SP, it will be equipped identically to my '01. The SP helps sharpen the whole package, keeping it from being too biased toward the posh end of the scale.
I've owned a 2000 540i 6-speed and currently a 2002 M5, so I'm naturally biased to a sports suspension and manual transmission. But I know of many people who aren't as enthusiastic as me and would do very well in a 530ia non-sport. Especially if they are even remotely considering an E-class, Audi A6 or other similar alternative. The standard non-sport 530i, IMO, handles and steers better than all of them. Adding the sport package will result in even better handling, but at some expense relative to ride smoothness and noise. That expense is, IMO, minor and acceptable. But if you are never going to "push" the car or drive with enthusiasm on winding roads, a standard 530ia will still give you a great handling ride and cost a bit less in tire replacement.
I used to think the sports package on a 530iA or 540iA was a waste. I've mellowed a bit on that opinion. But ask yourself the question as to why you are getting an automatic. If it's because you really don't get into the "driving" experience, then the sports package may not be for you.
The car burns about a quart of oil every 5k miles- (definitely not a leak) and it goes thru about a quart of coolant over the same period.
I 've also noted my mpg has decreased from 23 to 18 in the past month or so- it may have to do with me doing much less highway driving, but just wanted to check with this very knowledgeable board.
Thanks
FWIW, my wife's 86 528e hasn't varied by more than 1 MPG when driven in similar situations in 192k. Something's going on here.
Good luck,
Jack
You will find differing opinions on the subject, so decide for yourself. Obviously, do not rotate if all four tires are not the exact same size. Tire life on the Conti Sports seems to be about 25,000 to 30,000 miles - less if driven agressively.
1. Do I still want the manual? As I am not begging for it like some do, maybe the Steptronic will do it for me, but that is my problem I guess!
2. At 10k miles, the car is not CPO - and the BMW dealer wants $2000.00 to make it CPO - extended to 100K miles. I think that is to much -and if I was the dealer - I would "flip the switch", make the car CPO and we have a deal! Not sure if I want to pay a dime more to make it CPO!!
Anyone have any experience in CPO dealing in negotiations? What does it cost to have it CPO? Not much labor involved, can the dealer just do it! And could'nt I just buy an extended warranty as the car approaches 50K miles - you can do that right?
Thanks all - Merry Christmas!!
Thanks for the info about tire rotation
I'm going to rotate to get the extra miles like you did.
CPO rules state that dealers are NOT to offer the same car priced CPO and non-CPO. They are supposed to offer CPO cars from the get go. They should decide immediately if a car qualifies for CPO and then sell it that way only. Unfortunately, some dealers don't play by the rules. (You might ask the dealer if he is playing by the CPO rules. Or ask BMW NA if what the dealer is doing is kosher, but if you do you'll make the dealer mad.)
If you plan on owning the car well into the CPO period (time and/or mileage), then I think it is a wise investment. But if you only own a car 3 years or 36,000 miles, then CPO is not the way to go. Like any insurance policy, you might not need it. But it brings you peace of mind that your out-of-pocket maximum exposure is somewhat limited.
Like everything automotive, price is negotiable. You should check out BMW NA's CPO locator. Find another dealer with a similar CPO car. Tell your current dealer about it. Might get him to drop his price.
Both my BMWs are CPO. I'm glad I did. Going CPO has paid for itself with my 540i6. And I negotiated hard on the initial sale price on both. Think I got decent deals. Got great cars, with good warranties, for very reasonable prices.
This BMW dealer is a big outfit in the Midwest, and has a very good reputation! I'll check out the articles - thanks!!
A Roundel columnist, Bill Howard, who writes "End Piece" has had at least three recent columns discussing CPO issues related to your situation. See the April, May, and July 2002 issues. For example, he writes in July 2002 that according to "Bill Bates, manager of BMW's CPO program, dealers are supposed to decide immediately if it's to be a CPO car...or not, but not dangle the car in front of the customer with both CPO and non-CPO prices. That's a no-no Bates says." Howard points out in his May column that doing things like this causes buyers to wonder what it really means to be CPO and causes them to wonder if all they are getting is an extended warranty on run-of-the-mill cars. And it makes you wonder if or how much inspecting and correcting the dealer does on the CPO car.
