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Sedans BMW 5-Series Buying a used 5 Series
176 messages, Last post on Aug 18, 2008 at 10:32 AM
You are in the BMW 5-Series Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Replying to: gkg680 (Sep 29, 2006 4:37 pm) I'm assuming that includes brake fluid, coolant, transmission fluid, and final drive oil- using BMW approved fluids/lubricants? Blue Book trade-in value is $13,000, private party trade value is $15K, and dealership retail is $17,000. I wouldn't pay over $15K; why pay silly money for very low miles on a car you are going to drive? It's not like an E39 528i is collectable. I've never owned a BMW and have heard countless horror stories about the cost of maintenance and repairs. Mostly false and passed on second or third hand by the misinformed, the jealous, or just plain fools. I ran a 1997 5er to over 130K and the maintenance/repair costs averaged  $80/month. The upkeep costs on my 1995 3er track rat average $40/month. Join BMW CCA, find a good independent BMW tech(or better yet, buy the Bentley E39 Manual and learn to do the simple maintenance yourself), and you'll be fine.
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I have an 87 528e. All the instrumentation on the gauge cluster doesn't work, nor does the power seats. No tach, speedometer, fuel gauge, heat temp, or SI level, but the cluster gear selector for the automatic trans. lights up. It doesn't look like these items were touched or disassembled, but the car is so original that it still has the original factory crappy plastic mini-fuses in the car's fuse box. Would all of these items work if the fuses were changed out with new metal ones? Can anyone tell me the most common problems with this model BMW? Also, I am looking for several body parts, exterior parts, and interior parts for this car. If anyone has an e28 parts car available and can give me a good deal on these parts, can they email me with prices for these parts: * Both fog lights and front yellow turn signals * Lower front metal valence for 528e and/or front spoiler for 533i or 535i or M5. * Driver's side front seat, black leather in excellent condition and rear magazine holding net. * fully functioning overhead BMW lights diagnostic computer with "check" button that doesn't fall out. * black leather automatic gear shifter * excellent condition black body trim and brackets mounted on body by rear driver side passenger door * black dashboard trim grill holding cigarette lighter and other accesssories in excellent condition. * headlight/ foglight switch mounting trim * original 528e BMW car phone with mounting brackets and connecting phone cable running to trunk, in excellent condition. * black trim surrounding radio on dashboard in excellent condition. * black trim holding e-brake and seat switches, in excellent condition. * floor mats with "BMW" etched on them in black, excellent condition. Also, i have an 86 325es. When the fan belt slips, does that affect the timing for the valves, essentially damaging the engine and making it burn oil? |
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Hi, I'm currently in research mode, however I plan to buy one soon. A few questions: Sports package: I'm a mellow driver and looking more for comfort than race car performance. I heard the seats, and even the suspension is fairly ridgid with the sports package? Accurate? Premium package; still not sure what you get with this. Can anyone shed some light on this for me. Blue exterior; I have been cruising web sites and do not recall seeing this color. Does it exist in the 525 or 30? Are 16 in wheels standard? Roof rack; I will be carrying around surfboards periodically. Has anyone used the 725 tower from Thule with these? Secure fit? Regards, Bill in So-Cal |
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I recently fell in love with the 530i during a test drive. I am looking to purchase a 2004 model with about 41,000 miles. It is pre-certified from a BMW dealership, so the limited extended warranty will last on this car for 3 more years from its original date of service. Price out the door will be about $36,500. I am currently a Buick Regal owner. I'm very worried that the cost of maintenance will be quite expensive. I drive about 12,000 miles per year. The dealership has a policy for purchase ($1,400) to pay for all scheduled maintenance costs for 2 years after the original warrant ends. Is it worth it? Can someone calm me down or am I right to be nervous? 
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Replying to: dngary (Dec 23, 2006 3:01 pm) As I've repeated umpteen times on these boards: Relax! Most of the "horribly expensive" BMW maintenance/repair stories are spread by people who heard that his best friend's sister's college roommate knew a guy who had a dentist whose broker told him that it cost his second cousin $3000 to change the oil on his 318i. Yes there ARE some dealers and independents who grossly overcharge their customers. Having said all that, there are good dealers and independents out there who charge fair prices and offer a BMW Car Club discount. Finally, I ran a 1997 528iA to over 130K miles and my service and repair costs averaged $90 per month. I only sold it was because my wife wanted an X3. I needed to keep my US built Wrangler for political reasons- otherwise I would have claimed the 5er for my commuter sled. The current owner now has 145K on the car and she still loves it. Right now I'm thinking about buying a 2001 M5, and its CPO warranty runs out in April. No way am I going to buy any "added protection".
