If anyone has personal experience and knowledge about 98-02 bmw 5 series (525, 530, 540), please share. For somewhere under $30k there is a tradeoff to getting a newer, more refined looking 01/02 525 with less power (2.5/IL6)or you can get a 99/00 540 (4.4/IL8) with lots more power. There seems to be more maintenance cost associated with 540 based on people’s experiences, and gas mileage is pritty low 13/21 compared to on average 30 for 525. 525 and 530 comes with sport package that boosts up a little bit on power, suspension and cosmetics (like 17" rims)…so that looks pritty attractive.
How would you compare it with Lexus GS300/400.
I’ve looked at several bmw forums to get basic info on these models, but if you have anything to add, please share.
540i (especially with manual) is not easy to find and they sell like hot cake whenever they come on the used car lot. 525i has the same interior ofcourse, but the driving experience is totally different. So, obviously you should drive both before deciding which one you want. If you just want a 5 series in name, then 525i will work (plus its silky smooth 6's are one of the best in class), but if you want the power, look for a good 540i. Its not M5, but its a lot of fun.
About the gas milage on 4.4l IL8, if you are lucky you'd get 14-15 blended (city/hwy).
We have quite a few of all 3 available in this area, so that's not a concern. I think 525 is really underpowered with only 186 HP, compared to 225 & 280 HP for 530 and 540, respectively. I'm leaning more towards 530 or maybe 540. 186HP seems too less for a 3700 lb vehicle. While there is no such thing as having too much power in a car, 540 seems impractical for my needs. 530 seems like a good choice out ot these 3.
You're right, driving them would be the best thing to do, but I wanted to do research before proceeding further.
Unless I was into street racing or a total aggressive driver, it doesn't seem justifiable to me to pay $4-5k extra for more power, but lesser fuel efficiancy and higher maintenance. For the same amount of money I would get "enough" power for everyday normal driving (& to have fun once in a while), plus a newer model and more options on a 530.
I don't think having a faster car out of the two given choices makes you a faster or a better driver. It is the person's driving skill thats a more important factor than anything else.
Well, cars generally don't make better drivers anyway. You know your driving habits better than anyone else. Go for 530i. It has same interior, is cheaper and has better fuel efficiency, to boot.
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*Originally posted by mal1k: *
so stick shift is really the hot cake in US...!
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Not sure if its hot or not, but for a 4 litre engine on a 5 series body, it will be kinda waste to have just automatic. The car is just crying to be driven like a sports car.
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*Originally posted by Faisal: *
Not sure if its hot or not, but for a 4 litre engine on a 5 series body, it will be kinda waste to have just automatic. The car is just crying to be driven like a sports car.
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But 2days age spells tiptronic, & steptronic F1 style...!