Too bad some dealers are willing to do these things. They undermine the CPO program.
As for the rattle, it's definitely not in door. It's coming from somewhere in/around/under the psgr. side dash. Will have to have dealer look at when I bring it in (only one green light left).
Thanks,
metmdx
Thanks again
1) 528 vs 540...love the V8 on the 540 how much of a performance difference in real world conditions or is my male ego for torque and hp getting the best of me?
2) Standard Features Difference?
3) Reasonable prices in this range?
4) Recalls on either?
5) Maintenance costs (one better than the other)?
Any insight from your own personal experience or knowledge in this area would be appreciated.
Do you want an automatic or manual? The 1999 528i had a 4-speed automatic; 5-speed automatic came out the next year. The 6-speed manual on my '98 540i6 gets me about 26 mpg cruising interestate at 74 mph.
Do you want to buy CPO? If you do, that will take out much of the mechanical worries.
You should do some research. Check out info here and elsewhere about standard features and options. Plus check out reviews in various car publications. And spend some time looking at Consumer Reports repair and Intellichoice ownership cost data.
You should check out BMW NA's CPO locator. You should find a lot of 1999 and 2000 5 Series. Find some cars that interest you near you. Take 'em for good test drives. Emphasis on "good" and "drives".
I bought my '98 540i6 11/30/01. CPO with about 52,000 miles. Now has about 72,000 miles. Blast to drive and own. No major mechanical repairs. Kids broke back cupholder. Had an airbag warning light go on. Front inside door handle broke off. Both front headlights burned out at around 58,000 miles. None of these small things cost me much (though I do get a BMW CCA discount on parts from my local dealer). So far I've only had to do one oil change. She'll be coming up on a schedule 1 service in about 6,000 miles or so. I'll also likely need to get her some new tires in the next 10,000 miles or so.
If you are serious about getting a BMW, start reading Bimmer magazine and Roundel (BMW CCA) magazine. If you are a member of BMW CCA for at least a year, there is a rebate program ($500 off CPO cars).
What year, make and model is your current car? Your profile says you own a Honda?
(taste) 2001 Audi TT Roadster. Just purchased an Ody for expanding family
Do you want an automatic or manual?
(taste) Preference is always a manual
Do you want to buy CPO?
(taste) Not sure what CPO stands for however I would presume you mean an extended warranty in which case I would answer yes. Could you explain more about CPO?
I am definitely interested in a Bimmer however with so MANY choices I will look to narrow it down over the next couple of months. I don't need to buy until early June so I have some time. The 528i is probably cheaper but I like the HP of the 540i. I am also looking at a new Infiniti G35, Acura TL - S and Lexus 430... I just need to ensure I have some size as a 3 Series would be too small for my taste with kid(s)in the back seat. Having grown up in Detroit and trading in my Audi performance and the joy of driving is essential. Just trying to find that magic spot of price/performance/useability...
If you are considering a new 2003 Infiniti G35, then you should also be considering a new 525i or say a 2000 528i or 2001 530i. Why would you want to be looking at MY 1999 BMWs?
Whatever else you do, go with the Sport Package. It is standard on the 540i6.
If you like manual transmissions, you won't go wrong on any 5 Series sedan. Even 525i Sport can be quite fun. But you'll really enjoy the 528i or 530i w/Sport Pkg. And you'd really love a 540i6.
Yes, CPO stands for Certified Pre-Owned. You should check out BMW NA's web site. Lots of details on it. Plus the national CPO locator. And you can get good financing on CPO cars thru BMW Financial.
If you sit in the back, or put a couple of child seats there, you will notice the difference (E46 vs. E39). The measurements are almost the same, and it may just be the perception, but it is there.
Ok enough of my own blather...
I simply need to do more homework and perhaps I can reconsider something in the 3-Series. I test drive of both would go a long way to getting a better feel for how much "space" premium I will get with a "5" over a "3". As for my reasoning on a MY 99 "5" series I would like to keep my out of pocket cost at ~$30K which seems about ballpark for a June 2003 purchase (though much more research is required given I have seen a range between $25K and $35K and this wasn't necessarily the a 528i versus a 540i).