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Replying to: div2 (Dec 23, 2006 10:59 pm) Thank you so much again for your advice.
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Replying to: dngary (Dec 24, 2006 10:54 am) No problem! I'm glad to help. I've noticed that on BMWs and Volvos, there appears to be an accumulation of black brake dust on the wheels. I've never experienced that on my Buick or on any other American car I've owned If you continue to use the original equipment pads you will find that brake dust accumulations will be pretty much unavoidable. There are dust shields available that fit between the wheels and the brakes, but they can interfere with brake cooling. As a result, I don't reccommend them- and neither does BMW. The best solution to the problem is to fit Axxis Deluxe Plus pads. More information can be found here. Thank you so much again for your advice. You're welcome. Let me know if you have any other questions. BMWs have been my hobby for over 25 years, and I always enjoy talking about them.
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Replying to: div2 (Dec 24, 2006 11:42 am) As you can surmise, I am a little hesitant, not so much because the 5 series isn't a wonderful car, but partly because it seems so spartan in comparison with other cars in the same price range. Even the radio in my Buick sounds better. (Well, it does.)(My frame of reference is about $36,000 out the door price for a used 530i with 42,000 miles). On another note, what do you think of the "dreaded" I Drive control? Please let me know when I'm getting on your nerves with all these questions. I especially do not want to spoil the holiday season for you! Signed, Still a bit nervous (now that I know I have to clean my rims of black break dust.)
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Replying to: dngary (Dec 25, 2006 2:11 pm) So do I  As you can surmise, I am a little hesitant, not so much because the 5 series isn't a wonderful car, but partly because it seems so spartan in comparison with other cars in the same price range. I think you will find that BMW places a great deal of emphasis on the overall driving experience; a BMW embodies a lot of impressive engineering- but most of it is under the skin. Even the radio in my Buick sounds better. I've never been too impressed with the sound systems in the newer BMWs. As a matter of fact, very few of them sound as good as the OEM system in my 1995 318ti track rat. Go figure. Does the 5er you are considering have the Logic7 upgrade? It supposedly sounds pretty decent. On another note, what do you think of the "dreaded" I Drive control? I drove a 645Ci with iDrive for a couple of weeks last summer, and after a few days I became pretty adept at using it. Some people love it, others hate it. I think it is a flawed interface, but it wouldn't keep me from buying a BMW I really liked. Going back to your original post, there is some things that I think you should know about how BMW are serviced. In most cases, the best way to keep maintenance costs reasonable is to find a GOOD independent BMW tech; you will save 25%-50% on service compared to the dealer. That said, there are some excellent dealers that offer excellent service at reasonable prices. All modern BMWs use a Service Interval Indicator to inform the driver when routine maintenance is required. On a 2004 5er an Oil Service will be called for at 15,000 miles. To be honest, I don't like to run oil that long, so I perform an oil change at 7,500 miles. I also use Mobil 1 0W-40 synthetic, which I prefer to the BMW-branded Castrol synthetic. It's a VERY easy DIY procedure and it costs me less than $45. The minor service(Inspection I) will come up at 30,000 miles and the major service(Inspection II) at 60,000 miles. An Oil Service will cost $60-$150, an Inspection I $150-$300, and an Inspection II $450-$800. Coolant must be changed every three years(using BMW Coolant ONLY), while the DOT4 brake fluid gets flushed every two years. BMW also calls for changing the ATF at 100,000 miles, although I would have the procedure performed every 50,000 miles- and I'd have the differential oil changed at the same time. Finally, join the BMW Car Club of America. Many dealers and independent shops offer CCA members 10%-25% discounts on parts and/or labor. Please let me know when I'm getting on your nerves with all these questions. I especially do not want to spoil the holiday season for you! Ask away! It is not a problem! |
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Ok Bimerfiles, looking at purchasing a 540i 2001-2003 with the sport package and 6MT. Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions also anything to look for on these cars? Debating between an 05/06 GTO and an 01/03 540i -mike
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