1990 BMW 5 Series SE review from UK and Ireland
"Not as fun as a Carlton GSI 24v, but much better build quality."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Front driver's side shock leakage.
Handling is sloppy at 122,000 miles.
Radiator needed replacing.
Washer bottle sensor fault.
The head gasket needs replacing at nearly 124,000 miles.
Terrible petrol smell. Fuel lines were leaking and needed replacing.
Wiper tensioner system making strange noises from behind the dashboard.
Dash lights stopped working.
Needed new bulbs and a dimmer switch unit for dash.
General comments?
A great performance saloon for not much money.
Se and sport models are best!
I find the automatic box responsive and tight considering nearly 124,000 miles on the clock.
The kick down in sports mode is a little sluggish at higher speeds compared to My previous Carlton GSI 24v.
She's a heavy girl and likes to drink the juice.
I'm getting about 23 mpg on average as opposed to the 14 to 16 mpg I was getting before I had the O'2 level adjusted.
If you are a perfectionist like myself, you may need to spend a bit of cash getting rid of those annoying niggles and get your 1990, 535ise feeling like new and into the new millennium.
As the handling was feeling sloppy I purchased a set of standard shocks and a set of Boge sports springs which dropped it by 35mm.
It now sits on a set of Breyton Magic 18" alloys and the performance has tightened up no end.
Looks a lot sexier too with a clear light kit and M5 boot spoiler!
I've had no rust problems as yet and the island green metallic body work is still as good as new.
The engine and exhaust I've kept standard as there is plenty of smooth pulling power already.
Just gave it a full service and sorted out those fuel lines and she's purring.
The engine has started to leak oil though and I suspect the head gasket will need replacing soon.
Leather tan interior looks very good for its age, but front seats are a bit to firm for long distances.
I've had My 535i for nine months now and I have to admit I'm missing the fun of my past Carlton GSI 24v and the comfort of my Senator 24v.
It's just a shame Vauxhall don't have a patch on BMW's build quality.
Thirteen years and still going strong.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.5 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 6/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 5/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 121000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 123460 miles |
| Previous car | Opel Senator |
| Date of Entry | 10th June, 2003 |