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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 248 of 1275

#2462 of 12737 Winter Driving in NJ by nyccarguy

Feb 26, 2002 (9:04 am)

This sounds like a job for...Shipo.
 
AWD vs RWD...first thing you need to know is that AWD helps you start, but does nothing but add weight which will decrease your stopping distance.
 
The 5 series is one of the safest cars on the road.
 
95% of the driving conditions can be handled fine if you have All Season Tires (Standard on non Sport Package equipped cars) by the traction control and dynamic stability control. If you want snow tires, they will help get you started in snowy/icy conditions. The near 50/50 weight distribution of the BMW will also help you control the car.
 
I'm from Rockland County. Its the first county in NY at the top of the NJ border. During the Blizzard of '96 which was the worst that we've had in a long time, my mother got along fine in her 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300E with 4 snow tires, 2 sand bags in the trunk, and NO TRACTION CONTROL. Your wife shopuld do fine in a 525i.

#2463 of 12737 525i vs MDX by nyccarguy

Feb 26, 2002 (9:14 am)

Curb weight:
 
525i: 3450 lbs
MDX: 4416 lbs
 
If you want to talk about safety and snow driving, the thing you should be worried about most is trying to avoid an accident, not getting to the mall when the kids have a snow day. The MDX is carrying around an extra 966 lbs of weight. The 525i will stop sooner. One of BMWs philosiphies is that the best way to survive an accident is to avoid one.

#2464 of 12737 5-Series in winter... by shipo

Feb 26, 2002 (9:25 am)

NycCarGuy has it right, no need for me to chime in.
 
That said, I will add two provisos:
 
1) DO NOT turn off the traction control system (unless you are in a parking lot with lots of room to spin), I turned mine off (on my 328i) while I was climbing a hill in heavy snow and the car immediately snapped into a spin, even though I was ready for it, I barely caught it in time to prevent a visit to the ditch.
 
2) For the typical wimpy winters we have here in NJ, the standard issue All-Season rubber should be about perfect (IMHO), however, if you have the Sport Package, it is recommended that you drive something else in slippery conditions, or have other more appropriate tires mounted on your car for the winter months. Now, if we could just predict what a winter will be like, we would have known before hand that we should have mounted Snows for 1995/1996, All-Seasons for 2000/2001 and Z-Rated Summer tires for 2001/2002.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#2465 of 12737 530bmw by john01

Feb 26, 2002 (9:33 am)

Typically it is through a dealer, but in Germany some of the dealers are owned by BMW AG, so it is actually "direct" purchase.
 
Yes, I was referring to the US MSRP.

#2466 of 12737 christophers by jwilson1

Feb 26, 2002 (9:52 am)

On the other hand.......your kids are just about to enter a growth spurt that will leave both your grocery bill and your car intimidated and weak with their onslaught.
 
I've just been through the assault. When the oldest was ten and the youngest was six, I decided on the best "enjoyable" car I could afford then -- (a Maxima) -- and lived with it all through teen years ... not wanting them to "learn" on a better car that we could then afford.
 
Many time my wife and I both lamented that we didn't have a minivan (oh m'gawd) for the kids and their barbaric friends, their pizza and other foolishness. If I had it to do again, I would choose a minivan, one without leather, a cheaper, reliable one, and either buy a fun little car for my infrequent times alone, or just dig into a "fighting hole" to wait out the bombardment of adolescence. A 525 is fun, but not so much when you have six kids crowded in singing all your N'Sync favorites ----
 
Don't get me wrong: it's mostly fun, but a real assault (like I said) on cars, and the food bill.
 
Take care.
Joe W.

#2467 of 12737 530 and tires!! by zuba

Feb 26, 2002 (10:02 am)

Thanks for the advice on driving in the snow, even though it was not my question. I live near Chicago and am hoping to buy my buddies 2001 530 w/Sport Package. He lives in the south with no snow, so I guess I need snow tires up here. But since I drive 25K miles per year on the car, will the Sport Tires last, or should I dump them for highway tires? 70% of my driving is highway!

#2468 of 12737 lease deals by sanand5

Feb 26, 2002 (10:15 am)

Message #2361 states a lease deal that seems hard to believe. $530/mo $3000 down for a 540i.
How can this be possible?
 
What kind of lease deals are most people getting?

#2469 of 12737 sanand5 by shipo

Feb 26, 2002 (10:53 am)

I just ordered a 530i, 5-Speed, PP, SP, Xenon, Premium Audio, last week. Total cash out of pocket is $2,540.58 (includes second, manditory, lease payment up front for ED), with each lease payment being $558.29.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo
 
P.S.
 
If you check message #2377, you will see that the 540i was pre-owned (briefly), and must have had a fairly substantial downstroke by the initial owner.

#2470 of 12737 RE: 530 and tires!! by zuba by snagiel

Feb 26, 2002 (10:53 am)

Sport package tires will probably last 20-25k miles. You can buy harder all-seasons (usually cheaper than sport tires too) that'll last, oh, 30-45k miles (although some brands actually promise ridiculous lifetimes of 80k miles or so). But be aware your traction during spirited driving will decline noticeably. And I'm not just talking about racing; you'll hear your tires chirp and squeal much more often around turns. But, like you said, if most of your driving is on the highway, I'd just get the non-sport package and save the money (although, honestly, as awesome as my 530i is, I don't like driving it on the highway...way too boring and easy; I can almost hear the car complaining it's not really being challenged).

#2471 of 12737 Leasing a 530 by zuba

Feb 26, 2002 (11:06 am)

Am I nuts to even consider leasing a 530 when I drive 25K miles per year, or could they be figured in without costing me $1000.00 per month? The above payment $558 is great, but betting it is for 10K miles per year!

Messages Page 248 of 1275

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