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BMW 5-Series Sedans
12737 messages, Last post on Feb 16, 2013 at 11:05 PM
You are in the BMW 5-Series Forum.What is this discussion about? BMW 5 Series, Sedan
#6456 of 12737 Still Uncertain about 5 series in bad weather by rweiss2
May 14, 2003 (2:29 pm)
I really want to make the move to the 525 or 530, but I am worried about rear wheel drive and its safety on rain slicked roads or snow. Soemone who has an older 1994 3 series and a new 330xi says he would never buy rwd again in BMW. Too many "spinouts" in bad weather. Would the newer models be safer in bad weather? Would I be white knuckling it down the road at 55-60 on a wet night? Would appreciate any advice. Thanks.
#6457 of 12737 rweiss by seivwrig
May 14, 2003 (2:44 pm)
I don't drive a 5er. But with a 3er, I have not had any problem with rain at high speed. I have driven the autobahn at 90 mph and the M4 motorway (UK) at 80 mph in the rain. No problems. While driving on oil slick roads, the DSC kicks in when necessary. I think if the BMW did not have the DSC, I probably would get good tires. I have only owned RWD cars and I think that the tires can make the difference. A 5er should have similar qualities. I have come to believe that sport equates to RWD. I cannot think of any FWD race cars, but then again, I am not think too hard.#6458 of 12737 misc by george94
May 14, 2003 (5:12 pm)
this past Sunday the whole family got a ride in my new 530, PP, SP, 5 speed from Boston to Connecticut. I was actually looking forward to this Mother's Day as it introduced an opportunity to leave our 2000 Honda Odyssey minivan with our yellow lab behind and take my car instead. What a blast this was. My average speed was 79 m/h during this trip with 28 miles/gallon. Not too bad for car with barely over 1200 miles. I realized this car is truly meant to be driven in Germany at high speeds w/o being afraid of being pulled over. I can't tell you how many times my wife told me I would be in trouble if I got pulled over..I am envious of twisty west coast roads and Germans autobahns.
..g
#6459 of 12737 rweiss2: FWD won't help anyone who spins out by srfast
May 14, 2003 (5:43 pm)
as much as your friend claims he does. He needs to learn how to drive appropriately in bad weather/road conditions. I've driven all types of cars, both race and street in all types of track/road & weather conditions and I can tell you, it ain't the type of vehicle you're driving that keeps you on the track/road, it's the driver. Vehicle technology/design does not replace/compensate the need to use common sense and good judgment. Rant over.If you want a 525i/530i, go out and buy it. When winter comes, invest in a set of good winter tires and you will be fine. I've owned two E36 325i's and currently own a 2003 530i with SP/PP/CWP and think it is one of the finest cars on the road. Buy what your heart wants, drive it intelligently and you'll be fine.
Hope this helps...JL
#6460 of 12737 thanks srfast and seivwrig by rweiss2
May 14, 2003 (5:58 pm)
I appreciate the feedback, I really do and it makes me feel better. Common sense says the driver controls the car..my intuition is to buy this car. I'm very close!! Need to find a good price. Thanks again#6461 of 12737 RE: Still Uncertain about 5 series in bad weather by rweiss2 by snagiel
May 14, 2003 (8:22 pm)
srfast is correct, to an extent. There is no substitute for an alert and educated driver.However, cars and equipment do vary, and their performance in hazardous conditions will vary as well. But, you're mixing things up here, so let's break it down:
Accelerating: Assuming a front-engined car, FWD has a slight advantage over RWD in initial traction, since there's more weight on the driving wheels. But, this only applies to the moment of accelerating from a stop. Very quickly, the balance of the car's mass shifts to the back, which favors RWD. The harder you accelerate, the more the rear wheels are important. If the road is slick, it's best to accelerate slowly, which will keep the weight balance close to static and minimize the importance of the driving wheels. At this point, it comes down to tires. If accelerating out of a turn, a RWD car is more likely to spin (oversteer) on slippery surfaces, but proper traction control (like the BMWs have) will effectively prevent this, and good tires will minimize this as well.
Braking: It's all about the tires, ABS, and dynamic stability control. Drive wheels are insignificant.
Cruising: It's all about the tires, and dynamic stability control. Drive wheels are practically insignificant. The danger here is hydroplaning, which can be avoided with good tires (summer tires are generally best, somewhat ironically) and moderate speed.
You may have picked up on the lowest common denominator here: tires. It's hard to overstate their importance, since they're all that sits between you and your passengers, a two-ton machine, and everything else. If you live in a snowy climate, get winter tires and swap them out seasonally. Otherwise, 3-season (aka summer, performance) tires should be fine. Drive safely.
#6462 of 12737 E60 by jb_shin
May 15, 2003 (12:53 am)
I was watching "Fifth Gear", a car review program on UK TV. They tested the new 530i. The reviewer said something along the line of, "Do you want to say to your friends that your girl friend is ugly but really smart, or that she looks like a super model, but not so smart?" He did like the Active Steering, Adaptive Headlights, HUD, and the driving dynamic. Not to mention the climate control system that actually adjusts humidity to optimum level. In his words, "BMW once again comes out ahead of the competition in the segment". Although it was not mentioned, the 530i seemed to have the same I-6 engine as in the E39.He ended the review by saying, "In this case, the ugly wins"
#6463 of 12737 Corporate fleet car vs one-owner by wabends
May 15, 2003 (5:18 am)
Given the choice of a MY 01 530i (PP, CWP, Xe and AT)with 19000 miles ($32K)registered as a corporate fleet car and a similar car with 21000 miles but owned by original buyer ($34.5K), which of these two would be a better buy?Secondly, is the rain sensing feature included in the MY 01 PP?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
#6464 of 12737 rweiss2 by mseals
May 15, 2003 (7:31 am)
The 5er is the most stable car I have ever driven in rain or snow at normaly speeds. When I say normal, I am basing that on the conditions while driving the car. I live in Michigan and we see the whole array of different weather conditions. I was driving in a freezing rain storm at highway speeds with not problem at all. I have also driven in 6-10 inches of snow with no problem at all as long as I kept me speeds reasonable based on the conditions. That being said, I have the 15" all season Dunlop Sport A2 on all fours. I plan on purchasing some summer tires and rims next month once the rainy season is over here. I can only imagine how good the car handles with snow tires.#6465 of 12737 Service Interval Display by crete
May 15, 2003 (1:00 pm)
I'm sure I'm seeing yellow indicators on the display but no text is showing. I just have the yellow diodes and at the end the bottom part is gone with only a line on the very top. I'm going to head over to the dealer and see if there is a problem. I've hit the check control button and it displays "Check Control OK"To POST a message, please
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