BMW 5-Series Sedans

54me2 · May 2001

Thanks to everyone on this board for their comments. My 530i, Sport/Prem, Manual, Comfort Seat, DSP Stereo, Xenon, Cold Weather Pkg just came in and I am having a blast driving it around our country roads. The new six is smooth and it handles like a cruise missile, just aim it where you want to go. My only complaint is that the clutch is too far forward or the accelerator is too far back. I can't seem to find the a spot that is comfortable for both legs.

monwen · May 2001

anyone have any idea when the 5-series body style changes? I haven't really seen any spy pix yet & BMW claims it won't be until spring 2003 for model year 2003. I wonder if that's true?

jhopkins2 · May 2001

I can't seem to get a straight answer from BMW about the correct tire pressure for my '98 528i. A sticker on the inside door frame suggests 36psi front and 41psi rear. But the dealer recommends 34psi all the way around. (I'm an average driver who seldom carries more than one passenger, but ocassionally goes on longer trips.) Who do I believe?

brian525 · May 2001

From reading many posts on the E39 forum regarding this topic, and also discussing with my BMW dealer, I have set mine at 34(F) and 38(R)

I have a 2001 E39 and, like you, I rarely carry more than a single passenger.

I have found that this is actually an excellent balance between ride quality and sport handling...

Good luck!

jhopkins2 · May 2001

Thanks, Brian, for the information and advice. I'll try it out!

kelf · May 2001

We would like to get new station wagon large enough for a 72lbs lab beyond rear seats. I heard some owners feeling that 525 is not large enough??? any suggestions?/ What other station wagon to consider?

lgross · May 2001

Any thoughts on how I should restrict speed and rpm on a 530ia delivered in Munich? When is the "break in" period over? I intend to pick up a 2002 in October.

raybear · May 2001

My Lab fits in the old Subaru just fine, you shouldn't experience any problem.

vasgar · May 2001

Unless you miss a gear and over rev I don't think you will have to worry about speed. I would not recommend driving for long periods at the same speed/rpm. Incidentally, have you ordered your 2002 or when do you plan to place your order. I was interested in a 2001 530I but with all the turmoil in the telecommunications industry I have procrastinated so long that I thought I may as well wait and order a 2002.
Vasgar

arth · May 2001

It's been a month now since I got my 540i and I love every aspect of it except the a/c. On a shady day the air conditioner does its job. Set at 72, it makes it 72. But in the sun, I'm not satisfied. When set at "auto" the fan speed slows prematurely and the inside temp takes a long time to make it to 72. Any thoughts?

rwong1998 · May 2001

here is a UK link to the new 5 series, the link appears to be reliable

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

lgross · May 2001

I'm in the process of ordering one for mid-October. The dealer is claiming that he needs the order "yesterday" and that there are no discounts for European delivery other than the standard BMW Euro discount. He will sell a US delivered vehicle for $2000 over invoice. I think he's gaming me on the price and I'm going to check further before I commit.

habitat1 · May 2001

For what it's worth, I have looked into getting a 2002 530i Euro Delivery for a November +/- delivery. I have a dealer in my former hometown in Pennsylvania that will match "eurobuyers.com" price of roughly $2,000 over the European delivery invoice price (base invoice = $32,975 on a 2001 model). Options will be added at invoice, not list. Given my rather extensive option list, I expect to get the car for a total of about $3,000 under standard European delivery list price which equates to roughly $1,000 under US invoice.

My point: Standard European delivery saves you less than $3,000 off the full US list price, which isn't much better than you could get a US delivered one with some dealers. If you really want to save money, go to a dealer that will discount a European delivery car. I didn't think any did, until I was enlightened by the web site www.eurobuyers.com I'll provide you a contact at the dealership I'm going to use, if you're interested.

