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I am surprised that that the E500 is so much more, though...
Am looking hard at the 530i, and the iDrive issue comes up in this forum, in the road tests, etc. I can understand why using something new may seem initially difficult (stupid, laborious, etc.), but doesn't the process get easier with practice... and over time?
Would be nice to hear from some actual owners who have spent time with the system.
After a few weeks, I realized I didn't even notice the iDrive and am glad that wasn't a factor in my decision whether or not to buy this car.
In the end, I took the advice of the very helpful members of this friendly forum and bought a 2005 545 six-speed with performance tires. As soon as I got it (Nov 04), ordered a set a snow tires and wheels from Tire Rack and promptly mounted them. Since then, we've had a few snow storms that have given us sufficient accumulation to make driving tricky and which would certainly have made my old 86 slip and slide. Am pleased to report that the 545 with snows was very well behaved. Traction assist and DSC work great.
In fact, I took the car into an empty parking lot with about three inches of snow on the ground and tried to get it to skid or break out and the damn thing just went right where I pointed it.
So, at least for Northern Virginia, the 545 seems like an excellent choice.
Let us know what you do.
BTW, check on the parking assist. If it is available, I've found it very useful on my car.
One question about run flat all seasons that come with the car. I have been reading some negative comments about these tires, do you have them and should I be concerned?
Fully agree with you about parking assist, tried it out on the Infiniti M35X and it worked very well. I am torn over the two cars. The 545i by far is a superior drive over the M35 not to mention it is 8 Cyl instead of 6. I am stuck over all the options that I have to give up that are on the Infiniti. The 545i is a stock car and really does not have any options in it.
Am leaning towards the BMW and will have to decide today.
Thanks again for your input.
It's not the potential for problems that should be your concern, it's the cost. I live in New Hampshire and made the decision to buy a set for my leased 530i after looking at the cost (in both time and money) of swapping tires on a single set of wheels twice a year (and the requisite rebalance). With just the dollar cost alone I was able to justify the new wheels over the course of the lease, factor in the extra time (especially since I can swap my own wheels in about 30 minutes) and the difference in true cost is so large that I was able to justify the second set of wheels in just the first year.
Needless to say, my vote is for you to get a set of cheepie wheels (TireRack has a set of 17 x 7.5 ASA JH3 wheels for $516 USD plus shipping and taxes) for your car.
Best Regards,
Shipo
They expect incremental price in the range of $2,000 - $2,500 for the AWD, and availability is expected around May - June '05.
Anyone have any updates on this?
As my car has just over a month left on its lease, I had it inspected today in preparation for its return to BMW. The inspector tested my summer set of tires and found them to all have more tread depth than the minimum (min=4mm, I had one at 5mm, one at 6mm and two at 7mm), and as such, I won't be charged the $200 per tire (according to the inspector) replacement charge from BMW (I'd be surprised that they'd be that cheap from BMW as they are $191 per tire from TireRack.com plus about $30 per tire for mounting and balancing) at lease turn in. Hmmm, $800 for a new set of summer tires that I didn't have to buy vs. $1,007 for my winter wheel/tire set (including shipping). As if that isn't good enough, my winter tires easily have four or five serviceable seasons of tread on them (they still look new), so I should easily be able to sell them next fall to any E39 540i or 530i driver looking for a deal on a winter set.
Best Regards,
Shipo
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
So, it's a definite "Maybe". ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
It was covered with 3-4 inches of fresh snow.
I gunned it and just fed in enough gas to maintain headway as I climbed the steep grade.
My 528iA basically mastered the hill without any indication of the tricky footing underneath other than the traction control light flickering on
for the entire length of the climb.
Piece 'o cake, thank you Bridgestone, Bosch and BMW.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
If possible, a few hours checking a couple of other dealers for the same car should give you an idea of what the traffic will bear.
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On the ‘05 530i, the manual states that pressing the radio button (the little black knob that sticks out) will turn the radio off.
However, when I press this button, a little icon which looks like a speaker with a slash through appears and then I no longer hear any audio. however, the radio isn’t turned off, it is merely muted. the reason I know this is because when I’m playing a CD and I hit that button, the music is muted, giving the appearance that the system is off, and the system keeps going through the tracks of the CD.
