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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
#6981 of 12737 riez by habitat1
Jul 17, 2003 (12:15 pm)
You made my day. I'm telling my wife that I'm only 7.2% (10-12 lbs) overweight compared to a couple of years ago. And, while I was formerly 50/50 balanced, I'm still only 52.1% "butt heavy".Seriously, the 540i 6-speed is a phenominal car and no one I know wouldn't be proud to have it as a daily driver. But the 530i 5-speed is a big improvement in actual performance over the old 528i and significantly closes the gap for those of us who can live with a 128 mph top speed. Using my 1995 Nissan Maxima 5-speed as the benchmark, the 528i was noticably slower off the line and in the midrange. The 530i is a bit quicker all around. Of course any RWD 5-series is a superior handler than the FWD Maxima. Interestingly the Maxima SE has a 140 mph top speed but I haven't used the last 40+ mph of that range (nor on my S2000, for that matter).
My slight fear of the 540i is long term maintenance and repairs. My Maxima has 142k trouble free miles. My Nissan dealer is also a BMW dealer (VOB, Rockville Maryland). The service manager claims the BMW I6 is as dependable and durable as the Maxima's highly acclaimed V6. He also speaks well of the BMW 4.4 liter V8, but is quick to acknowledge that it is likely to require "quite a bit more" maintenance and repairs after 75-100k miles than the others. I haven't probed him on what that equates to in $ and cents, but he drives a 530i himself. Since my history has been to buy new, pay cash and keep a car for 7-9+ years, the $42k 530i seems like pretty safe bet. I know you are a CPO fan and that equation may produce different results.
#6982 of 12737 riez--540 a great ride... by sdg380
Jul 17, 2003 (1:07 pm)
Not to sell a 540 short, a great ride to be sure, but I still like a six in this chassis for balance (would really like the M3's six). Also, I bought new, so I've still got nearly $10k savings in the bank that's not depreciating (albeit, not earning much interest either!). And while buying CPO is a good way to limit the bigger $$ that a 540 depreciates, I'm always just a little leery of buying a pre-owned performance car, for obvious reasons.As you note from weight distribution, I think we know where that extra 254 lbs. is (ie, over the front axle)-thus reduced polar moment of inertia for 530 when cornering. Also, at less than 3500 lbs., my 530 was about the same weight as my old 525, and I just think closer to 3000 than 4000 is better for a car with sporting pretensions (that's why those new Porsche SUV's are such a joke, tested weight is like 5700 lbs.!) And while the difference in mileage probably only amounts to a few hundred bucks difference in gas per year, I like the idea of a car engineered to provide performance and efficiency, contributed to by slightly higher compression ratio of 530 (10.2:1 v. 10:1).
To be sure, I have lusted after a 6-spd. box, but as I've said, I think any BMW is sporty enough without the sport package (with stiffer suspension, and those firm-riding, pothole-vulnerable low profile tires and wheels), and the 540 stick was take it or leave it with the sport package.
No doubt the eight is a torquer, although the Vanos on the 530 gives it bottom end my 525 never had. And no doubt 540 has lots more top end, but what's the fastest you've had it? Guess I'm getting old and chicken (and afraid of getting arrested!), not too many places around here to do 128 mph, much less 155. But hey, this is Golden Delicious v. Red Delicious, all very tasty!
#6983 of 12737 only 52.1% butt heavy by sdg380
Jul 17, 2003 (1:42 pm)
Habitat--that's a great line, I'm using it too!#6984 of 12737 Weight and Power to Weight by riez
Jul 17, 2003 (3:18 pm)
Those weight figures I cited above are empty weights. Add yourself and a full tank of gas. Now you have just added anywhere from 200-300 pounds.The 4.4L engine really packs a torque punch. Across a vast RPM spread. And the HP is quite good. Plus it used a 6-speed manual with different gearing than the 530i.
#6985 of 12737 5-series performance figures by habitat1 by SergeyM
Jul 17, 2003 (4:37 pm)
Just noticed that numbers for 525 and 530 are for manuals. 540 number is for an auto. 540 i/6 gets to 60mph in 5.4-5.5 seconds. BTW it is not the top speed that counts in every-day driving it is a stop-light acceleration that makes 540 more desirable that 525/530 cround. Also here in NYC everyone and their mother own a BMW not that many with 8 cyls though.#6986 of 12737 odor from AC by 530bmw
Jul 17, 2003 (5:14 pm)
When I switch on the AC in the morning sometime I can smell an odor that I cannot quite describe what it smells like.It only happended to me a few times. Has anyone run into this problem before, or can anyone tell me what may be the cause of this?#6987 of 12737 Prelude1997 by jb_shin
Jul 17, 2003 (5:49 pm)
Diplomat purchase program in US does not give you much savings at all. I think you can do better with ED. On the other hand, Diplomat Purchase program outside of US is quite good. (~12% of US MSRP)#6988 of 12737 Sergey by kdshapiro
Jul 17, 2003 (5:51 pm)
In my part of town Bimmers are a dime a dozen. But you know what, I still a couple of thumbs up a week on the car when it is clean. Theres only one car that is seen more on the road than a 325 and that's an S500. There are those who express disdain because the Bimmers are a dime-a-dozen. To them I say, get a Hyundia.#6989 of 12737 525 2003 vs 2004 by 67healy
Jul 17, 2003 (6:00 pm)
My wife and I are looking to buy our first BMW. We looked at a 2003 525i with a sticker price of 42,520, the dealer offered it to us for 37,020 and 4.2% financing for five years. This seems like a great offer to us but we know the new series is due out in late fall and were unsure if this car would look dated compared to the new look and also how much the value would go down with the old style. With the new series due out soon, we were wondering if people will be trading in their late model 525's or 530's for the new ones, and then it might be better to wait and buy one of these.#6990 of 12737 525 2003 vs 2004 by karmikan
Jul 17, 2003 (9:10 pm)
A few points - check out the comments on the "design" threads on this board. The new design is a lead balloon to many people.The new 7 series was the first to use the revised styling cues and a recent magazine (maybe Road & Track) noted that resale values of the previous generation 7 series are actually going UP due to the poor reception of the new design. Something similar might happen with the 5 series.
The current 5 series design is arguably a classic that will look good 10 yrs from now, not sure that the same will hold for the new design.
Good/bad/indifferent design is all in the eye of the beholder but you sure seem to have snagged a nice deal......
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