Also, I'm not sure what kind of BS they're giving you about ordering "yesterday" for October delivery. Last time I checked, 2002 model prices and options had not been set.

bsum70 · May 2001

igross-would you mind to tell us exactly what options did you get and how much you end up paying? I am also interested to know the dealership that give you such a good deal. Thanks

bsum70 · May 2001

message 665 should be for habitat1, sorry

cmr530i · May 2001

I saw Keith at Pacific BMW on 5/19/01 to take delivery of my 530i and he said you had purchased one there too. I am just returning your "hello" and hope you are enjoying your BMW. I am thrilled with mine!

cmr530i · May 2001

I took delivery of my new 530i on 5/19/01 and my dealer told me that the extended service plan(now priced at $400 for the extra 4th year) can be purchased any time before or in the 35th month of the original service plan. I can also purchase the extended warranty at that time too. Although he couldn't predict if the $400 price would remain the same, he did say I could wait until then. Just wanted to update you.

derprofi · May 2001

So I was out yesterday with my Dad (no, he's not buying my car...I wish!) to test drive a 330i. I was seriously considering a 325i but wanted to try out the 40 extra hp. Drove it, fell in love with everything but the chrome exterior details. My dad is considering one too, and our sales guy asks us if we want to take a 540i out for a spin. Well, what can I say...even without the sport package I was impressed, particularly with feel of the V8 vs. the I6 in the 330i. We got back to the dealership and sat down to chat, my father having loved the 540i so much that he's taking me aside and giving indications that he'll pick one up.

That's when our salesman dropped what I thought to be quite a bomb. For about $50,000 we could get the 540i out the door, which seemed to be a decent deal. But with some kind of special factory promotion going on until the end of the month, the 740i can be had for only about $3-3.5K more. Our jaws just about dropped. We took one of those out for a spin and the increased weight definitely reduces the impact of the V8, but it's still a mighty fine ride. Just the extra standard features (navigation, DSP, and a couple of other things I forget) make it almost worth the $3K difference, never mind that you're getting a bigger and slightly more luxurious car. Now I don't have the extra $18K that it would take to get in the 740i, but those considering picking up a 540i this month might want to inquire about the 740i. It's a different driving experience, to be sure, but dang what a bargain on a luxury car!

cheeks · May 2001

Just bought a 2001 530I with perm. pack,fold down back seats, perm. stereo, cold weather etc. I am hearing a light rattle noise from the back seats. I don't hear the noise when I fold the seats down so it must be the way the seats connect to the car when they are in the upright postion. Has anyone (who has the fold down back seat option) heard a rattle?

vrk01 · May 2001

Thanks for the update, i will get the ext.warranty, Could you tell me who the dealer is so i can get my local dealer to match.

Just to update i picked up my 530i on 05/12 and it has been great,I have added the passport 8500 and 6 CD changer so far. I am thinking to get the Supersprint exhaust soon.

I am sure you will enjoy every day you drive your car as i do, i can't wait for the break in period to end.

kinchbob · May 2001

I am considering buying a '94 or '95 540i. Are there any message boards that specifically cover this vintage? I am looking for general info, things to watch out for, available upgrades, etc.

brian525 · May 2001

You might try the E34 forum at:

http://forums.roadfly.com/e34/messages/

cheers

jabez · May 2001

There are several posts at www.bimmer.org

Do an archive search for "rattles", or "seat rattles". Several people have come up with some good solutions. I hope you can isolate the source and fix it.

cmr530i · May 2001

My dealership is Pacific BMW in Glendale, Ca.
Can you tell me what you know about the "break-in" period? Nothing was said to me about it and I didn't come across anything in the owner's manual either unless I missed it. Any info. you have would be appreciated.

dl7265 · May 2001

BImmer org shows pricing for 3 series but havent seen invoice pricing on the 5 for euro delivery .Anyone know a link ?

thanks DL

vrk01 · May 2001

I usually use the online 530i manual that i downloaded off Owners Circle at bmwusa.com. On page #140 they have the entire write up on break in periods for Engine, Tires, Brake system and clutch. Briefly for the engine upto 1200 miles do not exceed 4500 RPM and road speed 100 mph, they also advise to refrain from full throttle operations.

