530D. A joy to own.

Advantages: Power, luxury and ecomomy.
Disadvantages: Cost, especially when you start adding options.

...Having previously owned the fabulous BMW 3ltr engine in an E46 330D, i decided to upgrade to the 530D with a larger boot space. Best descision i have made for a long time. The car oozes luxury! Excellent ride, awesome power delivery through the automatic gearbox and a shape that just grows on you as time goes by. Economy on this vehicle depends on the position of your right foot. Expect 35-38 for normal driving, 37-41 on the motorway. Not bad for a large engine pushing out over 230bhp. The Automatic gearbox, with sport mode, makes seamless changes and adapts to your driving style. A joy to use. It may appear a little sparse inside, but has everything you need is too hand. All layed out in a neat and tidy fashion. The dash layout is totally "uncluttered". The seating is very comfortable, both front and rear. Go for the electrically...

stebbo55 06.12.2007 · Read review
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Review of BMW 530d

BMW 530D Sport Touring 2001 E39

Advantages: Quality , Power , Style , Handling
Disadvantages: Slightly smaller than Merc E class internally

...530d Msport Touring .Quite simply Outstanding in all departments . The only possible improvement would be to make it slightly bigger to match the E class for space . BMW have regained top position for refinement , quality and value that Merc had in 90's . Quality Merc engineering is now let down by appalling paint and corrosion issues across the range from the S class down , now just expensive rotboxes and with no worthwhile warranty either. If only the model W210/11 onwards had had the quality of the W124 in all departments and merc paint quality had been maintained across the range they would now be unassailable. But this was not to be ! This is why I find myself driving a BMW again , my first non Merc since a lovely but flawed (cooling system issues ) BMW 730 from the early90's. What do I now find...

motorgrass 18.10.2008 · Read review
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Review of BMW 530d

Just As Well It Doesn't Drink Red Bull!

Advantages: A fantastic high performance vehicle for silly money (Second hand)
Disadvantages: Not a lot! Well, maybe the boot space.

...I recently changed my taxi. (For the second time this year!) My old car was a BMW 525TDS which I'd run for about 3 years (and about 90,000 miles) practically trouble free, so my first choice of vehicle when looking about for a change of car was another diesel BMW. Unfortunately I was waylaid and seduced into purchasing a Nissan Maxima QX 2-Litre Auto back in June (2008). This big Nissan was/is a marvellous car (review to follow) but after the frugality of the BMW 525TDS I simply found that a overall miles per gallon figure of between 18mpg and 19mpg was simply unliveable for someone who drives such a huge annual mileage as I do, so after a couple of months I decided that much as I loved the car it simply had to go. I'd already decided on my next car. I was after an older model BMW 530D SE (E39 model) which many of my taxi driving...

the_mad_cabbie 18.12.2008 · Read review
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Review of BMW 530d

Getting on but still great.

Advantages: Great all-rounder
Disadvantages: fairly large car..... fairly large price

...dealer. All in all the 530d is a great package, and all though not cheap, you get a lot of car for your money. Visit www.bmw.co.uk for price lists, or to order a brochure....

lostprophet 08.04.2003 (20.04.2003) · Read review
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Review of BMW 530d

Good economy, comfort, performance and image

Advantages: BMW Badge, Subtle but mean looks, Quiet for a Diesel, Economy
Disadvantages: BMW Drivers, V Poor Hifi considering price,

...I have had VW Passat, Audi A4 both 1.9TDI 130BHP, both covering 130K miles in 3 years with very little consequence. The move to BMW was to fulfil a childhood desire to own one of the best automotive marques available. I now have a 2002 BMW 530d M-Sport, Manual, Black, Leather, Sat Nav. The drive is very good. Smooth power delivery and remarkably quiet engine for a diesel. Economy is very good considering the 200BHP the engine produces. On a motorway run, i get between 37 - 41 MPG. If your right foot is heavier tho, expect nearer 30. The exterior is great from the front where the M-Sport kit gives the impression of and M5 and consequently looks purposeful and mean. The Halo lamps and Xenon lights add to the appeal and facilitate good vision at night. From the rear, it looks dull however. Inside, it doesnt really look that...

skymouse 12.11.2005 · Read review
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Review of BMW 530d

Still one of the best

Advantages: Awesome engine, refined, smooth, understated. A winner
Disadvantages: Space in the back is a bit tight for such a big car