I have to admit that I find nothing more frustrating than an underpowered sport sedan. That said HP alone is deceptive and one never really knows until they get a feel of the torque on acceleration and of course the obligatory highway high speed passing sample. This is one of the reasons we selected our 9-5 Turbo Six Wagon over the Audi Wagon counterpart back in 1999.
Has anyone found one year to better than another for reliability/malfunctions, features, etc...?
BMW 540i BMW 330xi
MSRP 51,800 $36,350
Drive RWD AWD
(big plus in Chicago winter)
Seating 5 5
(now here is where it gets interesting...(inches)
Head Room (fr) 37.4 38.4
Head Room (rear) 37.2 37.5
Leg Room (fr) 41.7 41.4
Leg Room (rear) 34.2 34.4
Shoulder (fr) 56.8 54.4
Shoulder (rear) 55.9 54.2
Pretty amazing stats in that moving up from the 330ix to the 540i doesn't really buy much more room in fact it seems to be about a wash. That is a rather substantial price jump for the bigger engine and a few more standard features (but no AWD)...
As Walton points out, European-spec LHD E46 full tech specifications issued 2/98 and cars in showrooms in May, 1998. USA-spec LHD E46 in showrooms in July. British RHD E46 on sale in September.
I think you would be better served by the 2003
Honda Accord V6 for about the same price as the 98
Bimmer.I have had mine for two years now and have
had no maintainance issues with it, not one!! I had
a 91 Accord we sold with 75,000 mi. a year ago and
never had any problems with it at all.It was a very
reliable car for 10 years and did everything it was
supposed to do on the road albeit not an exciting car
to drive like the bimmer. I am totally spoiled by this
car and I don't think I could ever own anything else.
Thanks
Bob
97 528i
99 328i
BMW Honda
$189 $220 schedule 1
$500 $440 schedule 2
$689 $660 total
These are over about a 60-80k miles period there, not including oil changes which are much further apart for BMW so they break about even, the BMW should cost only $29 more. That being said, there is more likely hood that something might go bad on the BMW, mind you slightly. There are so many things to also consider, the Accord will get better gas mileage and will be faster. Wow, that is a lot to think about, but overall, it will all boil down to what you want in a car. Sport Coupe, or Sport Sedan. I don't think maintenance will be much differnt. Now mind you , those Honda prices could be a little or a little less at the dealership or a mechanics. Parts for the Honda are not much cheaper, if they are cheaper at all. The only thing that I have seen that cost more are body parts, and that should be covered by your insurance
So the final amount that I have to pay is US$25,500+15% taxes. Remarks: Excellent conditions
My wife wanted to trade her '80 Accord for a new one in '86. She didn't like the seating position of the '86 as well as in the '80. So, we bought an '86 528e. 192k later, it runs great. We would have gone through 2 or 3 Accords in that time. I believe the cost to be about the same either way we would have gone.
In a typical 4 year cycle, here's what we spend on PM; year 1- ~$500; year 2- ~$1000, year 3 - ~ $500, year 4 - ~$2000. This, of course, averages out to $83 a month. You can't buy must of a car for that.
BMW's are designed and built to last a long time if properly maintained.
In almost 17 years, this car has failed to go when asked only 3 times, once a blown thermostat, and twice, the battery died. The battery showed signs of failing both times, but I tried to squeeze a little extra time from them. My fault. So actually, without any warning, once in seventeed years. Oh, it went through the big maintence and got a new battery about a year ago, so I'm looking at 3 more year without little expense. Still get 28 MPG.
Good luck,
Jack
I also enjoy getting lots of mileage out of my vehicles and have been following the German boards to see who's got some real-world long-mileage experience.
I enjoy driving German cars, but am leery of the reliability.
Continued good luck with your car.
But not sure what conclusions can be drawn. When you look at today's electrical and electronic systems, safety systems, complex amenities, etc. and then compare to a 30-year-old 2002 or Bavaria, you wonder if today's complex cars will age as gracefully. Much harder to DITY. Will all the parts still be available. So you better have a great local BMW dealer or independent garage that specializes in BMWs.
The old '86 is in great shape and it often get love notes from the mechanics when in for service. I do fell that BMW service is worth the price.
Jack