5 series advice

C

cwl18

Member
Hello Everyone !

I am considering buying a new 5 series - probably the 523i. However, I am concerned about the reliability and maintenance of this model, particularly after hearing about the horror stories from friends and the media.

I would like to ask current owners of the new 5 series their honest opinion on this. What are the major problems you have faced with your 5 series, and what are the repair costs ? What will you say about the joys of owning the 5 series ?

Also, I find the SEs from Performance motor not as professional as the ones from C&C. Anyone agree with me ? Should we petition PML ?

Thanks for your advice !
 
Re: 5 series advice

Hi,

I've been driving my 523 for about 6 months now. So far, all is smooth (touch wood). The only "major" quirks I've encountered is the window anti-trap alert which seems to go off even when the window is fully up. weird.

but, other than that, all is good. A 5er is a beemer and is a driver's car. That's my joy. :)

In terms of SEs, I think it depends on who you get. My SE is really top notch. Too bad he left.
petitioning against PML? I think that is just a waste of time.

my 2 cents.
 
Re: 5 series advice

i think in anything u buy u gonna get some lemons. just like fones.....the thing is u only get to hear about the bad ones...cos the good ones just dun talk about it.

i hv been driving mine for 2 yrs. the only issue i have is speeding...and the fines that come along...
 
Re: 5 series advice

I would wait out for the new FL W211 E-Class out in 2H06.

Heard the E240 (2.6L) will be replaced by an E250 with a better and more powerful 2.5L engine. But I think it will be nearer the $200K+ price segment.

However, even the entry-level E200 Kompressor (1.8L) willl now come with 185 BHP engine. Now that's at least 10 horses more than the 523i. Think it will remain in the
 
Re: 5 series advice

This comparison and evaluation between the lexus GS300, E-Series, and the 5 Series comes up again and again, I believe there are at least two other threads on these matter and there was even a straw poll conducted on this site.
End of the day I think the most important and valuable test is the drive itself and whether you feel comfortable and are at home in the car. Ultimately it is the driving experience and no amount of pre and after sales service can compensate that feel although it is important.
Having owned a merc C class compressor I was biased and was all set for the new E series, however was soley dissapointed with the test drives on the E200 compressor, E240 and even the E280. Those BHP ratings are a joke! You can hit the accelarator for all you want and it moves like a mule.
The Lexus GS300 has all the paraphernalias but somehow that x factor is missing and there seems to be no connection between the driver and the car.
The 5 series was not in my thoughts initially, however all it took was one test drive and it was nothing short of nirvana for me, it is one dynamic machine with grace and power and is positively connected to the road and driver.
I too was concerned with the reputed bad aftersales service by PML which made me hesitate for a while however subsequent test drives of all available cars in similar catergory convinced me that the 5 series is supreme in ride qualities.
I have been driving my 523i the last one month with $30,000 of factory fitted options and it is nirvana all over again especially on Malaysian roads.
Ultimately it is your choise and what are the priorities you really want in your drive. It is always a compromise isn't it?
 
Re: 5 series advice

Seems that there are stil certain "new members" here who are stil very much against the blue roundel and have not said anything positive about it.
 
Re: 5 series advice

I also have one thing that is not too positive about the blue & white roundel. After test driving several new car (my budget in the Corolla category neh), a stupid 9 yrs old E36 became my choice without any test drive. I just sat in it as a passenger and immediately felt it could replace the E30 which was due to scrap. You can feel the grip and connection even as a passenger. Then come the COE renewal and the mod virus thingy and now I can't afford to change car unless I have a deeper pocket.

So why BMW build such engaging driver cars that can be so addictive???
 
Re: 5 series advice

jawzsg said:
I also have one thing that is not too positive about the blue & white roundel. After test driving several new car (my budget in the Corolla category neh), a stupid 9 yrs old E36 became my choice without any test drive. I just sat in it as a passenger and immediately felt it could replace the E30 which was due to scrap. You can feel the grip and connection even as a passenger. Then come the COE renewal and the mod virus thingy and now I can't afford to change car unless I have a deeper pocket.

So why BMW build such engaging driver cars that can be so addictive???
Click to expand...

One of the great things about the older BMW's is the fact that they are excellent project cars, relatively cheap on the market, with plenty of parts, new OEM or junkyard, to do up to your hearts content. I sold a fairly new car to embark on this route (e34) about 2 years ago. Its my most satisfying motoring experience in 25 years. And I don't worry about warrentees, PML, SAs etc etc.

As for the newer cars, my absolute favorite is the e39 5 series. maybe that will be my next project car when this one expires in 2011. Of course i have tested the E90s, E60's etc numerous times. Good though they are, the competition is equally good, just with different priorities. Though I am addicted to the roundel as I like rwd, I admit the Lexus' are very, very good indeed. Add to this the backup, ownership experience and dependability and for many people its a draw with price and equipment becoming the sway factor. At least these are what the converts to Lexus tell me.
 
Re: 5 series advice

Have been with my e60 523i for nearly 8 months now. That's the best car I've ever driven with great looks and superb driving pleasure!

Was thinking of Merc E class, Lexus and BMW previously. After test driving all the 3 cars, really can't let go of BMW. I was comparing horsepower like someone here in the forum, but trust me, go do a test drive and don't just look at the HP specifications. Lexus may seem more in HP, but no way comparable in the driving experience as the e60 523i. Merc E look very professional as well, but still not as good as a 523 in terms of looks and driving experience. But if you need to choose between a Merc and a Lexus, of course Mercs is a much better choice!

But frankly speaking, if someone is looking for pure HP, I don't think you should even consider a Lexus at all. You can find too many good Jippon cars with much higher HP than Lexus but save you lots of money to mod even further and still can keep some good money in the bank.

So far, as with my e60 523i, I have only encountered once with the funny warning on the safety belt (but solved after a software upgrade). The rest is as good as all my other jippon cars that I drove before.

My advice is to book a test drive on the cars you intend to buy. Only your butt feel will tell you which one is the best for you. Don't read reviews of people who have not even test drove a BMW before in some forum as they don't know what they missed. And don't read too much of the reviews of the real owners of BMW here. Cos' all the real owners here will still choose a BMW if given a second chance....:lol2:
 
Re: 5 series advice

I will like to thank everyone for their suggestions and advice, particularly beemerluv, banyan, ganesan, and mark. The relevations I gained was that the choice of the car is beyond just specs and numbers, especially for cars in this category. There is an emotional, almost religious consideration that is equally important (if not more so). At the end of the day, the car must suit the driver - not the other way round.

Happy driving !!!
 
Re: 5 series advice

Hi Bro,

It is interesting and bothering for me to read many treads that mentioned about software upgrade, I collocted my 8months old 523i from Premium Selection 2 weeks ago, the car has been great so far and I wonder if they have already upgraded the software for me.

How can I tell from the idrive???

cheers
 
Re: 5 series advice

Hi JBM, you can't tell the software version on the E60 via idrive or anything else, only the service folks can tell you.

Don't worry too much about the software version, if the car is fine, it's better not to upgrade.
 
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