...Having recently purchased an ex-demo 530D late-2003... one of the last of the line before the new version came out (love it or hate it the new shape is certainly eye-catching)? we have been absolutely bowled over by the Beemer. Firstly the engine is simply superb... we chose the automatic box, which goes well with the car.. and it handles the straight six in a way that makes the manual gearbox superfluous in our eyes? especially as it has the Sport/Manual position if you want to press on a bit. But the power and pull of this engine often surprises us even now, several months after first sitting in the car. It pulls from nowhere, once it gets past a slight lag, and just keeps on pulling? past 125 MPH with ease for me and I understand it?ll go to 147 if the road allows. And it really doesn?t feel hard-pressed ever? just rewarding...

dolphinlover888 15.01.2005 · Read review
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Review of BMW 530d

The Ultimate Machine

Advantages: Road Manners, Comfort, Its a BMW, Fuel Economy
Disadvantages: Can be hairy in the wet, poor stereo

...The BMW 5 Series was first launched in 1972 and the first model was known as the E12. The vehicle is a medium executive and nowadays competes with cars like the Audi A6 and Mercedes E Class. Quality and reliability on the very early cars was patchy to say the least and they did have a tendency to rust. It wasn't until the launch of the E34 in 1987 that the BMW started to get such high acclaim. The car was initially available in just the four -box saloon body style but an estate known as the touring was added in 1991. The model that this review concerns is the BMW E39 530D that was launched in 1998 as a replacement for the rather lethargic 525tds. The car was purchased in Aug 2004 for 12000 pounds. It was first registered on a V plate. ROAD MANNERS This is arguably the cars strongest suit although it is very difficult to quantify...

olijt08 24.04.2008 · Read review
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Review of BMW 530d

BMW 325i convertable

Advantages: Fair price, electric roof, leather interior, CD player and, of course 'blindingly rapid'.
Disadvantages: Quite expensive parts, can tend to guzzle petrol depending on the speed.

...Two years ago my brother was serching for a car which had class, good looks, gave a good performance, a soft-top and space for his golf clubs. He found a mattalic purple BMW 325i convertable which gave him everything above. The only thing it didn't give him was the good performance - instead it's performance was excellent. The soft-top folded back itself - what would you expect? The car came with black leather interior, a CD player, alloy wheels, a standard BMW alarm system and lots more. Insurance can obviously be high for a quality motor as with the BMW 325i. If anyone was going to buy this car my advice to them would be that: *BMW parts can be expensive, although replica parts are available at a fraction of the cost. *It may be necessary to buy a wind-breaker, (which breaks the sometimes violent wind when the roof is down...

tom13 03.05.2001 · Read review
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Review of BMW 318i

BMW318iSE

Advantages: A prestigous car giving a feeling of safety and comfort. d
Disadvantages: Latest models not as well finished off as the earlier ones.

...My wife and I have owned a 3 series BMW since 1974. The first one was a 316i (1596cc)with manual gearbox. The car was completely reliable and very well made, and the paint finish was faultless. Servicing was every 6,000 miles, although perhaps more frequent than other cars at that time, the cost of the service was as cheap, perhaps cheaper than that of other foreign cars. The second BMW we bought, in August 1997, was a 318iSE (1796cc)with automatic gearbox, again completely reliable but the paint finish was showing signs of not being as well finished off as the previous model, especially around the wheel acrches, inner boot lid bonnet etc. The servicing intervals however were longer, every 8,000 miles and again the servicing price was competative, the BMW labour costs seemingly cheaper than those of a Ford garage. In September 2001 we...

ChoccyBoy 21.04.2003 · Read review
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Review of BMW 318i

BMW Sporty Diesel with Low Running Costs

Advantages: Good Resale value, sporty, comfortable, sleek
Disadvantages: Feels same as a much older model.

...I bought a 2004 model 320DSE recently and am pleased to report it is a nice executive car. The 320D range start with a basic model then the ES then the SE and then of course the Mtec Sport. The level of goodies you get with the car go up with each model but they all driver the same apart from the sports suspension on the Mtec. I decided the Se was probably the best value for myself with Climate control, electric windows , 6 speed manual gearbox, electric windows all round, and cd player advantages over the ES. This is the second BMW I have owned. the first being a 316 made in 92, and I must report it is amazingly similar to drive. The pedals are offset to the right slightly but this feels quite natural, the, the brakes are exellent, and the clutch is fairly light but has quite a long travel which I find takes a while to get used to...

lightheart 18.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of BMW 320d