For Brakes, Tires and clutch the break in periods are only for the first 300 Miles . Hope this was helpful.

derprofi · May 2001

I'm looking for that info as well. Eurobuyers.com has euro invoice pricing for the 525 and 530, but not the 540.

raybear · May 2001

In my experience this is prix fixe. There may be some negotiation on options, but in general just pick one of your local dealers to see who you want to service with.

mike342 · May 2001

Considering replacement of my A6 Quattro with a 528. Test drove the 528 last evening and was very impressed. Considering the diffence in cost, why would should I consider the 530 (understand V8 vs. 6). Also, any feed back on how the 5 series performs in snow would be appreciated.

monwen · May 2001

Thanks for the tip on www.bmw2002.co.uk. Have you had any personal experience with the accuracy of the site? It states in one place that the new "5" will be out in 2002 in one place and 2003 in another. According to my local dealer, spring 2003 is probably the earliest in the US. Thanks again.

msingerbmw · May 2001

I have a 530i also and have heard what you are talking about. You are correct when you say you fold down the rear seat and the noise goes away. The rattle comes from the ski pass thru moving within the seat. It's really the fold down arm part. Reposition it and the rattle will go away.

arnolds · May 2001

Here's the link for the 2001 540 pricing including euro-delivery. The price for 2001 did not change from model year 2000.

5 series Pricing for 2000

arnolds

habitat1 · May 2001

bsum70,

Pricing for the 2002 530i that I plan on ordering for November +/- pick-up, based upon 2001 prices:

Car: BMW 530i 5-speed
Options: Sport/premium pacakge, sport seats, rear airbags/head protection, rear sunshade, premium hi-fi, xenon headlights.

US List: Base - $40,045 Options - $7,600 Total - $47,645

US Invoice: Base - $36,265 Options - $6,465 Total - $42,730

Euro List: Base - $37,285 Options - $7,600 Total - $44,885

Euro Invoice: Base - $33,620 Options - $6,465 Total - $40,085

I could get the car locally in US for $44,730 ($2,000 over us invoice).

What I expect to get it through my former hometown dealer
through Euro-delivery: $42,000 (approx $2,000 over euro invoice).

As the numbers above show, going Euro doesn't make financial sense for me if I had to pay Euro list, primarily because options are added at full list and most US dealers will discount both the car and options. If I were getting a 540i 6-speed, where most of the options on the 530i are standard, the euro price looks a little better in comparison to what you could negotiate stateside.

At the $42,000 price I would be paying, the dealer still makes $2,000; he just has to go through more paperwork than if I took a US delivered car.

I'm not inclined to name my dealer on the internet, since I wouldn't want them bombarded with window shoppers. However, it is my impression from the Eurobuyers.com website that there are many dealers that are willing to discount euro delivery cars if you look around. If you still come up short, e-mail me with your phone number and I can give you my Pennsylvania dealer's name over the phone.

Good luck, hope this helps.

dogface4 · May 2001

I want to drop about 45K on a 5 series. The two cars I was considering were the 530i, brand new, and the 540i, used. A few things about me. I really don't need the extra HP, but yes, it's nice. I really don't need a new car; I'm totally happy driving a 3 year old car. I intend to keep the car for 10 years; I want to drive this car until it doesn't go anymore.

My main impetus for considering the used 540i is value. I figure that if I can get the top of the line 5 series (forget about the M5) for about the same price of a new 530, I figure why not. Anybody have any opinions about the two?

habitat1 · May 2001

Dogface,

I'd be inclined to go with a new 530i for a few reasons:

1. Virtually no service costs for first 3 years. If you're like me, you don't mind paying $45k+ for a car, but don't want to start forking over $1,000 for new tires or $500 for new brakes in the first year or two.

2. If you're getting a manual transmission, I've heard that the 540i 6-speed needs to be broken in carefully. Perhaps less of an issue with an automatic, however, I'd still feel better about getting a new car that I break in than take my chances on somone else.

3. Long term reliability & costs - The 540i is a great car, but it definately will cost more to maintain over the 10 years you plan to keep it. Not to mention that it will cost you 30%-50% more in gas (16-18 mpg vs. 22-26 mpg).

4. Getting exactly the car you want - Knowing that your going to keep the car for a long time, there is an advantage to ordering exactly the car you want in terms of options, colors, etc. For $42-45k, you could get an extremely well equiped 530i if you go the european delivery route with a dealer that discounts (see my previous post).

My recommendation assumes your starting point that you would be paying about the same for either car. In the Washington DC area, a 1999 or possibly 2000 540iA could be had for under $40,000. A friend just debated on a perfect condition 1999 540i 6-speed with only 20k miles for $37,500; but he couldn't handle the white exterior with grey interior. It was a private sale by a diplomat leaving the country. I heard later that he sold it for $34.5k. Personally, I'm a new car person. However, if you could get a 2+/- year old 540i for $5-8k less than a new 530i, I would agree that it would probably be the right "value" choice.

