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BMW 5-Series Sedans

12737 messages,  Last post on Feb 16, 2013 at 11:05 PM

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What is this discussion about? BMW 5 Series, Sedan

Messages Page 1204 of 1275

#12022 of 12737 Re: Kia Amanti safer than 2008 5 series [priggly] by shipo

Aug 19, 2007 (9:11 am)

Replying to: priggly (Aug 19, 2007 12:17 am)
You know..., I've been hearing where various BMWs have performed less than satisfactorily on many IIHS crashes for at least a decade, and yet, insurance company actuarial data suggests that BMWs are just about the safest cars one can drive these days. Geez, my brand new 2002 530i with an MSRP of nearly $49,000 was as inexpensive to insure as our (then) four year old Dodge Grand Caravan. I asked my agent why it was so inexpensive to insure and she said, "They're hard to steal and they're safe to be in when in an accident."
 
So, why the disconnect? The best explanation that I've heard is that BMW engineers engineer their cars to be safe in many, many scenarios, tests be damned. Sometimes the IIHS tests coincide with their analysis of what is safe, and the car gets a good score on that test, some times the tests don't.
 
I liken this situation in a weird way to the whole Hybrid debacle, Hybrids it seems were developed to exploit the flawed EPA mileage testing, and as such these cars were released to the market with obscenely exaggerated mileage numbers, numbers that the cars cannot hope to achieve in real world driving. Meanwhile, cars like the BMWs that I have driven have had absolutely no problem exceeding their EPA ratings, even at extra legal speeds.
 
Long story short, I'll gladly take my chances in a BMW, even in a side impact collision.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#12023 of 12737 BMW safety by nyccarguy

Aug 19, 2007 (12:13 pm)

In addition to what shipo said, you have to take the test results with a grain of salt. The E60 (current body style) BMW 5 series was completely redesigned for the 2004 model year. Every car in its class (E-Class, Volvo S80, Audi A6...) are pretty much brand new cars for '07 or '08.
 
Read real life testimonials in BMW Magazine, Roundel Magazine (official magazine of the BMWCCA), and Posts & pictures on Bimmerfest. BMW isn't building flimsy cars!
 
My wife's '07 X3 3.0si is a little cheaper to insure than her former 7 year old Mazda Protege.

#12024 of 12737 Re: BMW safety [nyccarguy] by rjlaero

Aug 20, 2007 (10:35 am)

Replying to: nyccarguy (Aug 19, 2007 12:13 pm)
I think all these cars are still pretty safe with side airbags and such. But this will no doubt cause BMW some business with people on the fence of which car they want to buy a car via safety ratings. But I doubt this will hurt the loyal BMW-ists that much and keep them from buying a 5 series.

#12025 of 12737 Re: BMW safety [nyccarguy] by vavavavolvo

Aug 21, 2007 (2:35 pm)

Replying to: nyccarguy (Aug 19, 2007 12:13 pm)
"In addition to what shipo said, you have to take the test results with a grain of salt. The E60 (current body style) BMW 5 series was completely redesigned for the 2004 model year. Every car in its class (E-Class, Volvo S80, Audi A6...) are pretty much brand new cars for '07 or '08."
 
The one they tested was the new model.
 
Shipo's point about there being some types of collisions where a car does better/worse is surely correct. It's just impossible to make objective comparisons among cars given the vagaries and anecdotal nature of real world collisions. Watch the video presentation on the IIHS site http://www.iihs.org/news/default.html (Aug 16 news release) and decide for yourself on whether the scenario that their engineers developed to simulate being T-boned in the drivers door relates to a situation one might possibly encounter.
 
Unfortunately all cars are a bit flimsy when they get hit in this location. Just take a look at the penetration that happens for any of them with a 30 mph impact. It appears that the side airbag in the 5 didn't protect the driver as well as it did in the other cars. Seems like a problem that their excellent engineers could solve.

#12026 of 12737 Diesels by tgkoenigsegg

Aug 21, 2007 (4:29 pm)

I wonder why they don't have at least one diesel engine for the 5 series to compete with the E320 Blutech. BMW could send the 535d. It has a 3.0 liter I6 with 272 hp and 414 lb ft of torque. 0-60 mph is 6.5 seconds yet it still gets about 40 mpg.

#12027 of 12737 Re: Diesels [tgkoenigsegg] by ny540i6

Aug 21, 2007 (5:12 pm)

Replying to: tgkoenigsegg (Aug 21, 2007 4:29 pm)
The diesel is gonna happen. They are getting cleaner, power is up, torque is phenomenal, and fuel prices will soon make it a real choice.

#12028 of 12737 Re: Diesels [ny540i6] by roadburner

Aug 21, 2007 (6:27 pm)

Replying to: ny540i6 (Aug 21, 2007 5:12 pm)
The diesel is gonna happen.
 
BMW has already announced that they will offer a diesel powered vehicle in 2008. My sources tell me that the oil burner will initially be available in the X3 or X5. My first choice would be a 335d Touring with the M-Sport package.

#12029 of 12737 Re: BMW safety [vavavavolvo] by nyccarguy

Aug 21, 2007 (7:37 pm)

Replying to: vavavavolvo (Aug 21, 2007 2:35 pm)
I understand the model they tested was a new 2008 5 series, but the body, chassis, and structure are identical to the '04.

#12030 of 12737 Like roadburner said by nyccarguy

Aug 21, 2007 (7:46 pm)

The diesels are coming! BMW is waiting for their diesels to be 50 state emission legal. MBs Bluetec diesels are currently only emission legal in 45 states. The 5 states that the bluetecs aren't emission legal in are CA, NY, NJ, MA, & RI (I think). 4 of these states are HUGE markets for BMW, so they are wise to wait.

#12031 of 12737 Re: Like roadburner said [nyccarguy] by shipo

Aug 21, 2007 (9:15 pm)

Replying to: nyccarguy (Aug 21, 2007 7:46 pm)
Actually the CARB and CARB wannabe states now number nine (plus Canada) and are as follows CA, CT, MA, ME, NJ, NY, RI, VT and WA. Oddly enough I now live in New Hampshire, a state surrounded on all sides by CARB wannabes.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

Messages Page 1204 of 1275

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