First real user review - BMW Forum

AZ325Ci · 05-02-2003, 01:42 PM

First real user 5-series review

Source: Sent to us by one of our readers from the BMWM5.com*site.
*
Yesterday I was at my BMW dealer. They have an E60 530i for their potential good customers. The car is barrowed from Germany and will be back by the next week. The car wasn't on the show room. They put it in somewhere else where you can get with an appointment.

Anyway, I managed to see the car in person. Here we go:

1) I like the front look. It looks very aggressive and I'm sure the M5 will be very NICE.

2) However, the interior is a disaster; especially the A/C buttons and CD player cover is made of very cheap plastic. It feels cheaper than Japanese cars. I can't describe it, you should see but it is a HUGE DISSOPOINMENT. My salesperson told me that the car won't come out with the current interior; it can't be. He said to me: "let's talk about it somewhere else, out of BMW roof."

3) I didn't like the back end. The car is very nice until C column. The door panels are nice, too.

4) There are lots of new technological goodies and it is like E36 vs. E46. Also every corresponding model is 70 kg lighter than E39.

My dad was looking for a new car and was between 530d and Merc. E320 CDI. Because of the new car production and built quality problems, and waiting time, we bought a 2003 E320 CDI 2 days ago and didn't wait to see new 5. I didn't regret at all.

I can tell you that the E-class is way better than 5 series in terms of built and part quality as well as interior and exterior design. I'm sure the 5 drives better and is more drivers’ car if you can stand back of the car and cheap plastic interior. E60 doesn't feel rich once you get in. BMW couldn't get the right feeling with the car. Once you see it, you'll understand what I mean.

(By the way E320 CDI has 204 hp and 500 NM of torque between 1800-2600 rpm. It is a perfect daily drive to be used with chauffeur. )

FruityOne · 05-02-2003, 01:57 PM

eh...ill never buy anything 1999+ from bmw ever...these designs are too ugly

cam540 · 05-02-2003, 02:01 PM

Fruity, you don't like the E46???

cam540 · 05-02-2003, 02:02 PM

Also, do you buy cars for the way they look or they way they drive.

FruityOne · 05-02-2003, 02:05 PM

50% look/50% drive

and i dont liek the e46 imo it doesnt look aggressive enough like the e36 does...e39 is good but look where its going...e38 was great look what happened to it...mainly now its the designs that are killing it for me

AZ325Ci · 05-02-2003, 02:06 PM

i don't like the looks of the newer bimmers either, but i do like the e46's, however, i don't really care for the new face-lifted e46 coupes/cabrios. maybe in time, they will grow on me. who knows

AZ325Ci · 05-02-2003, 02:08 PM

i think the e36's and e38's are the best looking bimmers made

FruityOne · 05-02-2003, 03:06 PM

i dont believe a design should have to grow on me for me to like it...either i hate it or i like it

permalink · 05-03-2003, 02:59 AM

ive was never, and never will be a E36 guy, just too boxy for me, and all of them are at least 4 years old now....E46(3)/E39(5)/E38(7) were the best looking BMW's ever. The 2002 3 sedans and wagons look more aggressive with the new headlights, and from certain angles the new coupes look nice. But who can ignore the new 6spd's in the coupes and verts?

MrM3 · 05-03-2003, 04:24 AM

my favorite BMW design was the E30 M3, then comes the 99-01 E46 sedan. i'm not really a E36 guy and hope to skip that generation and go straight to E46, but a tastefully modded E36 is almost to die for. my verdict is that the E36 lacks the class of a E46 and lacks the track-like aggresiveness of a E30 M, but in most cases can offer a great deal from both worlds.

Fox · 05-03-2003, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MrM3@May 3 2003, 02:24 AM
my favorite BMW design was the E30 M3, then comes the 99-01 E46 sedan. i'm not really a E36 guy and hope to skip that generation and go straight to E46, but a tastefully modded E36 is almost to die for. my verdict is that the E36 lacks the class of a E46 and lacks the track-like aggresiveness of a E30 M, but in most cases can offer a great deal from both worlds.

I agree the e30 m3 is killer. It fixed really only exterior apperience flaws on the 325 such as the low line trunk and the fenders (nothing was really wrong with them but who can like them when compared to the m3 rollledughhhh droooll... fenders) However on the e36 i feel opposite. Its just boxy and keeps the look of the track car with the similar yet improved and larger, bulgier hood and short and sweet rear end. The e36 is modern yet doesnt jut into the luxury *im a fat rich e46 car* look. Cars should retain lines, not buldge them. I cant stand anything newer than e36... and e36s are getting on my nerve just because the're so common.

fatty · 05-03-2003, 05:07 AM

i agree the newer Bmw's dont do anything for me, i prefer the E36, but in saying that the new Z4 looks very sexy......and the z8 (the one in the bond movie that got cut in half)

Spetsnaz Op · 05-03-2003, 05:18 AM

i like the older E46 coupes, E36's, and in rare cases the E39. When you add nice rims and clear lights the E39 looks much better than without. BTW, i also think that BMW is going in the shitter. no 2001 or newer BMW's for me, Benz is starting too look much better. BTW, i would select a car probabily 45/55 on looks/performance. If a car doesn't perform well, i don't want it. If a car doesn't look good, i won't get it either. I don't think i would buy a ferrari engine-transplanted Ford Taurus.

but it would be the ultimate sleeper

BTW the new 2004 5 looks like a toyota avalon on crack :P

steveo86 · 05-03-2003, 05:19 AM

have you guys (I'm sure you have) seen the Alpina Z8? That thing looks sweet. My dad went to Vista BMW the other day to look at 300ci's and such, and they had an Alpina Roadster on the showroom floor. When he asked the salesman how much it was, he said $40k. So my dad was pretty excited to get one, but when he went to look at the sheet of info(whats it called?) he almost passed out! "Oops, im sorry, I forgot about that little $100k."

fatty · 05-03-2003, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by steveo86@May 3 2003, 11:19 AM
have you guys (I'm sure you have) seen the Alpina Z8? That thing looks sweet. My dad went to Vista BMW the other day to look at 300ci's and such, and they had an Alpina Roadster on the showroom floor. When he asked the salesman how much it was, he said $40k. So my dad was pretty excited to get one, but when he went to look at the sheet of info(whats it called?) he almost passed out! "Oops, im sorry, I forgot about that little $100k."

yep they look so fat.....
when i went to my local Alpina dealer to get my reg plates made up they had one there, and if i remember right they come with 20" rims..... when im up there next i will get some pictures for you.