Good luck.

dogface4 · May 2001

habitat:

Thanks. That was actually incredibly helpful. I did go an look on the edmunds.com site the gas mileage of the 540 and realized how horrible it was. I am still somewhat practical and I see no reason to be chugging gas at 16 miles per gallon. You are also right about the maintenance of the car; I'm sure the used 540 would be ready for new tires/brakes soon after I bought it. Since I'm going to keep this car for 10-15 years (hopefully), I do want everything to my specifications. I think I'm going to go with the 530, especially in light of the threat of gas prices going to $3 a gallon.

Thanks.

dogface4 · May 2001

anybody out there know when BMW is planning to change the present 5 series line?

5speed5 · May 2001

In regards to your question about the 528 in the snow:

I have the "sport" package (17" wheels & "ultra-high" performance low profile tires). I just went through a heavy snow winter with it. Overall, the car was pretty good in it. As long as I was conservative with the speed, it handled well. But compared to the Quattro, the Audi would handle much better. The BMW DSP system helps out in controlling wheel spin, but is no equal to the quattro system. I once got stuck on an incline with wet snow/ice. In a case like that, the DSP has to be turned off. I got out by rocking the car back and forth with ALOT of effort.

The car DID perform better than I expected it would in the snow, but still it was a big difference from AWD which I previously had.

monwen · May 2001

I was wondrin' the same thing -- when does the 5 change? Someone sent me to www.bmw2002.co.uk -- however, I'm not sure how accurate the info is there. After all, this website is not an official bmw website

cb44 · May 2001

The current e39 body will continue until the 2003 model year. Minimal changes expected for 2002 model (no larger V8, etc.).

mike342 · May 2001

Thanks for the feedback on 5 series performance in the snow. Changing to a winter tire might be the best solution for me. My wife drives our A6 and would be driving the 530.

monwen · May 2001

I know the current 5 will change for 2003 -- the question I have is will it be in the fall of 2002 for MY 2003 or in calendar year 2003?

musafir · May 2001

My understanding from reading various articles on model change for 5 series is Fall 2002 in Europe and Spring (~march) 2003 in US.

dogface4 · May 2001

to monwen

thanks for the info on the site to bmw2002. it is actually very helpful. they have pics of what the new 5 series is going to look like. I don't like it. from the front, it almost looks like a toyota camry and from the back it reminds me of a dodge neon or one of those 318ti. that being said, I really didn't like the new 5 series when it came out but now I love it. so maybe my opinion will change.

but given this information, i am somewhat reluctant to buy a 5 series (I would purchase it in the spring of 2002) given that the model is going to immediately change on me. yes, even though I don't necessarily like it, you feel bad when you buy the model that was the last year of the old style. what do other people think about the new 5 series in the pictures on www.bmw2002.co.uk? click "news" to see the pic.

js4hlbt · May 2001

Howdy...I need some feedback on the 525i and the 530i...I test drove both cars and saw not much difference in the power.. the 530i is around $4/5K more..... is it worth it? and if so why?.. everything else on the car is the same... any opinions would be helpful....thanks...js4hlbt

pivarb · May 2001

Looking at a used "loaner" 528i with Sport/Premium package at a local dealer with about 9000 miles. It's certified and he's asking $41,900, and I think that's a bit high. Any thoughts on reasonable expectations of price for such a car? Thanks

monwen · May 2001

RE: 5 SERIES MODEL CHANGE .. I am also model phobic!! I'm about to take delivery on a new "5" however I think I can live with spring 2003. I figure it this way ... I'll have about 18 months of a new car (almost 2 years) and I wouldn't want the new "5" immeidately after it comes out. I once had an MB E420 the first year and there were still some bugs to work out. How's that for rationale?

piripiri · May 2001

Does any body have any info on the new 2003 6 serie, I know is a two door and it will come in the v6 and v8 options, but can some one guide me to more info on it. Thank you.

monwen · May 2001

re 6-series ... check out bmw2002.co.uk .. that has some information that may help you

dwight53 · May 2001

I sent you an email, am interested in getting a 530 in the DC area, no one is $2000 over invoice. Who is your sales rep and dealer, if you don't mind me asking???

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