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As I work for a company linked to BMW, I change cars every 9 months or under 10k miles -whichever comes first so I decided to try a 5 and ordered a plain 525i with no options but as the cars are sold on afterwards, we get various options added to help the resale value.So I got a metallic ... Read review
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A review by mproudfoot on BMW 525i November 28th, 2001
Author's Car rating:
Safety
Excellent
Comfort
Good
Customer service
Satisfactory
Security
Good
Looks
Satisfactory
Advantages:
Quiet, spacious, large boot, nice look with the front 'ring' lamps, meaty sounding engine, handling
Disadvantages:
thirsty, unweildy around town,
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full car review
After a 5 month spell in a 316i SE (2000) the 525i SE was a major change for me and came supplied with a vast amount of pleasant surprises and disappointments.
As I work for a company linked to BMW, I change cars every 9 months or under 10k miles -whichever comes first so I decided to try a 5 and ordered a plain 525i with no options but as the cars are sold on afterwards, we get various options added to help the resale value.So I got a metallic black (Cosmos black) SE with Gray leather, the standard SE alloys and the steptronic auto box. This model also came with the electric sunroof but with it being winter during my 3 months in the car and me not really being big on sunroofs, I never used it.
The car does look nice when clean although i find the 5-series styling a bit dated now compared to the new 3s - the 'ring' lights are hard to miss in low light conditions.
When I picked up the car from a distribution centre in Oxfordshire with barely 10 miles on the clock, I took it for a 100 mile drive.. driving at the speed limits until I adjusted to the change. Compared to the 316, i felt like i was driving a tank.. it felt huge and I was very aware that I had to keep further away from the kerb than I normally would have. Not that you'd have noticed with the engine and handling making it feel very light and nimble indeed.
The engine is quite special in the 525.. the same one as used in the 325 and is a 2.5i straight six 24v lump producing 192bhp (184bhp in the US due to emissions) and never feels like it'll run out of power.
Later on, I took the car to Aberdeen and back 3 times in 1 week - a total of nearly 3000 miles in that week (a third of my allowed mileage!) and started flexing it, using sports mode and kickdown more and the acceleration is fantastic on paper.. but due to the size, and quietness of the car, it never feels quite as exhilarating as even the little 316i did although the noise of engine is a treat to the ears.
The handling is good.. not too much roll on corners and it dismisses most bumps with ease although the wide tyres can amplify the sound wickedly on noisy road surfaces although on a nice smooth blacktop, you can set the cruise con to 90mph and it'd be quiet enough to hear a pin drop.
The automatic gearbox is a must as I found the manual clutch in the BMWs quite heavy and a pain in heavy traffic.. it does affect performance by a small margin and fuel economy by a bit more but as this is an exective car with luxury leanings, it makes sense to have the auto.. Steptronic is a novelty that soon wears off but sports mode and kickdown modes are great for hearing that raucious engine noise burst to life. I found standard mode a bit oddly behaved at times.. where it was struggling to accelerate under certain gears at mid-revs and times where it applied engine braking on downhills and sometimes it didn't.
Inside, the car has 5 seats although the rear-centre seat is going to be tight on leg space due to the large drive tunnel and although there is a lot more space width-wise.. I was surprised to find (and read) that the rear legroom is almost identical to that in the 3-series! There are plenty of storage spaces inside and the interior surfaces in black, gray, vavona wood and leather are all perfectly finished... only dissapointment were the flimsy-feeling cup holders. The climate system is also fiddly with the ability to set temperatures for each side of the car pointless IMO but air condioning is a godsend when the windows are steamed up ;-)
The steering wheel has volume and fwd/rwd controls for the stereo and the cruise control buttons and is covered in leather. The control-stalks are all in the right places and the steptronic lever (wood and leather) has a heavy solid feel to it. My one main gripe with the whole driving experience was the darned pedals. because the car was designed for left-hand drive markets, the engine design makes the pedal locations a bit odd on right-hand drive models.. the accelerator pedal is right up against the right edge of the car and the brake pedal is virtually joined on to it.. not good for big feet like mine.
I was disappointed that the CD player is not a standard feature and so had to make do with cassette/radio.. as I don't use cassettes, i made do with the radio which i found a bit quirky compared to the one in the previous 3-series with occassional cut outs where I experienced none before (the aerial is integrated into the rear window) and the TA was on and off at the wrong times.
Overall.. the quality of the vehicle is without doubt.. and the drive and handling ability is amazing for a car this size but perhaps a little sedate for my liking.. I do enjoy a more exciting drive and i now have a 320Ci for the next few months and a 325i Sport after that so I can do a realistic comparison.. look out for more reviews coming up.
Advantages: Great Drive on Motorway, Great comfort. Disadvantages: High fuel consumption.