Does anybody know how to turn off the radio/audio system?
Thanks
This is ridiculous. BMW is suffering because of this. Customers are fleeing. No wonder they're making iDrive optional on the coming 3.
Don't get me wrong other than that one minor annoyance I really don't think I-drive is that big of deal. I don't even have to look down to use it anymore.
When I press the radio button while the CD is playing, the CD comes to a stop. Then the screen freezes showing the track number and the time that track has been played. But the CD player is actually stopped, not only muted. There is no advance either in the clock or from the track to the next one; in addition, there is no noise of anything running inside.
Then, if I switch off the whole car by taking out the ignition key (leaving the CD in the player), and then I start the car again, the screen comes in and shows the track number and the time as before. But the CD is not played unless you press once more the radio button to start it. If you press the eject button at any time during this process, the CD is ejected and the screen is reset.
I believe this is the way i-Drive is designed to keep apart the stop-and-eject function (you must press eventually the eject button) from the temporal stop function. This is like any CD player with the reassume function switched on.
IMO, it is the instruction manual which is very poorly written in a very "solid" German way in the 2004-5 BMW 5 Series, at least in its Spanish version. (Things can be always be worst, you may laugh in despair reading instructions manuals translated from Japanese into Spanish; I can imagine the same happens in translations from Spanish into other languages). I find that the i-Drive is (almost) a piece of cake when adequately explained.
Jose
3k down 602.00 a month for 36 months and 10k miles a year.
Premium Pkg
Gray Leather
Premium Sound (DSP)
Power Rear Shade
17in wheels (just like the sport pkg)
CD Changer
Needless to say, the car is awesome!!! Coming from an Acura Integra, I feel like I do have the Ultimate Driving Machine....yeah, my feelings are very subjective right about now
Now, I have nothing against Japanese cars, but there is some german engineering that the Japanese cannot copy/reproduce no matter how hard they try. For example, I drove both the '06 M35 and '06 GS300 on President's Day last Monday. They are fine cars and have the gadgets to keep the techies happy but they still don't match the driving experience I have had these past 24 hours in my 525i. As we have heard before and I will co-sign today that the BMW 5 series sedan is the best sport sedan...PERIOD!!!
You want great engineering, excellent ergonomics and useful cup holders, get a Lexus. You want the best driving car on the planet get a 5er.
Would like to move up to a 2005 530 or 545 this August.
Have you had any mechanical issues with your 545?
How does it perform in typical slow-moving every day traffic situations? I believe Edmunds said something negative about this vehicle's control in slower situations.
Thanks for your input.
hpowders
I did the ED thing on my 530i and I can tell you first hand, "It Rocks!" Oddly enough, we just had a little thread creap over at BMW 3-Series Owners: Problems & Solutions, if you want to give it a look. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
1) You will probably save an easy $3,500 (less airfare) on the ED 2006 vs. a good deal on a domestically sourced 2005.
2) The difference between the two model years is primarily the engine, which produces an extra 30 HP in the newer car, while achieving greater fuel efficiency at the same time.
3) A vacation in Europe in a 5er is something that cannot be valued very easily. For Mrs. Shipo and me, it was priceless. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
My last car was an 86 325eS which I bought new and picked up in Munich (as I did my current one). Loved that car and felt a little heart tug when I sold it but quickly forgot that as soon as I started dring the 545.
I really do want to move up to the 5. 530 or 545. Was even thinking X5 4.4 but wouldn't really have that "ultimate driving machine" handling I got used to.
Regards and thanks,
hpowders
Consider European Delivery. I've done that twice now and have been very pleased with the process. And on the 545, I saved $5K.
Since my 325 lease is up in August, I should be able to drive the upgraded 530 before then. I want to be able to compare it to the 545. The 530 should be a major improvement. I'm pretty sure the new 330 will be a dazzler with its improved power and new options.
Yeah, August should be a great time to shop for a new BMW!
Assuming I could get equivalent deals (on a 2006 530xi)m which dealer would you recommend?
Thanks !
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/ly/06_530xi.htm
http://motortrend.com/roadtests/luxury/112_0412_bmw_mb/index.html
Time to go negotiate for my 2006 530i !!!
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