...have recently discovered that the BMW 5 series has been voted 'executive car of the year 2006' by 'what car?' magazine, and having owned a BMW 525i for the past two years this does not come as any surprise.
I opted for the metallic grey and overall have found this to be a great choice. The exterior of the car looks classy and dignified. I also feel that the car manages to fulfill the role of being a great family car, whilst also feeling a bit more ... ...when I opted for the BMW 5 series I was fully aware of the many 'extras' and 'additional' costs that seem to occur. I was also too familiar with the high service costs charged by BMW in comparison to some other garages. I feel these are two points worth pointing out to anyone who is considering purchasing a BMW. This unfortunatly brings me on to the areas of the BMW 525i experiance that I have found to be negative. Whilst I think the I drive and ...
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average very helpful
Advantages: Classy executive look, goes fast and is extremely comfortable Disadvantages: High fuel consumption / running costs
...brand new dark metallic blue BMW 525i. The car that I got had a number of extras including: sat-nav, bluetooth phone and leather seats. The gear selection is precise and the travel not too extreme. From 1st gear through to 6th it is exceptionally smooth, with the biting point of the clutch very intuitive. Whilst 6th gear is, as you might expect, not that responsive, it is a great motorway gear
The dashboard is uncluttered with most of the additional ... ...the iDrive monitor - an LCD screen in the central console. This monitor is used when controlling the entertainment source, sat-nav and telephone. It also shows all the additional, extra information, including tire puncture warning should the unfortunate occur. At night time with the console lit up and the monitor on, it is like the inside of a commercial plane. Overall, top marks from the "cool" factor. The sat-nav is an additional option. Although ...
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average helpful
...recommend this car for any bmw enthusiast that likes the old (prior 2003) design. At the time I bought the car dealers were selling the 5 series off at a largely discounted price because the new (ugly) series were coming in. The driveability and the image/prestige from owning a bmw, in my opinion, definitely outshines it's disadvantages. ...
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average helpful
I thought i had died and gone to heaven when my husband said that we were getting a new car (bmw) it was beautiful, dolphin grey, electric windows, beautiful interior,it was just what i had always wanted then came the insurance quote &1000 for the year (the car was expensive enough) then came the petrol this car drinks petrol like its going out of fashion but what else can you expect you've got quality so you have to pay for quality now i have a ...
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average not helpful
Advantages: Practical, Comfortable, spacious, easy to drive and very reliable Disadvantages: Expensive servicing with main dealer, average MPGs, little legroom in the back if tall
...I have owned a few BMWs in my time but the 525i SE, E34 model I feel has been the best so far. I always said to myself, I would not have a 5 series as they were too big and clumsy but age has matured this opinion as I now own one and love it to bits.
I bought this 1993 K registered Model for a mere £1800 in October last year and it has a hidden extra which I will talk about shortly. I cant believe how much car you can get for so little money. I seem to remember that 11 years ago when this model was launched it cost in excess of £24000.00.
The car had 125000 miles on the clock and had a full service history. It is equiped with electric everything, airconditioning, Cd sound system and the onboard computer. The interior was immaculate with the wood trim and unmarked grey Velour seats(although I paid £250.00 and bought a grey leather...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: none except for the namebrand ??? Disadvantages: All you can think about and your nightmares becomes reality.
...I am almost 50 and have driven numerous cars in my life. From American cars to Japanese cars to European cars. My previous car was a 2002 BMW525i sedan. And, last year I purchased a new 2006 E280 GAS w/auto trans. SInce the beginning, it has never been satisfactory for me. It went in and out of the service garage. First, a bearing was changed after doing only 500 kilometers. Second, I had the airconditiong system checked and cleaned coz there was a very awful smell of dust, just like an old house, everytime I turned on the
aircondition. It will only go away when it has reach the cold temp. The tech told me that this is a very common problem with the E Class and other Benz models. Third, the engine knocks resulting from a bad EGR Valve, replaced. Now, Still waiting for new problems to come up.
Till now, It has ran only 9300 kilometers...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Prestige, Spacious and comfortable Disadvantages: Expensive to insure, can drink petrol!
...I decided to buy my approved used BMV 318i SE in November 2002 after a job change which meant I would be out on the road all day, 5 days a week. I previously owned a Renault Clio (far too small) and prior to that a 1989 BMW525i.
I've always been a big fan of BMW's since owning my first one, just for the comfort, prestige and drive and when it came to change my Clio for something more substantial, BMW came top of my requirement list everytime, especially ENCAP tests.
I decided to buy an approved used and searched on the BMW site and found one in Chesterfield - some distance from my property. When I rang to enquire whether they could transfer it to my nearest dealer, they couldn't, however, were prepared to meet me halfway so I could look at the car. Well as soon as I saw it, I had to have it.
The car itself is beautifully designed...
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